Concert Preview: Symphony Tacoma presents “Mythical Landscapes”

Concert Preview: Symphony Tacoma presents “Mythical Landscapes”

Concert Preview: Symphony Tacoma presents “Mythical Landscapes”

Sarah Ioannides | Symphony Tacoma Music Director | Female Conductor and Composer
 

Symphony Tacoma invites audiences on a mesmerizing journey through myth, magic, and music with Mythical Landscapes, an enchanting concert featuring internationally acclaimed pianist Xiaohui Yang. This captivating performance on Sunday, February 23rd, at 2:30pm is an exceptional afternoon performance showcasing storytelling works by Sibelius, Grieg, Mahler, and Stravinsky.

Symphony Tacoma musicians are thrilled to share the Pantages stage with internationally acclaimed pianist Xiaohui Yang for Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor. A winner of the prestigious 2017 Naumburg International Piano Competition, Yang has captivated audiences across four continents with her refined artistry and dazzling virtuosity. Praised as a “magician of sound and virtuosity” (La Libre, Belgium), she has performed at renowned venues, including Carnegie Hall, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, and the Seoul Arts Center. With an impressive roster of collaborations, she has appeared as a soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, and New Jersey Symphony, among others.

A passionate chamber musician and festival artist, Yang has graced the stages of Marlboro, Tanglewood, and Ravinia, performing alongside esteemed musicians such as Peter Wiley and Charles Neidich. Her musical journey began in China before she earned degrees from the Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts at Peabody Conservatory Yang while calling Tacoma home, along with her husband and baby girl. Symphony Tacoma audiences can anticipate an afternoon of breathtaking artistry as Yang brings her expressive depth and technical brilliance to the Mythical Landscapes program.

Symphony Tacoma Music Director Sarah Ioannides carefully curated this program to include a true gem of the classical repertoire: Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird Suite. A brilliant blend of myth, magic, and music, this dazzling masterpiece catapulted the young composer to international fame. Also on the concert are Jean Sibelius’ Pan and Echo, Dance Intermezzo No. 3, and Mahler’s Blumine movement, a hidden gem from his Symphony No. 1. 

Building community through music Symphony Tacoma is a dynamic professional orchestra composed of local musicians dedicated to making great music accessible to all. Led by Music Director Sarah Ioannides, the orchestra is committed to engaging, educating, and inspiring the community through transformative musical experiences.

 
Concert Preview: Boston University Symphony Orchestra

Concert Preview: Boston University Symphony Orchestra

Concert Preview: Boston University Symphony Orchestra

Sarah Ioannides | Symphony Tacoma Music Director | Female Conductor and Composer
 

Kicking off the Spring 2025 semester, Boston University Symphony Orchestra presents a collection of works that demonstrate kaleidoscopic evolution of nature, harmony, romance and sound. Led by conductor Sarah Ioannides.

Starting in Finland with Jean Sibelius’ Pan and Echo (1906) the work is best described by Siblelius’ biographer, Andrew Barnett: “poetic, full of feeling, and scored with great sensitivity.” Next, we feature one of our Fall 2024 winners of the Concerto Competition, Xueying Fan, with Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in D-flat major. This concerto is a lively and playful work that combines virtuosic piano passages with bold orchestral textures. The concerto features contrasting sections, from the jazzy, rhythmic opening movement to the lyrical, introspective second movement. The energetic finale concludes with whimsical, humorous themes, showcasing Prokofiev’s distinctive style and technical brilliance. Closing out the concert will be a continuing celebration of Anton Bruckner 200th birthday (born in 1824) with his first major success; Symphony no. 4 ‘Romantic’ (Second Edition, 1878.) Come & discover the “Romantic” tale hidden in its music described by the composer as tales of Medieval knights on horseback, forest murmurs, and bird song.

 

Repertoire: • Sibelius Pan & Echo • Prokofiev Piano Concerto No.1, in D Flat Major, Op.10, featuring Xueying Fan, piano (CFA concerto competition winner) • Bruckner Symphony No. 4, “Romantic” – Second 1878 Edition.

 
Preview: PLU Honor Orchestra for Strings

Preview: PLU Honor Orchestra for Strings

Preview: PLU Honors String Orchestra 

Sarah Ioannides | Symphony Tacoma Music Director | Female Conductor and Composer

The annual PLU Honor Orchestra for Strings brings together outstanding high school string players from across the country, offering them the opportunity to perform exceptional string orchestra literature under the direction of a nationally recognized guest conductor. Nominated by their high school orchestra directors, these young musicians gain valuable experience through two days of intensive rehearsals and sectionals with expert string clinicians, culminating in a final performance by the Honor Orchestra.

 
 
Concert Preview: Boston University Chamber Orchestra

Concert Preview: Boston University Chamber Orchestra

Concert Preview: Boston University Chamber Orchestra

Sarah Ioannides | Symphony Tacoma Music Director | Female Conductor and Composer

Concluding this semester’s series of orchestral concerts, Boston University Chamber Orchestra conducted by Sarah Ioannides presents a program of comedy, romantic landscapes, and the pioneering American spirit. Rossini’s Overture to the Barber of Seville (1816) was interestingly composed for a different opera (seria) entirely, Aureliano in Palmira (1813), It was subsequently used for a historical opera, Elizabeth, Queen of England, showcasing the multifaceted compositional prowess Rossini possessed. This overture leads into rather lush pastures with pioneering Venezuelan composer, Teresa Carreño’s Serenade for Strings (1895). The string serenade lineage can be traced back to other famous works such as Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (1787), however Carreño forgoes the traditional construction of a string serenade and instead paints a picturesque panorama of the pastures in Pertisau, a small village in the Austrian Alps. From the pastures of Pertisau, Aaron Copland transports us to the open prairie landscapes of the American Frontier with his Appalachian Spring Suite (1945.) Originally a ballet commissioned by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, Copland displays a story of a pioneering couple beginning their new life on the frontier. The suite presents 8 different sections from the ballet, ending with variations of the famous Shaker hymn “Simple Gifts.”

Concert Preview: Symphony Tacoma presents “Holiday Favorites”

Concert Preview: Symphony Tacoma presents “Holiday Favorites”

Concert Preview: Symphony Tacoma presents “Holiday Favorites”

Sarah Ioannides | Symphony Tacoma Music Director | Female Conductor and Composer

Get into the holiday spirit with our lively Holiday Favorites concert featuring all the classics you love! Enjoy an enchanting evening as your Symphony Tacoma musicians are joined by the talented Symphony Tacoma Voices and Tacoma Youth Chorus. Don’t miss out on this annual family favorite—grab your tickets now and make this holiday season unforgettable!

Concert Preview: Symphony Tacoma presents “Passion & Intrigue”

Concert Preview: Symphony Tacoma presents “Passion & Intrigue”

Concert Preview: Symphony Tacoma presents “Passion & Intrigue”

Sarah Ioannides | Symphony Tacoma Music Director | Female Conductor and Composer

Symphony Tacoma is ready to ignite the concert stage with its upcoming “Passion & Intrigue” concert, a special homecoming featuring two-time Grammy award winner J’Nai Bridges. On Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7:30pm, the historic Pantages Theater will come alive with a dramatic fusion of fiery Spanish themes, exotic tales from the East, and powerful operatic moments, creating an evening of intense emotion and mesmerizing storytelling expertly conducted by Symphony Tacoma Music Director Sarah Ioannides  

J’Nai has captured the world’s attention with her lush, velvety voice and powerful stage presence. Her illustrious career spans performances with major opera houses and orchestras, including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Acclaimed for her interpretations of both classic and contemporary repertoire, J’Nai’s artistry resonates deeply with audiences, earning her accolades and solidifying her status as one of today’s most captivating vocal talents.

J’Nai’s homecoming to Tacoma is more than just a performance; it’s a heartfelt reunion with the community that nurtured her early passion for music. This highly anticipated appearance with Symphony Tacoma promises to be an emotional and exhilarating experience as audiences witness a hometown star bringing her world-class talent back to where it all began. With a voice that embodies warmth and elegance, her presence on the stage will elevate the evening, creating a moment of shared pride and musical brilliance.

After intermission, audiences will be treated to Georges Bizet’s Suites for Carmen, bringing to life the fiery passions and intense drama of his iconic opera Carmen. In Suite No. 1, Bizet’s powerful melodies and infectious rhythms are transformed into a vivid orchestral suite that captures the exotic spirit of Spain. From the sultry “Habanera” (featuring J’Nai) to the carefree “Séguedille,” Bizet’s music conveys a world of love, betrayal, and fate, with each movement offering a new layer of emotional depth.

J’Nai takes centerstage to breathe life into Maurice Ravel’s evocative Shéhérazade. This exquisite song cycle embodies the allure and mystique of the legendary tales of the Arabian Nights. Ravel’s expressive work promises to transport the audience into an enchanting world of storytelling and musical splendor, capturing the essence of longing and intrigue with its blend of exoticism and subtle drama.

Symphony Tacoma’s Passion & Intrigue (Nov. 23, 7:30 p.m.) promises to be a homecoming no one will soon forget with the immense stage presence of J’Nai Bridges coming home to the Pantages Theater and Maestro Ioannides leading Symphony Tacoma through an evening of Passion & Intrigue.