Concert Preview: Symphony Tacoma Announces Season Opening Concert, ‘Rhapsody!’

Symphony Tacoma is delighted to announce the opening concert of its much-anticipated 2023-2024 season, a musical soirée that promises to captivate the audience and set the stage for a season of exceptional performances. The grand event will take place on October 14, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. at Tacoma’s historic Pantages Theater.

The evening’s repertoire celebrates the rich tapestry of classical music, from the ethereal and evocative works of Boulanger and Ravel to the passionate and dramatic pieces by Rachmaninoff and Strauss. Audience members can anticipate an experience that will transport them through time and emotion, leaving them inspired and profoundly moved.

Known for her dynamic and emotive conducting style, Music Director Sarah Ioannides will lead Symphony Tacoma through this captivating journey of musical diversity. “We are eagerly anticipating our opening concert and the virtuosic Mackenzie Melemed, whose dexterity and brilliance will be humbling,” says Ioannides, who is entering her tenth season as music director. “Join us as we weave this beautiful program in a symphonic celebration of love, transformation and timeless melodies.”

Recipient of the 2022 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Mackenzie Melemed is consistently lauded for his interpretative prowess as a consummate solo artist, a remarkably sensitive chamber musician, and first-class soloist with orchestra. He will take center stage to perform Rachmaninoff’s celebrated “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,” delivering a performance that blends technical virtuosity with deep emotional resonance.