Seattle Symphony

Seattle, WA – Seattle Symphony Music Director Gerard Schwarz and Executive Director Paul Meecham are pleased to announce the full schedule of activities for the Made in America Festival: Part 1 May 1 – 26 at Benaroya Hall. Maestro Schwarz, Assistant Conductor Christian Knapp, the Seattle Symphony and guest artists will perform five concerts celebrating music by great American composers of the 20th century on May 6, 7, 12, 13 and 19. The Festival also includes a wide variety of lectures, performances by community partners, panel discussions and musical demonstrations before and after the Seattle Symphony performances and in Soundbridge Seattle Symphony Music Discovery Center. The Made in America Festival: Part 1 in May 2005 will be followed by the Made in America Festival: Part 2 in May 2006, featuring the next generation of American composers.

Maestro Gerard Schwarz said, “I am thrilled to present this special Festival of music written by our own incredible American composers that our great Seattle Symphony has championed over the last 20 years. When I think about 20th-century music, especially from 1925-1960, I believe that our American composers were in the forefront of the greatest composers of that period. That is not to say that there weren't great English and Russian composers, etc.; but, this was a unique moment in our history when we had such a remarkable group of imaginative and creative people working in one country creating an American sound. As we look back on that period of music-making, we stand in awe of these astounding accomplishments."

Seattle Symphony builds on its tradition of partnering with cultural organizations throughout the Puget Sound, creating fruitful collaborations with groups who help enrich our region’s thriving and diverse culture. Seattle Symphony Executive Director Paul Meecham stated, “We are delighted to partner with such esteemed local organizations as the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, Seattle Chamber Music Festival, University of Washington Symphony Orchestra and Bands, Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra, Northwest Boychoir and Northwest Girlchoir for the Made in America Festival: Part 1. These organizations have incorporated works by important 20th-century American composers into their upcoming performances to introduce a wider audience to a more comprehensive understanding of the great canon of American music.”

Composers represented in Seattle Symphony performances include Ives, Riegger, Piston, Hanson, Sessions, Thomson, Gershwin, Copland, Barber, Schuman, Carter, Diamond and many others whose music helped establish a unique American style. Interesting local connections include: Virgil Thompson’s Symphony No. 2, which was given its world premiere by Seattle Symphony in 1941 under the colorful Music Director Sir Thomas Beecham; William Bergsma was director of the University of Washington School of Music from 1963-1971; and Carlos Chávez conducted the Seattle Symphony in the mid-20th century. Special attention will be paid during the Festival to Seattle Symphony Honorary Composer in Residence David Diamond as he turns 90 this year.

Seattle Symphony Festival guest artists include mezzo-soprano Rinat Shaham, Seattle Symphony English horn Glen Danielson, and the Faculty/Students of the University of Washington Vocal Department.

Presented under the leadership of Seattle Symphony Music Director Gerard Schwarz, the Festival reflects the internationally acknowledged role the Seattle Symphony has played in performing works that have established a distinctive American “sound.” Maestro Schwarz was recognized in 2002 by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) for his championship of American music and the music of our time. The Festival will showcase the Orchestra’s expertise in performing American music gained through 20 seasons of working under Maestro Schwarz. The Seattle Symphony is widely known for its work in pioneering performances and recordings of this repertoire, with five recordings nominated for Grammy awards in 11 categories. Last season, the Seattle Symphony released 10 remastered CDs on the Naxos “American Classics” label to highly favorable reviews, and the Orchestra has plans for further Naxos releases in 2005 and beyond.

In addition to performances, lectures and panel discussions, numerous musical demonstrations by local artists will celebrate the many styles of American music, from Bluegrass to Jazz, and from Gospel to Hip-Hop in Soundbridge Seattle Symphony Music Discovery Center during the Festival. A detailed schedule of Made in America Festival events is attached, and will be available at www.seattlesymphony.org. The Festival theme is tied into many of the Orchestra’s education programs during the current season, including the upcoming Tiny Tots series performances on February 12 and 15 titled American Love Songs (for children ages birth-5); and the April 30 Comcast Discover Music! series performance (for children ages 5-12) and the May 3 Meet the Beat performance (for secondary school students), both titled American Music Festival.

Seattle Symphony
Now in its 101st season, the Seattle Symphony (www.seattlesymphony.org), under the leadership of Music Director Gerard Schwarz, is the one of the oldest and largest cultural institutions in the Pacific Northwest. Recognized for its adventurous programming and tradition of performing music by contemporary composers, the Symphony is represented on nearly 100 compact discs. From September through July, the Seattle Symphony is heard live by more than 330,000 people annually. During the 2004-2005 season, the Seattle Symphony will present more than 220 performances in its downtown Seattle home, Benaroya Hall, and in community concerts throughout the Puget Sound region and Washington State.

Soundbridge Seattle Symphony Music Discovery Center
Over 125,000 people have visited Soundbridge Seattle Symphony Music Discovery Center (www.soundbridge.org) since its opening in April 2001 in Benaroya Hall. This interactive learning center features hands-on exhibits, orchestral instruments, and a workshop/performance space, and is devoted to the exploration, creation, and understanding of symphonic music by people of all ages. Visitors can play musical instruments, listen to a vast library of symphonic works at the Listening Bar, meet Symphony musicians, attend lectures, recitals, storytellings, and take a variety of classes.

Tickets
Tickets for Seattle Symphony performances can be purchased by calling the Seattle Symphony Ticket Office at (206) 215-4747, faxing the Symphony at (206) 215-4748, ordering online at www.seattlesymphony.org, or visiting the Seattle Symphony Ticket Office in Benaroya Hall at Third Avenue & Union Street, Monday through Friday, 10:00am to 6:00pm, and Saturdays, 1:00pm to 6:00pm. Student and senior rush discount tickets, subject to availability, go on sale in person at the Seattle Symphony Ticket Office at 6:00pm prior to evening performances and at noon prior to afternoon performances.

The Made in America Festival is supported in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.

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