The Seattle Symphony is an American

orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...

based in

Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is the List of municipalities in Washington, most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the List of Unit ...

. Since 1998, the orchestra is resident at Benaroya Hall. The orchestra also serves as the accompanying orchestra for the

Seattle Opera Seattle Opera is an American opera company based in Seattle, Washington. The company's season runs from August through late May, comprising five or six operas of eight to ten performances each, often featuring double casts in major roles to all ...

History

Beginnings

The orchestra gave its first performance on December 29, 1903, with Harry West conducting. Known from its founding as the Seattle Symphony, it was renamed in 1911 as the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1919, the orchestra was reorganized with new bylaws under the name Seattle Symphony Orchestra. The 1921–22 season was cancelled due to financial problems. The orchestra was revived in 1926 under the direction of Karl Krueger.

Pacific Northwest Symphony Orchestra

In 1947, the Seattle Symphony merged with the Tacoma Philharmonic to form the Pacific Northwest Symphony Orchestra. Performances were held in

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

, Tacoma, and Olympia, with conducting duties split between Carl Bricken and Eugene Linden. This arrangement ceased after one season, when the Seattle Symphony decided to withdraw from it. A feud between the musicians and the board surfaced in 1948, and a majority of the musicians divorced themselves from the board and created a new orchestra called the Seattle Orchestra, a partnership (collective) operated by the musicians themselves, who chose Linden as their conductor. The Seattle Symphony announced a separate orchestra season with eighteen concerts at the old

Meany Hall for the Performing Arts Meany Hall has been the name of two buildings on the University of Washington campus in Seattle. Individual performance venues include the 1,206-seat proscenium Katharyn Alvord Gerlich Theater, and the 238-seat Meany Studio Theatre. Meany Hall hos ...

on the

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...

campus. The symphony was to be directed by Stanley Chapple, and a series of guest conductors: Artur Rodzinski, Jacques Singer, and Erich Leinsdorf. Personnel for the Seattle Symphony were announced in the press on October 24, 1948, and included a few musicians who had chosen not to defect to the Seattle Orchestra and some new faces as well. The Seattle Symphony season was then postponed and eventually cancelled. The Seattle Orchestra, meanwhile, gave its first performance on November 23, 1948. An accommodation was reached between the Seattle Symphony and the Seattle Orchestra, and the two organizations merged, and the name "Seattle Symphony Orchestra" was retained. The partnership system was also retained, and musicians gained access onto the board. The partnership system was eventually dissolved at the request of Milton Katims in 1955. Even so, for most of its 100-year history, and especially today, the ensemble is known by the two-word name "Seattle Symphony".

Gerard Schwarz

Gerard Schwarz Gerard Schwarz (born August 19, 1947), also known as Gerry Schwarz or Jerry Schwarz, is an American symphony conductor and trumpeter. As of 2019, Schwarz serves as the Artistic and Music Director of Palm Beach Symphony and the Director of Orc ...

became music advisor of the orchestra in 1983 and principal conductor in 1984, before being named music director in 1985. Under Schwarz's leadership, the orchestra became particularly known for performing works of twentieth-century

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

s, especially neglected American composers. Together, Schwarz and the orchestra have made more than 100 commercial recordings, including the major orchestral works of

Howard Hanson Howard Harold Hanson (October 28, 1896 – February 26, 1981)''The New York Times'' – Obituaries. Harold C. Schonberg. February 28, 1981 p. 1011/ref> was an American composer, conductor, educator and music theorist. As director for forty year ...

and David Diamond as well as works by Charles Tomlinson Griffes,

Walter Piston Walter Hamor Piston, Jr. (January 20, 1894 – November 12, 1976), was an American composer of classical music, music theorist, and professor of music at Harvard University. Life Piston was born in Rockland, Maine at 15 Ocean Street to Walter ...

, Paul Creston,

William Schuman William Howard Schuman (August 4, 1910February 15, 1992) was an American composer and arts administrator. Life Schuman was born into a Jewish family in Manhattan, New York City, son of Samuel and Rachel Schuman. He was named after the 27th U.S. ...

, Alan Hovhaness, Morton Gould, David Diamond, and others, for Delos International and

Naxos Records Naxos comprises numerous companies, divisions, imprints, and labels specializing in classical music but also audiobooks and other genres. The premier label is Naxos Records, which focuses on classical music. Naxos Musical Group encompasses about ...

. The orchestra received its first Grammy nomination in January 1990 for a 1989 recording of music of Howard Hanson. The orchestra also recorded a musical score to the SeaWorld, Orlando, stage show ''A'lure, The Call of the Ocean'' plus the score for the motion pictures '' Highlander II: The Quickening'' and '' Die Hard With a Vengeance''. Schwarz received praise for his championing of American composers and his skills in fund-raising. However, his tenure was also marked by controversies between him and several symphony musicians, which included several legal disputes. In September 2008, the orchestra announced the conclusion of Schwarz's music directorship after the 2010–2011 season, at which time Schwarz became the orchestra's conductor laureate.

Ludovic Morlot

Ludovic Morlot first guest-conducted the Seattle Symphony in October 2009. He returned in April 2010, as a substitute conductor in the wake of the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruptions. Based on these appearance, in June 2010, the orchestra announced the appointment of Morlot as its 15th music director, effective with the 2011–2012 season, with an initial contract of six years. During Morlot's tenure, the orchestra initiated its own recording label, 'Seattle Symphony Media'. In July 2015, the orchestra announced the extension of Morlot's contract through the 2018–2019 season. Morlot has taken particular interest in fostering music from Seattle-based composers, including composers within the orchestra itself. His work with the orchestra has included the commissioning and premiere of

John Luther Adams John Luther Adams (born January 23, 1953) is an American composer whose music is inspired by nature, especially the landscapes of Alaska, where he lived from 1978 to 2014. His orchestral work ''Become Ocean'' was awarded the 2014 Pulitzer Prize ...

' '' Become Ocean'', which went on to win the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Music and the 2015 Grammy Award for Best Classical Contemporary Composition. The commercial recording of ''Become Ocean'', for Cantaloupe Music, led to a donation by

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting, artistic versatility, and Cultural impact of Taylor Swift, cultural impact, Swift is one of the Best selling artists, w ...

to the Seattle Symphony of US$50,000. Morlot and the orchestra have received additional Grammy Awards for their recordings of music of

Henri Dutilleux Henri Paul Julien Dutilleux (; 22 January 1916 – 22 May 2013) was a French composer of late 20th-century classical music. Among the leading French composers of his time, his work was rooted in the Impressionistic style of Debussy and R ...

. Morlot concluded his tenure as music director at the end of the 2018–2019 season.

Thomas Dausgaard

Thomas Dausgaard first guest-conducted the orchestra in 2013. In October 2013, the orchestra named Dausgaard its next principal guest conductor, effective with the 2014–2015 season, with an initial contract of 3 years. In March 2016, the orchestra announced the extension of Dausgaard's contract as principal guest conductor through the 2019–2020 season. In October 2017, the orchestra announced the appointment of Dausgaard as its next music director, effective with the 2019–2020 season, with an initial contract of 4 seasons. On 7 January 2022, Dausgaard resigned as music director by e-mail, with immediate effect. In an interview with Danish National Radio's P2, Dausgaard said, "I have felt threatened and I haven't felt safe with going to work."

Xian Zhang

In June 2008, Xian Zhang first guest-conducted the orchestra. She returned to the orchestra as a guest conductor several times, including in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and in 2021 with the return of live audiences to concerts. In September 2024, the orchestra announced the appointment of Zhang as its next music director, effective with the 2025-2026 season, with an initial contract of five years. She took the title of music director-designate with immediate effect. Zhang is the first female conductor and the first conductor of color to be named music director of the Seattle Symphony. She will remain in her role as Music Director at the New Jersey Symphony through 2028, while also leading the Seattle Symphony.

Music directors

* Harry West (1903–1906) * Michael Kegrize (1907–1909) * Henry Hadley (1909–1911) * John Spargur (1911–1921) * Karl Krueger (1926–1932) * Basil Cameron (1932–1938) * Nikolai Sokoloff (1938–1941) *

Thomas Beecham Sir Thomas Beecham, 2nd Baronet, (29 April 18798 March 1961) was an English conductor and impresario best known for his association with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philh ...

(1941–1944) * Carl Bricken (1944–1948) * Eugene Linden (1948–1950) *

Manuel Rosenthal Manuel Rosenthal (18 June 1904 – 5 June 2003) was a French composer and conductor who held leading positions with musical organizations in France and the United States. He was friends with many contemporary composers, and despite a considerab ...

(1950–1951) * Milton Katims (1954–1976) * Rainer Miedél (1976–1983) *

(1985–2011) * Ludovic Morlot (2011–2019) * Thomas Dausgaard (2019–2022) * Xian Zhang (designate, effective 2025)

Performance venues

*1903–1905: Christensen Hall, Arcade Building *1905–1906: Grand Opera House (Seattle, Washington) *1907–1911: Moore Theatre *1911–1919: Metropolitan Theatre *1919–1921:

*1926–1938: Metropolitan Theatre *1938–1945: Music Hall *1945–1949: Moore Theatre *1949–1950:

*1950–1953: Seattle Civic Auditorium *1953–1955: Orpheum Theatre *1955–1956: Moore Theatre *1956–1962: Orpheum Theatre *1962–1998: Seattle Opera House *1998–present: Benaroya Hall

References

External links

Seattle Symphony official website
{{Authority control Orchestras based in Washington (state) Musical groups established in 1903 Non-profit organizations based in Seattle Musical groups from Seattle Wikipedia requested audio of orchestras 1903 establishments in Washington (state) Performing arts in Washington (state) American symphony orchestras