Seattle Symphony: The Snowman

• Jonathan Zheng, piano
• Sunny Xuecong Xia, conductor

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor — "Christmas Overture" from The Forest of Wild Thyme, Op. 74
Valerie Coleman — Umoja
Sergei Rachmaninoff — Piano Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp minor, Op. 1 (Jonathan Zheng, piano)
Howard Blake — The Snowman
Leroy Anderson — Sleigh Ride

Celebrate the holidays with your family and the classic children's film The Snowman. A young boy builds a snowman that comes to life and takes him on an adventure to the North Pole. This festive concert will include some of your other holiday favorites!

About Seattle Symphony

Recognized as one of the “most vital American orchestras” (NPR), the Seattle Symphony is internationally acclaimed for its inventive programming, community-minded initiatives, and superb recordings on the Seattle Symphony Media label. With a strong commitment to new music and a legacy of over 150 recordings, the orchestra has garnered five Grammy Awards, 26 Grammy nominations, and two Emmy Awards, and was named Gramophone’s 2018 Orchestra of the Year. The Symphony performs in Benaroya Hall in the heart of downtown Seattle.

https://www.seattlesymphony.org/

About Jonathan Zheng, piano

Having started piano at the age of 6, Jonathan Zheng previosly studied with Dr. Peter Mack and is studying at the Oberlin Conservatory under the tutelage of Stanislav Ioudenitch. He has won numerous achievements including winning the Ebony Prize at the Music Teachers National Association, first prize at the Claudette Sorel Piano Competition in New York, first prize at the 2022 Steinway/Avanti Future Stars Piano Competition in Arizona, the Seattle Symphony Young Artists Concerto competition, and many others.

About Sunny Xuecong Xia, conductor

Recognized for her innate musicality, compelling presence, and technical precision, conductor Sunny Xuecong Xia’s ability to forge an immediate and captivating connection with orchestras and audiences alike has led to engagements around the country. Sunny currently serves as Assistant Conductor of the Phoenix Youth Symphony Orchestra and Arizona State University Symphony Orchestra while pursuing a doctorate in Orchestral Conducting under Dr. Jeffery Meyer. In the 2020-21 season, she appeared as guest conductor with the MusicaNova Orchestra and was invited to serve as Assistant Conductor at the National Music Festival and Pierre Monteux Music Festival. In January 2020, she made her successful debut with the Cleveland Women’s Orchestra.

https://www.sunny-xia.com/