UW Symphony with Sunny Xia, Paul Rafanelli

• Paul Rafanelli, bassoon
• Ryan Farris, conductor
• Sunny Xuecong Xia, conductor

Eugen d'Albert — Symphonic Prelude to Tiefland, Op. 34
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Bassoon Concerto in B-flat major, K. 191/186e
Alexander Borodin — "Polovtsian Dances" from Prince Igor (Ryan Farris, conductor)
Igor Stravinsky — The Firebird Suite (1919 version) (Sunny Xuecong Xia, conductor)

David Alexander Rahbee conducts the University of Washington Symphony in a program of music by Eugene d'Albert, W.A. Mozart, Alexander Borodin, and Igor Stravinsky. With guest conductor Sunny Xia (Seattle Symphony) and faculty bassoonist Paul Rafanelli.

About UW Symphony Orchestra

http://music.washington.edu/ensembles/uw-symphony-orchestra

About UW School of Music

http://music.washington.edu/

About Paul Rafanelli, bassoon

A member of the Seattle Symphony and Seattle Opera Orchestra since 1992, bassoonist Paul Rafanelli has performed frequently on the orchestra's Chamber Music Series; he has also performed with the Seattle Chamber Music Society, Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival and Seattle Chamber Players. Before joining the Seattle Symphony in 1992, Mr. Rafanelli was a member of the Charleston (SC) Symphony Orchestra, and played at the Festival dei Due Mondi in Italy and the Spoleto Festival USA.

For over a decade Mr. Rafanelli has served on the Board of Directors of the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras (he is also an Alumnus from the 1980’s) and is a strong proponent of Arts in education. For 16 years he served on the faculty of the University of Puget Sound, where he was the Affiliate Artist in bassoon. In October of 2021 he joined the faculty of the University of Washington as Artist in Residence.

Mr. Rafanelli was born in Seattle in 1963 and received his training at the University of Washington, Manhattan School of Music and The Juilliard School. He is fluent in Italian and also speaks some German. His bassoon was custom made by the Wilhelm Heckel Co. in Wiesbaden, Germany, in 1986.

https://music.washington.edu/people/paul-rafanelli

About Ryan Farris, conductor

Ryan Dakota Farris is an up-and-coming conductor and performer in the Pacific Northwest community. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in Orchestral Conducting at the University of Washington where he is the conductor of the Campus Philharmonia Orchestras and assistant conductor of the University of Washington Symphony Orchestra. Ryan has served as cover conductor for professional orchestras across the country, including the Auburn Symphony in Washington and the Boulder Philharmonic in Colorado. He has served as an assistant conductor for Colorado MahlerFest, Greater Boulder Youth Orchestras, and works a sectional conductor for Harmonia Orchestra & Chorus. Ryan was a proud student of the late maestro Michael Jinbo at the Pierre Monteux School and Music Festival in Maine for five summers. He has also studied with many notable conductors including Ludovic Morlot, David Rahbee, Nicholas Carthy, Donald Schleicher, Kensho Watanabe, and Tiffany Lu.

Ryan has served as principal cellist with the Boulder Opera Company, Seattle Philharmonic Strings, and the University of Washington Symphony. He has appeared as a featured soloist with the South Puget Sound College Orchestra, and regularly performs in chamber music groups across the region. Before moving to Seattle, he performed regularly with some of Colorado's best orchestras, including the Boulder Philharmonic, Fort Collins Symphony, and Colorado MahlerFest. Ryan also composes his own music, performs on viola da gamba with the UW Baroque Ensemble, and busts out the traditional Irish fiddle with acclaimed Seattle-based Celtic group Cavort.

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/