Community Calendar

LAWRENCE GOLAN CONDUCTOR
JEROD IMPICHCHAACHAAHA' TATE NARRATOR
Yakima School of Ballet | LISA PRICE DIRECTOR

JOHANN BAPTIST STRAUSS JR Emperor Waltz (arr. Isaac)
AARON COPLAND Appalachian Spring Suite
JEROD IMPICHCHAACHAAHA’ TATE Winter Moons

Winter Moons & Appalachian Spring is a celebration of storytelling through music and dance, in a partnership between the Yakima Symphony Orchestra and the Yakima School of Ballet. The performance features Winter Moons, a new ballet by acclaimed Chickasaw composer Jared Impichchaachaaha' Tate, which brings a rich Native American tale to life. Americana ballet classic, Copland’s Appalachian Spring, tells the tale of a young pioneer family beginning a life together, accompanied by folk melodies, evoking the simplicity and spirit of early American life. Paired with Johann Strauss Jr’s Emperor Waltz, this visually stunning concert blends tradition and innovation, creating an unforgettable artistic experience.

Join us for our Winter Concert Cupid's Quartet February 14 and or February 15, 2026, at the Merc Playhouse in Twisp WA. Enjoy great music by Schubert, Shawn, Glazunov and Golijov. This year, Katie Liu, Rachel Lee Priday, Mikhail Shmidt and Kevin Krentz will be Cupid's Quartet.
We are offering a Saturday evening concert or a Sunday matinee or both! The program will be the same for each concert.
Tickets are on sale now for the Concerts $50-$55. Gift Certificates can also be purchased for this event.
Special offer: On Sunday ONLY Casia Lodge is offering a special dinner that Chef Jason Wilson of Casia Lodge has put together. He has created a Prix Fixe menu consisting of:
Parker House Rolls with Truffle Butter
Gem Lettuces with Tarragon, Citrus Truffle Vinaigrette and Celery Root
Palouse Wagyu Loin, Ash Roasted Onion, Winter Mushroom Custard & Foie Gras Sauce
Meyer Lemon Tart with Vanilla Meringue, Kaffir, Basil & Mint
The dinner is $65 per person. Taxes and drinks not included. Dinner starts at 5pm, come after the concert and enjoy drinks in the bar and the lovely view from the living room.

LAWRENCE GOLAN CONDUCTOR

DENISE DILLENBECK VIOLIN

JOHANN BAPTIST STRAUSS JR. Roses from the South
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN Fidelio Overture

NANCY IVES Immortal Beloved
GEORGES BIZET Carmen Suites No. 1 & No. 2

Carmen Meets Beethoven is a celebration of powerful women in music, featuring iconic works and a new violin concerto by composer Nancy Ives. The concert opens with Beethoven’s Fidelio Overture, the heroic story of a woman’s daring quest to free her imprisoned husband. Ives’ Immortal Beloved explores the mystery of Beethoven’s famous love letters, with Yakima Symphony Orchestra’s own Concertmaster Denise Dillenbeck bringing its themes to life. Immortal Beloved was composed for and premiered by Dillenbeck in 2024. The evening culminates in selections from Carmen, Bizet’s fiery and iconic operatic portrait of a passionate woman. With a program full of drama and brilliance, this concert is a tribute to women’s strength and artistry.

The Olympia Chamber Orchestra presents a program centered on the theme of revolution and features the winners of the 2025 Olympia Music Teachers Association Concerto Competition: Phoebe Goh (Olympia High School) and KhaiAn Ho (Black Hills High School). In addition to spotlighting these incredible young artists, this concert celebrates music’s revolutionary spirit. Sibelius’ Karelia Overture and Suite give voice to Finland’s struggle for independence, transforming folk-inspired melodies into a proud act of resistance. Auber’s La Muette de Portici Overture captures the fiery spark of revolt so powerfully that it once helped trigger the Belgian Revolution of 1830. Together, these works show how music can stir hearts, unite communities, and change history.

LAWRENCE GOLAN, conductor
MARK KOSOWER, cello
BRIAN HILLYARD, viola

RICHARD STRAUSS Don Quixote
JOHANN BAPTIST STRAUSS JR. Spanish March, Op. 433
MANUEL DE FALLA El sombrero de tres picos, Suites No. 1 & 2

Don Quixote brings the passion and vibrancy of Spanish culture to life through music. Richard
Strauss’ Don Quixote, a vivid symphonic poem, tells the tale of Cervantes’ legendary knight
through rich orchestral storytelling, featuring Mark Kosower, renowned Principal Cello of the Cleveland Orchestra as Don Quixote and our Principal Violist Brian Hillyard as his loyal squire, Sancho Panza. The program also includes Johann Strauss Jr’s lively Spanish March and Manuel de Falla’s ballet El sombrero de tres picos (The Three-Cornered Hat), a masterpiece of Spanish rhythm and color. This concert is a thrilling celebration of Spain’s musical heritage.

LAWRENCE GOLAN Conductor
WYLIE GUSTAFSON Featured Artist

Saddle up for a thrilling musical journey through the heart of the American West with special guest Wylie Gustafson! This program blends the rugged spirit of the frontier, through a concert of cowboy songs, yodeling and iconic Americana classical works like Copland's Rodeo.

MARLENE URBAY GUEST CONDUCTOR

Experience the rich musical traditions of Spain and Latin America in a program bursting with passion, rhythm, and cultural vibrancy. From the fiery fandango of Spain to the lively merengue of Santo Domingo, each piece brings a unique flavor. Feel the pulse of Brazil’s sambas, the romance of Argentina’s tango, and the joyous spirit of Mexico’s Huapango and Danzón No. 2. With dazzling melodies and infectious rhythms, this concert is a thrilling celebration of Latin American heritage, musical brilliance, and dance!

LAWRENCE GOLAN CONDUCTOR

YAKIMA SYMPHONY CHORUS | STEVEN S. SLUSHER CHORUSMASTER

MOLLY HOLLERAN SOPRANO

KARL E. HEDLUND TENOR

JEREMY IRLAND BARITONE

STRAUSS JR. Wine, Women, and Song
ORFF Carmina Burana

Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana is one of the most electrifying and recognizable choral works of the 20th century. This powerful oratorio, featuring orchestra, chorus, and vocal soloists, is a raw and dramatic celebration of fate, fortune, and earthly pleasures.

Unlike many traditional oratorios rooted in sacred themes, Carmina Burana is entirely secular, based on medieval poems about love, revelry, and the unpredictability of life. To complement the evening’s theme, the program also includes Johann Strauss Jr’s Wine, Women, and Song, a lively waltz that echoes the spirit of Orff’s masterpiece.