Music Director Carl St.Clair leads the Pacific Symphony.
In Thursday’s (2/27) Culture OC (Orange County, California), Paul Hodges writes, “Pacific Symphony’s 2025-26 classical series, announced today, includes four appearances by its music director designate, Alexander Shelley, who will assume the position full-time in 2026-27. Current music director Carl St.Clair will make several appearances, including a production of ‘Turandot’ and a special all-Beethoven concert featuring pianist Lang Lang. The season will also spotlight leading women artists: conductors Tianyi Lu, Anna Rakitina and Valentina Peleggi; soloists Gabriela Montero, Alexandra Dariescu, Aubree Oliverson and Anne Akiko Meyers; and music by Jessie Montgomery, Cassandra Miller and Gabriela Montero…. Pacific Symphony President John Forsyte thinks the season is distinctive in several respects. He said he’s especially excited by the ambition of Shelley’s programming. ‘Not a lot of orchestras play the complete “Daphnis” or “Firebird,” ’ he said… ‘Each of these scores challenges the orchestra in a unique way.’ Forsyte said he was impressed by Shelley’s approach to programming the ‘America at 250’ concert, stating, ‘Before he gets into pieces, he likes to think contextually and thematically.’… St.Clair’s season also contains some special highlights, Forsyte said. St.Clair and pianist Lang Lang have developed a close relationship which Forsyte thinks will bring special poignancy to the all-Beethoven evening.”
