The Score | Northwest Fanfare

Seattle’s Northwest Symphony Orchestra marked its 30th anniversary this spring with a concert highlighting the ensemble’s trademark mix of new and old music. In addition to Respighi’s Pines of Rome and the Brahms Violin Concerto with Concertmaster Eric Rynes as soloist, Music Director Anthony Spain—the group’s founder—included a commissioned world premiere by Tacoma-based composer Samuel Jones, fittingly titled Fanfare for a Joyous Occasion. The evening marked a milestone: the performance of the ensemble’s 150th work written by a Pacific Northwest composer since its founding in 1987. Area composers whose music Northwest Symphony has performed over the past 30 years include Alan Hovhaness, Mateo Messina, Gregory Short, and Janice Giteck, among others.