Xian Zhang Named Music Director Of The Seattle Symphony 

The Seattle Symphony is pleased to announce Xian Zhang as its next Music Director, beginning a 5-year contract in the 2025/2026 season. Zhang is a long-term collaborator with the Symphony, debuting at Benaroya Hall in 2008. Zhang has a special relationship with Seattle; she supported the Seattle Symphony throughout the height of the pandemic as one of the first conductors to return to the stage with our orchestra. Throughout her career, Zhang has gained international acclaim, most notably in her eight seasons as Music Director of the New Jersey Symphony and in her recent

appearances as guest conductor at the Metropolitan Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra (with which she won a GRAMMY in 2023), Los Angeles Philharmonic and Boston Symphony Orchestra, among others. Zhang also holds the positions of Artistic Ambassador of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Emeritus of Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano. 

Her commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the arts has been a hallmark of her career. She has made a point of raising the profile of music composed by women and people of color while being a trailblazer herself. Zhang is the New Jersey Symphony's first woman Music Director and the first woman to serve as Music Director of any Italian symphony orchestra. She will now be the first to lead a major West Coast orchestra. 

Zhang brings boundless energy to the stage, inspiring a powerful sound and a strong connection with both musicians and audience. Most recently, she conducted the Seattle Symphony in performances of Carl Orff's Carmina burana and Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring, filling the house and impressing 

audiences with inspired pairings of well-known works with cutting-edge contemporary pieces. Zhang performs at Benaroya Hall twice during the 2024/2025 season as Music Director Designate. First, on March 27, 29 and 30, to conduct Holst The Planets: An HD Odyssey, also featuring saxophonist Steven Banks in a new concerto by American composer Billy Childs. Next, she conducts Hilary Hahn Plays Beethoven, on June 12, 14 and 15, featuring Beethoven's Violin Concerto and Prokofiev's triumphant Fifth Symphony.  

“I am overjoyed to be the next Music Director of the Seattle Symphony and continue creating music with this exceptional orchestra,” said Xian Zhang, Seattle Symphony Music Director Designate. “For many years, I have been inspired by the Symphony's incredible talent and keen desire to bring new music to the stage. Joining the Seattle Symphony now feels like coming home. From my 2008 Benaroya Hall debut to joining the orchestra in 2020 for its careful return to live performances, I have long felt a special bond with these incredible musicians. Visiting Seattle has always been a treat as well, for its beautiful landscapes, and of course, to see the clear devotion audiences have for the local arts community. As Music Director, I look forward to connecting with audiences on a deeper level, experiencing inspiring concerts together and discovering new music at Benaroya Hall, one of my all-time favorite performance halls to conduct in. Thank you to all of the wonderful people I have been able to work with at the Seattle Symphony so far — musicians, board members and administrative staff. I look forward to a wonderful future together.” 

“Today we are witnessing history being made with the appointment of Xian Zhang as the Music Director of the Seattle Symphony,” said Seattle Symphony President & CEO Krishna Thiagarajan. “Her passionate musicianship is inspiring, her technique is clear and precise and the resulting performances captivate our 

audiences in heart and soul. Xian was among the first conductors to return to the stage with our orchestra during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, she has forged strong bonds here in Seattle. In fact, her concerts rank among the highest-attended performances since audiences have returned to Benaroya Hall. As Seattle has grown into an important world city and gateway to the Pacific, Xian's diverse expertise across Asian, Oceanian, European and American orchestras and music schools — from Beijing to New York, Melbourne to Milan — makes her the perfect choice to lead the orchestra in this new era. I am excited by the possibilities and personally could not be happier to gain such a wonderful colleague for our organization. I want to thank the Seattle Symphony search committee, musicians, staff and audiences, who all played a crucial role in this process, as we welcome Xian and her family to the Pacific Northwest. What seemed like a dream a few months ago has now become a reality. Welcome, Xian Zhang!”

“Xian Zhang's outstanding performances with the orchestra during this search process easily made her a leading choice for Music Director of our Seattle Symphony,” said Susan Detweiler, MD, Seattle Symphony Music Director Search Committee Chair and Board Member. “Our musicians immediately responded to the depth of Xian's artistry, producing performances that thrilled both us and the audience, making the Board confident that her extensive experience and deep understanding of classical repertoire will further enhance the Symphony's artistic development. We eagerly await her return to the Seattle Symphony's podium in March.” 

For more information on tickets to Xian Zhang's next performances with the Seattle Symphony, visit seattlesymphony.org/musicdirector or contact the Seattle Symphony Ticket Office located in Benaroya Hall at Third Avenue and Union Street. The Ticket Office can be reached by phone at 206.215.4747 during the following times: Tuesday–Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 1 to 6 p.m. 

XIAN ZHANG SEATTLE SYMPHONY MUSIC DIRECTOR The 2024/2025 season will also mark Xian Zhang's ninth season as Music Director of the New Jersey Symphony. Additionally, Zhang holds the position of Conductor Emeritus of Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano (Italy), having previously held the position of Music Director between 2009 and 2016. 

Zhang is in high demand as a guest conductor, appearing regularly with The Philadelphia Orchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic, returning to both in the 2024/2025 season. She will also return in 2024/25 to the Metropolitan Opera in New York to conduct David McVicar's acclaimed production of Puccini's Tosca, with Aleksandra Kurzak and Sondra Radvanosky sharing the title role. Her recording with The Philadelphia Orchestra and Time for Three, Letters for The Future (released 2022 on Deutsche Grammophon), won multiple GRAMMY awards in the Best Contemporary Classical Composition (Kevin Puts' Contact) and Best Classical Instrumental Solo categories. 

Following a successful collaboration at Tanglewood Festival 2023, Zhang also returns to the Boston Symphony Orchestra this season. Other 2024/2025 season highlights include Montreal Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, NAC Orchestra, Belgian National Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano, and the Orchestra of St Luke's, with whom she recently stepped in to conduct at Carnegie Hall (Brahms' German Requiem). 

Zhang continues to enjoy good relationships with many leading orchestras worldwide, including the London Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo, Houston Symphony, St Louis Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, and Washington's National Symphony Orchestra. 

Her inspiring work with young musicians has led to numerous collaborations with the orchestras of The Juilliard School, who awarded her an Honorary Doctorate in 2023. She returns to Juilliard this season, in addition to engagements at Aspen Festival and with the New World Symphony, having recently worked at Santa Barbara's Music Academy of the West. 

Zhang previously served as Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC National Orchestra & Chorus of Wales, the first female conductor to hold a titled role with a BBC orchestra, and Principal Guest Conductor of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. In 2002, she won first prize in the Maazel-Vilar Conductor's Competition. She was appointed New York Philharmonic's Assistant Conductor in 2002, subsequently becoming their Associate Conductor and the first holder of the Arturo Toscanini Chair. 

To post a comment, you must register and login.