Home

“I believe in building communities through music, involving and inspiring the community through the orchestral experience.”

Tigran Arakelyan
Conductor & Artistic Director

Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra 2024/2025 Concert Dates

October 27, 2024
December 8, 2024
February 23, 2025
April 27, 2025

Symphony concerts are Sunday afternoons at 2 pm at the Chimacum School Auditorium, 91 W. Valley Road, Chimacum.

Open dress rehearsals are held at 7 pm on the Friday evening before each Sunday afternoon concert.

PTSO concerts are FREE to attend, but not free to produce. Donations are always gratefully accepted at the door, through the mail or with Paypal.

Symphony season details here

UPCOMING CONCERT: April 27, 2025

Mark Hilliard Wilson has an engaging approach to teaching and programing concerts that draws from the deep well of history and a desire to relate contemporary interests to universal themes. He founded the Seattle Guitar Orchestra in 2000 and became the cathedral guitarist at St. James Cathedral in Seattle 2006. He has taught at Whatcom Community College, Bellevue College, the Rosewood Guitar and is currently at the Holy Names Academy, his compositions are published by Seconda Prattica and performed widely. Recently Wilson premiered a concerto written for him by the Ukrainian composer Oleg Boyko.  Recently Wilson will be directed Guitar ensembles in the premier of a work he commissioned from Boyko at the 2023 Northwest Guitar Festival in Bellingham, Wa.  2023, released on Bandcamp The Music of Taiwo Adegoke, Changing the canon of the classical guitar with music from Nigeria. Music for Seattle Guitar Orchestra and cello and classical guitar featuring cellist Abbie Eads.  

In 2024 Wilson has worked with Scribe Studios to release a 6 set of music videos based on Wilson’s collaboration with Ukrainian composer in exile Oleg Boyko. Wilson worked with the Seattle Classic Guitar Society to commission a work called Secret Life of Trees for the Seattle Guitar Orchestra.  Further performances were o KING FM Northwest Focus Live and then the work was recorded at St James Cathedral with additional footage at Chuckanut mountain in Bellingham. 

Wilson is an in demand concerto soloist performing Joaquin Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez with the Westsound Bremton Symphony the Octava orchestra in 2023 and in 2024 Wilson performed the other famous concerto by Rodrigo, the Fantasia para Gentilehombre with the Orquestra Northwest and the Octava orchestra. In April 2025 Wilson will perform the Heitor Villa Lobos concerto with the Port Townsend Symphony under the direction of Tigran Arakelyan.

PROGRAM

Heitor Villa-Lobos, Guitar Concerto with Mark Hilliard Wilson
John Williams arr. Jerry Brubaker, Harry Potter and the Goblin of Fire
John Willaims arr. Sean O’Loughlin, Star Wars, The Force Awakens
John Williams and John Ottman arr. Victor Lopez, Superman Returns
John Williams arr. Custer, Jurassic Park

Details here

PTSO Chamber Music Series

Sat, April 26, 2025 at 2 pm
Grace Lutheran Church
1120 Walker St, Port Townsend

This FREE concert series features local award-winning soloists, recitalists, chamber musicians and PTSO members. Donations are always gratefully accepted at the door. Seating is limited and no tickets or reservations are required. We hope you can join us for a short reception after the concert.

Details here

Young Artist Competition

March 29, 2025

Details here

Poster by Vincent Oneppo; photo by Karl Perry.

How to Support PTSO

The best way to stay up-to-date about PTSO concerts and activities is to:

Subscribe to the PTSO newsletter

Follow us on Facebook

Your gift helps us play on.

You can support PTSO via PAYPAL

About the Symphony

The Mission of the Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra is to entertain, inspire and engage our community through musical excellence and affordable concerts.

Artistic Leadership

Tigran Arakelyan
Conductor & Artistic Director

Tigran Arakelyan is an award-winning conductor, who holds a number of posts in addition to the Port Townsend Symphony. He is the Music Director of Northwest Mahler Festival and ORS of Tacoma. Previously, he was the assistant conductor of California Philharmonic and made his Walt Disney Concert Hall conducting debut in 2019. Tigran played alongside Sir James Galway during Galway’s induction into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. Most recently, 425 Business named Tigran in the 40 under 40 for 2023. He received a Doctorate in Musical Arts from the University of Washington.

http://www.tigranarakelyan.com/

“I believe that it is the conductor’s duty to communicate with the audience throughout the concert to make it an enjoyable and a learning experience for everyone involved.

I believe in building communities through music, involving and inspiring the community through the orchestral experience. An orchestra is an integral part of the community and should work as such through collaborations.

The goal of a symphony orchestra should include, providing education for the community through a variety of projects. This can be done through concerts but most importantly through collaborations. Collaborations with local artists, choirs, dance companies, museums, galleries, theaters, community and professional arts organizations are vital for the growth of a symphony orchestra.”

Joining PTSO

The Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra was formed in 1987. Orchestra members are your friends, neighbors, and co-workers — the people you see and work with every day in the community. PTSO is an all-volunteer orchestra. We welcome accomplished musicians of all ages and backgrounds. Auditions are held on an as-needed basis. To learn more about joining the Orchestra, please drop us a note.

Email PTSymphony

Rehearsal Schedule

  • Rehearsals are typically held Tuesday nights from 7-9 pm. Please contact PTSO for rehearsal location.
  • Rehearsals run through the months of September, October, November, January, February, March and April.
  • Often, but not always, the second rehearsal is a strings sectional.

Concert Dates

Dates can change, but this is the standard formula:
Last Sunday in October
First Sunday in December
Last Sunday in February
Last Sunday in April

Dress Rehearsals

Dress rehearsals are on the Friday evenings before each performance from 7:00 to 9:00 at the concert hall at Chimacum School Auditorium, 91 W Valley Rd, Chimacum, 98325.  Dress rehearsals are casual.

Concert dress

Ladies, all black (slacks, dresses, or skirts), including hosiery and shoes: no bare legs or feet. Dresses and skirts at least knee-length when seated. Long or 3/4 length sleeves: no bare arms. Gentlemen, black suits with jacket, white shirt and black bow tie, black socks and shoes.

Performance call time is 30 minutes before the concert begins.

Latest Press!

PTSO Press – check it out!

News articles about PTSO concerts and activities are archived here.

Our full orchestra photo portrait can be accessed by clicking here!

Get Involved!

You Can Get Involved!

We invite your active involvement with the Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra! Below are links to information related to being a Donor, Sponsor or Volunteer. Click on “Learn More” for details and if you have any questions feel free to contact us. We would love to have you on our team!

Be a Donor

Every dollar you can give helps us continue to perform great music and supports our special programs to promote music learning and engagement in the Port Townsend community.

Learn More

Be a Sponsor

We work with many types of sponsors and grants, including matching grants, sponsorships for licensing music for recording and broadcasting, and sponsorships for special programs.

Learn More

Be a Volunteer

Our volunteers run the donations and refreshments tables at our performances, help guests find seating, take photos for our social media and marketing endeavors, and man the lighting and sound booth.

Learn More