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

Tigran Arakelyan
Conductor & Artistic Director

2024-2025 Concert Season Dates

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

Concerts are Sunday afternoons at 2 pm.
Chimacum School Auditorium
91 W. Valley Road, Chimacum

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.

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

Program details here

UPCOMING CONCERT: December 8, 2024

FEATURING Emmy Ulmer, who is delighted to perform the Werner Thaerichen Timpani Concerto for the Port Townsend community! She fell in love with this beautiful town as a teenager with the Marrowstone Music Festival at Fort Worden. A graduate of the University of Washington, she earned a double degree in Bachelors of Arts and Music in Percussion Performance. A freelancer for over 30 years, Emmy has been a percussionist and timpanist with many different ensembles throughout the greater Puget Sound region. While living in Vienna, Austria, she had the opportunity to play with the Orchester der Technischen Universitaet Wien. Emmy has been the English Captions Operator with Seattle Opera for over 20 years, a complex and rewarding job that fulfills another music side for her. The role she is most proud of is mom to her wonderful daughter, Anneliese. This is for her!

PROGRAM

Werner Thärichen, Timpani concerto with Emmy Ulmer
Georges Bizet, L’arlesienne Suites 1 and 2

PTSO Chamber Music Series

Saturday, February 1, 2025 at 3 pm

Port Ludlow Community Church
9534 Oak Bay Rd, Port Ludlow, 98365

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 limitedand no tickets or reservations are required. We hope you can join us for a short reception after the concert.

Artistic directors for the series are pianist Michael Carroll and cellist Pamela Roberts.

Questions? Contact Pamela Roberts at pamelaroberts1@gmail.com.

More details here

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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