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Tigran Arakelyan

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.”

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PTSO April 26, 2026 Farewell Concert

FAREWELL CONCERT – CELEBRATING MAESTRO TIGRAN ARAKELYAN: SUN., APRIL 26 at 2 PM. Chimacum School Auditorium, 91 W. Valley Road, Chimacum.

Tigran Arakelyan is wrapping up his outstanding 9-year tenure as music director of the Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra (PTSO) with this concert. Tigran joined the symphony in 2017 and has ushered the organization through a name change and significantly improved quality of performances, in addition to establishing a chamber music series and young artist competition. The Jefferson County community is exceedingly grateful for Tigran’s dedication to the orchestra over these years and to the success of his tenure in the position. We wish him all the best as he explores new musical opportunities and adventures.

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.

Luke Fitzpatrick is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and artistic director of Inverted Space, a Seattle-based new music collective. He recently performed the US Premiere of Isidora Zebeljan’s Three Curious Loves with the Seattle Philharmonic and the world premiere of Joël-François Durand’s La descente de l’ange for violin and clarinet. Additionally Luke has performed with Deltron 3030, Terence Blanchard and the E-Collective and as a touring member of the Harry Partch Ensemble.

Luke has appeared on recordings released by Ablaze and Centaur records. As a composer, his work has been commissioned and performed by The Harry Partch Ensemble, Figmentum, the Morsel Trio and the Parnassus Project. He received a 2023 CityArtists Grant from the City of Seattle to produce Nesting Dolls & Dreamscapes, a work that explores multiple microtonal realms colliding against one another amid a theatrical and improvisatory landscape.

Luke received his training from UMKC (BM), CalArts (MFA) and the University of Washington (DMA) and is currently concertmaster of Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra, Seattle Festival Orchestra, Federal Way Symphony and Emerald City Chamber Orchestra. He also plays regularly with SMCO, NOCCO and the Portland Opera Orchestra. Besides music related things, Luke is an avid dancer and enjoys biking, eating sushi and collecting shoes. He plays on a bow generously on loan from the Kevin Tao Foundation.

PROGRAM

Les Miserables by  Claude-Michel Schönberg  

Luke Fitzpatrick, Violin Concerto Nightfall performed by the composer *Premiere 

Intermission

Fiddler on the Roof by Jerry Bock
Titanic by James Horner 
Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber

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Message from Tigran Arakelyan, PTSO Conductor/Director 2017-2026

Tigran Arakelyan is wrapping up his outstanding 9-year tenure as music director of the Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra (PTSO) during the 2025-26 season. Tigran joined the symphony in 2017 and has ushered the organization through a name change and significantly improved quality of performances, in addition to establishing a chamber music series and young artist competition. The Jefferson County community is exceedingly grateful for Tigran’s dedication to the orchestra over these years and to the success of his tenure in the position. We wish him all the best as he explores new musical opportunities and adventures.

LETTER FROM OUR OUTGOING DIRECTOR TIGRAN ARAKELYAN

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

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About the Violin Concerto “Nightfall” by Luke Fitzpatrick

Notes by Luke Fitzpatrick

My violin concerto Nightfall was written with a lot of reflection of some of my past work to forge something new and fresh. I wanted to create a distinct sound world to explore and I found the perfect combination of instruments to do so. The piece is in five movements and is scored for solo violin, string orchestra, harp, piano, percussion and zither. 

The first movement entitled Shades of Timebegins with a very cinematic opening. We are then introduced to the various instrument groups with the harp, piano, zither and percussion uniting as a single ‘super’ instrument. This movement at its core explores how duality can be a very expressive force in music.

The second and fourth movements were inspired by my time playing in the Harry Partch Ensemble. I was fortunate to be able to get to play and tour with those incredible instruments for five amazing years. In 2018, I composed a piece entitled Tulpa that the group performed. I arranged two of those movements of Tulpa for Nightfall: The Tomb and End Game. The Tomb is a dramatic warning of sorts and very catchy. End Game embraces and explores the inevitability of the passing of time. 

The third movement of Nightfallis Distention. This movement is an orchestration of a solo violin piece I wrote during Covid entitled A Seismic Plane; Interconnected (2021). I did not intend to write a piece that explores the loneliness and loss of human connection that we all experienced during that time but every time I return to that piece it’s what I immediately think of. 

The last movement is entitled As One and features the Zither very prominently. This is an instrument that I feel has mystical qualities to it. I used it in a previous piece of mine entitled Nesting Dolls and Dreamscapes (2025)with great enthusiasm. This movement unites the instruments together in an extraordinary way. 

I want to thank Tigran Arakelyan and the Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra for commissioning this piece. It’s been a real joy putting it together and I appreciate the opportunity they’ve provided. Tigran is an amazing musician and a good friend. I had no idea when I began working on this piece that he would be leaving the orchestra and that this would be his last concert with the group. In many respects, the way Nightfall ends is a fitting tribute to him as it really supports the idea of all the musicians coming together as one; an idea that he has used to help build Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra into such a great and successful group.

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PTSO Feb. 22, 2026 concert

Featuring Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra’s 2025 Young Artists’ Competition 2nd Prize winner in the Senior Division, percussionist Hayden Montgomery.

Hayden is a Chimacum High School and Peninsula College graduate. His parents are Jamie and Caleb Montgomery. He studied drums and percussion with Forrest Brennan and Terry Marsh. Hayden composed for and performed with the award-winning Chimacum Drumline and also performed for the All-Star Drumline. He placed 2nd in Multi Percussion at Washington State Solo Ensemble, first place in the Senior Division at Stars of Tomorrow, “Top Tenor” and “Most Improved” by All-Star Drumline’s staff, and graduated with Honors from Peninsula College. Hayden’s goal is to become a world-renowned composer.

PROGRAM

Tenors Without Borders by Forrest Brennan with percussionist Hayden Montgomery

Lincoln Portrait by Aaron Copland with guest narrator, Stanford Thompson

Dvorak, Symphony No. 6

Stanford Thompson is Executive Director of Equity Arc and a principal of Goldsmith Strategies where he is a leading national voice in arts education and leadership, specializing in promoting cultural equity and driving transformative change within underrepresented cultural communities. As the founder and former leader of Play On Philly, Stanford guided the organization for thirteen years, gaining international recognition for its use of music as a tool for social change. He also served as the Founding Board Chairman of El Sistema USA and Equity Arc, where he led complex strategic planning and organizational design initiatives that impact the lives of over 35,000 students across the country.

Stanford’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping the national conversation around equity in the arts, advocating for systemic change that creates more inclusive and accessible opportunities for cultural communities of all types. His expertise is sought by organizations ranging from small grassroots initiatives to major cultural institutions, where he helps leaders navigate the complexities of program development, audience engagement, and financial sustainability. A frequent keynote speaker and panelist, Stanford shares his insights on topics such as nonprofit leadership, arts education, and the role of the arts in personal development.

Stanford teaches on the faculty of the Global Leaders Institute, guiding leaders in not only developing their craft but also understanding the broader societal impact of their work. His extensive experience working with arts and cultural organizations, educational institutions, funders, and national service organizations aligns with his personal commitment to fostering sustainable growth and equity in the arts.

A proud graduate of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Talent Development Program, Stanford holds degrees from the Curtis Institute of Music and New England Conservatory.

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Port Townsend Chamber Music Series – Feb. 7, 2026

The Port Townsend Chamber Music Series performed a benefit concert on Saturday, February 7 at 2 pm at the Port Ludlow Beach Club, 121 Marina View Drive, Port Ludlow.

Featured artists shown in the photo above are Anne Burns, viola; Michael Carroll, piano; Barbara McColgan Pastore, harp; Lisa Lanza and Sung-Ling Hsu, piano; Howard Gilbert, Thomas Blomster and George Shaffer, percussion; Pamela Roberts, cello;  and Marina Rosenquist, violin. (See their biographies below.)

The free concert series features local soloists, chamber musicians and Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra members. No tickets or reservations are required. There are short receptions after each concert.

Donations were gratefully accepted at the door to benefit Chimacum High School’s Cowboy marching band which will represent Washington state at the nation’s Independence Day parade in Washington, D.C. on July 4, 2026.  The band’s booster club must raise approximately $100,000 for the trip to cover travel expenses and new lightweight uniforms for performers. Donations collected at the concert will support that effort.

Donations collected at this concert reached a total of $2220 to support the band.

Robert Nathan, president of the Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra board stated, “Our symphony orchestra’s chamber series team is excited to kick off this fund-raising effort to help support the Chimacum High School marching band. We are proud they were chosen as the only band to represent Washington for this important 250th national birthday celebration. This trip will be a wonderful music and teamwork experience for them.”  

NOTE: Guy Smith was originally scheduled to play lute interludes on this concert, but he became sick and unable to perform. Harpist Barbara McColgan Pastore had her iPad with her and was able to pull up a series of short harp pieces to fill in for Guy. We didn’t give the names of those pieces, but we will list Barb on the program below to capture the reality of what happened at the concert. Thank you, Barb, for that gift of music we all enjoyed.

PROGRAM


Downfall of Paris for Snare Drum Duo – Traditional 

South American Capers for Snare Drum Duo and Bass Drum by Sidney Berg

Violin Sonata, Op. 108 in D minor, Adagio and Presto agitato by Johannes Brahms

Sonata for Cello and Piano, Allegretto amabile by Jean Hure

Barbara McColgan Pastore, harp

“Fiestravaganza” Piano Duet by Shaun Choo

Barbara McColgan Pastore, harp

TAM-BAS Tambourine Solo? by James L.Moore 

Barbara McColgan Pastore, harp

Trio for Piano, Viola and Cello, Op. 11, Thema: Pria ch’io l’impegno by Ludwig von Beethoven 

Barbara McColgan Pastore, harp

Meditation from Thais for Cello and Harp by Jules Massenet

American Patrol for Snare Drum and Piano by Padre Martini (arr. By Forrest L. Buchtel)

ARTISTIC DIRECTORS

Pianist Michael Carroll studied with Robert Van Meter at Clarion State College, among others. Moved to Seattle in 1990. Has played numerous recitals, chamber music performances and concertos. As an experienced choral and vocal accompanist, he performed with many Seattle ensembles and soloists. Carroll was staff pianist and program annotator for 10 years for Seattle’s Thalia Symphony Orchestra. Lives in Port Ludlow and is Co-Artistic Director of the Port Townsend Chamber Music Series. 

Pianist and Violist Sung-Ling Hsu from Taiwan immigrated to the United States in 2014. She started learning the piano at the age of 6 and the viola at the age of 8 and a half. Sung-Ling majored in composition while studying at university. After graduating from university, she worked in scoring and sound effects design. At present she is devoted to chamber music. Sung-Ling is pianist at Port Ludlow Community Church and for Choral Belles, and Co-Artistic Director of the Port Townsend Chamber Music Series.

Cellist Pamela Roberts graduated from UW, studying with Eva Heinitz and Toby Saks. Faculty cellist at U of Puget Sound, principal cello of Tacoma Symphony, solo cellist in Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre Orchestra and fellowship recipient at the Aspen Music Festival. An educational administrator for 30 years, she returned to cello when retired. Principal cellist in Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra and Co-Artistic Director of the Port Townsend Chamber Music Series. Married to drummer Howard Gilbert.

MUSICIANS

Percussionist Thomas Blomster worked as a classical to jazz, rock, and world/ethnic music performer, composer, conductor, arranger and educator across five continents. Studied percussion at Aspen Music School and Hochschule fur Musik in Berlin. Holds degrees in music performance and conducting from Colorado’s Metropolitan State U and U of Denver. Music director of The Mercury Ensemble and Colorado Chamber Orchestra. Married to pianist Nikki Tsuchiya, recently retired to Port Townsend.

Violist Anne Gantz Burns was born and raised in Anchorage. Now calls Poulsbo home along with husband Greg. Principal viola with Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, Opera, and Concert Chorus for 20 years. Soloist, chamber musician, and recording artist. Performed with multiple local symphonies. Current member of Port Angeles Symphony. Maintains private studios in Port Angeles and Poulsbo. Studied at U of Alaska Anchorage with Dr. Russell Guyver. Received Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Retired 2024. 

Drummer Howard Gilbert – member of Seattle Symphony, Opera and Ballet Orchestras for 25 years. Studied with Joe Amato, timpanist of Portland Symphony, and drumset with Candy Finch & Jack Wolcott. Life member of Musician’s Union Local 76-493. Graduated Cornish School of the Arts; studied piano and composition with Stephen Balogh. Performed in Munich as jazz musician – composed music for film industry there. Member of Seattle World’s Fair Band and jobbing drummer in Seattle for over 75 years. 

Pianist Lisa Lanza enjoys a rich life of music through solo performing, collaboration and teaching. Voted “Best Musical Performer of Jefferson County” in 2017, she has performed at the Hebden Bridge Piano Festival in UK and Music at Albignac, France. She earned a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance and Accompanying from the University of Redlands and has studied at the Guildhall with Paul Roberts and in Portugal with Maria João Pires. Lisa is pianist with the Rainshadow Chorale.

Harpist Barbara McColgan Pastore graduated from UCLA (B.S. Engineering) in 1974 and was commissioned in the US Air Force as a second lieutenant. She had an exciting career as a transport pilot, flying C-141 aircraft, and she also served as an air traffic control officer, staff officer, and mission commander for flights supporting the On Site Inspection Agency.  A chance encounter with a small harp at a folk music store led her to eventually playing the pedal harp about twenty years ago.  

Violinist Marina Rosenquist has primarily called the Olympic Peninsula home. A graduate of Lawrence University, she puts her education to use in her private studio, rehearsals, and occasional performances. Marina enjoys the gifts of her simple life in being a mum and wife.

Percussionist George Shaffer is mostly self taught, having played percussion in high school. He then took a twelve year break through college and graduate schools. He resumed playing in Ketchikan when the orchestra timpanist suddenly moved out of town. George has played percussion in the concert bands and orchestras in Ketchikan AK, Sequim and Port Townsend. He believes that playing music in groups is the ultimate team builder.

Lutenist Guy Smith plays trombone for the Port Townsend Orchestra and the Port Townsend Summer Band. In high school he also took up classical guitar which led him to lute music transcriptions. Eventually he learned to read lute tablature, bought a lute, sold the guitar, and never looked back. His current interests are the music of the sixteenth and early seventeenth century, particularly the Elizabethan solo lute repertoire.

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Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra (near Seattle) has Artistic Director and Conductor position now open – see link to application process below

The Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra in Port Townsend, Washington, seeks a new Conductor/Artistic Director to take up the baton starting with our 2027-2028 season. Tigran Arakelyan, our conductor of nine years, will be leaving after this season’s final concert in April 2026. We are grateful for his tremendous contributions to our orchestra.

For application details go to:

https://ptsymphony.org/artistic-director-conductor/

The Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra is excited to announce this request for proposals for the position of Artistic Director and Conductor. Music director jobs represent an exciting area of employment. We have this opening now and are beginning the hiring process with this call for applications. This open job includes an upcoming audition opportunity during the 2026-2027 concert season. Your job application will begin the process of us getting to know you as we search for our new maestro. Our orchestra is located near Seattle on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state.

For application details go to:

https://ptsymphony.org/artistic-director-conductor/

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Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra concert on Dec. 7, 2025, featuring music by Florence Price

Florence Beatrice Price (née Smith; April 9, 1887 – June 3, 1953) was an American classical composer, pianist, organist and music teacher.

Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Price was educated at the New England Conservatory of Music, and was active in Chicago from 1927 until her death in 1953. Price is noted as the first African-American woman to be recognized as a symphonic composer, and the first to have a composition played by a major orchestra. Price composed over 300 works: four symphonies, four concertos, as well as choral works, art songs, chamber music and music for solo instruments. In 2009, a substantial collection of her works and papers was found in her abandoned summer home.

She gave her first piano performance at the age of four and had her first composition published at the age of 11. According to her daughter, Florence really wanted to be a doctor but felt the difficulties of becoming a woman doctor at the time were too formidable. Instead, she became that even greater rarity—a woman composer of symphonies. (Text from Wikipedia)

PROGRAM

Jacques Offenbach: Overture to La Belle Hélène

Bizet, Farandole from L’Arlesienne Suite No. 2 with Dana Odell, guest conductor (PT Ballet auction winner)

Tchaikovsky Sleeping Beauty Suite

intermission

Florence Price, Concert Overture No. 2

Bizet, Carmen Suite No. 2

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PTSO Oct. 26, 2025 concert featuring Sous Chef on piano, modular synthesizer, and sampler

Sous Chef is a French Canadian/American musician/composer raised in Seattle with a music composition degree (with honors) from McGill University. He spent the last decade touring around the US, Canada, Japan & Europe with rum.gold, High Pulp, sunking, dentaru no tsuba, and occasionally solo as sous chef; producing records, composing, and making indie films scores while living between Seattle and BC. His bands have played on KEXP many times, been featured in the New York Times, and two of them are signed to Anti-Records.

Sous Chef has been a long time collaborator of artist Tsubasa Kato and has worked on pieces exhibited all over Japan including the Tokyo City Opera Art Gallery as well as abroad in Hong Kong, Finland, and the US & Canada. Now local (based in his Renton studio he built in 2024), he is exploring a more multimedia-based approach branching out from the purely musical, with aspirations of reaching ever greater means of expression. Based on his use of ancient and highly modern instruments, in conjunction with his deep love of film, his inspiration spans centuries and attempts to blend these seemingly distant and disparate elements together to create something wholly unique.

PROGRAM

William Grant Still, Threnody In Memory of Jan Sibelius
Sous Chef, Pas un Monde Mais un Miroir for keyboard, piano, electronics and orchestra *Premiere

intermission
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 2

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Port Townsend Chamber Music Series – Oct. 18, 2025

Saturday, October 18, 2025 at 2 pm

Lutheran Church of the Redeemer
45 Redeemer Way, Chimacum

This highly successful, FREE concert series featured local award-winning soloists, recitalists, chamber musicians and PTSO members. We payed to another packed house and featured 15 performers – musicians, poet and narrator. Donations are always gratefully accepted at the door. No tickets or reservations are required. A short reception was held after the concert.

Artistic directors for the series are pianists Michael Carroll and Sung-Ling Hsu, and cellist Pamela Roberts.

FEATURED ARTISTS WERE: Tamara Rotz, flute; Kristina Holm, bassoon; Karl Perry, violin; Pat Gunning, Philip Hirschi and Pamela Roberts, cello; Jessica Larson, Michael Carroll and Sung-Ling Hsu, piano; Vincent Oneppo, Al Thompson, Stephanie M. Neumann and Jonathan Doyle, saxophone; Merion Wright, narrator; Kathryn Hunt, poet and Philip Hirschi, composer.

For bios go to: https://ptsymphony.org/chamber-music-series-musicians/

PROGRAM

Violin Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Pavane, Op. 50 for Saxophone Quartet by Gabriel Fauré (arr. Eddie Jennings) 
Classics for Saxophone Quartet by George Gershwin
Duet for Two Cellos Op. 22, No. 1 by Friedrich August Kummer
Sonata for Flute and Piano, FP 164 by Francis Poulenc 
“Recuerdo/On the Ferry” for Bassoon, Cello and Narrator (world premiere) by Philip Hirschi
“Do You Consider Yourself a Nature Poet?” for Bassoon, Cello and Narrator (world premiere)  by Philip Hirschi
Hungarian Dance #1 and #5 for Piano Duo by Johannes Brahms

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

The chamber concerts are attracting a devoted audience and word is getting out among musicians that it provides a fulfilling performance avenue for them. We keep our concerts to about one hour in length and feel positive about providing valuable and accessible musical experiences for the community. Join us!