Classical KING celebrates Pacific Northwest artists and community connections this week with Brenda Barnes Day, Northwest Focus Live featuring Seattle pipa musician Carrie Wang, and a Seattle Symphony broadcast concert.

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Music Feature: Brenda Barnes Day

Tuesday, June 2

Classical KING celebrates Brenda Barnes Day with a special day of programming honoring the retiring CEO whose leadership helped champion artists, music, and community connections across the Pacific Northwest. Throughout the day, hear performances by regional musicians alongside stories highlighting the vibrant arts organizations and cultural partnerships she helped support, including a special edition of Local Lunch focused on local artists and community voices.

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Northwest Focus Live  

Carrie Wang

Friday, June 5 | 7pm

Host: Maggie Molloy

Northwest Focus Live celebrates exceptional classical artists with ties to the Pacific Northwest, and this week features Seattle-based pipa musician and educator Carrie Wang. Blending traditional Chinese instruments with contemporary and classical influences, the program includes performances by a pipa and piano duo alongside Serica, an East-West fusion ensemble exploring musical traditions from across cultures. Carrie Wang’s studio appearance highlights the connections between global musical traditions, contemporary artistry, and cross-cultural exchange.

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Broadcast Concerts  

Seattle Symphony: Liszt & Kodály

Friday, June 5 | 8pm

Host: Dave Beck

Let Classical KING bring the concert hall to wherever you are as the Seattle Symphony presents an evening of orchestral storytelling shaped by Hungarian folk influence, virtuosity, and humor. Conducted by Kevin John Edusei, the program features Liszt’s Les préludes and Piano Concerto No. 1 with pianist Haochen Zhang, alongside Strauss’s Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks and Kodály’s Háry János Suite. Drawing from folk traditions, legendary characters, and vivid orchestral color, the broadcast moves between drama, wit, and symphonic spectacle.

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Northwest Focus Concert Calendar  

Find local concerts in your community at: https://classicalking.org/nw-focus-concert-calendar  

Seattle Symphony Community Concert featuring the Chief Sealth High School Orchestra

Wednesday, June 3 | 7:30pm | Benaroya Hall, Seattle

Seattle Symphony joins the Chief Sealth International High School Orchestra for a community concert celebrating collaboration, music education, and live orchestral performance. Conducted by Sunny Xuecong Xia and Jorge Morales, the side-by-side program brings professional and student musicians together on the Benaroya Hall stage, highlighting the power of shared musical experiences and community connection. This special performance reflects the Seattle Symphony’s ongoing commitment to supporting young musicians and expanding access to symphonic music across the Pacific Northwest.

Sonoro Choral Society | Evening Song: On the Threshold of Light

Saturday, June 6 | 7pm | Lagerquist Concert Hall at Pacific Lutheran University, Parkland

Sonoro Choral Society closes its season with Evening Song: On the Threshold of Light, an evening of choral and orchestral music centered on reflection, renewal, and human connection. Featuring works by Fauré, Holst, Abbie Betinis, and composer Celina Anna Kintscher, the program includes Fauré’s Requiem, Holst’s Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda, and the world premiere of Kintscher’s Evening Song. Performed by the Sonoro Women’s Choir, Elysium, and Sonoro Chamber Orchestra, the concert explores themes of stillness, longing, and hope through a richly varied choral program.

Columbia Choirs: Notes of Home

Saturday, June 6 | 7pm | Bellevue First United Methodist Church, Bellevue

Columbia Choirs closes its season with Notes of Home, an evening of choral music exploring themes of memory, belonging, and human connection. Featuring performances by Con Brio Treble Choir and Concord Chamber Choir, the program reflects on the many ways people experience the idea of home through a wide range of choral repertoire. Presented by Columbia Choirs of Metropolitan Seattle, the concert highlights the organization’s long-standing commitment to inclusive, community-centered choral performance and music education.

Victoria Philharmonic Choir: The Seasons by Joseph Haydn

Saturday, June 6 | 7:30pm | Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria, BC

Experience Haydn’s The Seasons, a large-scale choral work that brings nature, weather, and rural life vividly to the concert stage. Performed by the Victoria Philharmonic Choir with orchestra and soloists, the oratorio paints musical scenes of storms, harvests, changing landscapes, and even croaking frogs through Haydn’s richly descriptive orchestral writing. Written near the end of the composer’s career, the work celebrates the rhythms of the natural world while showcasing the grandeur and storytelling power of choral music. A pre-concert talk begins at 6:50pm.

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The Score with Edmund Stone  

Dues Ex Machina

Saturday, June 6 | 4pm  

It’s the cinematic trope that will not die: Deux Ex Machina. Originating with ancient Greek drama, the Deux Ex Machina – or the God from a Machine – plot device is a way of handily wrapping up a story with a divine intervention. Edmund Stone looks at some films that have used this device – for better or for worse – including Lord of the Rings, War of the Worlds, Avengers: Endgame, Matrix: Revolutions and more. 

Must-See List, Part 3: Great Stories

Sunday, June 7 | 4pm  

The Score is celebrating two decades of music in the movies with a musical library of “Must-See Movies”. In Part Three, Edmund Stone is spotlighting films that are truly great stories. From The Banshees of Inishirin to Forrest Gump, Schindler’s List and more, these are movies you really should see at least once in your life, all set to fantastic music. This Sunday on The Score. 

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Explore More on ClassicalKING.org 

Looking for details about what you hear online, on our app, or on 98.1 FM? 

Visit our playlist for comprehensive information on every piece and performer. 

Stay inspired and enjoy another week of incredible music on Classical KING!