Classical KING explores music from around the world, celebrates Black musical excellence, and welcomes the first day of summer this week with special programming inspired by FIFA World Cup 2026, Juneteenth, and the Summer Solstice.

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Music Feature: Let’s Play SEA ’26

As fans from around the globe gather in the Pacific Northwest, Classical KING joins the celebration with a soundtrack inspired by the nations competing on the world stage. On match days in Seattle, hear works from the countries taking the field as we celebrate FIFA World Cup 2026 through music.

Seattle Center will serve as one of the city’s official fan celebration sites through Let’s Play SEA ’26, featuring public match viewings, cultural festivals, and community events that welcome visitors from around the world to the heart of Seattle.

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Music Feature: Juneteenth

Friday, June 19

Classical KING celebrates Juneteenth with a day of music honoring the contributions of Black composers, conductors, performers, and educators who have helped shape classical music across generations. Throughout the day, hear works that reflect the artistry, innovation, and lasting influence of Black musicians while celebrating the voices and achievements that continue to enrich the classical music world today. Join us as we honor Black excellence in classical music on Juneteenth and throughout the year.

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Music Feature: First Day of Summer

Sunday, June 21

Classical KING celebrates the arrival of summer with a day of music inspired by the season’s warmth, energy, and natural beauty. Throughout the day, hear works that evoke sunlit landscapes, long evenings, outdoor festivities, and the spirit of the Summer Solstice. Tune-in as we welcome the longest day of the year and the beginning of a new season through classical music.

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Northwest Focus Concert Calendar  

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

Puget Sound Concert Opera: Aleko & Mavra

Friday, June 19 | 7pm | Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, Bellevue

Experience an operatic double feature as Puget Sound Concert Opera presents Rachmaninoff’s Aleko and Stravinsky’s Mavra, two Russian operas that showcase dramatically different sides of their composers’ musical worlds. From the passion and tragedy of Aleko to the wit and charm of Mavra, the program explores contrasting stories and styles united by their Russian roots. Performed concert-style in Russian with English and Russian supertitles, this intimate production features an 11-piece chamber ensemble and highlights the richness and variety of the operatic repertoire.

Seattle Girls Choir: All-Choir Spring Concert

Saturday, June 20 | 1pm | Katharyn Alvord Gerlich Theater at Meany Center for the Performing Arts, Seattle

Support the next generation of musicians as Seattle Girls Choir presents its All-Choir Spring Concert. Featuring performances by all eight ensembles (from kindergarten through high school) the afternoon showcases the talent, growth, and dedication of more than 250 young choristers from across the region. This season-ending celebration highlights the power of choral music to inspire confidence, artistry, and community across all ages.

The Washington Wind Symphony: Blockbuster!

Saturday, June 20 | 2pm | Robertson Performing Arts Center, Redmond

Take a trip through cinema’s musical history as the Washington Wind Symphony presents Blockbuster!, an afternoon of memorable movie music from the 20th and 21st centuries. Conducted by Edwin Powell, the program features iconic scores from films including The Godfather, Star Wars, How to Train Your Dragon, and more, celebrating the composers whose music has helped define some of cinema’s most unforgettable moments. Performed by a talented ensemble of wind and percussion musicians from across the region, this concert brings the excitement of the big screen to the concert hall.

Monroe Community Band: June-O-Ween

Saturday, June 20 | 7pm | Wagner Performing Arts Center, Monroe

Who says Halloween is only for October? The Monroe Community Band brings spooky fun to summer with June-O-Ween, an evening of haunting melodies, cinematic favorites, and musical mischief. Featuring works by Alexandre Desplat, Danny Elfman, Edvard Grieg, and J.S. Bach, the program celebrates all things eerie and entertaining, inviting audiences to enjoy a playful twist on the Halloween spirit. Performed by one of Snohomish County’s longstanding community ensembles, this concert offers chills, thrills, and plenty of seasonal fun—months ahead of schedule.

Ludovic Zamor: Piano at Benaroya Hall

Saturday, June 20 | 7:30pm | Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall, Seattle

Experience the virtuosity of pianist Ludovic Zamor in a solo recital devoted to the Romantic era and the transformative artistry of Franz Liszt. The program features Liszt’s transcriptions of works by Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, and Beethoven, reimagining beloved music through the lens of one of history’s greatest piano virtuosos. Performed in the intimate setting of Nordstrom Recital Hall, this evening explores themes of beauty, expression, and transcendence through some of the Romantic repertoire’s most compelling music.

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The Score with Edmund Stone  

World Leaders: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Saturday, June 20 | 4pm  

Thus begins one of the most important documents in recent history – the preamble of the United States Constitution. When this country was founded, those who fought for independence urged their people to form a more perfect Union were leaders. Join Edmund Stone as he showcases films that examine the qualities of leadership throughout history and around the world – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. From Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln, to Ramses in The Ten Commandments, and Hitler in Valkyrie, it’s an extraordinary look and listen to world leadership.

Must-See List, Part 5: Amazing Entertainment

Sunday, June 21 | 4pm  

Happy 20th Anniversary to The Score! Edmund Stone is wrapping up his special five-part series celebrating this milestone with a show called Amazing Entertainment – films that he has selected as being movies you should see at least once in your life. The spotlight is on movies that are exceptional entertainment including The Princess Bride, Young Frankenstein, Coco, Cinema Paradiso and more.

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Explore More on ClassicalKING.org 

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

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