Yakima Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Lawrence Golan sign 7-year contract renewal through 2028-29 season

Contract Extension beginning with orchestra’s 50th season brings Golan’s tenure with Orchestra to 19 seasons

Board of Directors President Roshelle Pavlin announced the news Thursday morning, stating, “The YSO Board of Directors is thrilled to have Maestro Golan continue in his role as our Music Director. Lawrence’s willingness to challenge both our musicians and our audiences has encouraged the YSO to become a truly magnificent professional orchestra.”

“It is a privilege to partner with a Music Director who enjoys a growing national and international profile, yet who still maintains a keen awareness and appreciation of what is special about our own orchestra and community,” remarked YSO Executive Director David Rogers. “Maestro Golan’s creativity and collaborative spirit will serve the YSO well as we launch into our second half century of performance.”

“Working with the Yakima Symphony Orchestra for the past twelve years has truly been a delight,” stated Maestro Golan. “From the artistic level of the orchestra to the professionalism of the staff and board, we just keep getting better in every way, and I am very proud to be a part of this organization!"

One of the four most prominent symphony orchestras in the state of Washington, Yakima Symphony Orchestra has been providing music to area residents since its first season in 1971-72. Golan is only the second Music Director, having succeeded Brooke Creswell in 2010.The upcoming 21-22 season celebrates 50 years of music making of the highest caliber, and includes such guest artists as violinist Joshua Bell (special gala concert in July 2022), clarinetist Angelique Poteat, cellist Efe Baltacıgi, ensemble Jeans ‘n Classics, and the Villalobos Brothers. Golan and the YSO will make two recordings in the upcoming 50th anniversary season: one with the Villalobos Brothers in May 2022 and the second in June 2022 which will include Mendelssohn’s Second Symphony, and a new work by Pacific Northwest composer Kenji Bunch, commissioned by the YSO for the anniversary season.

Classical I – Serenade for Strings
October 23, 2021, 7:30 pm
Lawrence Golan, Music Director
Boyer ,Three Olympians
Barber, Adagio for Strings
Vaughan Williams, Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Florence Price, Andante moderato from String Quartet in G major
Tchaikovsky, Serenade for Strings

Classical II – Bach’s Brandenburg Concerti
November 20, 2021, 7:30 pm
Lawrence Golan, Music Director
Bach, The Complete Brandenburg Concerti

Pops I – Holiday Pops Spectacular
December 4, 2021, 7:30 pm; December 5, 2021, 4:00 pm matinee
Lawrence Golan, Music Director
Yakima Symphony Chorus; Justin Raffa, chorusmaster
The Yakima Symphony Orchestra joins forceswith the Yakima Symphony Chorus for this annual family tradition.

Pops II – The Music of John Williams: 90th Birthday Celebration
January 8, 2022, 7:30 pm
Lawrence Golan, Music Director
A birthday tribute to the king of film music, with favorite themes from Star Wars, Indiana Jones, E.T., Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, and more!

Classical III – Scheherazade and Other Remarkable Women
January 29, 2022, 7:30 pm
Lawrence Golan, Music Director
Angelique Poteat, clarinet
Fanny Mendelssohn, Overture in C major
Copland, Clarinet Concerto
Angelique Poteat, Open Solo
Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade

Pops III – Bohemian Rhapsody: The Music of Queen
February 26, 2022, 7:30 pm
Lawrence Golan, Music Director
Jeans ‘n Classics
Yakima Symphony Chorus; Justin Raffa, chorusmaster
Greatest hits from one of the great rock bands of all time, with full orchestra and chorus.Bohemian Rhapsody: The Music of Queen

Classical IV – Spring Celebration
March 19, 2022, 7:30 pm
Lawrence Golan, Music Director
Efe Baltacıgil, cello
Copland, Appalachian Spring
Tchaikovsky, Variations on a Rococo Theme
Schumann, Symphony No. 1, “Spring”

Classical V – Mahler 5
April 30, 2022, 7:30 pm
Lawrence Golan, Music Director
Mahler, Symphony No. 5

Pops IV – Villalobos Brothers
May 14, 2022, 7:30 pm
Lawrence Golan, Music Director
The Yakima Symphony Orchestra partners with one of today’s leading virtuoso contemporary Mexican ensembles.

Classical VI – Season Finale: The Magnificent Mendelssohn
June 11, 2022, 7:30 pm
Lawrence Golan, Music Director
Yakima Symphony Chorus; Justin Raffa, chorusmaster
Mendelssohn, Overture: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Kenji Bunch, New work for orchestra (YSO commission; World Premiere)
Mendelssohn, Symphony No. 2, “Lobgesang”

Pops V – Cirque de la Symphonie
June 25, 2022, 7:30 pm
Lawrence Golan, Music Director
Great orchestral music paired with amazing cirque acts on and above the stage.

Yakima Symphony Orchestra
Incorporated in March of 1971, the Yakima Symphony Orchestra is in its fourth decade of service to the Yakima Valley community. Under the batons of founding Music Director Brooke Creswell and current Music Director Lawrence Golan, the YSO has grown into a fully professional ensemble recognized nationally as one of the finest regional orchestras in the country. www.ysomusic.org

Lawrence Golan
Acclaimed for his vibrant, inspired performances, imaginative programming and evocative command of different styles and composers, American conductor Lawrence Golan has developed a reputation as a dynamic, charismatic communicator. He has conducted throughout the United States and in Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, El Salvador, England, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan, and continues to develop relationships with orchestras nationally and abroad.

Newly appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Bayerische Philharmonie in April 2021, Golan has served as Music Director of Yakima Symphony Orchestra in Washington state since 2010; of Pennsylvania’s York Symphony Orchestra since 2014, and Colorado’s Denver Philharmonic since 2013. He is also Music Director of Colorado’s Lamont Symphony Orchestra and Opera Theatre at the University of Denver.

An accomplished violinist, Golan served as Principal Second violinist of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra (1989-1990) and then Concertmaster of the Portland Symphony Orchestra for eleven years (1990-2001), before focusing his career on the podium. He has appeared as soloist with numerous orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony, and continues to perform, primarily to benefit orchestras of which he is Music Director. He is also a composer/arranger and has several editions published by Spurwink River Publishing and Mel Ba Publications. Mr. Golan’s previous positions include the Phoenix Symphony, Colorado Youth Symphony Orchestras, founder and Artistic Director, Atlantic Chamber Orchestra (1998-2003), Music Director, Portland Ballet Company (1997-2013), and Music Director, Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra (1990-2001). www.lawrencegolan.com