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Pacific Symphony rings in the New Year with “Four Seasons and Strauss,” featuring two inspiring masterpieces that are sure to uplift and calm the spirit. First, Concertmaster Dennis Kim, who also serves on the faculty of the University of California Irvine and the Orange County School of the Arts, takes the virtuosic solo role to lead Vivaldi’s 1720 composition of The Four Seasons. One of the most recognized works in classical music, Vivaldi transports listeners to Italy to imagine spring’s blossoming flowers, the warmth of the summer sun, autumn’s plentiful harvest and the crisp winter air in the Baroque style.

Then, Music Director Carl St.Clair takes the audience through an emotionally revitalizing journey with Strauss’s Alpine Symphony. Written in 1915, the piece follows a mountain climber through the Bavarian Alps as they experience nature’s changing beauty throughout the day, from the illustrious sunrise to the peaceful nightfall. The piece represents strength, liberation and abundant success – matching the excitement and aspiration that fills the air for the year ahead. The performance includes visuals by Tobias Melle projected on a large screen above the orchestra to transform the concert into an immersive cinematic event, offering an enveloping narrative that will captivate both eyes and ears.

“Both pieces being performed represent change, growth, achievement and beauty,” said Kim, concertmaster at Pacific Symphony. “The audience has the opportunity to reflect on the various movements of the concert in a way that personally aligns with them and, perhaps, their intentions for the New Year.”

A citizen of the world, Kim was born in Korea, raised in Canada and educated in the United States. He has spent nearly a decade leading orchestras as a concertmaster across the United States, Europe and Asia. He has also performed as a soloist with all of the most important orchestras in Asia. After making his solo debut at the age of 14 with the Toronto Philharmonic, he was appointed concertmaster of the Tucson Symphony at the age of 22. He then served as the youngest concertmaster in the history of the Hong Kong Philharmonic, before going on to lead the Seoul Philharmonic and the Tampere Philharmonic in Finland. Additionally, he has championed his talents through teaching, immersed himself in the classical music community, and shown his unwavering passion for symphonic music through chamber work. Kim plays the 1701 ex-Dushkin Stradivarius, on permanent loan from a generous donor.

“Dennis Kim is not only an incredibly talented orchestral musician and violinist, but an exemplary individual,” said John Forsyte, president of Pacific Symphony. “He has taken his great gift and immersed it into every other area of his life that is important to him. From teaching at the university and high school levels to participating in chamber ensembles and beyond, he is an admirable musician and we look forward to showcasing his talent in Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.”

Taking place Thursday-Saturday, January 9-11 at 8 p.m. in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, the concert includes a preview talk with Alan Chapman at 7 p.m. St.Clair also leads a Sunday Matinee performance of Strauss’ Alpine Symphony during “A Day in the Alps” on Sunday, January 12 at 3 p.m. This concert is part of the 2024-25 Classical Season and is sponsored by Hal and Jeanette Segerstrom and Family Foundation Classical Series. Tickets are 50-$193. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (714) 858-0945 or visit pacificsymphony.org.

About Pacific Symphony
Pacific Symphony, under the dynamic leadership of Music Director Carl St.Clair since 1990, has been the resident orchestra of Orange County’s Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall for over 15 years. Founded in 1978, the Symphony is the largest orchestra formed in the U.S. in the last 50 years and is not only a fixture of musical life in Southern California but is also recognized as an outstanding ensemble making strides on both the national and international scenes. The orchestra presents more than 100 concerts and events each year and a rich array of education and community engagement programs, reaching more than 300,000 residents of all ages.

Pacific Symphony made its debut at Carnegie Hall in 2018, where it was invited to perform as part of a yearlong celebration of composer Philip Glass' 80th birthday. The Symphony made its first-ever tour to China the same year, with performances in five cities, including Shanghai and Beijing. The Symphony has been recognized with multiple ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming and included among the country’s five most innovative orchestras by the League of American Orchestras.

Pacific Symphony’s discography comprises 15 recordings, mostly of 20th- and 21st-century music by such American composers as William Bolcom, John Corigliano and Richard Danielpour. In 2012 for Naxos, St.Clair and the orchestra recorded Philip Glass’s The Passion of Ramakrishna, a Pacific Symphony commission that appeared on the Carnegie Hall program. The Symphony has also recorded for Harmonia Mundi, Koch International Classics, Reference Recordings, and Sony Classical, among other labels. The Symphony has been recognized with multiple ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming and included among the country’s five most innovative orchestras by the League of American Orchestras. The Symphony’s education and community engagement activities have also been recognized by the League, as well as the National Endowment for the Arts.

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