Pasadena Symphony Ushers In 2022-23 Season

^{First published in the Oct. 6 print issue of the Pasadena Outlook.}

The Pasadena Symphony opens its 94th season with Mozart and Saint-Saëns on Saturday, Oct. 22, at Ambassador Auditorium with performances at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Internationally recognized for his energetic presence, imaginative programming and compelling musicianship, conductor Vinay Parameswaran will kick off the 2022-23 symphony series as one of six artistic partners to take the podium this season as part of the orchestra’s music director search.
“The conductors we have selected as artistic partners during our search for a new music director have curated each concert for you to enjoy what the Pasadena Symphony is known for — the diversity of high art and entertainment that is accessible to all,” said CEO Lora Unger. “We strive to create a socially vibrant concert-going experience where people feel invited, uplifted and most importantly, where people feel joy.”
To open the program, the symphony ushers in their third annual Composer’s Showcase, featuring work by emerging and established living composers with Nokuthula Ngwenyama’s thought-provoking “Primal Message,” which plays on the idea of humanity’s first message in a bottle hurdled into space 25,000 light years away.
Deemed as “one of the biggest pianistic talents to have emerged in this country in the last 25 years” by the Baltimore Sun, Terrence Wilson returns to the Pasadena Symphony to perform Saint-Saëns’ widely popular Piano Concerto No. 2. The evening caps off with Rossini’s “Overture to La Scala di Seta” and finally, Mozart’s tempestuous Symphony No. 39.
All concerts are held at Ambassador Auditorium, 131 S. St. John Ave., Pasadena. Subscription packages start at as low as $99, with single tickets starting at $40. Both may be purchased online at pasadenasymphony-pops.org, or by calling (626) 793-7172.

• Cost: Tickets start at $35.

• Parking: Valet parking is available on St. John Ave for $15. General parking is available in two locations: next to the auditorium (entrance on St. John Avenue) at the covered parking structure for $10 and directly across the street at the Wells Fargo parking structure (entrance on Terrace Street at Green Street). ADA parking is located at the above-ground parking lot adjacent to the auditorium (entrance on St. John Avenue) for $10. Parking may be pre-purchased or purchased onsite. Parking purchased onsite is cash only.

• Health and Safety: The Pasadena Public Health Department recommends all guests either be fully vaccinated or obtain a negative COVID-19 test prior to entry to Ambassador Auditorium, but it is not required. Masks are strongly recommended but are not required. For the most up to date venue safety protocols, visit pasadenasymphony-pops.org/symphony-covid-safety/.