Xian Zhang receives major press for announcement as Seattle Symphony music director

New Jersey Symphony Music Director Xian Zhang was announced on September 5 as the new music director of the Seattle Symphony, taking the music director designate role for the 2024–25 season before officially beginning her duties with the orchestra in the 2025–26 season. She will continue to conduct the New Jersey Symphony through the end of the 2027–28 season while also conducting the Seattle Symphony during that timespan. The announcement received major nationwide press, all of which you can read about below.

Press features:

• The New York Times: “A Barrier-Breaking Conductor Will Lead the Seattle Symphony”
• The Seattle Times: “Seattle Symphony’s new music director is a major first in its history”
• The Star-Ledger/NJ.com: “N.J. Symphony’s musical director to split time with Seattle Symphony”
• The Associated Press: The Star-Ledger/NJ.com: “Xian Zhang to become music director of Seattle Symphony starting with 2025-26 season”
• Semafor: “Xian Zhang makes history as Seattle Symphony musical director”
• Symphony.org: “Xian Zhang Named Music Director at Seattle Symphony”
• BroadwayWorld: “Xian Zhang Named Music Director Of The Seattle Symphony”
• Northwest Asian Weekly: “Seattle Symphony appoints Xian Zhang, Its first woman music director”
• OperaWire: “Xian Zhang is Next Music Director of Seattle Symphony”
• MyNorthwest: “Ground-breaking hire for music director of Seattle Symphony, filling job open for almost 3 years”
• TAPinto: “Seattle Symphony Recruits Short Hills Resident/NJ Symphony Music Director”