MEDIA CONTACT
Janelle Kruly Harrison
714.858.0945
janelleh@reveilleinc.com 

The special one-night performance marked the start of Artistic & Music Director Alexander Shelley’s inaugural season leading Pacific Symphony

Beginning the highly anticipated inaugural season of Artistic & Music Director Alexander Shelley, Pacific Symphony’s Opening Night Celebration welcomed patrons, donors and friends to enjoy a dinner and concert featuring GRAMMY® award-winning violinist Joshua Bell. Hosted by the Symphony’s Board of Directors and chaired by Pacific Symphony Board member Judith Whitmore, the evening began in the Samueli Theater, which was showered in ocean blue tones, delicate white and lunaria phalaenopsis orchids, sea-like textures and a stage installation in the shape of a wave representing the Symphony as a gateway to the Pacific. The evening continued with a special concert preceding the 2026-27 Hal and Jeanette Segerstrom Family Foundation Classical Series, including a reception in the Box Circle Club during intermission and a post-concert party back in the Samueli Theater. The celebration brought together more than 250 guests for an evening of inspiration and forward-looking excitement, while raising more than $500,000 to support the Symphony’s programs.

The event also recognized the Hal and Jeanette Segerstrom Family Foundation, whose more than 25 years of annual support have helped sustain Pacific Symphony’s Classical Series and artistic growth. In a playful tribute to the family’s leadership, President & CEO John Forsyte presented commemorative batons to family members Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, Sally Segerstrom, Susie and Steve Perry, and Ted and Rae Segerstrom, noting that they had helped conduct Pacific Symphony’s success for a quarter century.

Event Chair Judith Whitmore addressed guests during the dinner saying: “Tonight, we celebrate two remarkable milestones, the 40th anniversary of Segerstrom Center for the Arts and the 20th anniversary of the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. For four decades, this campus has been the home for extraordinary performances, artistic discovery and experiences that bring our community together. We are extra excited tonight because we are beginning a new chapter for Pacific Symphony with our new Artistic & Music Director Alexander Shelley. We are thrilled to welcome him and are looking forward to the new energy, ideas and inspiring music he brings. Thank you to our patrons and everyone who supports the future of Pacific Symphony.”

Pacific Symphony Board Chair Mark Nielsen also reflected on the new appointment saying, “Alexander emerged as the unanimous choice of our musicians, Board, and staff because he is not only an extraordinary conductor, but also an imaginative artistic leader with a powerful vision for the role an orchestra can play in its community. We are thrilled to begin this journey with him.”

Forsyte also honored Michelle Rohé with a Pacific Symphony Artistic Legacy Award, the organization’s highest artistic honor, in recognition of more than four decades of visionary generosity. A pianist and longtime champion of artists, Rohé purchased the concert hall’s two Hamburg Steinways and, through the Michelle F. Rohé Distinguished Pianists Fund, has helped bring many of the world’s foremost pianists to Orange County.

The formal evening began at 5 p.m. on September 24 with a cocktail reception on the patio of the Samueli Theater. The menu included tray-passed hors’ d’oeuvres, including melon con jamon, lamb lollipops and dates on horseback. Wine was generously provided by our sponsors, with Pinot Noir by Desforges Vineyards and Chardonnay and Rosé by Anoosheh and Alan Oskouian, perfectly complementing the arugula-radicchio salad with kiwi and ricotta and roasted black cod with celery root emulsion and Brussels sprouts. 

Dinner guests enjoyed a quartet performance by Pacific Symphony Concertmaster Dennis Kim, Principal Second Violinist Madalyn Parnas Möller, Principal Violist Meredith Crawford and Principal Cellist Warren Haggerty, who played Strum for String Quartet by Jesse Montgomery. Following the dinner, guests were escorted to the Reneé and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, on their way receiving coconut and vanilla macarons and lemon madeleines. 

Joining a crowd of over 1,800 concertgoers, partygoers welcomed Alexander Shelley with rousing applause as he took the podium for his first concert as Artistic & Music Director of Pacific Symphony. As Shelley expressed, the program was the perfect preview of what’s to come in the season ahead with short works from American composers Leonard Bernstein, George Gershwin, Erich Korngold, Jessie Montgomery, Florence Price, and Joan Tower. The performance also starred one of America’s great violinists and long-time Symphony friend, Joshua Bell, in works by Édouard Lalo and Kevin Puts. 

“Coming together in a concert hall to experience something intangible but deeply human is more meaningful than ever before. If we can embrace that opportunity, we can grow, connect with more people and remind ourselves that music is for everyone,” said Shelley. “I count myself to be extraordinarily fortunate to be working with such a wonderful team and group of musicians.”

A post-concert reception rounded out the festivities in the Samueli Theater, where guests enjoyed bites, cocktails and a performance by Joey Sellers Band.

“This evening marked the beginning of a remarkable new chapter for Pacific Symphony,” said Pacific Symphony President & CEO John Forsyte. “Alexander has already brought extraordinary clarity, nuance and expressive power to the podium, along with a spirit of curiosity and collaboration that is inspiring our musicians and colleagues. His artistic vision will honor the great traditions of orchestral music while inviting new audiences into the experience.”

About Pacific Symphony
Founded in 1978, Pacific Symphony welcomes Alexander Shelley for his inaugural season as Artistic & Music Director in 2026-27, building on nearly five decades of artistic growth, innovation, and community impact. His inaugural season reflects an ambitious artistic vision that blends core symphonic masterworks, contemporary voices, multidisciplinary collaboration, and a commitment to expanding access to orchestral music. Today, Pacific Symphony is recognized as a major cultural force in Southern California and performs as a resident company of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa. Learn more at pacificsymphony.org. 

###