Bellevue Symphony is set to enchant audiences this autumn with its much‑anticipated Fall Concert, scheduled for Saturday, October 25th at 7:30 p.m., at the Meydenbauer Theater in Bellevue. The evening promises a masterful program peppered with works by Mussorgsky, Lalo, Chopin, and Brahms—highlighted by performances from two standout Grand Prize winners of local BelSym competitions.

The concert opens with the dramatic intensity of Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, followed by a moving rendition of the first movement of Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole—performed by Maximilian James, the Grand Prize Winner of the 2025 Performance Arts Festival of Eastside Concerto Competition. At only 15 years old, James hails from Redmond and began studying violin at age four under Sharon Wherland; he currently studies with Dr. Pasha Sabouri.

The program further features the first movement of Chopin’s Concerto No. 1 in E minor, performed by Joyce Ye, the Grand Prize Winner of the 2025 Chopin Northwest Competition. A seventh‑grade student, Ye has been trained by Dr. Yelena Balabanova since 2016 and boasts a growing list of accolades from international and regional competitions—among them the Charleston International Contemporary Music Competition and the Willard Schultz First Place Prize. Please see Bellevuesymphony.org for further information on both of the featured artists.

During intermission, enjoy BelSym’s second ever Small Business Symposium, taking place in the Meydenbauer Theater lobby. Please say hello to the eight featured local businesses/nonprofits and get to know your community!  After intermission, the symphony turns to the emotional depth and structure of Brahms’s Symphony No. 4, journeying through its four movements—Allegro non troppo, Andante moderato, Allegro giocoso, and Allegro energico e passionato. 

The Symphony, as with all the works featured at the concert, will be led by Maestro Brian Davenport, who studied music under the famous Nadia Boulange and has conducted under the tutelage of Igor Markevitch. Instrumental in starting the Federal Way Symphony many years ago, Maestro Davenport was one of the founders of Bellevue Symphony in 2019. The Pacific Northwest is honored to consider itself home to a conductor who has led orchestras in China, Scandinavia, Germany, and Ukraine. Known for his keen penetration of the repertory, Maestro Davenport brings his nuanced understanding of history and music to every Bellevue Symphony performance. 

Adding to the evening’s richness, Bellevue Symphony will host a Pre‑Show Concert at 6:30 p.m. featuring six Grand Prix winners from the 3rd Annual International German Music Piano Competition. This addition provides a prelude of youthful virtuosity that complements the main program and underscores the Symphony’s commitment to nurturing emerging performers. With a lineup that blends brilliance, tradition, and virtuosos, the Bellevue Symphony Fall 2025 concert promises to be both a celebration of local musical talent and a stirring evening of classical music. Tickets and patron support options—including donor perks—will be available via the Bellevue Symphony’s website, bellevuesymphony.org.