Main Stage

With a celebrated career encompassing five decades, Pinchas Zukerman reigns as one of today’s most sought after and versatile musicians – violin and viola soloist, conductor, and chamber musician. He is renowned as a virtuoso, admired for the expressive lyricism of his playing, singular beauty of tone, and impeccable musicianship, which can be heard throughout his discography of over 100 albums for which he gained two Grammy® awards and 21 nominations.

Shelly Berg is a Steinway piano artist and five-time Grammy-nominated arranger, orchestrator, and producer. His newest album Alegría was recorded with bassist Carlitos Del Puerto and Dafnis Prieto and released July 2024 on ArtistShare. It is described as “buoyant joy” by JazzViews.net and “an instant jazz piano trio classic” by Modern Drummer. Berg’s original song “At Last,” featured on the Alegría album, was nominated for a 2025 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition. Prior albums Gershwin Reimagined: An American in London (Decca Gold), The Deep (Chesky), The Nearness of You (Arbors), Blackbird (Concord) and The Will (CARS) are critically acclaimed. Berg earned three Grammy nominations in the Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) category with jazz singer-lyricist Lorraine Feather and international superstar Gloria Estefan, and a fourth Grammy nomination as co-producer of Gloria Estefan: The Standards (Sony). He earned his fifth Grammy nomination as co-arranger of “I Loves You Porgy / There’s a Boat That’s Leavin’ Soon for New York” from the album Rendezvous (2018) featuring jazz singers Clint Holmes and Dee Dee Bridgewater with The Count Basie Orchestra.

Valerie Coleman is an acclaimed flutist and composer and the founder of Imani Winds; in 2019, she became the first African American woman commissioned by the Philadelphia Orchestra, resulting in Umoja: Anthem of Unity. A prolific composer from a young age-writing whole symphonies by age 14- Coleman is known for blending jazz and classical traditions and earned a Grammy nomination for a classical crossover album featuring her work. Umoja, named for the Swahili word for “unity” and the first principle of Kwanzaa, began as a simple women’s choir song rooted in drum-circle energy, call-and-response, and a memorable melody, later adapted for woodwind quintet as a celebration of Imani Winds’ diverse identities. Featured on the orchestra program at the Vancouver Arts and Music Festival USA in honor of the America 250 celebration, the orchestral version expands this material into a richly textured journey, embodying Coleman’s artistic voice and the enduring American ideal of collective strength.

Julian Schwarz has been heralded from a young age as a cellist destined to rank among the greatest of the 21st century, Julian’s powerful tone, effortless virtuosity, and extraordinarily large color palette are hallmarks of his style. After making his concerto debut at the age of 11 with the Seattle Symphony, he made his US touring debut with the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2010. Since being awarded first prize at the inaugural Schoenfeld International String Competition in Hong Kong, he has led an active career as a soloist with many American orchestras. Internationally, he made his Australian debut with the Queensland Symphony, his Mexican debuts with the Boca del Rio Philharmonic in Veracruz and the Mexico City Philharmonic with frequent collaborator Jorge Mester.

Internationally recognized for his moving performances, innovative programming and extensive catalogue of recordings, American conductor Gerard Schwarz serves as Music Director of the All-Star Orchestra, Eastern Music Festival, Palm Beach Symphony, and Mozart Orchestra of New York and is Conductor Laureate of the Seattle Symphony and Conductor Emeritus of the Mostly Mozart Festival. In his nearly five decades as a respected classical musician and conductor, Schwarz has received hundreds of honors and accolades including Emmy Awards, GRAMMY nominations, ASCAP Awards and the Ditson Conductor’s Award. He was the first American named Conductor of the Year by Musical America and has received numerous honorary doctorates.

Maestro Salvador Brotons, currently in his 35th season as the Music Director and Conductor of the VSO. In addition to the VSO, he has been the Music Director and Conductor of the Orquestra Simfònica de les Illes Balears “Ciutat de Palma” (1997-2001, 2009-2013) and the Orquestra Sinfónica del Vallés (1997-2002). He is presently the Conductor of the Barcelona Symphonic Band. In 2005, he received the Arts Council award from Clark County and the City of Vancouver as well as the Kiwanis Rose Award. He has guest conducted orchestras in countries such as the U.S., Israel, France, Germany, China, Poland, South Korea, Mexico, Uruguay, and Colombia.

The VSO, now in its 47th season, has been a cornerstone of Southwest Washington’s arts community, providing symphonic music of the highest caliber in live performances and through music education in schools, concert halls, and throughout the community.