Meet Them Through the Music: PNB Violinist Tom Dziekonski’s Playlist

PNB is the home of so many artists: dancers, costumers, musicians, and more. Today on the PNB Blog, we’re starting a new series where we highlight PNB Orchestra members through their musical taste. First up, founding PNB Orchestra member and violinist Tom Dziekonski! Keep scrolling to read more about Tom while listening to some of […]

Celebrating Founding PNB Orchestra Member Tad Margelli 

Tad Margelli is an English Horn player, Oboist, and founding member of PNB’s Orchestra. At the end of the 2023/24 season, Tad will retire, marking an end to his remarkable tenure here at PNB. Join us in celebrating his career by learning more about him and his time at PNB on the blog!  Mitch Miller. […]

Dan Williams, PNB’s Principal Oboist, on Swan Lake

Tchaikovsky’s first ballet score, Swan Lake, was commissioned in 1875. Tchaikovsky, who is widely considered to be the foremost ballet composer, utilized his keen orchestration skills in this ballet to create a score characterized by bold gestures and dramatic expressivity. The first notes of this enduring score are played by the oboe. The instrument features prominently throughout […]

One Thousand Pieces: Q&A with Music Librarian Mona Butler

Mona Butler has been a bassoonist in Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra since the orchestra was founded in 1989, and PNB’s Music Librarian since the position was created in 1996. Marketing Assistant Maris Antolin sat down with Mona in late February to talk about what a Music Librarian does, the years-long process of putting together the […]

Q and A with Principal Conductor Emil de Cou

Emil: I’m the only person I know of all my colleagues who went into music because of loving ballet music. Growing up in Orange County where there was no orchestra, the only orchestra nearby was LA, which I couldn’t get to. So I went to the movie theater and saw Fantasia, then got the record from […]