By Andrew Hamlin
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Of course, learning that you just got the awesome job you’ve been hoping for, makes for a special day by itself. But for Xian Zhang, learning she’d become the Seattle Symphony’s new music director arrived on a date that was already special: her birthday.
Music Director Xian Zhang conducting the Seattle Symphony on September 18, 2025. Photo credit: James Holt/The Seattle Symphony.
“It was a great gift and a wonderful surprise,” recalled Zhang, who started the role in September. “I was in Brazil, summer of 2024, conducting the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra, when my agent, at IMG Artists, called from London to tell me that the Seattle Symphony had offered me the position. I was utterly surprised to hear such wonderful news.”
A seasoned globetrotter in the classical music field, Zhang’s worked with orchestras in New York, Dresden, New Jersey, Wales, Melbourne, and Milan, not to mention in her native China, with the National Art Center Orchestra Beijing.
Music Director Xian Zhang conducting the Seattle Symphony on June 12, 2025. Photo credit: James Holt/The Seattle Symphony.
“I’ve enjoyed conducting all these orchestras,” said Zhang, “but I find the musicians in Seattle to be extremely alert, quick, and very comfortable with flexibility. Great orchestras should be open-minded, and Seattle embodies that quality, which is exciting for a conductor to experience. With each visit, I become more aware of the musicians’ depth and understanding of the music. It feels musically as if we’re truly on the same page, speaking the same language.”
Asked how the Asian scene in Seattle compares and contrasts with other places she’s lived and worked, she answered, “I’m just starting to learn and experience that as we speak. I do feel comfortable being in Seattle as an Asian American.”
One of the most prominent features on the Symphony calendar for next year is “Iris Dévoilée,” aka “Iris Unveiled,” composed by Qigang Chen, a Chinese-born composer who became a French citizen. The piece blends historical Peking Opera instruments and singing with Western symphonic elements.
Music Director Xian Zhang with the Seattle Symphony on October 2, 2025. Photo credit: James Holt/The Seattle Symphony.
“The Peking Opera sound is defined by its two primary melodic styles, Xipi and Erhuang,” explained Zhang, “and a powerful percussion section that drives rhythm and emotional intensity. Key elements include the high-pitched jinghu fiddle, a variety of gongs and drums, and vocalizations ranging from sung arias and poetic recitative to expressive, speech-like passages. Qigang Chen combines these traditional elements with French-inspired orchestral textures, creating music that feels hypnotic and dreamlike: So immersive that it can evoke the sensation of drifting into clouds.
“The concert will feature the pipa, erhu, and zheng, which represent the Chinese musical tradition and provide a distinct tonal and cultural contrast to the Western orchestra and operatic vocals. Blending these instruments with Western instruments involves careful attention to balance, harmony, and timbre, while highlighting the unique sounds of the Chinese instruments.”
The melding of musical worlds applies to the singers as well.
Meng Meng (Courtesy of the Seattle Symphony)
“Soprano Meng Meng is highly acclaimed by the composer Qigang Chen, and she is the only one who has performed [this part of] this piece. In ‘Iris Dévoilée,’ Meng Meng incorporates Peking opera style and performs in the distinctive diction and phrasing, complete with traditional makeup and headpiece. Her presence provides a striking visual aesthetic. The other two sopranos sing without words.
“Mei Gui Zhang is a Chinese soprano known for her expressive artistry and versatility across both Western and Chinese repertoire. In ‘Iris Dévoilée,’ she performs as one of the Western-style soprano soloists, bridging the cultural and musical dialogue of the piece. Her role contrasts and intertwines with the Peking opera vocals and Chinese instruments, helping to convey the multifaceted nature of feminine identity explored in the work.”
Asked for her long-term goals with the Symphony, Zhang replied, “I am excited to deepen my connection with the musicians, and to share our love for symphonic music with the entire community, especially younger generations. I also hope to record with the orchestra and take the Symphony on tour.”
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