Review: Olympia Symphony Orchestra's ‘Move’ season finale
Originally published on The JOLT News on April 21, 2026
Sunday, April 19, is the day that will remain dear to me always — for a multitude of reasons — all revolving around the Olympia Symphony Orchestra’s (OSO) “Move” season finale concert at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts.
The program packed a punch with pieces that complemented each other perfectly in their emotional and revolutionary energy. The pieces included were:
Deeply impactful, I don’t see how anyone could forget music like this. After you listen to the YouTube clips above, I invite you to look up the history surrounding each of these pieces and their composers.
Elizabeth Landis gave an exquisite performance, as she tackled every solo within her spotlighting piece by Ginastera. Watching her fulfill her destiny in this way brought tears of joy to my eyes. You can read more of her story here.
One of the highlights of my day was engaging in conversations with fellow audience members and doing an Instagram takeover for the symphony.
For people who do not know what it is, an Instagram takeover is when a company gives someone permission to log into their Instagram account and post stories throughout the day.
Receiving an invitation from the symphony to take over their Instagram was a big and meaningful opportunity, and I was honored to be a part of and highlight all the celebrations taking place that day within the audience.
This was the first time I ever did an Instagram takeover, but it will not be my last — I have already been offered more opportunities to do this in the future! Continue to follow your favorite arts organizations on social media so you do not miss out on any other fun.
If you would like to see what I posted that day, you can watch the recap video here. You can also find this video and more on my Facebook and Instagram.
None of this social media fun distracted me from my favorite aspect of attending performances: soaking in the music and being able to continue the experience at home through reflective writing. That is what makes this column so meaningful to me is that these memories can be shared and thus live on forever.
So, let’s share this moment together!
Review and reflections
I do not think it is actually possible to become desensitized to the power and passion within the way our symphony plays music. The way these talented musicians sync together and dive deep into each moment always leaves me awestruck. Such was true for the season finale concert where OSO received a standing ovation.
Elizabeth Landis is the harpist for the Olympia Symphony Orchestra, and I think it says a lot about the character of the orchestra itself that they had a program specifically highlighting one of their members. This does follow the trend I see and how OSO celebrates their musicians on a regular basis.
Landis wowed the audience with her intricate solos in the Ginastera piece. Watching her navigate the foot pedals at the same time as doing complex things on the harp blew my mind and really impressed me. Her dedication was evident in every note she played, as was her deep love for the harp, the orchestra, and this piece.
I grew emotional when Landis gave her pre-encore speech. Tears were in her eyes as she dedicated it to her mother-in-law, who passed away in January. Music allows us to translate everything in our hearts into a universal language, and I think it is the language the heavens enjoy the most.
Concerts like these also remind me that making music has a tangible, positive impact on the Earth as the sound waves reverberate and literally add goodness into the atmosphere. The evidence of that phenomenon appears in our goosebumps, the tears in our eyes, and in our uncontrollable urge to applaud, stand and cheer.
My best friend, Diane Stuart, observed the same and texted me the following:
“Did you notice how intensely the audience was engaged in the music? The audience was breathing with the music and taking it in … literally breathing in the music.”
Stuart continued, “Alex (aka Music Director and Conductor Alexandra Arrieche) expressed wanting the audience to feel comfortable in expressing emotion. The irony is the audience felt the emotion of the music, but did not feel restricted by the ‘formalities of classical music’ in expressing emotion or engagement by outward signs. The audience was at one with the performance.”
This concert may have been the season finale, but the story does not end here. Subscriptions for the 2026-27 “Kaleidoscope” season are on sale now. Make a plan and purchase one at your next convenience. Click here to learn more.
I’ll see you next season OSO!
https://thejoltnews.com/stories/review-olympia-symphony-orchestras-move-season-finale,28915