Review: 'Revolution' concert by Olympia Chamber Orchestra
Originally published on The JOLT News on February 25, 2026
Olympia Chamber Orchestra (OCO) always seems to pack so much emotion, passion and depth into each concert, one piece at a time. But there was something exceptional about their “Revolution” concert at Capital High School Performing Arts Center last Sunday afternoon.
Glancing at the program, I recognized Beethoven and Sibelius, but was unfamiliar with Auber and Moszkowski. Each was stunning in its own way and even with the mixed familiarity, I still had never heard any of the specific pieces before, nevertheless performed live. That’s what I love about live orchestral performance, you always get to learn and experience something new! I encourage you to listen to each of these with a good cup of tea.
The first part of the concert included two guest pianists and winners of the Olympia Music Teachers Association (OMTA) Concerto Competition — Phoebe Goh and KhaiAn Ho. This competition exists to give young pianists in Thurston County a chance to shine, grow and potentially earn scholarship money.
Guest pianists
I almost do not like to categorize Goh and Ho as “young pianists” because that title deems a younger, less experienced, perhaps not as skillful connotation.
To me, they performed at a level so advanced that I would not be surprised to see either perform with the Seattle Symphony at their current skill level. Seeing them perform was a real treat, and I cannot wait to watch their careers flourish over time.
Ho’s performance of Beethoven’s "Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15: III. Rondo" really popped with vibrancy and joy. I really enjoyed watching Ho because he was not just “playing an instrument,” but really let the piano become part of him, letting it express energy and emotions that give us a glimpse into who he is. You can read his artist spotlight here.
Goh’s performance of Moszkowski’s "Piano Concerto No. 2 in E Major, Op. 59: IV. Allegro Deciso." Allegro Deciso was seamless and very delightfully human. Goh allowed herself to get playful at moments and have fun with it, but at the same time commanded respect. I really admire her for that.
As a feminist and perfectionist myself, I sometimes worry that if “I slip” or “let loose” in a way that is “too much” that people will see that as a cue to disregard me. Goh showed me that I can be both respectable and fun and neither invalidates the other. Thank you! You can read her artist spotlight here.
If either of these two were nervous, they certainly did not show it — again, so much respect for these pianists.
Personal touches
Perhaps what made this concert exceptional was the clever, creative and innovative personal touches the orchestra made that felt revolutionary to me.
For the first piece of the concert, children in the audience were invited to come on stage and sit facing the orchestra. This gave them the opportunity to see the way music is made up close.
When I first heard this was happening, I worried about the potential chaos, but OCO had a clear, established, and well organized plan that made transitions easy and relatively seamless.
OCO Board of Directors President Crystal Zimmerman shared that this concert in their typical seasonal offerings is her favorite because of seeing the young talent do their thing on stage. Deeper than that, it gives her hope to see these young artists dedicate themselves to their craft and continue to grow, innovate, and keep live performance alive. Me too.
At some point this week, you will read the direct words of the speech Music Director and Conductor Nickolas Carlson made in the second portion of the concert. His speech moved me, and I think it will move you too.
I think that's the point of all of this — to be moved, transformed, and to feel alive.
I really cherished my experience with OCO, and I hope one day you all can have a similar experience. Their next concert is titled “Unsung” and will feature chorus singers coming together with the orchestra to celebrate orchestral works from opera.
Mark your calendars for June 21 at 2:30 p.m. at the Capital High School Performing Arts Center. More details on how you can purchase your ticket will be posted on the JOLT Events Calendar in the near future.
https://www.thejoltnews.com/stories/review-revolution-concert-by-olympia-chamber-orchestra,28293