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Meet our Concert Hosts!
We were thrilled to have two of Seattle's cultural luminaries, Dave Beck, Senior Host at KING FM, and his colleague Nancy Guppy, host of Seattle Channel’s Art Zone on stage to give context and color to the concert. And, they did not disappoint offering lively and informative commentaries.
As Dave said, "Tonight’s concert brings together the fresh energy of young cellists and the seasoned artistry of our professional musicians in a program that spans centuries of musical brilliance. Each piece we hear this evening celebrates music’s unique power to connect us, uplift our spirits, and remind us of life’s boundless beauty."
Redmond High School Philharmonic Orchestra
Orchestra Director: Cami Gates
This award-winning youth orchestra delighted the audience with the finale of Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence, a lively and joyful movement that concludes with a rousing finish. Notice: No music stands!
Sponsored by Cindy & Tad Anderson
Mara Finkelstein + Nathan Cottrell
Both professional cellists and dedicated teachers, Mara was Ben’s cello instructor during his teen years and Nathan graciously accepted the role of Artistic Director to plan and lead Ben’s Birthday CellObration!
Sponsored by Pamela Belyea & Gary Faigin
Chief Sealth High School Quartet
Instructor: Lauren McShane
These young musicians receive no-cost, weekly chamber music coaching through Seattle Youth Symphony’s in-school programming underwritten through the support of the Ben Faigin Music Opportunity Fund.
Sponsored by Michael & Michele Alvine
The Lee Family & Nathan Cottrell
Professional cellist Sounglim Lee played with her award‑winning teen sons, James (16) and Jaeha (13). They opened with the passionate, bittersweet tango “Por Una Cabeza,” joined by Nathan Cottrell.
Sponsored by Pamela Cowan & Steven Miller
The Lee Family
Sounglim and her sons performed Chopin’s beautifully expressive Nocturne arranged for cello. Young Jaeha stunned the audience with his dramatic and virtuosic solo in the middle of the piece - check out 50.26 in the video!
Sponsored by The Dale & Leslie Chihuly Foundation
Tacoma Youth Symphony Cello Choir
Director: Karen Hemming
The 17-member Cello Choir performed a thrilling medley of themes from the first two Pirates of the Caribbean films. Thanks to the Ben Faigin Music Opportunity Fund, TYSA has awarded 18 scholarships to talented teens over the past three years—making performances like this possible.
Sponsored by Cathy Sarkowsky
Andrew Murphy
A Ben Faigin Music Scholarship alumnus from the Tacoma Youth Symphony, Andrew has gone on to play cello professionally and to write his own fascinating compositions. Andrew played two charming pieces of his own creation to an appreciative audience.
Sponsored by Anne Steele
ALL Cellos!
Every cellist in this Great Hall took to the stage to play the 2nd movement of Villa-Lobos’ "Bachianas Brasileiras" a fusion of Brazilian folk music in the style of J.S. Bach. With everyone playing together the concert ended on a high note with the rich, resonant sound of 27 cellos!
Post-concert Raffle
During the concert, $6,100 was raised by our generous audience donating to our Raffle (see Raffle Prize Donors below) bringing the fundraising tally to $51,000. Young Henry and Eleanor, Ben's nephew and niece, pulled the winning Raffle tickets beginning with the Grand Prize: two plane tickets anywhere Alaska Airlines flies!
Post-concert Birthday Party!
The Finale cellists ended the concert with a heartfelt rendition of 'Happy Birthday' to celebrate Ben Faigin's 29th birthday. 'TeamBen' volunteers were ready in the Lobby with 20 birthday cakes, three dozen cupcakes, and 200 flutes of sparkling cider—welcoming an appreciative crowd of music lovers and musicians."
Thank you to Everyone who made the 2025 CellObration Possible!
Additional thanks to PRIMAL SCREENS for the cool "TeamBen" aprons!
and, finally, deep gratitude to our Raffle Prize Donors!
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