Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley conducts the Pacific Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto with George Li, left, at the piano in Costa Mesa on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Shelley has been named Pacific Symphony’s third Music Director beginning in the 2026-27 season succeeding Carl S. Clair. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley conducts the Pacific Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto in Costa Mesa on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Shelley has been named Pacific Symphony’s third Music Director beginning in the 2026-27 season succeeding Carl S. Clair. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacific Symphony Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley, center, acknowledges the audience before the start of his first concert with the symphony in Costa Mesa on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Shelley has been named Pacific Symphony’s third Music Director beginning in the 2026-27 season succeeding Carl S. Clair. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley conducts the Pacific Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto with George Li, left, at the piano in Costa Mesa on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Shelley has been named Pacific Symphony’s third Music Director beginning in the 2026-27 season succeeding Carl S. Clair. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacific Symphony Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley, center, is introduced before the start of his first concert with the symphony in Costa Mesa on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Shelley has been named Pacific Symphony’s third Music Director beginning in the 2026-27 season succeeding Carl S. Clair. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley conducts the Pacific Symphony Orchestra in Tan Dun’s Jubilation in Costa Mesa on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Shelley has been named Pacific Symphony’s third Music Director beginning in the 2026-27 season succeeding Carl S. Clair. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacific Symphony Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley, left, applauds pianist George Li, right, after the performance of Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto in Costa Mesa on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Shelley has been named Pacific Symphony’s third Music Director beginning in the 2026-27 season succeeding Carl S. Clair. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacific Symphony Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley, top, listens to an encore performance by pianist George Li during a concert in Costa Mesa on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Shelley has been named Pacific Symphony’s third Music Director beginning in the 2026-27 season succeeding Carl S. Clair. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley addresses the audience before the start of his first concert with the Pacific Symphony in Costa Mesa on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Shelley has been named Pacific Symphony’s third Music Director beginning in the 2026-27 season succeeding Carl S. Clair. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacific Symphony Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley conducts the symphony in Costa Mesa on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Shelley has been named Pacific Symphony’s third Music Director beginning in the 2026-27 season succeeding Carl S. Clair. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Pacific Symphony Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley, left, is interviewed by KUSC’s Alan Chapman during a Preview Talk before his first concert with the symphony in Costa Mesa on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Shelley has been named Pacific Symphony’s third Music Director beginning in the 2026-27 season succeeding Carl S. Clair. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley conducts the Pacific Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto in Costa Mesa on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Shelley has been named Pacific Symphony’s third Music Director beginning in the 2026-27 season succeeding Carl S. Clair. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Before the night turned to Beethoven, some “Jubilation” was in order.
Alexander Shelley, the Pacific Symphony’s artistic and music director designate, opened his first public performance in Orange County on Thursday, May 1, with Tan Dun’s 1997 piece from his “Heaven Earth Mankind” because, as Shelley said, he felt jubilation about his new role. He also incorporated the Southern California Children’s Chorus in a nod to the future.
Shelley, who was announced in November as the successor to longtime conductor Carl St.Clair, enthusiastically embraced everything about his opening day — even some pickleball with symphony members.
And the audience in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall matched the British maestro’s excitement and repeatedly rose to its feet as the performance moved to Beethoven’s “Emperor Concerto,” “Every Tree Speaks” from Iranian composer Iman Habibi and, finally, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5.
Shelley is scheduled to conduct the Pacific Symphony on Friday and Saturday in the conclusion to his introduction to Orange County.
