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Xian Zhang to become music director of Seattle Symphony starting with 2025-26 season

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Xian Zhang to become music director of Seattle Symphony starting with 2025-26 season


Xian Zhang was hired Thursday as music director of the Seattle Symphony, becoming the first woman conductor to head a major West Coast orchestra and filling a post that had been vacant since Thomas Dausgaard quit abruptly in January 2022.

Zhang agreed to a five-year contract starting in 2025-26, the orchestra said Thursday. She becomes music director designate this season.

She first conducted the orchestra at Seattle’s Benaroya Hall in June 2008 in Prokofiev’s “Alexander Nevsky” and has returned several times, including for performances of Orff’s “Carmina Burana” in 2023 and Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” this April.

“With each visit, I realized the depth and the understanding of the music from the musicians,” she said. “It felt in a way musically speaking that we’re really on the same page and speaking the same language.”

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Zhang has been music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra since 2016-17 and won a 2023 Grammy Award for a recording with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the string trio Time for Three of works by Jennifer Higdon and Kevin Puts.

Seattle Symphony President Krishna Thiagarajan said he was impressed by “the energy and the connection between her and the orchestra that also translated to the audience.”

“She brings a new perspective to anything that she conducts while being truthful to traditional interpretations of what we would call core repertoire,” he said. “She has a great sense of contemporary American composers, especially contemporary American composers that have an ethnic background, of immigrant composers. She’s been a champion for the causes of women in music over her career.”

Following lengthy music director tenures of Gerard Schwarz (1985-2011) and Ludovic Morlot (2011-19), Dausgaard was hired in October 2017 to start a four-year contract in 2019-20. After Dausgaard quit with 1 1/2 seasons remaining in his contract, he told Danish National Radio’s P2 ,“I have felt threatened and I haven’t felt safe with going to work” and told The New York Times “I felt my life is too precious to be in such tension.” Orchestra officials denied any impropriety.

Jon Rosen, the lawyer who has chaired the orchestra’s board since August 2021, said Dausgaard’s messy departure “certainly was at least a subliminal consideration” in the search for a successor.

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“We all wanted to have someone who was going to be very congenial, be able to relate to the musicians,” he said. “I certainly wanted to learn from the experience with Thomas.”

Born in China, Zhang started playing piano at 3, went to Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music and was invited by a teacher to step in to conduct Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” at 19 with the China National Opera Orchestra.

She attended the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, won the Maazel/Vilar International Conductors’ Competition in 2002 and was hired as the New York Philharmonic’s assistant conductor and later associate. Zhang became music director of the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra from 2005-07 and the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi from 2009-16.

Seattle had 176 scheduled concerts and 6,583 subscribers last season when it sold 69.65% of tickets, exceeding its 58.94% in the 2018-19 season before the pandemic. Revenue last season is estimated at $31.6 million, including $11.9 million from tickets.

Zhang is committed to up to 14 weeks annually with Seattle and eight with New Jersey, where she lives. Her 2024-25 season includes performances with the Metropolitan Opera, Boston Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Montreal Symphony Orchestra and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Zhang returns to the Seattle Symphony for programs in March and June.

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She was in Brazil in June to conduct the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra when Alexander Monsey, her agent at IMG Artists, called to say the Seattle Symphony had offered her the job.

“I was kind of surprised,” she said. “I was completely not prepared to hear such good news.”



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Seattle, WA

Seattle Seahawks defense comes alive in low-scoring win over Chicago Bears | CNN

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Seattle Seahawks defense comes alive in low-scoring win over Chicago Bears | CNN




CNN
 — 

The boo birds were loud and clear Thursday night at Soldier Field following the latest Chicago Bears loss.

On a chilly, rainy night in Illinois – the Bears lost to the Seattle Seahawks in a 6-3 defensive struggle between both squads on Thursday Night Football.

Needing a field goal to at least force overtime, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams drove the Chicago offense all the way to the Seattle 40-yard line.

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With a field goal attempt out of reach on fourth down, it was up to Williams to convert to keep the Bears alive but things went awry. The 23-year-old No. 1 overall pick was hit as he threw the ball and was intercepted by Seattle cornerback Tariq Woolen, securing the win for the Seahawks.

It was Williams’ first interception in 354 passes, which had been the longest streak by a rookie in NFL history.

All three field goals in the game came in the first half.

Williams finished with 122 yards and the interception, while Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith threw 17-of-23 for 160 yards.

Offense was almost non-existent, but both defenses held firm to keep the game within arm’s reach.

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The Seahawks defense sacked Williams seven times to help keep them alive in the NFC playoff picture; NFL.com currently has Seattle with a 15% chance to make the postseason.

In a sign that perhaps Chicago needs to improve its offensive line, Williams has now been sacked 67 times this season. Former Houston Texans quarterback David Carr holds the NFL record for most times sacked with 76 back in 2002.

In the midst of Chicago fans chanting “sell the team,” Seattle signal-caller Smith told the Amazon Prime broadcast that the team “doesn’t care” how they get wins.

“Defense played tremendous,” Smith said. “At this point, we don’t care how we get wins. We just want to win games. I don’t care if it was 5-4. We got the dub. It was a hard fought game. Our defense was lights out.”

Seattle improves to 9-7 on the season and can clinch the NFC West with a bit of help. If the Los Angeles Rams lose on Saturday against the Arizona Cardinals and the Seahawks beat LA to close out the regular season, Seattle will win the division and book a ticket to the postseason.

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The Bears have now lost 10 straight after starting the season 4-2 and fall to 0-4 under interim head coach Thomas Brown.

Chicago travels to Green Bay to take on the Packers to round out the regular season.



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Judge rules accused carjacker competent, denies bail in Seattle dog walker murder case

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Judge rules accused carjacker competent, denies bail in Seattle dog walker murder case


A judge has found Jahmed Haynes, the man accused of murdering beloved 80-year-old dog walker Ruth Dalton in Madison Valley last August, competent to stand trial. The court’s decision came after months of debate surrounding his mental health and whether he could adequately face the charges against him.

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Dalton’s family expressed relief at the court’s ruling, with her granddaughter Melanie Roberts stating, “I’m really relieved that finally through the smoke, the truth was seen, and that he is competent.”

According to court documents, Haynes allegedly carjacked Dalton while she was walking dogs in the neighborhood. He is accused of dragging her with her own car before running her over. Haynes is also charged with animal cruelty for the violent killing of Dalton’s dog, Chico.

Prosecutors presented a Department of Social and Health Services report dated December 24, 2024, which deemed Haynes competent.  

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“We have a DSHS report which opines he is competent to proceed, so we’re asking your honor to find him competent today,” argued Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Alexandra Logan.

Judge David Keenan ruled Haynes competent as he was present in court in a wheelchair, handcuffed and shackled. However, FOX 13 and other news outlets were not allowed to film his face, as his defense argued the chance to a fair trial, and potential contamination of the jury should his likeness be recorded.

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“I do find that identity is an issue in this case,” Keenan said. 

No Bail Hold: Extensive Criminal History

Thursday’s competency hearing was just the beginning, as the defense pleaded not guilty and requested Haynes’ bail be set at $50,000. The initial case was set for a ‘no bail’ hold.

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Prosecutors argued Haynes’ criminal record includes six felony convictions dating back to 1983, including vehicular homicide and robbery in 1999. Prosecutors also detailed incidents where Haynes assaulted corrections officers at Monroe State Penitentiary in 2005 while serving a prison sentence, it resulted in a 108-month consecutive sentence. These convictions and charges would make this Haynes’ third strike under Washington state’s persistent offender statute, potentially resulting in a life sentence if convicted.

Deputy Prosecutor Brent Kling argued against reducing bail, saying, “His behavior in this case, coupled with his history, coupled with the charges that he is facing now, demonstrate that he is capable of committing incredible acts of violence and that he has a propensity for violence that unquestionably shows that he is a danger to the community.”

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“I’m denying bail in this matter given the incredibly violent allegations here, they’re very serious along with the defendant’s previous convictions,” Keenan said.

Family’s Plea for Justice

Melanie Roberts delivered an emotional plea to the court, urging the judge to maintain the no-bail hold. 

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“I plead with the court to not allow him to prey on us acting victims in the real world. Please continue no-bail hold so my family and our community can rest easier and keep what little peace we have felt in the past four months,” Roberts said.

A small victory for Dalton’s loved ones.

“I’m confident he will be found to be guilty eventually,” Roberts said. “He doesn’t deserve to be on the street. We don’t deserve for him to be on the street to be a menace to the rest of us.  He’s not going to be a danger to anyone else’s grandmother or mother, brother, sister, dog, everybody’s safe from him, and it’s huge victory for me and my family and our community and everybody.”

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Reflecting on the pain her family has endured, Roberts shared a poignant memory of her grandmother, recounting a recent moment where she saw a double rainbow and felt her grandmother’s presence. 

“This is our rain right now. And my rainbow might not be as bright as it used to be, but we’ll still get our rainbow,” Roberts said.

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The court’s ruling marks the first significant step toward justice for Dalton’s family.

Dalton’s family vowed to attend every hearing to honor her memory. “If he’s here, I’m here,” Roberts said. “I look forward to justice being all the way served in this matter.”

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Seattle Seahawks Injury Report: Backfield Blow for Seattle

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Seattle Seahawks Injury Report: Backfield Blow for Seattle


The Seattle Seahawks head into Thursday night’s road game against the Chicago Bears with three key players officially ruled out, including running back Kenneth Walker III. Walker injured his ankle during the fourth quarter of last week’s game against the Minnesota Vikings and was unable to return. After sitting out all practices during the short week, the team confirmed Walker will miss his fifth game of the season, further limiting Seattle’s backfield depth.

Despite Walker’s absence, the Seahawks will have backup running back Zach Charbonnet available. Charbonnet, the team’s second-leading rusher, was initially limited earlier in the week with an elbow injury but fully participated in the final two practices. He saw limited action in Week 16 but is expected to take on a larger workload with Walker sidelined.

Seahawks Week 17 Injury Report
Nov 24, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) during warmups before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

In addition to Walker, the Seahawks will also be without tight end Brady Russell and safety K’Von Wallace. Russell has been dealing with a lingering foot injury for most of the second half of the season and will miss his third consecutive game and fifth overall this year. Wallace, who returned to practice earlier this month after being activated from injured reserve, participated fully this week but has not yet been cleared for game action and will remain out for another week.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears will be shorthanded, ruling out four players and listing three others as questionable for the matchup. Among those out is offensive tackle Teven Jenkins, who did not practice this week due to a calf injury. His absence further weakens Chicago’s offensive line, which has already struggled to protect rookie quarterback Caleb Williams this season. Former Seahawk and current Bears running back/special teamer Travis Homer has also been ruled out with a hamstring injury, taking away a key contributor on special teams.

Seattle Seahawks Injury Report

Seattle’s Thursday practice report follows below.

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