Audrey Koh and A Spring Finale with PSSO
As spring settles over Seattle, the city’s classical music enthusiasts are preparing for an evening of rich melodies and warm community at Town Hall. On Saturday, May 17, Puget Sound Symphony Orchestra (PSSO) will deliver its final concert of the season, celebrating music as a vibrant force that brings people together.
Founded by Alan Shen in 1999, PSSO emerged with a mission to share classical music with audiences of all backgrounds. Shen, who balances his career as a tech professional with his passion as music director, has built the orchestra on principles of accessibility, musical excellence, and community engagement. Concerts remain affordable, welcoming, and meticulously rehearsed.
Audrey Koh, 25, joined Puget Sound Symphony Orchestra in 2022, becoming a proud member of the symphony as a Violin II player. Her journey to the orchestra began long before she moved to Seattle. Inspired by watching her older sister Gloria play violin two decades ago, Audrey began learning violin at age five. She dedicated her childhood and teenage years to extensive musical training, participating in private lessons, school orchestras, private ensembles, summer camps, and California's All-State orchestras. Despite the intense commitment and pressure—sometimes requiring up to three hours of daily practice—Audrey’s love for violin never wavered. "Orchestra has been an emotional, and spiritual anchor for me," she says. "I’m really leaving my work and the outside world at the door. It’s just going to be music and violin for the next two hours."
A significant memory from Audrey’s musical journey was performing Mendelssohn’s String Octet in E-Flat Major for the first time at Interlochen Arts Camp. The emotional bond to that piece continues to resonate deeply with her, reflecting her enduring relationship with the violin.
When Audrey moved to Seattle after college in 2021, she sought a musical community that was non-competitive and welcoming. A former colleague at a music education non-profit suggested she audition for PSSO. Audrey joined the orchestra the following year and quickly found herself inspired and embraced by a vibrant, socially active community composed largely of young working professionals. The orchestra offered her exactly the sense of belonging she was seeking.
This sense of community was especially evident when Audrey returned from a brief season-long hiatus in 2024. During her absence, her fellow musicians reached out to check in; upon her return, she felt warmly welcomed. "This is why I’m here and why I continue to be a current part of this," she explains. "It’s such a wonderful sense of belonging." Audrey's experience underscores how integral community well-being is to PSSO, complementing the orchestra's commitment to musical excellence.
PSSO musicians, all exceptionally trained volunteers, balance busy personal and professional lives with their dedication to music. Each concert season includes three performances—one each in the fall, winter, and spring—each preceded by eight rigorous rehearsals spanning several weeks, plus a final rehearsal the evening before the performance.
Attendees of the upcoming Spring Concert can expect an engaging evening featuring four carefully selected pieces performed in an easygoing atmosphere. Humor is encouraged, particularly through interactions led by conductor Alan Shen, described by Audrey as "the moodmaker of the orchestra." She appreciates his "hearty and playful commentary," which creates an amusing and energetic environment for both musicians and audience members alike.
For Audrey, the evening’s highlight will be Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. While she has previously encountered versions of this iconic work, performing it with PSSO presents a welcome challenge due to its deceptive complexity. Timing and non-verbal cues among ensemble members will be crucial, promising an electric collaborative energy that will fill the performance hall.
Reflecting on her journey, Audrey highlights the fundamental ethos of the orchestra: "Orchestra is more than the sum of its parts. In my opinion, the more the members are in harmony and in tune with each other, the better the music sounds. No matter where you’re sitting in your section, you’re still as important as everyone else in the room. The principle of ‘Everyone is important’ has been a really valuable teaching to me.”
Founded by Alan Shen in 1999, PSSO emerged with a mission to share classical music with audiences of all backgrounds. Shen, who balances his career as a tech professional with his passion as music director, has built the orchestra on principles of accessibility, musical excellence, and community engagement. Concerts remain affordable, welcoming, and meticulously rehearsed.
Audrey Koh, 25, joined Puget Sound Symphony Orchestra in 2022, becoming a proud member of the symphony as a Violin II player. Her journey to the orchestra began long before she moved to Seattle. Inspired by watching her older sister Gloria play violin two decades ago, Audrey began learning violin at age five. She dedicated her childhood and teenage years to extensive musical training, participating in private lessons, school orchestras, private ensembles, summer camps, and California's All-State orchestras. Despite the intense commitment and pressure—sometimes requiring up to three hours of daily practice—Audrey’s love for violin never wavered. "Orchestra has been an emotional, and spiritual anchor for me," she says. "I’m really leaving my work and the outside world at the door. It’s just going to be music and violin for the next two hours."
A significant memory from Audrey’s musical journey was performing Mendelssohn’s String Octet in E-Flat Major for the first time at Interlochen Arts Camp. The emotional bond to that piece continues to resonate deeply with her, reflecting her enduring relationship with the violin.
When Audrey moved to Seattle after college in 2021, she sought a musical community that was non-competitive and welcoming. A former colleague at a music education non-profit suggested she audition for PSSO. Audrey joined the orchestra the following year and quickly found herself inspired and embraced by a vibrant, socially active community composed largely of young working professionals. The orchestra offered her exactly the sense of belonging she was seeking.
This sense of community was especially evident when Audrey returned from a brief season-long hiatus in 2024. During her absence, her fellow musicians reached out to check in; upon her return, she felt warmly welcomed. "This is why I’m here and why I continue to be a current part of this," she explains. "It’s such a wonderful sense of belonging." Audrey's experience underscores how integral community well-being is to PSSO, complementing the orchestra's commitment to musical excellence.
PSSO musicians, all exceptionally trained volunteers, balance busy personal and professional lives with their dedication to music. Each concert season includes three performances—one each in the fall, winter, and spring—each preceded by eight rigorous rehearsals spanning several weeks, plus a final rehearsal the evening before the performance.
Attendees of the upcoming Spring Concert can expect an engaging evening featuring four carefully selected pieces performed in an easygoing atmosphere. Humor is encouraged, particularly through interactions led by conductor Alan Shen, described by Audrey as "the moodmaker of the orchestra." She appreciates his "hearty and playful commentary," which creates an amusing and energetic environment for both musicians and audience members alike.
For Audrey, the evening’s highlight will be Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. While she has previously encountered versions of this iconic work, performing it with PSSO presents a welcome challenge due to its deceptive complexity. Timing and non-verbal cues among ensemble members will be crucial, promising an electric collaborative energy that will fill the performance hall.
Reflecting on her journey, Audrey highlights the fundamental ethos of the orchestra: "Orchestra is more than the sum of its parts. In my opinion, the more the members are in harmony and in tune with each other, the better the music sounds. No matter where you’re sitting in your section, you’re still as important as everyone else in the room. The principle of ‘Everyone is important’ has been a really valuable teaching to me.”
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Audrey Koh
Audrey Koh is a 25-year-old first-generation Korean American woman living in Seattle. She has been playing violin nearly all her life, and now commits to spending free time rehearsing and performing as part of Puget Sound Symphony Orchestra’s Violin II ensemble. Her violin practice is enriched by being an active member in Seattle music communities such as PSSO and Solstice Symphony Orchestra. Mendelssohn and Claude Debussy are favorite composers of the young violinist; she hopes to one day perform the three movements of La Mer by Debussy with PSSO. Violin practice is a pleasurable priority, yet not a pressure, she says, “Something about music just makes things more simple.”Join the Club
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