2026/27 Season
THE
SNOWMAN
Film with Live Orchestra
A boy builds a snowman. The snowman comes to life. And for one holiday afternoon, the orchestra takes flight.
Sunday, December 6, 2026, 3:00 p.m.
Capitol Theater
● Concert Overview
What You’ll Hear
Some holiday memories begin with a song.
A few notes from Home Alone. A quiet winter night. A snowman who opens his eyes. A child looking up as the impossible begins to feel real.
Olympia Symphony brings families together for a holiday afternoon built around music, memory, and winter wonder. At the heart of the concert is Howard Blake’s beloved score to The Snowman, performed live with the animated film. As the story unfolds on screen, the orchestra carries every step, every snowfall, and the unforgettable Walking in the Air moment that has made the film a holiday favorite for generations.
The program also features John Williams’ Somewhere in My Memory from Home Alone, a piece that captures the glow, longing, and tenderness of the season in a melody many listeners know by heart.
Opening the concert, local young artist Alex Chen, winner of Olympia Symphony’s 2026 Young Artists Competition Junior Division, joins the orchestra for Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme. Bright, lively, and full of conversation between soloist and orchestra, the work gives Alex a chance to bring his own voice to a piece that has challenged and delighted cellists for generations.
This concert is a chance to slow down, sit together, and let the season feel magical again.
Program
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY: Variations on a Rococo Theme
Howard BLAKE: The Snowman
John WILLIAMS (arr. Larry Moore): Somewhere in my Memory from Home Alone
Artists
Alex Chen, cello and 2026 Young Artists Competition Junior Division Winner
Plan Your Visit
Frequently Asked Questions
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A typical concert runs about two hours, with one intermission. Program details are available above so you can read about the music in advance.
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Doors open 60 minutes before curtain. Come early: grab concessions in the lobby, read the program, and find your seat.
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Whatever you’d wear out to dinner in Olympia. You’ll see suits and you’ll see jeans. Come as you are, comfortable enough to sit and listen for two hours.
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Sit closer than you think you need to. Watch the players, not just the conductor. Then stay for a post-concert conversation with Alexandra and our guest artists.
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Nothing is required of you. Clap when everyone else does, or don't worry about it. There's no dress code and no wrong way to listen. Just be in the room.
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The Washington Center is on Washington Street downtown. City lots and street parking are free on Sundays. Give yourself fifteen minutes to park and walk, and plan a meal nearby before or after the concert.
At the Capital High School Performing Arts Center, plenty of free parking is available in the parking lots surrounding the venue.
Groups with accessible needs are welcome to flip on their hazard lights and drop guests off outside the venue doors before parking. -
Yes. Children are welcome at our concerts, and you'll see them in the hall. Bring a child who can sit through a movie, and pick a seat near the aisle.
