Sid Siravara (center) is congratulated by his music instructors, Dr. Quinton Morris (left) and Noah Geller (right) following his solo debut performance with the Seattle Symphony.
On Friday, April 11, violinists Sid Siravara and Avi Spillers, students at Key to Change, performed as soloists with the Seattle Symphony in Taper Auditorium at Benaroya Hall before a full audience. Their appearances were part of the fifth anniversary celebration of the Community Stages Fund, which brings together young artists and arts organizations from across the Puget Sound region.
Sid made his solo debut with the Seattle Symphony, performing the first movement of Bach’s Violin Concerto in A minor. He has previously appeared as a soloist with the Federal Way Symphony and the Tacoma Community College Chamber Orchestra. He is also the first place winner of the Jessie Montgomery Senior Competitive Division at the Solo String Festival, where he received a $2500 scholarship presented by Federal Way Jewelers. A senior at Mercer Island High School, Sid plans to attend the University of Washington to study engineering.
Avi performed in Taper Auditorium for the first time. While she made her solo debut with the Seattle Symphony in 2023, this performance marked her debut in one of the region’s most recognized concert halls, a venue that has hosted many of the world’s leading performers. She has also appeared as a soloist with the Federal Way Symphony and the Northwest Symphony Orchestra. Spillers was recently accepted into the Secondary School Program at Harvard University, where she will participate in a seven week summer program and study with faculty members from the university on a full scholarship.
Both students are members of the Young Artist Academy at Key to Change and study with Dr. Quinton Morris. They join a growing list of current students and alumni from the program who have made their professional debuts with the Seattle Symphony and other regional orchestras.
The Community Stages Fund was established to expand access to performance opportunities and to support artists and arts organizations that reflect the diversity of the Puget Sound region. The anniversary concert included participants from multiple local organizations, presenting a range of ensembles and soloists on the stage at Benaroya Hall.
The event reflects ongoing efforts to provide young musicians with access to professional performance settings and to connect community based arts programs with major cultural institutions.
Left: Avi Spillers being greeted by Sunny Xia, assistant conductor of Seattle Symphony and right: Avi Spillers and Sid Siravara greeted by Dr. Quinton Morris after their performances.
