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Maria Kanakis Yang (left) is helping shape a more welcoming and sustainable future for the Seattle Symphony. Photo: courtesy Everything Time Studio
At the intersection of music, strategy and philanthropy, stands Maria Kanakis Yang, Seattle Symphony’s acting CEO and chief development officer. A seasoned fundraising and advancement executive, Yang served as director of advancement at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, part of the Smithsonian Institution, before being brought onto the Seattle Symphony in 2019. She is a trained violinist who has found a way to seamlessly blend artistic insight with an entrepreneurial mindset to help shape the future of classical music in the Seattle region.
Your leadership lives at the intersection of mission and sustainability. How did your own upbringing and cultural background shape your belief in the arts as something worth investing in, not just attending?
My belief in the arts as something worth investing in began with my upbringing in Washington, D.C. I grew up attending concerts by the National Symphony Orchestra with my grandmother, which gave me an early appreciation for live performance. Regular visits to the Smithsonian Institution, with its free and accessible art and science museums, reinforced the idea that arts and education should be available to everyone. At the same time, playing the violin provided a creative outlet and helped me develop skills that extend far beyond music. These experiences shaped my understanding that the arts are essential to both individual growth and community, making them worthy of investment.
You’ve built your career in development by persuading people that culture matters. When you think about families today, what arguments resonate most deeply about why live music deserves space in their lives?
Live music is a powerful way to bring families together while supporting creativity and connection. For children, it encourages cognitive development, sparks imagination and cultivates an appreciation for the arts. It also introduces families to new cultures and musical traditions, offering an immersive way to explore diverse sounds and instruments.
At the Seattle Symphony, we offer programs for every age and stage. Tiny Tots concerts are designed for our youngest listeners, while Family Concerts create shared experiences everyone can enjoy together. Popular Specials feature film and video game scores, as well as rock and pop collaborations, providing a welcoming entry point for audiences who might not typically attend a symphony. Beyond the music itself, these concerts give families meaningful opportunities to spend quality time together and create memories.
Institutions like the Symphony can sometimes feel aspirational but distant. As a civic leader, what responsibility do you have to ensure that families across socioeconomic and cultural lines see themselves reflected in this space?
At the Seattle Symphony and Benaroya Hall, we have a responsibility not only to present great music but to ensure that every family, regardless of socioeconomic background or cultural identity, feels a sense of belonging. This commitment shapes our work every day.
We provide free Community Concerts at Benaroya Hall and in other locations like Renton. Through our Community Stages Fund, we give organizations and artists access to our stages who might not otherwise have the resources to produce and present their work to the public. We also develop programming for all ages and backgrounds so a wide range of communities can see their stories, traditions and music reflected here.
Through the Amplify Capital Campaign, we are reimagining our physical spaces as well. A new community room will create a flexible, welcoming environment for gatherings, classes and cultural events, reaffirming Benaroya Hall as a vibrant space where everyone feels they belong.
In a tech-saturated city, how do you make the case to donors, parents and corporate partners that investing in shared artistic experiences is not nostalgic, but essential for the next generation?
Technology connects us virtually, but it can’t replace what happens when people gather in the same room to share something meaningful and sometimes surprising. Live artistic experiences teach us how to listen, collaborate and create. For the next generation, those shared moments are essential in building creativity and a real sense of community.
When you look 20 years ahead, what would success look like for the Symphony’s relationship with children and families in Seattle? What legacy are you building toward?
Success would mean that the children and teens attending concerts today are still coming to Benaroya Hall, this time with families of their own. I hope people will look back on their time in Seattle and remember a moment at the Symphony and the Hall that truly meant something to them. The legacy we’re building is one of continuity and belonging: a place where generations gather, create memories and feel connected to one another through music.
What was the first live performance that truly moved you — and how did it shape the way you think about inviting families into the Symphony today?
The first live performance that truly moved me was attending the National Symphony Orchestra with my grandmother. I was the only child in the audience, and I remember how amazed the older audience members were that I could sit through the entire concert. That experience stayed with me, and I wish every child could have the same opportunity to discover music, especially with the variety of programming options that can make it engaging for all ages.
Today, the Seattle Symphony offers programs that make live music accessible and exciting for families, ensuring that every concert is a fun, memorable experience for children and adults alike.
Recommended family-friendly concerts and events with the Seattle Symphony:
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