The Pacific Northwest Ballet Future Fund ensures that the artists at PNB are able to dance, create, and bring you joy during these times of uncertainty and change. We ask that you consider a gift to the fund, which will help keep our dancers, musicians, staff, and production teams employed and insured. We could not do this without you.
Keep reading for a message from PNB Orchestra member Evan Pengra Sult.
My name is Evan Pengra Sult, and I’m the principal flutist and newest member of the PNB orchestra. I grew up in Seattle; it was a stroke of almost-unheard-of luck to win a job in my hometown and coming back after 6 years away has been a treat I’ve savored.
The first time I played in McCaw Hall I was in high school, participating in the collaboration between the Seattle Youth Symphony and PNB’s NextStep performances. Earlier this year, as I was attempting to clean out some of the boxes in my basement, I discovered the sheet music I had played during those performances including the Pas de Deux from Delibes’ Sylvia, a piece I was scheduled to record for PNB’s virtual program this summer at Ballet Sun Valley. What a cosmic coincidence.
The 2020-2021 season would have been my second full season performing with the orchestra. I was looking forward to playing the beautiful Fauré score for Emeralds and Prokofiev’s monumental Romeo and Juliet with my incredible colleagues. Although I’m saddened not to have this music on my stand right now, I have no doubt that it is in the future for myself and PNB.
These have been difficult months for all of us. While I have been luckier than most, I am reminded almost daily of how much I miss my colleagues. The excitement of opening nights, meeting with audience members hanging over the side of the orchestra pit, intermission orchestra potlucks.
The joys of working at PNB go well beyond the rewarding musical collaboration that is the center of my performing life.
Until we can all safely convene again, PNB will continue to bring us all together through our performances, delivered to you in the comfort of your living room.
Thank you for your continued support of PNB and the arts sector during this time. When we’re back to in-person performances, don’t forget to come down to the orchestra pit and say hi!
Take care,
Evan Pengra Sult
