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SEATTLE SYMPHONY AND BH MUSIC CENTER ANNOUNCE NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE! SEATTLE SPEAKER SERIESSpring 2008 Season Brings Esteemed Speakers to Benaroya Hall; Series Tickets On Sale To General Public November 12Seattle, WA – Seattle Symphony and BH Music Center are proud to present the 2008 National Geographic Live! Seattle speaker series. The previously sold-out series will expand its offerings to the public by presenting each speaker for two nights in addition to one student matinee per program. This new partnership will continue the tradition of presenting National Geographic’s most dynamic explorers, scientists, filmmakers, photographers and journalists in the acoustically superb and visually breathtaking surroundings of Benaroya Hall. The Spring 2008 Season will feature cultural anthropologist Wade Davis; underwater explorer Robert Ballard; herpetologist and TV personality Brady Barr; NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Executive Editor Dennis Dimick; and veteran photographer and author Annie Griffiths Belt. Speakers animate their lectures with award-winning video and digital images, and they conclude each presentation with interactive question and answer sessions with the audience. On most occasions, speakers will be on hand following the event to sign copies of their books and DVDs. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with National Geographic to present some of the most exciting speakers of our time,” explains Seattle Symphony Executive Director Tom Philion. “Just as we present the most important artists performing today, we are greatly looking forwarding to expanding our Benaroya Hall programming with these groundbreaking experts.” 2008 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE! SPEAKER SERIESAnthropologist and author Wade Davis Wade Davis is many things—author, scientist, adventurer, photographer, poet—but most importantly, he is a passionate defender of life’s diversity. Named by National Geographic as one of the “Explorers for the Millennium,” Davis is an anthropologist and plant explorer who has spent most of his life traveling the world, studying the mysteries of sacred plants and celebrating the poetics of culture. His work as an ethnobotanist has brought him to the center of indigenous life in places as remote and diverse as the Canadian Arctic, the deserts of North Africa, the rain forests of Borneo and the Amazon, the southern Andes and the mountains of Tibet, and the surreal cultural landscape of Haiti, where he documented the zombie phenomenon in his bestselling book The Serpent and the Rainbow. It was here, living amongst indigenous peoples where Davis developed an equal passion for anthropology which has informed most of his recent work. Last year, Davis completed a four-part film series entitled Light at the Edge of the World, based on his book of the same title. Shot in Polynesia, Peru, Nepal and the Arctic, the series follows Davis as he journeys into the heart of four traditional cultures, which have succeeded in withstanding the pressures of the modern world. In his inspiring and enlightening National Geographic Live! presentation, this champion of cultures will show excerpts from his Light series, and share what he calls “the poetry of diversity.” As President of the Institute for the Exploration in Mystic, Connecticut, renowned underwater explorer Robert Ballard is a veteran of more than 125 expeditions, many in search of lost ships and ancient history. Ballard also teaches graduate-level oceanography at the University of Rhode Island, where he serves as director of the URI Institute for Archeological Oceanography. Best known for his 1985 discovery of the Titanic, he has succeeded in tracking down numerous other significant shipwrecks throughout his career including the German battleship Bismarck, the lost fleet of Guadalcanal, the American aircraft carrier Yorktown (sunk in World War II’s Battle of Midway), and most recently, the remains of President John F. Kennedy’s PT-109. Committed to fostering the next generation of explorers, Ballard founded the JASON Foundation for Education to inspire in students a lifelong passion to pursue learning in science, math, and technology through exploration and discovery. Each year in the JASON Project he leads a team of scientists, students and teachers on a two-week expedition to remote research locations that are featured in the yearlong curriculum. Ballard has received more than 30 awards, including six military honors. He received National Geographic’s highest award, the Hubbard Medal, in 1996 for “extraordinary accomplishments in coaxing secrets from the world’s oceans and engaging students in the wonder of science.” In his presentations, Ballard shares stories of his underwater adventures and his vision of how technology can continue to advance the frontiers of exploration. Herpetologist and National Geographic Channel host Brady Barr Reptile expert Dr. Brady Barr is the first person ever to capture and study all 23 species of crocodilians in the wild. Recently, the National Geographic Channel created a special TV program, Dangerous Encounters: Countdown Croc celebrating this historic achievement. What has driven Barr for 15 years, through 50 countries is a desire to save these crocs in the wild. At present, nearly one third of all croc species are considered endangered. One of the 23 species he has captured, the wild Siamese crocodile was thought to be functionally extinct in the wild. Barr is a longtime on-air contributor to National Geographic, working as a field specialist on National Geographic Explorer since 1997, and hosting Reptile Wild with Dr. Brady Barr on the National Geographic Channel from 2001 through 2002. In 2001, he collaborated with paleontologist Dr. Paul Sereno in his effort to recreate a prehistoric fossil discovery dubbed “SuperCroc.” At 40-feet in length, this ancient beast was believed to weigh ten tons. Barr and Sereno traveled the world, studying anatomy and behavior of modern crocodilian species in an effort to put flesh on bone and create a life-size reconstruction. His research on alligator diet and eating habits helped spawn conservation efforts in the region, contributing to the preservation of Florida’s unique ecosystem. Barr’s infectious sense of humor combined with his experiences teaching high school zoology, biology and life sciences, and his ease in front of the camera make Barr an extraordinary presenter for any audience. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Executive Editor Dennis Dimick Dennis Dimick, the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC executive editor who led “Signs from Earth” project, has put together a powerful presentation based on those stories, putting its compelling images together with the latest scientific data to present an informed, responsible look at global climate change, and suggesting doable actions to counter its effects. In this show, which has been presented to audiences across the country, he will offer National Geographic’s take on the challenges and opportunities posed by our changing climate. Images and stories of climate change are making the news. Melting glaciers and ice caps, cataclysmic storms, rising seas, and longer, hotter summers are fueling concerns that our planet is warming, with potentially devastating consequences. Meanwhile, scientists, politicians, and ordinary citizens are debating what, if anything, we can do to slow or reverse these alarming trends. What are the scientific facts behind the global warming debate, and what does science tell us about the human contribution to climate change? For years, National Geographic has been documenting the effects of climate change around the planet, and tracking the research of scientists investigating its causes and projecting its future course. In particular, three articles in the September 2004 issue, grouped under the heading “Signs from Earth,” offering both sobering facts about Earth’s changing climate, and powerful images of its effects—from a Bangladeshi woman whose rice field is being inundated by the rising Bay of Bengal to a dry lake bed surrounding drought-shrunken Lake Powell in Utah. These articles were cited by the Overseas Press Club as the year’s best environmental coverage. Photographer Annie Griffiths Belt During her 25-year National Geographic career, Annie Griffiths Belt has traveled the world as a master photographer and a master of locomotion. To reach her destinations, she’s ridden everything from planes, trains, and helicopters to camels, mules, mopeds, fishing boats, ferries, skis, snowmobiles, pachyderms, and pickup trucks. And more often than not, she has taken her family along for the ride—as documented by a recent episode of National Geographic’s Explorer television series. In the process, she’s produced dozens of articles and books, and made friends on every continent except Antarctica. In addition to National Geographic, Annie’s work is widely published in LIFE, Geo, Smithsonian, Fortune, American Photo, Merian, Stern and numerous books, including A Day in the Life of Ireland and National Geographic Women Photographers. The personal warmth that allows Annie to connect with people of all cultures has also made her one of the most sought-after speakers in her profession—a popular guest on NBC’s Today and National Public Radio whose message of creative empowerment, delivered with humor and humanity, inspires audiences at dinners, conventions, and other large-scale events. Annie’s work has been honored with awards from many organizations, including the National Press Photographers Association, the National Organization of Women, and the White House News Photographers’ Association. Whether rendering the windswept beauty of the Arabian Desert or the quiet dignity of a Guatemalan farmer, Annie seeks through her work to communicate with all humanity. She brings a similar passion and commitment to her public appearances with presentations that resonate, educate, and inspire. Ticket InformationSeries tickets for new subscribers will go on sale to the public on Monday November 12, at 10 a.m. Current subscribers have an exclusive window until November 12 to renew their subscriptions during a private sale period. Single event tickets will go on sale to the public in early January, 2008. Discounts are available for students and seniors and members of National Geographic. Seattle Symphony subscribers receive the member discount. Series Tickets on sale November 12 Balcony Main Floor (rear orchestra seats) Patron Level (preferred front orchestra seats) *Explorers Circle Package (preferred orchestra seats and event package) Single Tickets on sale in January, 2008 Balcony Main Floor (rear orchestra seats) Patron Level (preferred front orchestra seats) *Explorers Circle ticket purchases include prime seating for the National Geographic Live! presentations; a private reception with Robert Ballard prior to the February 26 event; a signed copy of the National Geographic book Mystery of the Ancient Seafarers; and acknowledgement of series support in each printed program event. A portion of each package is tax deductible (receipt provided). There are a limited number of Explorers Circle tickets and they are only offered with a purchase of the second night series (series 2). Subscription tickets can be purchased by phone by calling the Benaroya Hall ticket office at (206) 215-4747, online at www.seattlesymphony.org/benaroya/, or at 200 University Street in downtown Seattle. * All programs and participants subject to change. Full-length biographies and photos of speakers are available to the media on request. About National Geographic Live! and the National Geographic Society National Geographic Live! is a branded series of events including live concerts, films, and dynamic presentations by today's leading explorers, scientists, filmmakers, and photographers covering a wide range of topics including exploration and adventure; wildlife and habitat; natural phenomena; and relevant issues such as climate change and energy conservation. Proceeds from speaker series ticket sales help fund future National Geographic initiatives in field research, exploration and education. The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. National Geographic reflects the world through its magazines, television programs, films, music and radio, books, DVDs, maps, school publishing programs, interactive media and merchandise. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC magazine, the Society’s official journal, published in English and 31 local-language editions, is read by more than 40 million people each month. The National Geographic Channel reaches over 250 million households in 34 languages in 166 countries. National Geographic Digital Media receives more than 12 million visitors a month. National Geographic has funded more than 8,000 scientific research projects and supports an education program combating geography illiteracy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com. About BH Music Center BH Music Center is the non-profit organization that operates and manages Benaroya Hall. Benaroya Hall, home of the Seattle Symphony, is Seattle’s first facility designed exclusively for concert music performances. Located on an entire city block in downtown Seattle, the Hall serves as a focal point of the city’s urban core. Benaroya Hall has two spaces for musical performances: the 2,500-seat S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium and the 540-seat Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall. A 430-space parking garage, accessible from Second Avenue, is housed within Benaroya Hall. Benaroya Hall received a 2001 American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Honor Award for outstanding architecture. About Seattle Symphony |