Be transformed
CURRENT EVENTS
LUMA presents
WHY WE DREAM
FRI, NOV 13TH
Benaroya Hall
WHY WE DREAM is an immersive journey into the hidden world where our sleeping and waking lives collide. Through music shaped by the mystery of dreams, including lucid dreaming, we’ll explore why we dream, where those visions come from, and what they might be trying to tell us. As the night unfolds, the line between imagination and reality begins to blur. And by the end, you may start to wonder… are your dreams already shaping the life you’re living?
Save the date for Friday, November 13th, 2926.
PAST CONCERTS
LUMA has taken audiences on imaginative journeys for over 25 years. From pairing the symphony with Starbucks baristas to Pike Place fishmongers to world famous rock bands, each of our concert involve our audience and leaves everyone walking away with a smile. Click below to see clips from some of our past concerts!
-
On November 14th, Grammy winning composer Mateo Messina will premiere his symphony #26 The Symphony of Distraction! This night invites you into a world where screens glow brighter than sunsets and notifications tug at us more insistently than friends. The night explores our uneasy dance with devices—are they liberating or limiting, a source of creativity or a thief of attention? Are the very tools meant to connect us stirring anxiety, comparison, and FOMO instead? We’ll walk through a musical and story led journey of what is healthy, what is harmful, and how do we find a balance in a world that never stops buzzing!
-
On November 8th, Grammy winning composer Mateo Messina will premiere his symphony #25 The Symphony of Wonder! This concert will balance the massive scope of our universe with the personal life journey of each audience member. The night explores the beauty of our natural world & our place in it. With over 200 beautiful voices across 3 choirs, the full orchestra, and a hard hitting, mind melting Seattle based rock band, this night will be sure to melt your heart…as well as possibly your face!
-
Artificial Intelligence has been introduced to the masses through Chat GPT and other new platforms for the average human to all of a sudden harness it’s power and abilities. This concerts is a fascinating night exploring how AI will affect us culturally, how it has already become a sea change in how we interact with technology, and how it may be as impactful as past technologies like fire, the wheel, the printing press, or the Internet. The show features a song written for the entire orchestra by AI and how it really works in this context. Special guests are The Dip. Seattle Ladies Choir, and patient musician Brannon Warn-Johnston!
-
Vita-Pausa-Vita (Life, Pause, Life) is Mateo Messina’s 23rd symphony benefiting kids and families at Seattle Children’s Hospital featuring the Northwest Symphony Orchestra, Conducted by Anthony Spain with Special Guest Noah Gundersen. This concert explores the feelings of “What just happened?” As our world endured a global pandemic, every one of us was effected. The quarantines and social distancing shined a bright light on the one thing we likely had not realized we cannot live without: human connection.
-
With the recent advent of DNA testing to learn about our lineage and health, this symphony examines why we want to know where we come from and what it means to be a part of a tribe or family. In the end, this symphony reveals family is so much more than a bloodline. We create our tribe by whom we connect with in our lives. A premiere filled with epic performances and love filled voices, it was a grand success and a great tribute to all that have come before us.
Featuring Sleeping At Last, Seattle Ladies Choir, and patient musician Kira Iaconetti
-
A symphony featuring a chef, a winemaker, a baker, a waiter, and a couple of farmers. This concert followed Mateo’s first documentary film in which he told stories of people in every step of the food industry and then invited them to a table on the stage. The night was disguised as an examination of food, wine, & service when it was really about the people you meet and the sharing that takes place at the table. The grand format and intimate interviews were juxtaposed perfectly to create a beautiful and fun premiere.
Featuring featuring Liv Warfield, Pete Muller, Tom Douglas, and patient musician Zack Edge
-
Looking back at the 20,000 generations that lived before us this symphony examines what was significant to them then and what is siginificant to us now. An epoch is a period of time in history or a person’s life, typically one marked by notable events or particular characteristics. This concert looks at the significance of our lives and explodes musically with all sorts of exciting collaborations between orchestra and giant drums, electric guitar, massive pipe organs, and more. With an epic finish fitting of an epoch!
Featuring Rogue Wave, SYML, Barrett Martin, Andy Coe, Columbia Kids Choir, Seattle Ladies Choir, Hosen Ones and patient musician Cassidy Huff
-
A narrative play with a live concert in the middle of it all! Mateo wrote for 30+ actors, built 2 sets on either side of the orchestra, and they put up a heartwarming, beautiful performance in which a little boy saves a Christmas Pageant. We revisit many Christmas classics through the eyes of a wildly imaginative and naïve 11-year old. Carol of the Bells performed by Salvation Army bell ringers, Angels We Have Heard On High performed by a choir of leather clad Hell’s Angels, Silent Night signed by a deaf girl, and more. This concert captures the magic and imagination of Christmas while tackling the harder subject of grief and it’s beauty in acceptance.
Featuring Bells of the Sound, Total Experience Gospel Choir, drummer Dave Testa, 32nd Street Singers, Columbia Kids Choir, full cast of professional actors and patient musician Lynsie Conrad (first patient to be cured of Leukemia through T cell immunotherapy)
-
A symphony about walking forward in the dark. With electricity only being 150 years old this concert looks at our ancestors’ use of fire and how it affected their lives. Firelight provides ability to see, it evokes gathering & the accompanying stories, it’s imperfection and weavering movement has a certain beauty that calls us in. As much as we crave to control or predict our lives we never truly know what will happen next. The firelight’s imperfection reminds us beauty, in all of its curiosity and unknowing, is more valuable than the routine. With dancers, multiple choirs, a rock band, and more this concert beckons us to let go and revel in the mysterious and imperfect beauty of life.
Featuring Sweet Water, Shawn Smith, Tesee George Dance Collective, dancer Alexander Jackson, Columbia Choir, Varsity Gospel Singers, University of Washington Chorale and patient musician Sarah Tuiono
-
A symphony dedicated to the adventure, excitment, and gift of travel. This concert explores the perspective we gain when pulling ourselves out of our daily routines, when meeting new people and cultures, and the gift of self examination when outside of the nest. Mateo wrote for a well known Seattle based circus and they coreographed performances on high wire, acrobatics, juggling, aerial silks, catapults, and more! If you think about the most exciting moments in your life, how many of them happened while you were stationary? To move, in any direction, is part of our human nature. This premiere proved to be a fun & wild ride for the great audience!
Featuring Silver Torches, Alexander & Nick Oki, Impulse Circus Collective and patient musician Hadley Strecker
-
A symphony of persepective, LENS, examines our lives in slow motion and finds the beauty in the fleeting moments. Inspired by our human ability to become hyper aware when going through trauma, Mateo asks “What would life be like if we experienced this in every day life?” The concert features a series of short films shot in super slow motion (1000 frames/second) as we watch a simple hug over minutes, we see the few seconds fate of a runner’s collision in a few minutes, we watch a baby grow to 16 years old within 3 minutes. All of these pieces were complimented by riveting performances by world touring pop star Imogen Heap and the charismatic performances of Pop due Pomplamoose.
Featuring Imogen Heap, Pomplamoose, Dance Contemporary SeattleUniversity of Washington Chorale, NW Boychoir and patient musician Max Wu
-
In another unique storytelling event, Mateo enlisted an older Irish priest from Belfast to come read the story of a little boy from Ireland who traveled around the world to find his voice. While he read the story, artist Dave Peixoto painted the story live on 3 giant screens above the stage. Mateo and the orchestra emotionally supported the story musically similarily how he writes scores for films. With Irish dancers, Seattle Firefighters bagpipes and drums, and a large boy choir the evening’s Irish style and heartwarming story made for a magical and fun premiere.
Featuring The Gothard Sisters, TFK, NW Boychoir, Seattle Fire Department Pipes & Drums, artist Dave Peixoto and patient musician Clayton Beasley
-
A symphony about human potential after seeing how people can achieve huge feats of strength, resiliance, and bravery with adrenaline. This concert aims to reveal where our intuition comes from, what our human potential means, and what imbues the human spirit. With meaningful and great performances from all guests and the NW Symphony orchestra this premiere inspired and planted the seed for all of us to search for more, to appreciate the human spirit, and to realize our human potential.
Featuring Five For Fighting, Civil Twilight, Vickie Martinez, Seattle Boychoir and patient musician Joanita Nambassa (RIP)
-
A symphony inspired by voice, Mateo opened the concert by replacing each chair of the orchestra with a singer as they emulated each instrument with their voices. In all, 5 choirs comprising of over 500 singers performed, including a virtual choir for a piece Mateo wrote called “The Scream Heard Around The World.” The concert was massively popular as the choirs combined with the orchestra made for a massive expression of emotion. The concert focused on our primal scream and the importance of our voice throughout history.
Featuring Barcelona, Blake Lewis, Claire Nordstrom, Seattle Men’s Chorus, Seattle Choral Company, NW Chorale, NW Boychoir, Worldwide virtual choir and patient musician Alfie Bautista
-
This concert explores heroes, villains, and everything these fables sand stories have inspired. He studiend superhero themes with a creative film music executive from Warner Brothers and then spent 10 days in Buenos Aires writing for 5-10 hours at a piano every day. From the 30 pieces he wrote he culled it down to 10 songs that inspired heorism, fear, flight, bravery, and more. He connected these themes to the nurses and doctors at the hospital with cancer being the nemesis and the patients being the superheroes leading the charge.
Featuring DJ Cut Chemist, violinist Lili Haydn, Seattle Children’s Chorus, The Malandros, The Raretones Choir, Nataly Dungey and patient musician Rishi Nair
-
After Mateo met a groundbreaking 360 degree photographer who travelled the United States and shot unique perspectives of our country, he wrote An American Symphony as a tribute to the country he was born & lives in. With great special guests and large choirs it was another larger than life concert that had the audience singing along and even screaming at times.
Featuring Eisley, Mariah McManus, electric cellist Matthew Schoening, trumpeter Natalie Dungee, Total Exerience Gospel Choir, NW Girlchoir, photographer Gavin Farrel and patient musician Latasha Evans
-
This rocking concert sold out within 2 weeks as Mateo’s guests were the world reknowned Wilson sisters of Heart and the comeback of Seattle’s beloved rock band, Alice In Chains. Mateo’s orchestrations behind these legends supported magnificient and larger than life performances. Visually, Mateo hid the entire orchestra and lit them up by silhouettes for two of the pieces. It was a true springboard as it launched the fundraising side of this concert series from the tens of thousands into the hundreds of thouands of dollars raised for kids and families at Seattle Children’s Hospital.
Featuring Heart, Alice In Chains, NW Girlchoir, Aaron Straight on didgeridoo, flamenco guitarist Andre Feriante, salsa dancers, Tessa George Dance Troupe and patient musician Taylor Carol (recent Harvard graduate)
-
This love letter back to the city he was born and raised in was a gem for any Seattlite as it inventively shined a light on the beauty and uniqueness of the city of Seattle. He choreographed Pike Place Fishmongers to dance with 40 lb salmon and made a cup of coffee with a Starbucks barista and the orchestra. Safari pirates sang and the Seattleites in attendance joined in! The concert opened and closed with a beautiful song and blessing of a Native American singer. This concert has gone on to be the pieces Mateo has performed most outside of it’s original premiere.
Featuring Seafair Pirstes, Pike Place Fishmongers, Native American Arlie Neskahi, Busbee, Starbucks Barista, Bainbridge Chorale and patient musician Matt Shim
-
This larger than life symphony featured nearly 400 orchestral players, university drumline drummers, Brazlilan dancers and drummers, and a massive girl choir. The subject was about the storms we face in life and how we react in those moments. It was his largest endeavor to date and it was received with great praise and further accelerated his symphonic career. Also, this was the first year he invited a patient, he regularly played music with from the hospital, to come perform with the orchestra and choir behind them. It was a hit and started the tradition of a patient musician at every show.
Featuring Chris Degarmo of Queensryche, UW Drumline, VaMola Brazilian drum troop, African dancers/drummers, NW Girlchoir and patient musician Amy Ogmundson (RIP)
-
As Mateo had just moved to Hollywood to persue a career in writing music for films, he embarked on a year long study under numerous film composers asking them how they write fear, love, joy, suspense, everything! He wrote & premiered the symphony soundtrack with his first time using the screen onstage and his music timed out with the action onscreen. This was the first year Mateo moved from the 550 seat Nordstrom Recital Hall to Benaroya’s 2,500 seat Mark S,. Taper auditorium. it was a very big risk and it paid off as it launced his career in performing in large symphony halls.
Featuring NW Girls choir & The Total Experience Gospel Choir
-
Mateo’s first book is a fable about a mortal who works too hard and a pixie who opens his eyes to the most important parts of life. The concert was a narrator reading the story from a giant chair while the orchestra supported like a film score. Mateo set out to give the audience the feeling they were in pre-school on a carpet square, he even served cookies and milk at intermission (along with cocktails of course). The audience enjoyed the ride and the concert was a success, despite his first lesson in not going too long.
Featuring Issaquah Children’s Choir
-
Mateo spent a summer with a cousin who lived in Spain at 17, then in university studied, worked, and traveled in Mexico. Straight out of university he lived with the Cofan tribe in the rainforest of Ecuador, and then hiked alone throughout the Andes mountains in Peru. He created an album and concert around the Spanish influence of music around the world. The concert, notably the only one he ever premiered outdside of Benaroya Hall, was filled with Spanish Flamenco, Argentince Tango, Mexican Salsa, and more dance and music from around the world.
Featuring Children of the Revolution, Artis the Spoonman, and Capitol Ballroom Argentine Tango Dancers
-
After spending a summer in Japan when Mateo was 22 years old, he was taken with taiko concerts and the idea of the largest Odaiko drum representing the human heartbeat. He wrote a Japanese inspired concert with the subject of how we pass along the breath of life from one to another.
Featuring Seattle Kokon Takio
-
Still in his mid-twenties and mending a broken heart, Mateo wrote a heartbreak album and concert featuring flamenco guitar, the orchestra, and a few sopranos. After thinking it was a misfire/selfish endeavor, Mateo was completely surprised at the outpouring of support and love for the album and show as it showcased exactly what everyone goes through in life. This was Mateo’s first knowledge into shaping the themes of all of his concerts to be around his own vulnersabilities and human experiences and then let them translate to the audience however they may be received.
Featuring Andre Feriante on Flamenco Guitar & Children of the Revolution
-
Mateo’s very first organized concerts were simple gatherings of friends and family to various hotel lobbies in downtown Seattle. He would invite them to come hear Christmas carols he would play on the piano. So for his sophomore effort in the symphony hall Mateo orchestrated many of his favorite holiday classics and the concert was a great success. He oringially enlisted the Mercer Island Children’s Choir, but when their director was in an accident he replaced them with 3 sopranos. This gave the album and concert a certain haunting quality that somehow worked very well.
Featuring: Mateo’s own orchestra and featuring Aaron Straight on Didgeridoo
-
Mateo’s first symphony is about the human condition and our emotional relationships with love, fear, pain, sex, joy, pain, and sorrow. In 1998, Mateo BS’d his way into the brand new symphony hall in Seattle within months of it’s grand opening. He was the 9th performance in the city’s beautiful, new concert hall. He put together a 20-piece chamber style orchestra built from a few professionals and mostly students. He debuted his first concert on Saturday, December 5th, 1998 and his second concert was Friday, December 11th, 1998. It was received to great reviews and launched his symphonic career.
Featuring Aaron Straight on didgeridoo, Jordan Corbin soprano