Saturday, March 23
7:30 pm

“Czech” in with Skagit Symphony this spring. Our program begins with Smetana's beloved river voyage along The Moldau. Eric Han returns to our stage with a jazz influenced cello concerto by Martinu. And we'll welcome spring's return with Dvořák’s symphonic postcard home, "From the New World", his enduring and endearing Symphony No. 9. 

Pre-Concert Chat - You're invited to arrive a little early to join Maestro Wheatley and our guest, poet and lyricist Sati Mookherjee for an intimate pre-concert chat. Theater doors open at 6:40 pm for general seating, with the chat beginning at 6:45 pm. When the chat concludes, attendees will leave the theater and re-enter with their ticket to take their reserved seats for the concert.

Bedrich Smetana
The Moldau

Antonín Dvořák
Slavonic Dance No. 8, op. 46

Bohuslav Martinu
Cello Concerto No. 1

Antonín Dvořák
Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”

ARTIST BIOS

Eric Han, Cello

Korean born Canadian cellist Eric Han made his concerto debut with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at the age of 14. Following his debut led to many engagements with Toronto Sinfonietta, Toronto chamber players and Symphony by the Sea in Boston. In collaboration with world-renowned conductor Sir Andrew Davis, he recorded a live performance of the Elgar cello concerto on the Yamaha Canada label.

As an avid chamber musician, Eric has performed with many of world’s leading musicians such as Joseph Silverstein, Roberto Diaz, Ani and Ida Kavafian, Cho-Liang Lin, Chee Yun, Lynn Harrell, Gray Hoffman, Paul Coletti, Jörg Widmann, Jan Vogler, Thomas Demenga, Classical guitarist Jason Vieaux and the members of the Altenberg Trio, Borromeo quartet and Orion String Quartet. As a recitalist, Eric has performed in many of world’s prestigious halls, including Zankel Hall Carnegie, 92nd St. Y, St. Martin in the fields, and the Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh.

Eric has been the recipient of many awards in Canada and the US, including the Tom Thomas Scholarship, Toronto Symphony Orchestra Scholarship, and Schimidbauer international string competition and 2012 Sylva Gelber Award. As a guest artist and artist-in-residence, Eric has participated at numerous festivals, including the Moritzburg Festival, La Jolla Summerfest, Music@Menlo, Sarasota Music Festival, the Banff Centre, Orford Arts Centre and is on faculty at Marrowstone music festival.

Eric studied with David Hetherington at the Glenn Gould School, and holds a B.M. from the Colburn School of Music, under the tutelage of Ronald Leonard. He is a recent recipient of an Artist diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Peter Wiley and Carter Brey.

Eric has joined the Seattle Symphony Orchestra as their 4th chair cellist. He plays on a cello made by Frank Ravatin (2003 Vannes) on generous loan to him from the Maestro Foundations.

Sati Mookherjee, Poet

Sati Mookherje (SHAH-tee MOO-kher-jee) is a poet and lyricist. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in literary journals and anthologies like Salamander, The Laurel Review, Comstock Review, Cream City Review, and Sonora Review. Her collaborations with contemporary classical composers have been performed or recorded by ensemble (The Esoterics, Contemporary Chamber and Players) and solo musicians (Hope Wechkin, Leaning Toward the Fiddler). Recipient of an Artist Trust/Washington State Arts Commission Fellowship Award, she is a lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest. A third book, Des, is forthcoming from Pulley Press in 2025.

Sati Mookherjee grew up in Bellingham, WA, the child of Indian immigrants, and spent the summers of her childhood in Kolkata (then Calcutta), India. She speaks fluent Bengali. She was graduated with a BA (English, Creative Writing, Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude) from the University of Washington, and a MD from the University of Washington School of Medicine. She has worked as a medical writer, a political campaign manager, and Policy and Special Projects Coordinator for the City of Bellingham. In 2011 she became the founding COO of Sedan Center, a child and adolescent mental and behavioral health clinic that serves children, families and schools in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. She presently serves on the Board of the Cascadia International Women’s Film Festival and is a former member of the Corporate Board of the Boys and Girls Club of Whatcom County, a founding board member of CommunityWise Bellingham, and former Board Chair of the Whatcom Community Foundation.

Sati is passionate about sharing the pleasures of this unique art form and loves being asked to speak to audiences of all kinds - healthcare professional groups, bookclubs, fellow poets.

She leads poetry workshops with writers of diverse ages and experience levels, from residents of Seattle’s Ida Culver House, to elementary, middle and high school students, community writers and community college and university students.