Jacobsen Series 2025-26 performances feature Puget Sound music faculty, renowned guest artists, and inspiring themed concerts. Join us for The Girsky String Quartet -- Natasha Bazhanov, violin; Timothy Christie, viola; Artur Girsky, violin; and Rowena Hammill, cello; with Xiaohui Yang, piano, performing the Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 57 by Shostakovich; and the String Quartet in E minor, Op. 59, No. 2 by Beethoven. 

Born in Ekaterinburg, Russia, NATASHA BAZHANOV began playing violin at the age of 5. After her many experiences and education in Moscow, she moved to the United States and in 2006, she relocated to Seattle to join the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra. She is currently a member of the Seattle Symphony and Seattle Opera Orchestras.

Born in Riga, Latvia, into a family of violinists, ARTUR GIRSKY began playing violin at age 5. He studied in Moscow and London and after many experiences, has been a member of the Seattle Symphony since 2006 and is a member of the Girsky Quartet.

ROWENA HAMMILL is associate principal cello of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra. She divides her time between Los Angeles and Vashon Island, Wash., where she is the director of Vashon Chamber Music and the Vashon Island Cello Camp.

Violinist and violist TIMOTHY CHRISTIE enjoys a multifaceted career as performer, teacher, public speaker, and recording artist. He is the founder and artistic director of the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival (WWCMF), a nonprofit organization in southeastern Washington presenting more than 40 public chamber music events annually. He also serves on the faculty of the School of Music at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, and was a member of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra in Seattle for 15 years.

Chinese pianist XIAOHUI YANG, a winner of the 2017 Naumburg International Piano Competition has been hailed by the press as a "tastefully polished musician" (Haaretz, Israel)  and “a magician of sound and virtuosity” (La Libre, Belgium). She has been featured in performances throughout four continents, including in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Ozawa Hall, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Tel Aviv Museum of Art and the Seoul Arts Center.

About the Series

The Jacobsen Series was established in 1984 in honor of Leonard Jacobsen, former chair and professor of Puget Sound’s piano department. Ticket sales support the Jacobsen Series Scholarship Fund, annual music scholarships awarded to outstanding student performers and scholars in the SAI international music organization. Thank you to our many patrons whose support has benefitted students and contributed to this successful series.

Learn More

Visit pugetsound.edu/jacobsen or call the School of Music at 253.879.3741.

Tickets

Tickets are available online at tickets.pugetsound.edu, at the Logger Store located in the Wheelock Student Center, or at the door.

• $25 general admission
• $20 sr. citizen, student, military, Puget Sound faculty/staff, Community Music participants
• Admission is free for current Puget Sound and K-12 students.