BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA’S 100th ANNIVERSARY CONTINUES INTO THE 2016-2017 SEASON
Beethoven and Stravinsky (re) Discovered: A Focus on Two Seminal Figures in Music
All Five Beethoven Piano Concertos, Symphonies Nos. 4, 5, 7 and 9, Special Audience-Participation Performances of “Ode to Joy,” and a new partnership with Shriver Concert Hall; Plus Stravinsky’s complete Firebird, Petrushka, and other groundbreaking works
Signature Marin Alsop/BSO Productions, Collaborations, and Blockbusters
Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle, Mahler’s Sixth Symphony, Carmina Burana, Saint-Saëns “Organ” Symphony
The Return of Beloved Guest Artists
Gil Shaham, Hélène Grimaud, Johannes Moser, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Angela Hewitt,
Nicole Cabell, Augustin Hadelich, Ray Chen, and Henning Kraggerud
Itzhak Perlman headlines September 17, 2016 BSO Centennial Gala
Audience favorite Perlman returns to open the season with Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto
World Premieres, Centennial Celebration Commissions
The BSO’s Five Remaining Centennial Commissions, Based on “Locally Sourced” Themes; New Works by Steven Mackey, Anna Clyne, Detlev Glanert, Arvo Pärt, John Adams, and Einojuhani Rautavaara
Debuting Artists
Pianists Inon Bartanan, Paul Lewis, Gabriela Montero, Jan Lisiecki, David Fray; Violinist Vadim Gluzman; St. Lawrence String Quartet; Vocalists Claudia Mahnke, Alan Held, and Rising Opera Stars Julia Bullock, Hailey Clark, Elizabeth DeShong, Joshua Guerrero, Reginald Smith
Extraordinary Guest Conductors
Vasily Petrenko, Hannu Lintu, Dima Slobodeniouk, Nicholas McGegan, Yan Pascal Tortelier, Ludovic Morlot Christoph König return; Johannes Debus and Paul Goodwin debut
Introducing BSO Late Nights at the Meyerhoff
Five post-concert casual performances on Fridays in the Meyerhoff lobby featuring guest artists
BSO SuperPops Season with Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly
Features Ol’ Blue Eyes Tribute to Frank Sinatra with Ann Hampton Callaway,
A Celtic Celebration, and The DooWop Project, Plus Doc Severinsen and his Big Band
Holidays With the BSO
Holiday Pops with Pink Martini’s Storm Large and the Return of Tap Dancing Santas; Newlycreated production of Duke Ellington’s jazz-inspired Nutcracker featuring Washington’s Step Afrika! dance Troupe
(Baltimore, Md.) February 29, 2016 — Music Director Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) have announced the Orchestra’s 2016-2017 season, its tenth season under the direction of Maestra Alsop. Through appearances by the world’s most renowned artists, premieres of new works, exciting signature projects and strengthening of longstanding community partnerships, the new season continues the celebration of the BSO’s Centennial year.
“As we enter our second century as an orchestra, we want to pay tribute to the incredible music that brought us to this place, while giving voice to the emerging artists and composers who are bringing invention and continued relevancy to the grand orchestral tradition,” says BSO Music Director Marin Alsop. “At the heart of our season is the great symphonist and humanist: Beethoven, whose music has the power to unite us and give us hope – a message as powerful today as it was in his time. Another focus is the music of 20th Century great, Igor Stravinsky, an artist who looked to the future while embracing the past. And, in keeping with the BSO’s longstanding commitment to the music of our time, we are thrilled to bring you the work of many great composers writing today, including five special centennial commissions that celebrate Baltimore. We begin our second century anticipating the joy of sharing great musical moments with our community, and the optimism and hope that great art gives us as human beings.”
Major Focus on Beethoven and Stravinsky
The 2016-2017 season is framed by two of the most revolutionary and influential composers of all time, who paved the way for the generations that followed. The first is Ludwig van Beethoven, a humanist who strongly believed in the principles of the Enlightenment, and an innovator who forever changed the landscape of this art form. His values of reason, tolerance and equality are just as relevant today, two centuries later. The second is Igor Stravinsky, whose radical imagination loomed as large in the 20th Century as Beethoven’s did in the 19th, and whose curiosity and bold experimentation resulted in radical shifts in composition.
Beethoven: (re) Discovered
The Beethoven focus will encompass many of his most beloved and enduring works: a complete cycle of the five piano concertos, with all-star soloists Angela Hewitt, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Inon Bartanan, Paul Lewis, and Jan Lisiecki; the iconic symphonies nos. 4, 5, 7, and 9; and the violin concerto as performed by the illustrious Gil Shaham.
100th Anniversary Culminates in Ode to Joy
The orchestra’s Centennial celebration culminates in November 2016 with a four-day Beethoven Festival and the optimistic message of the Ninth Symphony’s “Ode to Joy.” This seminal work will be complemented with Absolute Jest, a recent piece that takes its inspiration from Beethoven’s late string quartets by John Adams, who composed it specifically for the St. Lawrence String Quartet. In residence for the week, the SLSQ will also take part in a BSO Late Night event in the Meyerhoff lobby, and will perform an all-Beethoven recital in co-presentation with Shriver Hall Concert Series. The Festival also offers unique opportunities to participate, as a Rusty Musician sitting alongside the orchestra, or by singing along with the Baltimore Choral Arts Society for the “Ode to Joy” finale.
Igor Stravinsky
Stravinsky was the musical version of Picasso of his time, keeping one eye on a new world and the other on tradition. This season, BSO showcases six of his masterworks, from his early Russian folk-inflected ballets, The Firebird and Petrushka, to his reimagining of 18th century classicism through later choral and symphonic masterpieces. In addition to the often-performed ballets, the orchestra will introduce the less familiar Symphony of Psalms (last performed by the BSO in 1982), Symphony in Three Movements (last performed in 1993), and the first-ever BSO performance of his Symphonies of Wind Instruments.
New Works by Celebrated Composers of Our Time
Known for its long-term commitment to new music, the BSO will bring several premieres in the new season from some of the most distinguished and accomplished composers of our time. In addition to the Centennial Celebration Commissions, the 2016-2017 season will feature:
- Beautiful Passing from Steven Mackey, a tribute to his late mother;
- Detlev Glanert’s Frenesia , which had its world premiere from the Concertgebow Orchestra in celebration of Richard Strauss 150th Anniversary ;
- Credo by Arvo Pärt, a work that bridges the worlds of love and hate and that is influenced by Bach’s Es ist genug and by Latin mass text;
- Einojuhani Rautavaara’s Cantus Arcticus, which blends taped birdsong from the Arctic Circle with symphony orchestra;
- Two works by John Adams: Absolute Jest, which is paired with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and quotes the great master, and The Chairman Dances: Foxtrot for Orchestra, Adams’ witty depiction of an amorous dance with Chairman Mao and his future wife;
- Within Her Arms, a new work from Anna Clyne (who is in residence with the BSO for the 2015-2016 season), a moving elegy written shortly after the passing of her mother.
Celebration Commissions Continue
Begun in the 2015-2016 as a BSO Centennial initiative, the Centennial Celebration Commissions used crowd-sourcing to cull ideas from members of the public, who submitted themes for ten short works to commemorate the BSO’s 100th birthday. Ten American composers (six female and four male) were chosen to create works that could be used as encores. Each composer was sent the list of ideas and asked to choose one as their inspiration. The Kuster, Rouse, Tower, Larsen and Lee works are premiering as part of the 2015-2016 season; the remaining five premieres will be sprinkled throughout the 2016-2017 season.
- Kristin Kuster
Theme: M.A.R.I.N (Clara Schumann-cyphers)
Title: MOXIE - Christopher Rouse
Theme: Death of Poe
Title: Processional - Joan Tower
Theme: Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman
Title: Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman #6 - Libby Larsen
Theme: Earth
Title: EARTH Holst Trope - James Lee III
Theme: Thurgood Marshall
Title: Thurgood’s Rhapsody - Caroline Shaw
Theme: Baltimore Bomb
Title: Baltimore Bomb - Lori Laitman
Theme: BSO musician features
Title: Unsung - TJ Cole
Theme: Flights of Fancy|
Title: TBD - Jonathan Leshnoff
Theme: Dancing Blue Crabs
Title: Dancing Blue Crabs - Christopher Theofanidis
Theme: David Simon/The WIRE
Title: The Game (based on “Down in the Hole” by Tom Waits, The Wire theme song)
Commissioned for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Marin Alsop by Classical Movements, Inc. as part of the Eric Daniel Helms New Music Program. Also made possible by a grant from New Music USA through a generous contribution from Thomas Brener and Inbal Segev, and additionally supported by the Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trusts, the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, and the Randolph S. and Amalie R. Rothschild Endowed Fund for New Music.
Signature Programming with Maestra Marin Alsop
One hallmark of Marin Alsop’s tenure as Music Director has been focusing on monumental works that show off the orchestra’s artistry and virtuosity. Another has been taking some of those formative works and adding production elements to enhance the story behind the music. The 2016-2017 season is full to the brim with epic productions of timeless classics, conducted by Maestra Alsop, including:
- Mahler’s massive Sixth Symphony (November 10-12, 2016) Sixth Symphony is a large-scale undertaking—for the composer, for the conductor, for the orchestra, and for the audience. Big, dramatic and life-affirming, it packs into one masterpiece Mahler’s entire life’s efforts to succeed against the inevitable blows of fate. Not heard at the BSO since 1992, this is a rare opportunity to experience this extraordinary work with acknowledged Mahler expert Marin Alsop at the helm;
- Baltimore Choral Arts Society and the Peabody Children’s Chorus join Maestra Alsop for Carl Orff’s epic Carmina Burana, (September 29-October 1, 2016), which is paired with Stravinsky’s Symphony in Three Movements;
- Alsop, a champion of American music, pairs Samuel Barber’s unabashedly romantic Symphony No. 1 with Copland’s dramatic evocation of the nation’s 16th President, Lincoln Portrait, narrated by Baltimore’s own Kwame Kwei-Armah. Antonin Dvořák’s Cello Concerto and Johannes Moser round out the American-inspired classic program (February 16 and 19, 2017);
- Scheherazade evokes Rimsky-Korsakov’s colorful portraits of a sultan’s wife spinning tales of Arabian nights. It is in good company with Barber’s powerful and reflective Adagio for Strings, and returning artist Jennifer Koh performing Steven Mackey’s Beautiful Passing (March 30 and April 2, 2017);
- Stravinsky’s Symphony in Three Movements and the Symphony of Psalms;
- Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3, “Organ,” is a Marin Alsop favorite, and will be the season closer (June 15-18, 2017), along with the Beethoven Violin Concerto as interpreted by Gil Shaham;
- Rachmaninoff’s lush and multi-layered Symphony No. 2 (April 28-30, 2017) is presented on a program inspired by the Eastern Orthodox Church; the University of Maryland Concert Choir is welcomed to perform Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms and Arvo Pärt’s Credo;
- Schumann Symphony No. 3 “Rhenish” is the centerpiece (March 2-4, 2017) with the premiere of Anna Clyne’s In Her Arms and with Hélène Grimaud as soloist for the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2.
A particular highlight of the season will be Béla Bártok’s harrowing one-act opera Bluebeard’s Castle (June 10 and 11, 2017). This haunting and thoroughly gripping psycho-thriller is brought to life by mezzo-soprano Claudia Mahnke as Judith, the young and unsuspecting bride and by bass-baritone Alan Held, who plays the menacing Bluebeard. Semi-staged and video-enhanced, this will be a Marin Alsop/BSO signature production not to be missed.
Principal Guest Conductor Markus Stenz’ Second Season
Markus Stenz begins his second season as the BSO’s Principal Guest Conductor with three programs that focus on staples of the orchestral repertoire. Stenz, a contemporary of Marin Alsop, was a fellow student of hers at Tanglewood under Leonard Bernstein in the late 1980s. He is currently Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, and his October 2012 debut with the BSO drew high praise from critics as well as favor with the orchestra. In the 2016-2017 season, highlights of his programs include Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4, called the “Romantic,”; Stravinsky’s complete Firebird; Strauss’Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks; Mozart’s Symphony No. 29; and a BSO Premiere from German composer (and Stenz compatriot) Detlev Glanert called Frenesia, an homage to Richard Strauss and “A Hero’s Life” on the composer’s 150th birthday.
Renowned Guest Artists
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra works with the world’s leading soloists, and in the 2016-2017 season will welcome back several dear friends and collaborators. Included in the lineup will be: Hélène Grimaud with Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2; Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the Gershwin Piano Concerto in F; the stunning Nicole Cabell with Ravel’s Shéhérazade; Johannes Moser as soloist in Dvořák’s Cello Concerto; and the long-awaited return of pianist Angela Hewitt performing Beethoven. An impressive line-up of violinists includes passionate new music advocate Jennifer Koh for the BSO Premiere of Steven Mackey’s Beautiful Passing; Augustin Hadelich playing Chausson and Ravel; the return of young virtuoso Ray Chen to perform Paganini; Danish star Henning Kraggerud for Mozart; and Gil Shaham winding up the season with the beloved Beethoven Violin Concerto.
Artist Debuts
The orchestra has long been a champion of emerging artists, and the following instrumentalists and conductors will make their BSO debuts in the coming season:
- The Israeli-born New Yorker phenom Inon Bartanan joins guest conductor Vasily Petrenko for Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto;
- Pianist Gabriela Montero, known for her fun-loving improvisations, joins Markus Stenz for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24, K. 491 (and will hopefully indulge us with a playful encore);
- Pianist David Fray will play Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major to Markus Stenz’ accompaniment;
- Jean-Efflam Bavouzet will be the soloist for Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto with debuting conductor Johannes Debus on the podium;
- Pianist Paul Lewis offers Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto under the baton of guest conductor Dima Slobodeniouk;
- Conductor Valentina Peleggi, the most recent recipient of Marin Alsop’s Taki Concordia Fellowship, conducts Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio espagnol;
- Vadim Gluzman performs Prokofiev’s Second Violin Concerto under the baton of Christoph König;
- The St. Lawrence String Quartet will be in residence as part of the Centennial-culminating Beethoven Festival; and,
- 20-year-old Canadian prodigy, Jan Lisiecki, performs Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.5 “Emperor.”
The BSO will also present several rising stars of opera in their debuts with the orchestra:
- Soprano Hailey Clark, mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong, tenor Joshua Guerrero, and bass Reginald Smith join Marin Alsop as the young soloists In Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9;
- Soprano Anna Christy, tenor Matthew Plenk, and baritone Elliott Madore join Maestra Alsop as soloists for Carmina Burana;
- Soprano Julia Bullock takes a star turn in Villa-Lobos’ stunning Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5, also with Maestra Alsop;
- Both making the BSO debuts, mezzo-soprano Claudia Mahnke sings the role of Judith and bass-baritone Alan Held is Bluebeard in Bartok’s Bluebeard’s Castle in this BSO/Marin Alsop signature event; and,
- Soprano Nicole Cabell will perform Ravel’s Shéhérazade.
Extraordinary Guest Conductors
Maestra Alsop shares the podium with an array of guest conductors:
- Vasily Petrenko, who has wowed audiences with his authority on the Russian repertoire, conducts Beethoven’s Coriolon Overture and Piano Concerto No. 3 with soloist Inon Bartanan and the Symphony No. 10 of Shostakovich;
- Hannu Lintu returns to conduct the BSO premiere of Rautavaara’s Cantus Arcticus, Beethoven’s First Piano Concerto with Angela Hewitt, and Dvorák Symphony No. 8;
- Following a triumphant Shostakovich 11, Dima Slobodeniouk returns to lead Stravinsky’s Symphonies of Wind Instruments, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 with Paul Lewis, and Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony;
- Up-and-comer Johannes Debus, who makes his Metropolitan Opera debut next season and who is Music Director of the Canadian Opera Company, conducts Rossini’s Overture to The Barber of Seville, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, and Brahms Symphony No. 1;
- Beloved Baroque specialist Nicholas McGegan returns with a program of Rameau, Schubert, Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 (with Henning Kraggerud) and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, “Italian”;
- Debuting conductor Paul Goodwin lends his historically informed approach to Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony and Fifth Piano Concerto (the “Emperor,” with debuting pianist Jan Lisiecki) as well as Stravinsky’s Concerto in E-flat, “Dumbarton Oaks”;
- Yan Pascal Tortelier, a long-time friend of the orchestra, conducts The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Dukas, Stravinsky’s Petrushka, and two violin show pieces with Augustin Hadelich: the Poème for Violin and Orchestra by Chausson, and Ravel’s Tzigane;
- Seattle Symphony Music Director Ludovic Morlot makes his second BSO appearance, with the virtuosic Ray Chen performing the Paganini Violin Concerto No. 1 as well as Berlioz’ Symphonie fantastique;
- And, Christoph König returns to the podium with Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin, Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2 with Vadim Gluzman, Messaien’ s Les offrandes oubliées, and Gershwin’s An American in Paris.
BSO Musicians as Soloists
The BSO is made up of extraordinarily gifted and talented musicians, and two soloists from the orchestra will be in the spotlight this season
- Concertmaster Jonathan Carney performs the Walton Violin Concerto under the baton of Marin Alsop.
- Principal trumpet Andrew Balio performs the classic Haydn Trumpet Concerto with Principal Guest Conductor Markus Stenz at the helm.
BSO Late Nights
New this season, five BSO guest artists will perform after five Friday evening concerts at the Meyerhoff. Pianists Gabriela Montero and Jean-Yves Thibaudet (joined by soprano Julia Bullock), violinist Ray Chen, the St. Lawrence String Quartet and the University of Maryland Concert Choir all reveal a more informal side of their artistry in these post-concert soirées in the Meyerhoff lobby.
Pulse
The BSO and Associate Conductor Nicholas Hersh present the second season of Pulse. Aimed at the next generation of symphony-goers, this series pairs a nationally renowned Indie artist or band, juxtaposed with a BSO ensemble performing classical repertoire that shares techniques or idioms with the band’s music. Pulse is not just a concert—it’s an entire event, featuring craft beers and drink specials, food from local eateries, and pre- and post-concert performances by local musicians. The complete programming schedule, list of featured artists and on-sale dates will be announced in summer, 2016.
BSO at the Movies
As part of its lighter fare, the BSO is offering a continuation of the popular live orchestral accompaniment to classic films. The 2016-2017 holiday season will feature real-time performances of original scores to four timeless movies:
- It’s a Wonderful Life: George Bailey’s Christmas Eve classic comes to life with Dimitri Tiomkin’s timeless score led by guest conductor Justin Freer;
- Michael Giacchino’s scores for Star Trek and Star Trek “Into Darkness” are conducted on consecutive nights by Associate Conductor Nicholas Hersh as part of the BSO’s holiday lineup;
- Danny Elfman’s rambunctious, colorful score lights up Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Off the Cuff Series
The BSO’s popular “Off the Cuff” series offers audiences a deep dive into the background of classic repertoire. Featuring a shorter concert format, Marin Alsop (and a few invited guest conductors) focus on one particular work during a normal subscription week, delving into musical themes and meanings of major works, exploring the lives of the composers who wrote them, and placing the music in historical context. Next season will bring five Off the Cuff performances to the Meyerhoff and to Strathmore. Marin Alsop will take a closer work at Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, and the Dvořák Cello Concerto (with guest soloist Johannes Moser); Principal Guest Conductor Markus Stenz will take apart Stravinsky’s Firebird; and Associate Conductor Nicholas Hersh will demonstrate how the imagery in Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker can stand alone as concert music even without the ballet.
Jack Everly and the BSO SuperPops Season
Under Jack Everly’s dynamic leadership, the BSO’s SuperPops concerts are a beloved source of entertainment for audiences at both of the orchestra’s homes, in Baltimore at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, and in North Bethesda at The Music Center at Strathmore. The 2016-2017 season marks Everly’s 14 th with the orchestra, and the BSO announced recently the extension of his contract through the 2020-21 season. For the news season, Everly has assembled a lineup featuring a tribute to Frank Sinatra with Ann Hampton Callaway and guests singing American standards; an evening of Big Band with the incomparable Doc Severinsen; an extravaganza with four of Broadway’s leading men; a Doo Wop project that captures the close harmonies of the 1950s; a St. Patrick’s Day celebration of Celtic music; and one of the greatest film scores of all time, John Williams E.T.—The Extra-Terrestrial.
Holidays at the BSO
The Holidays are always a special time at the BSO, with traditions including Handel’s Messiah and Tap Dancing Santas, and new experiences including a new holiday show from Pink Martini’s Storm Large, classic holiday films set to music, and a new, swinging version of the classic Nutcracker, as imagined by Duke Ellington.
- As a Halloween special, The Nightmare Before Christmas Tim Burton’s devilish Christmas classic comes to life on the big screen with the BSO performing Danny Elfman’s irrepressible score;
- Handel’s Messiah as led from the harpsichord by Edward Polochick and with the Concert Artists of Baltimore Symphonic Chorale is a Baltimore tradition;
- A “Swingin’ Nutcracker” à la Ellington is the world premiere of a semi-staged reimagining of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece by jazz composer and arranger Paul Murtha, and features an appearance by the Washington, D.C. dance troupe Step Afrika!
- The BSO provides live accompaniment to the classic Christmas movie It’s a Wonderful Life;
- Pink Martini’s Storm Large, the Baltimore City College Choir, and the Baltimore School for the Arts Dancers offer a Holiday Pops concert with carols, classics, and lots of surprises—plus, by popular demand, the return of Baltimore’s Tap Dancing Santas!
- Leading up to New Year’s, Associate Conductor Nicholas Hersh leads back-to-back showings of Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness, bringing Michael Giacchino’s scores to the fore with the BSO.
Family Series and Educational Programming
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra boasts 100 years of innovative programming for youth. Through the Music Box Series for children ages six months to three years and Family Concerts for children ages four and older and their families, the BSO uses music as the vehicle to stimulate and inspire young minds. The BSO serves nearly 60,000 students annually with age-appropriate musical programming. And the BSO estimates that it has reached nearly four million students during its 100 years.
Family Concert Series
During the 2016-2017 season, the BSO will present four interactive, age-appropriate programs at the Meyerhoff. Each concert begins at 11 a.m. However, families are encouraged to arrive early at 9:45 a.m. to participate in the Inspiration Zone. Prior to each concert, the Meyerhoff lobby is the site of a range of exciting, interactive activities, such as an instrument petting zoo, arts and crafts stations, interactive workshops, face painting and performances by members from the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras and OrchKids.
- Witches, Wizards, Ghosts, and Goblins (October 29)
- The Snowman (December 3)
- The Animated Orchestra (March 4)
- Beethoven’s Nifty Numbers (April 22)
Music Box Series
In the 2016-2017 season, the BSO continues its highly popular Music Box Series for infants and toddlers age six months to three years. Each Saturday morning half-hour concert features the musical talents of a small ensemble of BSO musicians performing classical and children’s songs to develop musicality, creativity, coordination and literacy. Children and parents sit on the floor and close to the low stage in the Meyerhoff lobby, creating an inclusive, non-threatening, highly interactive environment. Prior to the concert, the lobby is filled with a range of musical and creative activities, thanks to the BSO’s partnership with Ready at Five. Dates and times to be announced at a later date.
About the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Celebrating its Centennial in 2016, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is recognized as one of America’s most important and innovative orchestras and one of Maryland’s most significant cultural organizations. Led by the dynamic and visionary Maestra Marin Alsop, the Orchestra is internationally acclaimed and locally admired for its outstanding concerts, recordings, broadcasts, touring, and for its groundbreaking education and community outreach initiatives. The BSO annually performs for more than 350,000 people throughout the State of Maryland. Since 1982, its Baltimore home has been the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, and in 2005, the BSO became the nation’s first orchestra with year-round venues in two metropolitan areas with the opening of The Music Center at Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland. The BSO boasts trailblazing education and community programs designed for audiences of all ages, from a Music Box Series for toddlers and concerts for schoolchildren and families, to comprehensive programs for aspiring young musicians and amateur adult musicians. The award-winning OrchKids™ program, launched by Marin Alsop and the BSO in 2008, provides education resources and fosters social change through the power of music for children in the city’s neediest communities.
BSO Passport Returns: Discounts for Patrons Ages 21- 40
The BSO attracts new patrons with a fourth season of the popular BSO Passport program. This discounted ticket program for young professionals continues the BSO’s commitment to accessibility and audience development. Patrons age 21-40 can pay a one-time flat fee of $75 to purchase a BSO Passport, good for admission to unlimited (pending availability) concerts for the entire 2016-2017 season at both the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, Md. and The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Md.
Further details will be available in Fall. BSO Passports not available for purchase until September.
BSO Student Select Program Returns: Discounts and Parties for College Students
For the fourth year, the BSO will continue its popular BSO Student Select program for college students. This discounted ticket program offers nearly unlimited access to BSO concerts for the entire 2016-2017 season to area students (pending availability) for just $25. In addition, the BSO Student Select program includes free admission to BSO College Nights, special late-night parties held after select concerts throughout the season. BSO College Nights feature free food, prizes, drink specials and the opportunity for students to mingle with BSO musicians.
Editor’s Note: BSO College Night parties are held at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall only. Admission to College Night without BSO Student Select is $10 per concert with valid student ID. BSO Student Select tickets go on sale in September 2016.
Naxos Music Library Offered Free to Subscribers
Continuing the Orchestra’s ongoing relationship with the classical record label Naxos, the BSO is pleased to offer the return of the exclusive online access to the Naxos Music Library for all BSO subscribers. By subscribing to the BSO, patrons gain exclusive online access to the world’s largest collection of streaming classical music. Naxos Music Library is a streaming audio music resource that features more than one million tracks, powerful tools to stimulate music education and research, the daily addition of new releases and remote access. This subscriber benefit has an estimated value of $300 per person, and is completely free to all patrons with a BSO subscription and a valid email address. More information is available at BSOmusic.org/naxos.
Subscriptions for the 2016-2017 season are on sale now. Visit BSOmusic.org or call 410.783.8000 to order. Single tickets for the general public will go on sale Monday August 1, 2016.
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The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is funded by an operating grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive.
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is supported in part by funding from the Montgomery County government and the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County.
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is also supported by the Citizens of Baltimore County and Baltimore City.
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