Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Launches New "Composers in Conversation" Series with John Adams September 26

Series offers exclusive opportunity to engage with 11 modern-day masters throughout 2007-2008 season

Baltimore, Md. (August 13, 2007) - The opportunity to meet a contemporary composer is extraordinary, but to speak with 11 throughout the course of a season is unprecedented. Yet Baltimore Symphony Orchestra patrons will have the chance to do just that, beginning September 26 with John Adams, as the BSO launches its new "Composers in Conversation" series, an intimate audience-enrichment program featuring many of today's most prominent composers. From Tan Dun to Thomas Adès, each of the 11 composers featured in the BSO's 2007-2008 season will travel to Baltimore to discuss their work, insights, and musical and personal influences in advance of BSO concerts featuring their compositions. "Composers in Conversation" will take place at 7:30 p.m. at Theatre Project on the Wednesday prior to each composer's concert program. See below for ticketing information, a complete calendar of "Composers in Conversation" events and accompanying concerts, and composer and moderator biographies.

In her inaugural season as music director of the BSO, Maestra Marin Alsop, a noted champion of new music, has programmed a groundbreaking 2007-2008 season, entitled "The Year of the Composer," in which the Orchestra will perform works by 11 exceptional composers, alongside a complete cycle of Beethoven's nine symphonies. The "Composers in Conversation" series complements the concert season, affording audiences a unique opportunity to engage directly with each of these seminal composers. Visiting composers include Aaron Jay Kernis, Mark O'Connor, Steven Mackey, Christopher Rouse, John Corigliano and Joan Tower.  In addition, five composers will lead the Orchestra in their own works: John Adams, Tan Dun, HK Gruber, Thomas Adès and James MacMillan.

Of the 11 "Composers in Conversation" programs, seven will be moderated by Marin Alsop, with the remainder moderated by Dale Keiger, a senior writer for the Johns Hopkins Magazine. Both expert communicators, Maestra Alsop and Mr. Keiger will guide the artists and audiences in revelatory discussions, in which the composers will address some of their chief influences, approaches to composition and personal background. Aaron Jay Kernis' work Newly Drawn Sky, for example, was inspired by the first trip to the ocean with his six-month-old twins. Composer Steven Mackey, whose percussion concerto Time Release receives its United States debut with the BSO in the 2007-2008 season, looks to other masters. Of Time Release, he says "the role of the soloist, the emphasis on melody and line, even the size of the orchestra are Mozartian. The clarity and vividness of Colin Currie's playing inspired me to write a piece that treats percussion as an instrument of great nuance rather than something to bang on."

"Composers in Conversation" opens with John Adams on Wednesday, September 26. Among the most celebrated composers of our time, Mr. Adams will be in residence with the BSO in Baltimore, September 26 through October 6. The start of Mr. Adams' residency coincides with Maestra Alsop's inaugural concerts as the BSO's 12th music director, during which the Orchestra will perform Mr. Adams' Fearful Symmetries (September 27-30) as well as Mahler's Symphony No. 5. The following week, Mr. Adams himself will lead the BSO in two more of his compositions, The Wound-Dresser, featuring baritone Sanford Sylvan, and My Father Knew Charles Ives (October 4-6), as well as Beethoven's Symphony No. 7.

COMPLETE PROGRAM INFORMATION
A complete "Composers in Conversation" calendar is attached.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007-John Adams
Wednesday, October 10, 2007-Tan Dun
Wednesday, October 17, 2007-HK Gruber
Wednesday, November 28, 2007-Aaron Jay Kernis
Wednesday, January 30, 2008-Mark O'Connor
Wednesday, February 6, 2008-Steven Mackey
Wednesday, March 5, 2008-Christopher Rouse
Wednesday, April 2, 2008-James MacMillan
Wednesday, April 16, 2008-John Corigliano
Wednesday, May 14, 2008-Thomas Adès
Wednesday, June 18, 2008-Joan Tower

"Composers in Conversation" programs take place at Theatre Project, located at 45 West Preston Street, Baltimore, Md., just one-half block from the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.

Tickets for each program are $10 and may be purchased through the BSO Ticket Office, 410.783.8000 or www.BSOmusic.org. NOTE: Theatre Project's capacity is limited to 150. Patrons are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance.

Media requests may be directed to the BSO's PR Department, 410.783.8024.

Three nearby restaurants will offer $25 dinner menus for the on the evenings of "Composers in Conversation" events. Patrons should reference "Composers in Conversation" when making reservations:

o Abacrombie: 410.244.7227
o Robert Oliver: 410.528.5950
o Sammy's Trattoria: 410.837.9999
 
Special anniversary pricing for the 2007-2008 season at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall is made possible by generous underwriting from the PNC Foundation.

Composers in Conversation
2007-2008 Series Calendar

"Composers in Conversation" programs takes place at Theatre Project, located at 45 West Preston Street, Baltimore, Md., just one-half block from the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall

Tickets for each program are $10 and may be purchased through the BSO Ticket Office,
410.783.8000 or www.BSOmusic.org. Note: Theatre Project's capacity is limited to 150.
Patrons are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance.

Media requests may be directed to the BSO's PR Department, 410.783.8024.

Composers in Conversation: John Adams
Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 7:30 p.m.-Theatre Project

Among the most acclaimed composers of our day, John Adams opens the BSO's new "Composers in Conversation" series. Mr. Adams will be in residence with the BSO September 26 through October 6, as the Orchestra performs three of his works, including Fearful Symmetries, which Maestra Alsop leads in her inaugural concerts. This program will be hosted by Marin Alsop.

" Tickets: $10

Favorites Series (Meyerhoff)/Classical Thursdays (Strathmore): Opening Night: The Maestra Begins
Thursday, September 27, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.-The Music Center at Strathmore *
This performance will be broadcast live on XM Satellite Radio (XM Classics 110).
Friday, September 28, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH
Saturday, September 29, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH
Sunday, September 30, 2007 at 3:00 p.m.-JMSH

Marin Alsop, conductor  
John Adams: Fearful Symmetries
Mahler: Symphony No. 5

In her historic inaugural concerts as the BSO's 12th music director, Maestra Marin Alsop leads the Orchestra in two monumental works: John Adams' Fearful Symmetries and Mahler's Symphony No. 5. The September 27 concert at the Music Center at Strathmore will be broadcast live on XM Satellite Radio (XM Classics 110),  hosted by Martin Goldsmith.

Tickets for the Music Center at Strathmore performance start at $21.
Unreserved seating for performances at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall starts at $15.

Composers in Conversation: Tan Dun
Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 7:30 p.m.-Theatre Project

Acclaimed for his Academy Award-winning score for the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Tan Dun has established himself as a composer who blends the Eastern and Western musical traditions. This program will be hosted by Dale Keiger.

Tickets: $10

Explorer Series: The Map of Asia
Thursday, October 11, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.-The Music Center at Strathmore
Friday, October 12, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH
Saturday, October 13, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH
Sunday, October 14, 2007 at 3:00 p.m.-JMSH

Tan Dun, conductor and composer †
Ilya Finkelshteyn, cello 

Shostakovich: Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Folk Themes ‡
Borodin: Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor
Tan Dun: The Map: Concerto for Cello, Video and Orchestra ‡

Oscar winner for the film score for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, composer and conductor Tan Dun takes the orchestra from the Russian gateway of Asia across to his native China, starting with the music of Shostakovich and ending with his own multimedia work. Tan Dun's The Map combines video performances of traditional Chinese street performers with a unique palette of symphonic colors and melodies. A solo cello line, originally composed for Yo-Yo Ma, will be performed by BSO Principal Cellist Ilya Finkelshteyn, highlighting the beautiful sonorities so essential to ancient Chinese music.

Tickets for the Music Center at Strathmore performance start at $21.
Unreserved seating for performances at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall start at $15.

Composers in Conversation: HK Gruber
Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 7:30 p.m.-Theatre Project

One of the most well-loved and well-known figures in the Austrian contemporary music scene, composer, conductor, chansonnier and double bass player HK Gruber will discuss Frankenstein!! and other aspects of his work. This program will be hosted by Dale Keiger.

Tickets: $10

Symphony with a Twist™: Frankenstein!!
Friday, October 19, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.-The Music Center at Strathmore
Saturday, October 20, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH

HK Gruber, conductor, composer, chansonnier

Saint-Saëns: Danse macabre
Gruber: Frankenstein!!
Beethoven: Symphony No. 8

Conducted and hosted by the composer himself, Frankenstein!! is HK Gruber's outrageously funny collection of songs for orchestra. A bumping, creaking score like nothing you've heard before, Frankenstein!! is paired with Saint-Saëns' Danse macabre, a work used extensively for horror movies and haunted houses. The program ends with Beethoven's light-hearted Eighth Symphony, complete with musical jokes, tricks and treats.

In conjunction with these performances, the BSO presents College Night. Following both Friday and Saturday's concerts, college students are invited to an after-party featuring music, prizes and snacks.

Tickets for the Music Center at Strathmore performance start at $21.
Unreserved seating for the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall performance starts at $15.
Students are eligible for $10 tickets, which may be purchased in advance or "day-of," via phone or in-person. A valid student ID is required for each ticket purchase.

Composers in Conversation: Aaron Jay Kernis
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 7:30 p.m.-Theatre Project

One of the youngest composers ever awarded the Pulitzer Prize, Aaron Jay Kernis has established himself as one of the most esteemed musical figures of his generation. This program will be hosted by Marin Alsop.

Tickets $10

Celebrity Series (Meyerhoff)/Classical Saturdays (Strathmore): Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony
Thursday, November 29, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH
Friday, November 30, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH
Saturday, December 1, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.-The Music Center at Strathmore

Marin Alsop, conductor
Timothy Fain, violin † 

Aaron Jay Kernis: Lament and Prayer ‡
Aaron Jay Kernis: Newly Drawn Sky ‡
Beethoven: Symphony No. 6, "Pastoral"

Inspired by the natural beauty that surrounds us, this performance highlights the radiant colors of honored American composer Aaron Jay Kernis's Newly Drawn Sky. The work is a lyrical reflection of an oceanside memory with his children. Continuing the Beethoven cycle, Maestra Alsop leads the composer's beloved "Pastoral" Symphony, an idyllic expression of nature.

Tickets for the Music Center at Strathmore performance start at $21.
Unreserved seating for the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall performances starts at $15.

Composers in Conversation: Mark O'Connor
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.-Theatre Project

From French jazz to Texas fiddle music, Mark O'Connor's musical background is wide and varied. This program will be hosted by Marin Alsop.

Tickets $10

Explorer Series: America
Thursday, January 31, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-The Music Center at Strathmore
Friday, February 1, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH
Saturday, February 2, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH
Sunday, February 3, 2008 at 3:00 p.m.-JMSH

Marin Alsop, conductor
Mark O'Connor, violin and composer 

Ellington: Harlem
Copland: Appalachian Spring
Mark O'Connor: American Seasons ‡

Highlighting some of America's greatest composers, this Explorer Series concert features violinist and composer Mark O'Connor, who draws on bluegrass, jazz and classical traditions in his high-energy, rhythmic compositions for fiddle and orchestra.

Tickets for the Music Center at Strathmore performance start at $21.
Unreserved seating for the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall performances starts at $15.

Composers in Conversation: Steven Mackey
Wednesday, February 6, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.-Theatre Project

American composer Stephen Mackey will discuss his musical inspirations and background, from his start as an electric guitarist with rock bands, to writing concertos for electric guitar, to performances with the Kronos and Arditti quartets.  This program will be hosted by Marin Alsop.

Tickets $10

Celebrity Series: Provocateurs
Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH
Friday, February 8, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH **

Marin Alsop, conductor
Colin Currie, percussion 

Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks
Steven Mackey: Time Release   (U.S. Premiere)
Debussy: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun
Stravinsky: Firebird, 1919 Suite

From Till Eulenspiegel of German folklore, the exotic woodland creature in Debussy's musical tale, to the famous mythological Firebird of Russian fable, the impish, troublemaking characters of legend come to life in this spirited performance. In a modern-day tale, Mackey's Time Release pits the marimba as the underdog in the orchestra in this U.S. premiere with superstar percussionist Colin Currie.

Tickets for the Music Center at Strathmore performance start at $21.
Unreserved seating for the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall performance starts at $15.

Carnegie Hall
Saturday, February 9, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-Carnegie Hall, New York

Marin Alsop, conductor
Colin Currie, percussion 

Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks
Steven Mackey: Time Release (New York Premiere)
Debussy: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun
Stravinsky: Firebird, 1919 Suite

The BSO returns to Carnegie Hall for the first time in three years and for the first time under the baton of new Music Director Marin Alsop.

Composers in Conversation: Christopher Rouse
Wednesday, March 5, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.-Theatre Project

Pulitzer Prize winner and Baltimore native Christopher Rouse will discuss his acclaimed Flute Concerto, as well as share insights into, and influences on, his vast oeuvre. This program will be hosted by Marin Alsop.

Tickets $10

Favorites Series (Meyerhoff)/Classical Thursdays (Strathmore): Beethoven's Fifth
Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-The Music Center at Strathmore *
Friday, March 7, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH
Saturday, March 8, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH
Sunday, March 9, 2008 at 3:00 p.m.-JMSH

Marin Alsop, conductor
Emily Skala, flute 
Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3
Christopher Rouse: Flute Concerto ‡
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5

With its iconic opening four-note motif, Beethoven's most famous symphony, the Fifth, is paired with his Leonore Overture No. 3. From his opera Fidelio, the Overture is a musical expression of the triumph of good over evil, and the pure joy and grandeur of the human spirit. The program also features BSO Principal Flutist Emily Skala performing Baltimore native Christopher Rouse's Celtic-inspired Flute Concerto.

Tickets for the Music Center at Strathmore performance start at $21.
Unreserved seating for the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall performances starts at $15.

Composers in Conversation: James MacMillan
Wednesday, April 2, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.-Theatre Project

James MacMillan's musical language is flooded with influences from his Scottish heritage, his Roman Catholic faith, social conscience and close connection with Celtic folk music, blended together with influences from Far Eastern, Scandinavian and Eastern European music. This program will be hosted by Dale Keiger.

Tickets $10

Explorer Series: The British Isles
Thursday, April 3, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-The Music Center at Strathmore
Friday, April 4, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH
Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. -JMSH
Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 3:00 p.m.-JMSH

James MacMillan, conductor and composer † 
Wayne Marshall, piano †

James MacMillan: Stomp ‡
James MacMillan: Piano Concerto No. 2 ‡
Beethoven: Symphony No. 2

From English drinking songs to Irish jigs, composer and conductor James MacMillan's works combine symphonic music with the traditions of the British Isles. This program features MacMillan's Stomp, drawn from traditional Irish dance, and his colorful and virtuosic Piano Concerto No. 2, performed by Wayne Marshall. Beethoven's Second Symphony is also on the program.

Tickets for the Music Center at Strathmore performance start at $21.
Unreserved seating for the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall performances starts at $15.

Composers in Conversation: John Corigliano
Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.-Theatre Project

Among the most widely recognized composers of our day, John Corigliano will discuss his Piano Concerto and To Music, along with his other works and influences. The BSO and Joshua Bell recently recorded the John Corigliano's "Red Violin Concerto," originally a BSO co-commission based on the composer Academy Award-winning score for the film The Red Violin. Recorded for Sony Classics, the disc is scheduled for release in September 2007. This program will be hosted by Marin Alsop.

Tickets $10

Celebrity Series: Beethoven's Eroica
Thursday, April 17, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH
Friday, April 18, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH **

Marin Alsop, conductor
William Wolfram, piano 

Corigliano: To Music ‡
Corigliano: Piano Concerto ‡
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3, "Eroica"

Maestra Marin Alsop leads the BSO in Beethoven's "Eroica" Symphony and two works by Oscar-winning composer John Corigliano: his grand, energy-packed Piano Concerto and To Music, both receiving their BSO premieres on this program.

Tickets for the Music Center at Strathmore performance start at $21.
Unreserved seating for the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall performances starts at $15.

Composers in Conversastion: Thomas Adès
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.-Theatre Project

At just 36 years of age, British composer and conductor Thomas Adès has become one of the most talked-about composers on the international music scene. This program will be hosted by Dale Keiger.

Tickets $10

Celebrity Series (Meyerhoff)/Classical Saturdays (Strathmore): Beethoven Re-Imagined
Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH
Friday, May 16, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH
Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-The Music Center at Strathmore
 
Thomas Adès, conductor and composer †
Anthony Marwood, violin † 

Beethoven: Symphony No. 1
Thomas Adès: Violin Concerto ‡
Beethoven: Symphony No. 4

Composer/conductor Thomas Adès will lead Anthony Marwood and the BSO in his Violin Concerto, a work composed especially for the Marwood. Beethoven's First and Fourth Symphonies will begin and conclude the performance.

Tickets for the Music Center at Strathmore performance start at $21.
Unreserved seating for the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall performances starts at $15.

Composers in Conversation: Joan Tower
Wednesday, June 18, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.-Theatre Project

Hailed by The New Yorker as "one of the most successful woman composers of all time," Joan Tower will discuss the inspiration behind her numerous works, which include the Concerto for Orchestra and her popular Fanfares for the Uncommon Woman. This program will be hosted by Marin Alsop.

Tickets $10

Favorites Series (Meyerhoff)/Classical Thursdays (Strathmore): Beethoven's Ninth
Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-The Music Center at Strathmore *
Friday, June 20, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH
Saturday, June 21, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.-JMSH
Sunday, June 22, 2008 at 3:00 p.m.-JMSH

Marin Alsop, conductor 
Baltimore Choral Arts Society
Tom Hall, Music Director 

Joan Tower: Concerto for Orchestra
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, "Choral"

Maestra Marin Alsop, the Baltimore Choral Arts Society and the BSO conclude the 2007-2008 season in grand fashion with Joan Tower's Concerto for Orchestra and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9.

Tickets for the Music Center at Strathmore performance start at $21.
Unreserved seating for the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall performances starts at $15.

While current at the time of publication, this calendar is subject to change. Updated calendars are issued regularly. For the most recent version, please contact the BSO Public Relations Office.

CALENDAR KEY

†  Denotes a BSO artist debut

‡  Denotes a BSO premiere

* Music Notes LIVE! is a free pre-concert lecture at the Music Center at Strathmore, hosted by WETA's David Ginder. The program begins at 7:00 p.m. and is free to ticket holders.

** Classics in Conversation is a free pre-concert lecture at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The program begins at 7:00 p.m. and is free to ticket holders.

VENUES

Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall is located at 1212 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, Md.

The Baltimore Symphony's second venue, the Music Center at Strathmore, is located at 5301 Tuckerman Lane, N. Bethesda, Md.

Composers in Conversation takes place at Theatre Project, located one-half block from the Meyerhoff at 45 West Preston Street, Baltimore, Md.

TICKETS

Special anniversary pricing at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
is generously underwritten by the PNC Foundation.

Subscriptions series for both Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and BSO at Strathmore are on sale now. Single tickets for both venues will go on sale August 23.

Tickets for Meyerhoff events may be purchased through the BSO Ticket Office, 410.783.8000 or www.BSOmusic.org.

Three nearby restaurants-Abacrombie, Robert Oliver and Sammy's Trattoria-will offer $25 dinner menus for the on the evenings of "Composers in Conversation" events. Patrons should reference "Composers in Conversation" when making reservations.

Tickets for BSO at Strathmore events may be purchased through the BSO at Strathmore Ticket Office, 877.BSO.1444 or www.BSOmusic.org.

Composers in Conversation Biographies

John Adams
A musician, conductor and composer of enormous range and technical command, John Adams has produced works that stand out among contemporary classical music for the depth of their expression, the brilliance of their sound and the profoundly humanist nature of their themes.

Born in New England, Adams studied at Harvard University. He has taught at San Francisco Conservatory of Music and became Composer-in-Residence at the San Francisco Symphony. From 2003 to 2007, he served as Composer-in-Residence at Carnegie Hall and gave the first public concert in the new Zankel Hall.

His piece, On the Transmigration of Souls, written for the New York Philharmonic in commemoration of the first anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks, received the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Music and won a rare "triple crown" at the Grammy's, including  "Best Classical Recording." Adams has been honored with honorary degrees and proclamations by, among others, Cambridge University, Harvard University, Phi Beta Kappa and the French Legion of Honor.

All of his works, both symphonic and theatrical, have appeared on Nonesuch Records. A ten-CD set, The John Adams Earbox, documents his recorded music through 2000. Adams is currently writing a book of memoirs and commentary on American musical life.

Thomas Adès
Thomas Adès was born in London in 1971. Among his most well known works are Asyla (which won the 2000 Grawemeyer Prize), Living Toys, Arcadiana, and the opera Powder Her Face, televised by Channel Four and also recorded for EMI Classics, one of six EMI CDs devoted to his music on which the composer is featured as pianist and conductor.

Thomas Adès music has been programmed by many international orchestras and ensembles in over a dozen countries worldwide. He has received commissions from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Hallé, the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Ensemble Modern and London Sinfonietta, as well as Glyndebourne Opera and Royal Opera Covent Garden. A focus on his music at the 1999 Helsinki Musica Nova (in which 17 of his works were played) appeared in the London Weekend Television Profile, relayed on Channel Four in December 1999.  Adès has been Artistic Director to the Aldeburgh Festival since 1999. He has received many prestigious awards and prizes, among them the Grawemeyer 2000 Award for Asyla, of which he was the youngest-ever recipient. His second opera, The Tempest, was premiered to great critical acclaim at the Royal Opera House in February 2004 under the baton of the composer.

Marin Alsop, host and BSO Music Director
Marin Alsop made history with her appointment as the twelfth Music Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in July 2005. With the opening of the 2007-2008 season, she becomes the first woman to head a major American orchestra, mirroring her ongoing success in the United Kingdom as

Principal Conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony since 2002. In summer 2005, she was named a MacArthur Fellow, the first conductor ever to receive this most prestigious American award. The first artist to win Gramophone's "Artist of the Year" award and the Royal Philharmonic Society's Conductor's Award in the same season (2003), Maestra Alsop recently won the Classical Brit Award for Best Female Artist of 2005. In July 2007, she was honored with a European Women of Achievement Award, presented to individuals whose vision, courage and determination have made a major impact on increasing the influence of women in European affairs.

Ms. Alsop is a regular guest conductor with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony and Los Angeles Philharmonic. She also appears frequently as a guest conductor with many distinguished orchestras worldwide. After a highly successful 12-year tenure as music director of the Colorado Symphony, Ms. Alsop continues her association as conductor laureate; she also continues as music director of the highly acclaimed Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in California. Marin Alsop is deeply committed to recording and harnessing technology to advance classical music in the new digital age.

John Corigliano
Renowned composer John Corigliano has received numerous honors, including the Pulitzer Prize (2001, Symphony No. 2) the Grawemeyer Award (1991, Symphony No. 1) the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Composition (1991, Symphony No. 1, 1996, String Quartet) and the Academy Award "Oscar" (2000, The Red Violin). His orchestral, choral and chamber works are performed worldwide, and his opera, The Ghosts of Versailles, commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera for its centenary, is scheduled both for its Buenos Aires premiere at the Teatro Colón in 2008 and its second revival at the Met in 2009-2010.
 
In 2003, John Corigliano's Violin Concerto, developed from themes from The Red Violin, received its world premiere with Marin Alsop leading Joshua Bell and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, which co-commissioned the work. The Violin Concerto has since earned the distinction of being the most performed concerto composed in the last quarter century, and has been performed by some of the world's premier orchestras. The first recording of the concerto, again with Alsop, Bell and the Baltimore Symphony, is set for release by Sony Classics in fall 2007.
 
In spring 2006, Leonard Slatkin led both the U.S. Marine Band in performances of Circus Maximus: Symphony No. 3 (2005) for wind orchestra at Strathmore Hall in Bethesda, Md. and the National Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in performances of Corigliano's Symphony No. 1 (Slatkin's recording of this piece with the NSO won the 1996 Grammy Award for Best Classical Recording of the Year).
 
John Corigliano serves on the faculty at The Juilliard School of Music, and holds the position of Distinguished Professor of Music at Lehman College, City University of New York, which recently established a composition scholarship in his name.

Tan Dun
A winner of today's most prestigious honors-the Grawemeyer Award for classical composition, a Grammy Award, Academy Award, and Musical America's   "Composer of The Year" -Tan Dun's music has been played throughout the world by the leading orchestras, opera houses, international festivals, and radio and television.

Born in Hunan, China, Tan Dun served as a rice-planter and performer of Peking opera during the Cultural Revolution, before studying at Beijing's Central Conservatory. There he encountered Western classical music for the first time. Tan Dun soon became the leading composer of the "New Wave" of contemporary music in China. He moved to New York in 1986 upon receiving a scholarship from Columbia University, where he completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in 1993.

Central to Tan Dun's body of work are several distinct series that reflect his individual compositional concepts and personal ideals. Among them are the Orchestral Theatre Series, which brings his memories of shamanistic ritual into symphonic performances; Organic Music, consisting of works which incorporate elements from the natural world; and Multimedia & Orchestra.

As a conductor, he has led many of the world's most renowned orchestras including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, and the London Sinfonietta.

Opera has played a significant role in Tan Dun's creative output during the past decade. In particular, Marco Polo and Peony Pavilion have been performed dozens of times each in cities across the world. Other key works include: Eight Memories in Watercolor, performed internationally by pianist Lang Lang; the Oscar Award-winning original score for Ang Lee's film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; and Ghost Opera, toured worldwide by the Kronos Quartet.

Tan Dun was elected by Toru Takemitsu for the Glenn Gould Prize in Music Communication, and by Hans Werner Henze for the Munich International Music Theatre Award. Currently, he is the music director of a multimedia festival with the Orchestre de la Radio Flamande. Tan Dun records for Deutsche Grammophon and Sony Classical.

HK Gruber
Composer, conductor, chansonnier and double bass player HK Gruber is one of the most well-known and well-loved figures in the Austrian contemporary music scene.  He has been labeled new Romantic, neo-tonal, neo-expressionistic and neo-Viennese, but his music remains refreshingly non-doctrinaire: a deceptively simple and darkly ironic idiom that often includes a heavy dose of black humor.

Born in Vienna in 1943, Gruber sang with the Vienna Boys' Choir as a child and studied at the Vienna Hochschule für Musik. In 1961, he began playing double bass with the ensemble die reihe, and from 1969 to 1998, he played in the Radio Symphony Orchestra-Vienna. 

Gruber's most popular and beloved composition, Frankenstein!!, was premiered in 1978 by Simon Rattle and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.  Other compositions include concerti for violin, percussion, cello (written for Yo-Yo Ma) and trumpet (written for Hakan Hardenberger) and the opera Der Herr Nordwind, premiered at Zurich Opera in 2005 by Gruber. Most recently, Gruber premiered a new orchestral work Hidden Agenda at the Lucerne Festival and BBC Proms.

HK Gruber regularly conducts and performs with orchestras around the world, such as the Bayerischer Rundfunk Symphony, Gothenburg Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony and Baltimore Symphony, and has built particularly strong relationships with the BBC Philharmonic, Ensemble Modern, Swedish Chamber Orchestra and Essen Philharmonie. He was Composer-in- Residence at the 2006 Lucerne Festival, where he conducted the Vienna Philharmonic for the first time.

Dale Keiger, host
Dale Keiger is associate editor of Johns Hopkins Magazine and the Johns Hopkins Publishing Group. He has been a journalist and essayist for 35 years, writing about science, the humanities, travel, books, sports, international affairs, and musicians of every stripe. His work has appeared in dozens of publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Connoisseur, Travel & Leisure, and Major League Baseball's All-Star Game program. As a teacher, he has taught the writing of narrative nonfiction at Johns Hopkins University and numerous writers' conferences and workshops. As a musician of strikingly modest talent, he has appeared with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in a July 4 stadium concert and sung back-up with Dave Barry's Rock Bottom Remainders at the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and Chicago's House of Blues.

Aaron Jay Kernis
Aaron Jay Kernis, winner of the coveted 2002 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition and one of the youngest composers ever to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize, is among the most esteemed musical figures of his generation. His music figures prominently on orchestral, chamber, and recital programs around the world and been commissioned by many of America's foremost performing artists, including soprano Renee Fleming, violinists Joshua Bell, Pamela Frank and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, and guitarist Sharon Isbin, and by institutions including the New York Philharmonic (for its 150th anniversary), American Public Radio, San Francisco Symphony, Birmingham Bach Choir, and the Minnesota, Philadelphia (for the opening of the Kimmel Center), Los Angeles Chamber and Saint Paul Chamber Orchestras, the Walt Disney Company, Aspen Music Festival, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and Rose Center for Earth and Space at the Museum of Natural History in New York, amongst many others.

Recent commissions include his Toy Piano Concerto for Margaret Leng Tan, the Singapore Symphony, and Minnesota Orchestra, and Newly Drawn Sky for James Conlon's first season as Music Director of the Ravinia Festival. He looks forward to a piano work for Emmanuel Ax, a piece for Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble, and a song cycle for the opening of the new San Francisco Conservatory. His music is available on various record labels, including Nonesuch, Phoenix, New Albion and Argo and CRI.

In 1993, he was appointed Composer-in-Residence of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Public Radio, and the American Composers Forum. Since 1998, he has served as New Music Advisor to the Minnesota Orchestra and is currently on the faculty at Yale University. Aaron Jay Kernis was born in Philadelphia on January 15, 1960.

Steven Mackey
Steven Mackey is a composer, performer and educator. He has composed chamber music, orchestral music, music for dance, and opera. He has also composed two concertos and numerous chamber and solo works for the electric guitar which he himself has performed with musicians such as Michael Tilson

Thomas, David Robertson, Peter Eotvos, the Kronos and Arditti quartets, The London Sinfonietta, Bill Frisell, Joey Baron and many others.

Steven Mackey has been a member of the Princeton University composition faculty since 1985 where he teaches courses and seminars in diverse topics, including 16th-century counterpoint, composing for orchestra, improvisation, and topics in contemporary music. In 1991, he won the first-ever distinguished teaching award from Princeton University.

His current projects include a violin concerto for Leila Josefowicz, commissioned jointly by the BBC Philharmonic and the St. Louis Symphony; a double concerto for himself to perform with violinist Anthony Marwood, commissioned jointly by the Irish Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestra of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; and a musical theater work in collaboration with Rinde Eckert and eighth blackbird.

James MacMillan
James MacMillan's musical language is flooded with influences from his Scottish heritage, his Roman Catholic faith, social conscience and close connection with Celtic folk music, blended together with influences from Far Eastern, Scandinavian and Eastern European music.

His major works include Veni, Veni, Emmanuel, the percussion concerto which has received more than 300 performances; a cello concerto for Mstislav Rostropovich; a major choral-orchestral work, Quickening; and three symphonies. He was appointed Affiliate Composer of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in 1990. From 1992 to 2002, he was Artistic Director of the Philharmonia Orchestra's Music of Today series. 

James MacMillan has been Composer/Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic since September 2000, where he has conducted new commissions, recording projects and performances at the Bridgewater Hall, BBC Proms, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Athens Megaron, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, and an ongoing series of composer-feature concerts.

James MacMillan will conduct the world premiere performance of his second opera, The Sacrifice, in September 2007 with the Welsh National Opera.

Mark O'Connor
A product of America's rich aural folk tradition, Mark O'Connor's journey began at the feet of two violin masters: Texas fiddler Benny Thomasson and French jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli. Between these two marvelous musical extremes, Mark O'Connor absorbed knowledge and influence from a multitude of musical styles and genres. Now, at age 45, he has melded and shaped these influences into a new American classical music. His first recording for the Sony Classical record label, Appalachia Waltz, was a collaboration with Yo-Yo Ma and double bassist Edgar Meyer. The works O'Connor composed for the disc, including its title track, gained worldwide recognition for him as a leading proponent of a new American musical idiom. The tremendously successful follow-up release, Appalachian Journey, received a Grammy Award in February 2001.

Viewing Mark O'Connor as a direct cultural descendant of America's 18th-century musicians, the producers of the six-part PBS documentary on the American Revolution approached Mark O'Connor to contribute music to their long-form work. An album of the music he created, Liberty!, was released on the Sony Classical label in 1997 and features O'Connor's arrangements of a variety of traditional American music and expansive original orchestral works. Both Yo-Yo Ma and Wynton Marsalis appear as guests on the album. The Los Angeles Times warmly noted he has "crossed over so many boundaries, that his style is purely personal."

Christopher Rouse
Christopher Rouse is known for orchestral scores that possess a driving, sometimes brutal energy. In recent years, a new current of lyricism has emerged in his music. His works have won a Pulitzer Prize and a Grammy Award as well as election to the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Letters. Rouse has created a body of work perhaps unequalled in its emotional intensity. The Baltimore Sun has written: "When the music history of the late 20th century is written, I suspect the explosive and passionate music of Rouse will loom large."

Christopher Rouse's scores have been performed by every major orchestra in the U.S. and an increasing number in Europe and Asia.  Champions include conductors Christoph Eschenbach, Leonard Slatkin, Marin Alsop and David Zinman. 

Christopher Rouse is the winner of the 1993 Pulitzer Prize in Music for his Trombone Concerto and was awarded a Grammy in 2002 for Best Contemporary Composition for his guitar concerto, Concert de Gaudí.  Among soloists, noted interpreters include Emanuel Ax, Evelyn Glennie, Sharon Isbin, Yo-Yo Ma and Dawn Upshaw. Born in Baltimore in 1949, Rouse is currently a member of the composition faculty at The Juilliard School.

Joan Tower
Hailed as "one of the most successful woman composers of all time" by The New Yorker, Joan Tower was the first woman ever to receive the Grawemeyer Award in Composition in 1990. She was inducted into the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1998, and into the Academy of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University in 2004. Tower is the first composer chosen for the ambitious new "Ford Made in America" commissioning program, sponsored by the League of American Orchestras.

From 1969 to 1984, she was pianist and founding member of the Naumburg Award-winning Da Capo Chamber Players, which commissioned and premiered many of her most popular works. More than 500 different ensembles have played Tower's tremendously popular Fanfares for the Uncommon Woman.

Other compositions have crossed many genres, including Fascinating Ribbons (2001), her foray into the world of band music and Vast Antique Cubes/Throbbing Still (2000), a solo piano piece for John Browning. Tower's 1990 Grawemeyer Award-winning Silver Ladders was written during her 1985-88 St. Louis Symphony residency, and was subsequently choreographed in 1998 by Helgi Tomasson and the San Francisco Ballet.