Marin Alsop, conductor
Sheku Kanneh-Mason, cello
PRICE The Oak
SAINT-SAËNS Cello Concerto No. 1 
DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 7
The royal wedding of Meghan Markle to Prince Harry made an international sensation out of the mesmerizing cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who makes his BSO debut playing Saint-Saëns’ charming First Cello Concerto. The concert opens with composer Florence Price’s brooding and lush tone poem, The Oak, and closes with Dvořák’s exquisite Seventh Symphony.
Carolyn Kuan, conductor
Philippe Quint, violin
Samuel Barber – Adagio for Strings
John Corigliano – The Red Violin: Chaconne for Violin and Orchestra
Philippe Quint, violin
Igor Stravinsky – Suite from Firebird (1919)
John Williams – Schindler’s List
Philippe Quint, violin
Ennio Morricone – “Love Theme” from Cinema Paradiso
Philippe Quint, violin
Carlos Gardel – "Por una Cabeza" from Scent of a Woman
Philippe Quint, violin
Charlie Chaplin’s Smile
Chaplin – “City Lights” Suite
Philippe Quint, violin
Debussy – Claire De Lune (BSO Only)
Chaplin (arr. by Pedro Giraudo) – Tango Bitterness
Philippe Quint, violin
Brahms – Hungarian Dance No. 5 (BSO Only)
Chaplin (arr. by Leon Gurvitch) – The Kid Fantasy
Philippe Quint, violin
Chaplin (arr. by Leon Gurvitch) – Theme from Modern Times (Smile)
Philippe Quint, violin
Combining clips from classic Chaplin films with live music, Charlie Chaplin’s Smile is violinist Philippe Quint’s tribute to Charlie Chaplin on his 130th birthday, tracing Chaplin’s relationship with 20th-century master composers and his own film scores. This cinematic program also features John Corigliano’s Red Violin Chaconne, Barber’s heartbreaking Adagio for Strings (Platoon) and John Williams’ poignant Three Pieces from Schindler’s List.
Marin Alsop, conductor
Yulianna Avdeeva, piano
MOZART Marriage of Figaro Overture
CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 2
PROKOFIEV Suite from Romeo and Juliet
The worlds of opera, ballet, comedy and tragedy visit this melodious program, bookended by Mozart’s vivacious Marriage of Figaro Overture and Prokofiev’s dramatic Suite from Romeo and Juliet. Russian piano sensation Yulianna Avdeeva performs Chopin’s Second Piano Concerto, the work that first won the composer international fame. A feast of keyboard virtuosity and irresistible lyrical themes, it is highlighted by a magical Nocturne, in which a rapturously beautiful melody makes time stand still.
Marin Alsop, conductor
PROKOFIEV Suite from Romeo and Juliet
Originally wanting to give his ballet a happy ending, Prokofiev ultimately composed heartbreakingly beautiful music for the tale of the star-crossed lovers' deaths, alongside the shocking violence of the Capulet/Montague feud that dooms them.
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
Christylez Bacon, beatboxer
Wytold, electric cello
Program to include:
PROKOFIEV “Montagues and Capulets” from Romeo and Juliet
BACON/WYTOLD How to Play the Cello
SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 10, II. Allegro
BACON/WYTOLD It’s the Beatbox Baroque Style
WYTOLD Homework at Home and Bach Remix
BERNSTEIN Mambo from Overture to West Side Story
Imagine the sounds of the classics with a hip hop beat! Don’t miss this special program when the BSO joins with Grammy®-nominated beatboxer and progressive hip-hop artist Christylez Bacon and wildly original electric cellist/composer Wytold for a crash course in the fundamentals of remixing! Through beatboxing, improvising, and other creative techniques, these area favorites take inspiration from a Bach Prelude, Pachelbel’s Canon, Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony and other masterpieces and make them completely their own.
If you are a school, or reserving more than 20 tickets please fill out our reservation request form - Mid-Week Reservation Form. Note that tickets are no longer available for the performance on Thursday, February 20th at 11:30am.
MUSIC FOR YOUTH+: ALL AGES (especially grades 3-8)
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: SOCIAL STUDIES, HISTORY, ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, MUSIC TECHNOLOGY
The free Symphony in the City series brings the BSO out of the concert hall and into community locations throughout Baltimore. Programs will include works by Beethoven as part of the BSO’s Beethoven 2020 celebration, which recognizes and honors the composer’s 250th birthday.
Tickets not required for performances. Available seating is on a first come, first served basis.
Friday, February 21, 2020 at 8 pm
New Psalmist Baptist Church – 6020 Marian Dr, Baltimore, MD 21215
Joseph Young, conductor
Kelly Hall-Tompkins, violin
BEETHOVEN Leonore Overture No. 3, op. 72b
JESSIE MONTGOMERY Starburst
BEETHOVEN Romance for Violin and Orchestra No. 2 in F Major
PRICE (arr. W. G. STILL) Dance in the Canebrakes
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 8 in F Major, op. 93
Joseph Young, conductor
Imagine the sounds of the classics with a Hip Hop beat! How about a mash-up with some cool rockin’ rhythms? Don’t miss this special program when the BSO joins with Grammy®-nominated beatboxer and multi-instrumentalist Christylez Bacon and wildly original electric cellist/composer Wytold for a crash course in the fundamentals of remixing! Through beatboxing, improvising and other creative techniques, these area favorites take inspiration from a Bach Prelude, Pachelbel’s Canon, Beethoven's Seventh Symphony and other masterpieces featured everywhere from movies to TV to weddings—and make them completely their own.
Join us in the lobby at 9:45 am for a range of interactive activities including face painting, crafts and more!
Immediately following each family concert is a buffet lunch in the Meyerhoff lobby. For tickets and more information, visit BSOmusic.org/family. Luncheon tickets purchased separately. Hosted by the Baltimore Symphony Associates.
Join us immediately following the family concert for a buffet lunch in the Meyerhoff lobby. Luncheon tickets purchased separately. Hosted by the Baltimore Symphony Associates.
The free Symphony in the City series brings the BSO out of the concert hall and into community locations throughout Baltimore. Programs will include works by Beethoven as part of the BSO’s Beethoven 2020 celebration, which recognizes and honors the composer’s 250th birthday.
Tickets not required for performances. Available seating is on a first come, first served basis.
Wednesday, February 26, 2020 at 7 pm
Murphy Fine Arts Center at Morgan State University – 2201 Argonne Dr, Baltimore, MD 21218
Jonathan Rush, conductor
Kelly Hall-Tompkins, violin
SAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR Le caprice de Nannette
JOSEPH BOLOGNE Violin Concerto in C Major, op. 5, No. 1
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7 in A Major, op. 92
Lucas Waldin, conductor
Capathia Jenkins, vocalist
Darryl Williams, vocalist
A tribute to the Queen of Soul, this program features symphony favorite Capathia Jenkins performing such iconic hits as “Respect,” “A Natural Woman,” “Chain of Fools,” “Amazing Grace” and much more.
Nicholas Hersh, BSYO Artistic Director
2:30 pm - Cello Choirs, String and Concert Orchestras
5:30 pm - Youth Orchestra
Launched in 2012, the BSYO comprises three orchestral ensembles of over 250 of the region's most talented musicians. The BSYO serves as ensemble-in-residence at the state-of-the-art George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology in Towson, MD.
Tickets in advance are $20 general admission, $5 students, $10 seniors (60+). All tickets sold at the door will be $25 CASH ONLY.
Purchase both performance times for the price of one! Discount will be automatically applied at checkout.
Nicholas McGegan, conductor and harpsichord
Avi Avital, mandolin
HAYDN Symphony No. 80
VIVALDI Mandolin Concerto
VIVALDI Lute Concerto in D Major
BIZET Symphony No. 1
Early-music specialist Nicholas McGegan returns to the BSO to lead a vibrant program of music for chamber orchestra, from Haydn’s effervescent Symphony No. 80 to two sunny Vivaldi concertos featuring Israeli mandolinist Avi Avital. The concert concludes with the youthful verve of Bizet’s Symphony No. 1, composed when he was 17 and a student at the Paris Conservatory.
Marin Alsop, conductor
Cierra Byrd, mezzo-soprano
University of Maryland College Park Concert Choir
Edward Maclary, director
Peabody Children’s Chorus
Doreen Falby, director
MAHLER Symphony No. 3
Mahler’s Third Symphony is the heart of his symphonic output. In six movements, it looks at the totality of the natural world, beginning with plants and animals, rising to humans and culminating in the divine. Its last movement, which Mahler named, “What love tells me,” is a magnificent arc of melody, as beautiful as anything he wrote.
Jun Märkl, conductor
Ray Chen, violin
MESSIAEN The Forgotten Offerings
SHOSTAKOVICH Violin Concerto No. 1
RAVEL Pavane for a Dead Princess
STRAUSS Death and Transfiguration
Violin sensation Ray Chen returns to perform Shostakovich’s formidable First Violin Concerto, a deeply personal work that was hidden from the scrutiny of the Stalinist regime. The program also includes Ravel’s hauntingly beautiful Pavane for a Dead Princess and Richard Strauss' contemplative and powerful tone poem, Death and Transfiguration.
Cherry blossoms, sunshine, and budding flowers and trees herald spring with a BSO brass quintet! So refreshing!
Jun Märkl, conductor
Ray Chen, violin
SHOSTAKOVICH Violin Concerto No. 1
Shostakovich's First Violin Concerto was composed during a time of severe censorship in Soviet Russia, so the composer did not premiere his work until after Stalin's demise. Violinist Ray Chen, winner of the Yehudi Menuhin and Queen Elisabeth competitions, illuminates the hidden messages of this highly personal work.
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Marin Alsop, conductor
Cristina Pato, bagpipes
Kayhan Kalhor, kamancheh
David Krakauer, klezmer clarinet
Michael Ward-Bergeman, hyper accordion
Washington Performing Arts Men & Women of the Gospel Choir
Florence Price: The Oak
Golijov: Rose of the Winds
Trad: “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”
Trad: “Goin’ Home”
Dvořák: Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”
As part of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ and Washington Performing Arts’ SHIFT: A Festival of American Orchestras, the BSO takes a closer look at America’s music and the diverse cultures that have formed it in a performance of Florence Price’s The Oak, Golijov’s Rose of the Winds and Dvořák’s famous “New World” Symphony.” Joining the BSO are members of the esteemed Silk Road Ensemble: Cristina Pato, bagpipes; Kayhan Kalhor, kamancheh; and Michael Ward-Bergeman, hyper-accordion; as well as David Krakauer on the klezmer clarinet.
SHIFT: Festival of American Orchestras, co-presented by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Washington Performing Arts.
Marin Alsop, conductor
David Fray, piano
ANNA CLYNE COLOR FIELD (World Premiere)
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 9, “Jeunehomme”
FANNY MENDELSSOHN-HENSEL Overture in C Major
FELIX MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4, “Italian”
A work newly commissioned by the BSO from the dynamic young British composer Anna Clyne is juxtaposed with Fanny Mendelssohn’s Overture in C Major. We also hear Fanny’s famous brother’s “Italian” Symphony, with its most joyous of all opening themes. French pianist David Fray performs Mozart’s youthful masterpiece of the classical style, the Piano Concerto No. 9.
The Chicago Multicultural Dance Center’s select Hiplet Ballerina Company makes their first appearance at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, fusing classical pointe technique with urban dance that is rooted in communities of color, fueled by inclusivity, modern movement, and Instagram-ready style. Come see the Company everyone is talking about during this special one night engagement. Hiplet Ballerinas first found fame in 2016 when their videos went viral on BuzzFeed, Good Morning America, and The Huffington Post. Since then, they’ve traveled the world performing at Fashion Week in Paris, at half-time shows for the NBA, and in Hong Kong’s Chinese New Years Day Parade.
Please note: The BSO is not performing on this program. Please note this performance was originally scheduled for Sunday, July 28 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, and has been postponed to Sunday, March 29, 2020 at 3 pm.
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
Hubble Scientist, host TBA
STRAUSS On the Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz
HOLST “Mars” from The Planets
MOZART Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter,” I. Allegro vivace
HOLST “Uranus” from The Planets
HOHVANESS Symphony No. 48, “Vision of Andromeda,” II. Fugue
DEBUSSY Claire de Lune
WILLIAMS “Adventures on Earth” from E.T.
Experience otherworldly images of galaxies far, far away projected on a large screen above the stage, as a Hubble Scientist is your guide in this concert featuring music by Strauss, Mozart, Holst and more. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Hubble Telescope, this program is presented in collaboration with NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center and Space Telescope Science Institute.
If you are a school, or reserving more than 20 tickets please fill out our reservation request form - Mid-Week Reservation Form.
Click here to view the Teacher's Activity Guide
PRIME TIME+: GRADES 3-6
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: SCIENCE, MATH, ART
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
Experience otherworldly images of galaxies far, far away as a Hubble Scientist is your guide in this concert featuring music by Strauss, Mozart, Holst and more. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Hubble Telescope, this program is presented in collaboration with NASA, the Goddard Space Flight Center, and Space Telescope Science Institute.
Join us in the lobby at 9:45 am for a range of interactive activities including face painting, crafts and more!
Immediately following each family concert is a buffet lunch in the Meyerhoff lobby. For tickets and more information, visit BSOmusic.org/family. Luncheon tickets purchased separately. Hosted by the Baltimore Symphony Associates.
Join us immediately following the family concert for a buffet lunch in the Meyerhoff lobby. Luncheon tickets purchased separately. Hosted by the Baltimore Symphony Associates.
The best selling author of the books Theft By Finding, Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, and many others, David Sedaris returns to Baltimore on April 11, 2020. His pieces regularly appear in the New Yorker and twice have been included in "the Best American Essays". The evening concludes with an audience Q&A and book signing.
Presented by Arts and Innovations. The BSO is not performing on this program.
Scott Terrell, conductor
Enjoy The Wizard of Oz on the big screen, and follow the yellow brick road with Dorothy and her friends as the BSO performs the Academy Award-winning score.
Peter Oundjian, conductor
University of Maryland College Park Concert Choir
Edward Maclary, director
VIVIAN FUNG Dust Devils
DEBUSSY Nocturnes
HOLST The Planets
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Hubble Telescope, the BSO salutes this historic milestone with performances of Holst’s The Planets, complete with Hubble photos and a special guest from NASA. The program also includes the tone poem Dust Devils by Canadian-born composer Vivian Fung and Debussy’s Nocturnes, the ultimate impressionist work capturing the beauty and wonders of Planet Earth.
Peter Oundjian, conductor
More an astrologer than an astronomer, Gustav Holst’s depiction of planets from our solar system has been sampled, stolen and cherished by the likes of Frank Zappa, John Williams and Hans Zimmer. The BSO salutes the 30th anniversary of the Hubble Telescope, complete with Hubble photos and a special guest from NASA.
HOLST The Planets
Marin Alsop, conductor
Olga Kern, piano
Hayley Abramowitz, soprano
ANNA CLYNE Restless Oceans (U.S. Premiere)
MAHLER Symphony No. 4
RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 3
Rachmaninoff’s most virtuosic work, the thrilling and dauntingly difficult Third Piano Concerto, is performed by the great Russian pianist Olga Kern. First prize winner of the Rachmaninoff International Piano Competition when she was just 17, Kern is known for her vivid stage presence and extraordinary technique. The concert opens with a new work written by dynamic British composer Anna Clyne and Mahler’s enchanting Fourth Symphony.
Tweet, tweet! Soar like the little birdies flying through the air and nesting in the trees with a BSO flute, violin and viola trio.
Nicholas Hersh, BSYO Artistic Director
7:00 pm - BSYO Chamber Groups
Launched in 2012, the BSYO comprises three orchestral ensembles of over 250 of the region's most talented musicians. The BSYO serves as ensemble-in-residence at the state-of-the-art George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology in Towson, MD.
Tickets in advance are $10 general admission and $5 students/seniors (60+).
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
After the destruction of the Death Star, the Rebel Alliance is under attack. Jedi Master Yoda teaches Luke Skywalker the ways of the force in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, as the BSO performs John Williams’ unforgettable score live.
Please note: these performances were originally scheduled for September 19 - 21. Read more here.
Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts in association with 20th Century Fox, Lucasfilm Ltd., and Warner /Chappell Music. © 2019 & TM LUCASFILM LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
PREMIUM CONCERT
Itzhak Perlman, violin
World-renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman joins the Baltimore Symphony for its annual Gala Concert at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.
For sponsorship opportunities and full Gala packages, please contact the Development Office at 410.783.8074.
(Please note that the BSO’s Gala has been rescheduled from September 14, 2019)
PREMIUM CONCERT
Paolo Bordignon, harpsichord
Emily Skala, flute
Jonathan Carney, violin
Peabody Dance Department
danah bella, director
BACH Orchestra Suite No. 3
BACH Brandenburg Concerto No. 5
TELEMANN Don Quixote
PURCELL The Fairy Queen: Suite No. 1
HANDEL Water Music: Suite No. 2
In a conductor-less program that puts the musicians of the BSO front and center, this concert explores the mastery of Bach and musical story-telling at its finest. Handel’s popular Water Music captures the audacious mood of George I’s boating parties on the Thames, while Telemann and Purcell depict two classics of literature, Don Quixote and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This is a musical feast of high drama for those who love the colors and sonorities of Baroque music.
Nicholas Hersh, BSYO Artistic Director
7:30 pm - String, Concert and Youth Orchestras
Launched in 2012, the BSYO comprises three orchestral ensembles of over 250 of the region's most talented musicians. The BSYO serves as ensemble-in-residence at the state-of-the-art George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology in Towson, MD.
Tickets in advance are $20 general admission, $5 students, $10 seniors (60+). All tickets sold at the door will be $25 CASH ONLY.
Evgeny Kissin, piano
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 8, “Pathétique”
BEETHOVEN Variations and Fugue, “Eroica”
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 17, “The Tempest”
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 21, “Waldstein”
“Without question he is a phenomenal pianist, a deeply intuitive and sensitive musician,” The New York Times. One of the most gifted classical pianists of his generation, Evgeny Kissin performs a recital of Beethoven's treasured piano sonatas.
The BSO is not performing on this program.
PREMIUM CONCERT
The free Symphony in the City series brings the BSO out of the concert hall and into community locations throughout Baltimore. Programs will include works by Beethoven as part of the BSO’s Beethoven 2020 celebration, which recognizes and honors the composer’s 250th birthday.
Tickets not required for performances.
Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 7 pm
Patterson Park
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
BEETHOVEN Overture to Egmont, op. 84
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major, op. 60
BEETHOVEN Wellington’s Victory, op. 91
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
The fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance as the Rebel Alliance continues its fight against the Empire in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. The iconic full-length film plays on the big screen as the BSO performs John Williams’ legendary score live.
Please note: The performance scheduled for Sunday, May 24th at Strathmore has been cancelled.
Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts in association with 20th Century Fox, Lucasfilm Ltd., and Warner /Chappell Music. © 2019 & TM LUCASFILM LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
PREMIUM CONCERT
Jack Everly, conductor
Baltimore Choral Arts Society,
Anthony Blake Clark, director
You’ll hear the most popular Broadway hits of this dynamic composer and lyricist duo, including selections from My Fair Lady, Camelot, Gigi and Brigadoon, performed by three exciting vocalists along with the BSO.
Marin Alsop, conductor
Viktoria Mullova, violin
BEETHOVEN Coriolan Overture
BEETHOVEN Violin Concerto
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6, "Pastoral"
The first orchestral program commemorating the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth features the long-awaited BSO debut of renowned Russian violinist Viktoria Mullova, who performs Beethoven’s sublime Violin Concerto. Beethoven’s beloved “Pastoral” Symphony, evoking birdsong and flowing streams, takes us to the scene of a bucolic village and draws our attention to the beauty and fragility of the natural world.
Marin Alsop, conductor
Wordsmith, spoken word artist
Morgan State University Choir,
Eric Conway, director
Community Chorus of Peabody
Voices Rise: A Baltimore Choir of Hope
REENA ESMAIL See Me (World Premiere)
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9, “Choral”
The season closes with Beethoven’s ode to joy, the Ninth Symphony, which conveys his message about humankind. Reimagining the Ninth Symphony as a 21st-century call for unity, justice, and empowerment, Marin Alsop, the BSO and members of the rich musical community of Baltimore boldly interpret Beethoven’s ideas in response to today’s world.
