Joseph Meyer News

The Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras (BSYO) will perform their season finale concert on May 17, 2014 at 3 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The program will feature works by Mozart, Nielsen, Mussorgsky, Brahms, Prokofiev, Beethoven and many others and will highlight three orchestral ensembles comprised of 205 of the Mid-Atlantic Region's most talented musicians, grades 1-12. Please see below for complete concert details.

Capitalizing the appeal of singing competition shows like "The Voice" and "American Idol," the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) announces its seventh annual singing competition, "O, Say Can You Sing?" Contestants will vie for the chance to sing the national anthem alongside the BSO in front of thousands at the BSO's annual Star-Spangled Spectacular concerts held at Baltimore County's Oregon Ridge Park, July 3-4, 2014. Please see below for complete competition and event details.

Music Director Marin Alsop will lead the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) in Mahler's Symphony No. 1, 'Titan' and Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini tonight, April 24 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 27 at 3 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Sendai International Music Competition and 2012 William Kapell International Piano Competition winner Yekwon Sunwoo joins the BSO to perform Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. 'Titan' is also the subject of Maestra Alsop's final Off the Cuff concert of the 2013-2014 season, Friday, April 25 at 8:15 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore and Saturday, April 26 at 7 p.m. at the Meyerhoff.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) today announced a special performance with acclaimed multi-platinum selling, singer-songwriter Ben Folds on Thursday, July 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) today announced that Baltimore philanthropists Robert E. Meyerhoff and Rheda Becker have been appointed Lifetime Directors of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's Board of Directors.

Music Director Marin Alsop will lead the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) in Mahler's Symphony No. 1, "Titan" and Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini on Thursday, April 24 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 27 at 3 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Sendai International Music Competition and 2012 William Kapell International Piano Competition winner Yekwon Sunwoo joins the BSO to perform Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. "Titan" is also the subject of Maestra Alsop's final Off the Cuff concert of the 2013-2014 season, Friday, April 25 at 8:15 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore and Saturday, April 26 at 7 p.m. at the Meyerhoff.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra today announced its Summer 2014 concert season.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra today announced its Summer 2014 concert season. Programs include a presentation of Michael Curtiz's classic film Casablanca (June 12-14), the annual Star-Spangled Spectacular at Oregon Ridge Park (July 3 & 4), All-Baroque (July 10 & 11) and All-Beethoven (July 24 & 25) celebrations at the Meyerhoff and Strathmore, and Video Games Live (July 26), an immersive concert event featuring music from an array of classic and contemporary video games at the Meyerhoff. Calendar and concert information is below. For more info please visit BSOmusic.org.

In a new collaboration with Washington, D.C.'s Folger Theatre, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and Music Director Marin Alsop bring together an all-star cast of stage, film and television for Director Edward Berkeley's adaptation of the William Shakespeare comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Featuring John Bolger of 'General Hospital' and Linda Powell of 'Chicago Fire,' Midsummer will premiere with the BSO on May 29 at the Music Center at Strathmore, and May 30 through June 1 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Please see below for casting and complete concert details.

Music Director Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) announce the Orchestra's 2014-2015 season, its eighth under the direction of Maestra Alsop. The full schedule and details about each production follow.

Earlier this week, the American Marketing Association (AMA) - Baltimore presented the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) with the Marketing Excellence Award for Best Advertising Campaign for its ongoing Musicians Campaign. The 2013 campaign, comprising of 20 unique and disarming photos featuring members of the BSO as real and relatable individuals, was the brainchild of BSO Vice President of Marketing and Communications Eileen Andrews, BSO Art Director Elisa Watson and photographer James Bartolomeo, who served as the project's creative director. By celebrating the BSO's world-class musicians in less formal and more personal ways, the initiative allows the public to feel a connection to these artists that they otherwise would not. This award-wining campaign complements the BSO and Music Director Marin Alsop's commitments to being a leader and innovator in the field for accessibility and audience engagement.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) regrets to announce that due to a sudden family emergency, Maestra Marin Alsop will not be conducting the January 30-February 1 performances of two classic 1920's Charlie Chaplin films, The Idle Class and The Kid. The BSO is very grateful to Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly for stepping in at short notice to lead this weekend's performances. The program will remain unchanged.

Hosted by George Takei and led by Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) presents Sci-Fi Spectacular!, Thursday, February 20 at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore, and Friday, February 21 and Saturday, February 22 at 8p.m. and Sunday, February 23 at 3p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) Music Director Marin Alsop leads the BSO in a performance of Charlie Chaplin's cinematic masterpieces The Idle Class and The Kid on Thursday, January 30 and Friday, January 31 at 8 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and Saturday, February 1 at 8 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore. The evening will include screenings of Chaplin's silent films, with the BSO performing the accompanying soundtracks live, building on the two prior successful pairings of Chaplin's famed films with his original scores. Further, February 7, 2014 marks the centennial of the appearance of Chaplin's Little Tramp on the silver screen, in the Keystone Studios comedy Kid Auto Races at Venice.

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly will lead the Orchestra in a special tribute concert to its former pops conductor, the late Marvin Hamlisch, on Thursday, January 23 at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore and on Friday, January 24 and Saturday, January 25 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, January 26 at 3 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Featuring lead singer Marissa McGowan, the BSO will perform some of Hamlisch's best-known works, including "They're Playing Our Song," "The Way We Were" and "What I Did For Love" from A Chorus Line.

On the heels of Baltimore-based composer Jonathan Leshnoff's Carnegie Hall debut and five-city tour of the song cycle 'Monica Songs' in October 2013, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO), led by BSO Music Director Marin Alsop, performs the world premiere of his Guitar Concerto tonight, January 9 and January 12, 2014 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The work features acclaimed guitarist and fellow Baltimorean Manuel Barrueco.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) has appointed Jack Fishman as its new vice president of external affairs for the BSO at Strathmore, a position he will start on January 2, 2014. Mr. Fishman brings more than 20 years of orchestral and arts management leadership experience to the BSO, most recently serving as president and CEO of the San Antonio Symphony from 2008 through 2012. He has also held leadership roles at the symphony orchestras of Long Beach (Calif.), Amarillo (Texas) and Jacksonville (Fla.). With his extensive experience in fundraising and marketing, Mr. Fishman will lead the BSO's strategy for growth as it seeks to increase its impact and presence in the Greater Washington, D.C. area.

On the heels of Baltimore-based composer Jonathan Leshnoff's Carnegie Hall debut and five-city tour of the song cycle "Monica Songs" in October 2013, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO), led by BSO Music Director Marin Alsop, performs the world premiere of his Guitar Concerto on January 9 & 12, 2014 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The work features acclaimed guitarist and fellow Baltimorean Manuel Barrueco.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is pleased to announce the launch of its fifth annual BSO Academy Week as well as a new Academy program specifically designed for aspiring and experienced music educators, the BSO Music Educators Academy. From Saturday, June 14 through Saturday, June 21, 2014 instrumentalists from across the country are invited to rehearse and perform side-by-side with BSO musicians and Music Director Marin Alsop in an intensive music 'fantasy' camp. The BSO's Academy Week was notably featured in The New York Times and has become a popular destination for amateur musicians from across the country. From Monday, July 7 through Saturday, July 12, 2014 instrumental and vocal music educators will take part in the first-ever week-long orchestral immersion program playing side-by-side with BSO musicians and expert faculty to improve musicianship, performance technique, conducting skills, improvisation, arranging, practice techniques and ensemble skills. A distinctive professional development program, qualifying participants in the BSO Music Educators Academy may obtain three graduate credits through the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Please see below for complete registration details.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is pleased to announce that internationally-known astrophysicist Dr. Mario Livio will join Music Director Marin Alsop as a special guest throughout next week's presentation of Gustav Holst's The Planets. On Thursday, November 7 and Sunday, November 10 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, Dr. Livio will deliver a brief on-stage introduction to The Planets with supplementary images. For the Off the Cuff performances on Friday, November 8 at the Music Center at Strathmore and Saturday, November 9 at the Meyerhoff, Dr. Livio will join Maestra Alsop on stage and provide additional scientific perspectives for the audience.