{ In History }
British composer Gustav Holst completed The Planets in 1916 , the same year the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra was created . While the piece went on to become Holst ’ s most popular work , the composer himself preferred other works and lamented the popularity of The Planets . Holst ’ s own favorite movement was “ Saturn .”
Michael Tammaro ( Everly ).
{ In The Fa m ily }
Mother and daughter take the stage
When Janice Chandler-Eteme performed the Star Spangled Banner for the BSO ’ s centennial concert in February , her daughter Josie was in the audience . And while the sixth-grader certainly was there ( with her older sister and father ) to see her mother perform , there was someone else to look up to . “ She was so excited to see Joshua Bell ,” says Chandler-Eteme , a soprano who has performed many times for the BSO over the years , with both Marin Alsop and Yuri Temirkanov at the podium .
Josie , 11 , has followed her mother ’ s musical path , though her chosen instrument is the violin — hence her fascination with Bell . And Josie wasn ’ t at the Gala as an observer only , says Chandler-Eteme . As a member of the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra , she was also a guest musician .
Janice Chandler-Eteme , right , and her daughter Josie , above , were both part of the BSO ’ s anniversary festivities , as was Joshua Bell .
{ In Com m unit y }
BSO Fellow hopes to strengthen partnerships
If Rhea Beckett were to choose a word to best describe her current career goals , it might well be “ community .” The Ohio native , who recently joined the BSO for a six-month Urban Arts Leadership Fellowship through the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance , says she hopes to become involved in the BSO ’ s ongoing partnerships with Baltimore organizations — as well as working to establish more . “ We ’ re looking for creative ways to connect with what other groups do in the community ,” says Beckett , who is also a
Rhea Beckett graduate student in curatorial practice at MICA .
Beckett helped the BSO to promote the April production of Porgy and Bess , as well as the special community concert scheduled for May 6 . She will also help the BSO coordinate a convening of musicians from targeted orchestra fellowship programs at the June 2016 League of American Orchestras conference , which the BSO is hosting here in Baltimore . These special projects are all part of the BSO ’ s larger effort to make the 21 st century orchestra a more diverse , inclusive place to work , perform and visit . As a leader in Baltimore ’ s cultural community , she says , “ The BSO is constantly asking , ‘ how do you think about diversity and inclusion in a healthy and holistic way ?’ It ’ s about getting the community involved at a very basic level ,” she says . Creating partnerships with local organizations from colleges and churches to small businesses , Beckett says , will expand the reach of the BSO in the community while helping to build new audiences . Beckett herself is a classically trained mezzo soprano . And though she has never performed Porgy , she says , “ I ’ m very familiar with it , being an African American vocalist .”
Beckett ’ s fellowship is made possible in part by the support of the Andrew W . Mellon Foundation .
Students from OrchKids and BSYO performed the evening ’ s final piece , Ravel ’ s Boléro , which began with the young people walking down the aisles to the Meyerhoff stage . “ It was very dramatic to see the kids march in ,” recalls Chandler-Eteme .
The soprano ’ s opening performance was also a surprise to the audience . “ Marin asked me to wait until the orchestra started and then walk out ,” says Chandler-Eteme . “ She created a dramatic entrance for me .”
{ In SuperPops }
Good Morning , Everly !
Pops COnductor extended 5 years
Jack Everly , the BSO ’ s Principal Pops Conductor , has extended his contract with the orchestra for an additional four years . Maestro Everly , who also heads the Pops programs for the Indianapolis Symphony , Naples Philharmonic and the National Arts Centre orchestras , has been a leading force in Pops programming for more than two decades . As founder and music director of the Symphonic Pops Consortium , Maestro Everly has helped produce inventive programming – like Classic FM , and next season ’ s Broadway ' s Leading Men . Jack , we ’ re glad to have you !
Jack Everly
May – June 2016 | Overture 5