Overture Magazine - 2015-2016 Season November-December 2015 | Page 4

overture The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra 2015–2016 Season 410.783.8000 | 1.877.BSO.1444 BSOmusic.org THE BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Marin Alsop Music Director Barbara M. Bozzuto Chair Paul Meecham President & CEO Martha Thomas Publications Editor Janet E. Bedell Program Annotator BALTIMORE MAGAZINE DESIGN AND PRINT DIVISION Director Ken Iglehart [email protected] 443.873.3916 Art Director Vicki Dodson Senior Graphic Artist Michael Tranquillo Contributing Writers Laura Farmer Christianna McCausland Martha Thomas { from the president WELCOME The holiday season is always a special time for the BSO. This year I believe we have outdone ourselves in the variety of offerings available! First, please join me in extending an enthusiastic welcome to Darin Atwater and his Soulful Symphony with special guest artist Ledisi. Founded in 2000, Soulful Symphony celebrates its 15th anniversary on November 27 and 28 with performances that showcase this remarkable orchestra MARK FEB. 11, 2016, with its blend of classical, gospel, soul, funk and more! IN YOUR CALENDAR, No holiday season is complete without Handel’s TH Messiah, as led by Edward Polochick with the Concert THE EXACT 100 Artists of Baltimore (Dec. 4 and 6), and the Morgan ANNIVERSARY State University Choir brings its own holiday celOF THE BSO’S ebration (Dec. 17, 18). Of course, there’s much for FIRST CONCERT. the family at this time of year with The Polar Express (Dec. 5), performances of John Williams’ score to Home Alone, performed live with the film (Dec. 19) and Cirque de la Symphonie to ring in the New Year (Dec. 31, Jan. 1 and 2). And at the heart of the festivities is ‘Tis the Season with Brian Stokes Mitchell . The Broadway veteran joins the BSO SuperPops (Dec. 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13) for an evening of traditional and contemporary holiday favorites. Looking into 2016, please mark February 11 in your calendar, the exact 100th anniversary of the BSO’s first concert. Marin Alsop and superstar violinist Joshua Bell promise a unique evening befitting of the event. One of the first concerts of the new year will feature Leon Fleisher, a piano great, playing Prokofiev’s famous Piano Concerto No. 4. Baltimore’s own Maestro Fleisher has written the introduction to the BSO’s Centennial book A Century of Sound by our oboist and author, Michael Lisicky. Be sure to get your own copy at the BSO Store or online at bsomusic.org. Finally, you may have read about the very generous gift of $6 million to the BSO’s endowment from the Zanvyl and Isabelle Krieger Fund, in support of the orchestra’s many education initiatives for schoolchildren in Baltimore City. On behalf of th