{ In History }
125 years ago , in 1892 , Antonin Dvořák became director of New York ’ s National Conservatory of Music . The Conservatory , founded by philanthropist Jeannette Thurber , a champion of women ’ s and civil rights , was open to women and people of color , as well as those with disabilities — radically inclusive for the time . Thurber ’ s goal was to promote uniquely American orchestral music .
{ In House }
BSO announces new president and CEO
Peter T . Kjome joins the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra as its President and CEO on February 1 , 2017 . See Executive Board Chair Barbara Bozzuto ’ s welcome , page 2 .
{ In Education }
Weekday concerts celebrate National Parks 100th
The BSO and the National Parks both turned 100 last year , and the BSO education department decided to mark the confluence with a special midday concert entitled “ This Land is Your Land .”
“ It was a great way to bring these two important institutions together ,” says Nicholas Cohen , Director of Community Engagement and Education Programs .
Last October , the orchestra performed six concerts — three for local high school students and three for middle schoolers — with music evocative of nature and the great outdoors . The program , conducted by Nicholas Hersh , included selections from Beethoven ’ s Sixth Symphony , ‘ Pastoral ’; Kevin Puts ’ Two Mountain
Peter T . Kjome
Scenes and “ Hoedown ” from Aaron Copland ’ s score for the ballet Rodeo . Vince Vaise , National Parks Service ranger familiar to many from Baltimore ’ s Fort McHenry , narrated .
The music , says Cohen , “ painted a picture of nature : Beethoven ’ s “ Pastoral ” is grand and expansive ; Copland ’ s ‘ Hoedown ’ feels like the wild west .” Puts ’ piece honors the Rocky Mountains . Ellen Troyer , BSO violin , was soloist in an arrangement of “ Orange Blossom Special ,” the iconic fiddle tune honoring the passenger train that ran from New York to Miami .
These Concerts brought 8,000 students and teachers from classrooms across Maryland to the Meyerhoff .
The Midweek Education Concert Series is supported in part through the generosity of the Zanvyl and Isabel Krieger Endowed Fund for Education , the Patricia and Mark K . Joseph Music Education Fund for City Schools students , and the Maryland State Department of Education . Additional funding comes from a Fine Arts Learning Journey grant from Baltimore City Public Schools , and from Supporting Sponsors PNC , Transamerica , and Legg Mason , Supporting STEM sponsor BGE , An Exelon Company , and the BSO ’ s official Education partner The Sylvan Laureate Foundation .
Johnny Quirin
{ In Lear ning }
A New Way to Master the Music
Last spring , the BSO conducted surveys and discovered that concertgoers were hungry for opportunities to learn about the programs they attend . To respond to this need , the BSO is now offering recorded podcasts .
Fans of the BSO can now explore insights about music and composers on their own time . Each program in the classical subscription series will have a dedicated digital podcast , released about a month before the particular concert . Podcasts will be hosted by David Ginder and Marilyn Cooley , on-air hosts at WETA 90.9 and Jonathan Palevsky , program director at WBJC 91.5 .
Most of the compositions on the BSO 2016 – 2017 calendar will have separate podcasts . The digital presentations feature musical illustrations along with commentary . The podcasts are available on the BSO website and will be archived at BSOmusic . org / Podcasts for future listening .
Jonathan Palevsky
January – February 2017 | Overture 5