Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Announces 2010 Summer Season at Meyerhoff, Strathmore, Oregon Ridge and Pier Six

Summer with the BSO features the annual Star-Spangled Spectacular, Planet Earth Live and tributes to the music of Michael Jackson and the Eagles

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra announced today its programming for the Summer 2010 concert season. The season begins with Baltimore’s favorite Fourth of July tradition: The Star-Spangled Spectacular at Oregon Ridge Park, which this year features special guest, Baltimore Orioles game announcer Rick Dempsey. Summer with the BSO also includes a Broadway program at Oregon Ridge, a multimedia adventure through the BBC and Discovery Channel’s award-winning Planet Earth Live, a tribute to Michael Jackson, the music of the Eagles at Pier Six and works by Frank Zappa and Philip Glass in a program also featuring Baltimore beatboxer, Shodekeh. Patrons can join the BSO at four different venues this summer: its two year-round homes, the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (Baltimore) and The Music Center at Strathmore (North Bethesda); the Orchestra’s outdoor summer venue, Oregon Ridge Park (Cockeysville); and Pier Six (Baltimore’s Inner Harbor). The BSO also continues its tradition of offering a free, one-hour concert as part of Artscape in July, Baltimore’s annual free celebration of the arts.

Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and The Music Center at Strathmore
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s summer at the Meyerhoff and Strathmore offers a variety of musical styles. Patrons can enjoy concerts that feature multimedia elements, non-traditional performances like that of Baltimore beatboxer Shodekeh or rockstar-style tributes to music legends Michael Jackson and Frank Zappa.

On Thursday, July 8 at 8 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore and Friday, July 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, conductor George Fenton will lead the BSO in an adaptation of the BBC’s award-winning documentary, Planet Earth Live. Featuring spectacular high-definition footage, nature’s most mysterious and beautiful creatures come to life on the big screen with live orchestral accompaniment conducted by its award-winning composer George Fenton.

Two gifted young soloists—violinist Sirena Huang and pianist Conrad Tao—both only 15 years old, make their BSO debuts in Rising Stars Perform Tchaikovsky Concertos, on Saturday, July 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and Saturday, July 17 at 8 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore. Led by BSO Assistant Principal Viola Christian Colberg, this all-Tchaikovsky program opens with the composer’s summer fantasia, Capriccio Italien, and features these young performers in Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto and Piano Concerto No. 1.

Conductor Brent Havens leads the BSO in a Michael Jackson Tribute, joined by Jackson-esque vocalists, on Thursday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. From his early years with the Jackson 5 to his mega-hit album Thriller and beyond, Michael Jackson made musical history with multi-platinum hits like “ABC,” “I'll Be There” and “Got To Be There” through “Beat It,” “Rock With You,” “The Way You Make Me Feel” and many more. Michael Jackson fans can enjoy an entire evening filled with music spanning the 40 years of “The King of Pop’s” influential and celebrated career.

The BSO continues the tradition of performing a free concert for Artscape patrons on Saturday, July 17 at 2 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Led by BSO Assistant Principal Viola Christian Colberg, the program features rising Metropolitan Opera soprano, Rachele Gilmore. Hailed for her “rounded, fresh tone” (Opera News) and ability as “a clever actress with a top-notch voice and a winning manner” (The Boston Globe), Ms. Gilmore will perform a selection of operatic favorites.

Music Director Marin Alsop leads the BSO in a concert suite of Gershwin’s great American opera, Porgy and Bess, on Thursday, July 22, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Featuring sopranos Indira Mahajan and Alison Buchanan, and bass-baritone Derrick Parker, whose sold-out February performances with the BSO were cancelled as a casualty of the “Blizzards of 2010,” patrons will finally have the opportunity to hear this talented cast perform favorites such as “Summertime,” “A Woman Is A Sometime Thing” and “It Ain’t Necessarily So,” joined by the D.C.-based Heritage Signature Chorale. The program opens with another Gershwin favorite, An American in Paris.

Maestra Marin Alsop leads the BSO in The Music of Frank Zappa and Philip Glass, featuring works by two of Baltimore’s most celebrated native composers on Friday, July 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. From his early work with the Mothers of Invention to his classical, rock, jazz and electronic compositions, Zappa is revered for the complexity and versatility of his music. Marin Alsop and the BSO also perform Philip Glass’ Heroes Symphony based on the David Bowie classic ‘70s album and introduce Baltimore beatboxer, Shodekeh, in a unique collaboration of vocal drumming pyrotechnics and orchestra.

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