Celebration for a Noteworthy Year
Inclusive Gala kicks off year-long celebration for Baltimore ’ s “ Hall for All ”
by Cyrina Yarbrough
“ Bringing people together in space and sharing music of all kinds is what makes a symphony orchestra so important ,” English Horn Jane Marvine shared her excitement in a television interview . We did just that days later at our special season opening gala — the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra ’ s first in four years . Music listeners from everywhere packed the Meyerhoff for a jazzy performance headlined by Grammy-winning vocalist Ledisi and the orchestra led by BSO Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly .
As we engage to make our Baltimore home a more inclusive space for the community , our Gala , celebrating the 40 th anniversary of the inaugural concert at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall , was a fitting opportunity to solidify our “ Hall for All ” initiative . This collaboration of musical genres ; classical , jazz , soul , and pop reflected the many guests we welcomed into our Hall this past September for a momentous event .
Taking the main stage in the Harvey M . Meyerhoff Auditorium , our incomparable Principal Pops Conductor , Jack Everly , opened the concert featuring beloved pieces from Bernstein ’ s Overture and West Side Story . This was an exciting culmination to a farewell celebration of his long-standing tenure with the BSO . Interspersed with compelling videos to tell the story of the
Meyerhoff ’ s cultural significance to the Baltimore arts community , Grammy-award-winning soul vocalist Ledisi performed a riveting set filled with emotion , triumph , and perseverance . Her rendition of some of the most famous works by legendary activist , jazz songstress , and songwriter , Nina Simone proved to be a catalyst for shared musical appreciation amongst a full house of varying music lovers . Alongside our guest artist , our world-class musicians performed songs from Miss Simone ’ s catalog , including “ I Put a Spell on You ”, “ Baltimore ”, and “ My Baby Just Cares for Me ”. The evening of riveting performances didn ’ t just stop there . An ensemble of talented young musicians from BSO OrchKids and the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra , with BSO Associate Conductor , Jonathan Rush , joined Ledisi on stage to perform a moving interpretation of “ Feeling Good ”.
What made this celebration truly unique was not only our inclusive programming but also — for the first time ever — we extended the invite to all ticketed guests to enjoy our post-concert celebration . As a pivotal moment in showcasing our commitment to a “ Hall for All ”, concert attendees joined us for photo opportunities , dancing , dessert , and drinks well into the night .
( Below ) A tent set up outside of the Meyerhoff welcomed patrons to dancing , drinks , and dessert ; Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly leads the orchestra , kicking off his year-long celebration of his tenure at the BSO ; Dawn Moore and family ; Jack Everly & Dawn Moore .
( Left ) Left to right : Terry Rubenstein with husband Dr . James Rubenstein , and grandson Zachary Minkin .
12 OVERTURE / BSOmusic . org