Lauren Fischer: Congratulations on your recent contract extension with the BSO! Tell us what this moment means to you, and what you’ re looking forward to as you continue your legacy with the Orchestra and Baltimore.
Jonathon Heyward: Extending my time with the BSO is an honor that I don’ t take lightly. I am excited to continue this musical journey with an Orchestra eager to take artistic risks, a city rich with culture, and a community that embraces music as part of its identity.
This extension gives us the opportunity to build on what we’ ve started— to deepen our artistic output, strengthen our community partnerships, and continue shaping a vision that feels distinctly“ Baltimore Proud.” I’ m especially excited to explore more ambitious programming, commission new works, and expand our reach across the state. The BSO’ s legacy is a living, evolving one, and I’ m thrilled to help write the next chapter.
LF: Casual Conversations, our series offering deeper insights into BSO programming, has a bit of a new look this year. What will audience members experience at these concerts, and have you designed them with a certain type of patron in mind?
JH: Casual Conversations is all about taking down the invisible walls that sometimes surround classical music. This year, we’ ve shaped the series to feel more intimate, more spontaneous, and more human. Audiences will hear stories behind the music, insights from the podium, and moments of connection that don’ t always happen in a traditional concert format.
We designed these evenings with curiosity in mind. They’ re for seasoned concertgoers who want to go deeper, and equally for newcomers. My hope is that everyone walks away feeling like they’ ve not only heard great music, but also gained a clearer sense of why it matters— and how it relates to their own lives.
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LF: With Black History Month happening in February, we’ ve been reflecting on what it really means to be a symphony, and a hall for all. Can you talk about what creating an accessible symphony experience looks like, and designing programs that serve all audiences?
JH: Accessibility has to be more than a slogan— it has to be a practice. For me, creating a symphony experience“ for all” means meeting people where they are, both musically and culturally. It means programming that reflects the breadth of the human experience, bringing in composers and storytellers who have historically been overlooked, and ensuring that anyone walking through our doors feels a sense of belonging.
LF: You recently attended a conference at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum to announce the BSO’ s partnership with the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project, which includes commissioning a new piece for a BSO chamber ensemble. What does it mean for the BSO to be a part of this project, and how do you hope music further adds to the impact of this Memorial?
JH: This partnership is deeply meaningful. The Maryland Lynching Memorial Project confronts a painful chapter of our state’ s history, and doing so requires courage, honesty, and community engagement. Music has the ability to hold complexity— grief, remembrance, resistance, healing— in ways that transcend language. For the BSO to play a role in that process is both humbling and essential.
LF: The Orchestra celebrates its 110-year anniversary in 2026. Beginning in 1916 as an official branch of the Baltimore municipal government, the organization has now grown to serve thousands across the State of Maryland. What does this statewide impact and service mean to you?
JH: Reaching our 110th year is a testament to the resilience and evolution of this orchestra. What moves me most is that the BSO was founded not as an elite institution, but as a civic one— firmly rooted in the idea that music should serve the people. That legacy continues today in our statewide impact, from performances at the Meyerhoff and Strathmore to educational programs
— MUSIC DIRECTOR in communities across Maryland.
JONATHON HEYWARD
To lead an Orchestra with such a broad and meaningful impact is an extraordinary privilege. It reminds me that every rehearsal, every concert, every outreach event is part of something larger: a commitment to enrich lives, create opportunities, and build bridges through music.
As we approach this milestone, I’ m inspired by the generations who built this institution and energized by the possibility of shaping its future. Our goal is to honor the past while boldly imagining the next 110 years.
FOR ME, CREATING A SYMPHONY EXPERIENCE“ FOR ALL” MEANS MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE, BOTH MUSICALLY AND CULTURALLY.
Heyward has brought innovative programming, fresh artistic energy, and powerful storytelling to BSO stages, and across the state.
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