POPULAR COLLECTION Holiday Pops
Megan Hilty
JOSEPH MEYERHOFF SYMPHONY HALL
Saturday, December 19, 2026 at 1:30 PM Saturday, December 19, 2026 at 7:30 PM Sunday, December 20, 2026 at 3 PM
Pat Johnson
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Stuart Chafetz, conductor Megan Hilty, vocalist Baltimore Choral Arts Society
Anthony Blake Clark, music director
Various
Holiday Pops
This performance is approximately 2 hours and includes a 20-minute intermission.
Holiday Series Presenting Sponsor:
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Stuart Chafetz
Stuart Chafetz is the Principal Pops Conductor of the Columbus Symphony and Principal Pops Conductor of the Chautauqua and Marin Symphonies. Chafetz, a conductor celebrated for his dynamic and engaging podium presence, is increasingly in demand with orchestras across the continent. This season Chafetz will be on the podium in Detroit, Naples, Buffalo, Kansas City, Vancouver, and Seattle. He enjoys a special relationship with The Phoenix Symphony where he leads multiple programs annually.
Chafetz’ s original programs are a signature of his artistic profile. His popular
Pat Johnson programs including“ Symphonic Genesis & Phil Collins” and“ Totally 80’ s” showcase the orchestra in an especially entertaining way and attract large audiences throughout North America. Chafetz previously held posts as resident conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and associate conductor of the Louisville Orchestra. As principal timpanist of the Honolulu Symphony for 20 years, Chafetz also conducted the annual Nutcracker performances with Ballet Hawaii and principals from the American Ballet Theatre.
Chafetz makes his home near San Francisco, CA, with his wife, Ann Krinitsky. Chafetz holds a bachelor’ s degree in music performance from the College- Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and a master’ s from the Eastman School of Music.
Megan Hilty is a Tony and Grammy Award nominated actress and singer, most recognizable for her portrayal of triplethreat Ivy Lynn in the NBC Musical Drama Smash. Immediately after graduating from the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama, she went into the Broadway company of“ Wicked” and spent 4.5 years playing Glinda the Good. She originated the role of Doralee Rhodes in 9 to 5 The Musical and went on to play Brooke Ashton in Noises Off, where she was honored with her first Tony Award nomination. Other stage credits include Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors( Kennedy Center), Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun( Encores / NY City Center), Lily St. Regis in Annie( Hollywood Bowl) and Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes( Encores / NY City Center). Most recently, Hilty originated the role of Madeline Ashton in Death Becomes Her, earning two Broadway. com audience choice awards, a Tony Award nomination and a GRAMMY nomination for her performance.
Her numerous television credits include Sean Saves The World with Sean Hayes, Difficult People, Braindead, The Good Fight, and playing the iconic Patsy Cline in Patsy and Loretta, which earned her a Critics Choice nomination. She also had the great pleasure of playing Lily in NBC’ s Annie Live! Megan’ s voiceover work spans from full length audiobooks to kids animated favorites on Disney, Nickelodeon, Netfilx, Hulu & Cartoon Network. Hilty continues to tour her cabaret show with her band, led by GRAMMY nominated Matt Cusson, which has been taped for Live from Lincoln Center on PBS, and regularly appears with world renowned orchestras including the New York Pops, Boston Pops, and the National Symphony Orchestra.
NOV-DEC 2026 | OVERTURE | 17