Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
FROM THE President
Dear Friends, Thank you for continuing to make the BSO a part of your holiday traditions.
This is a special time of year to reflect on the many great performances of 2026 and build excitement in the incredible programs planned for 2027. For me, the season opening Gala concerts with Samara Joy truly set the tone of what is a transformational, genre-expanding year for our audiences. The concerts that make up this issue are no exception, with the anticipated returns of violinist Nemanja Radulović with his ensemble Double Sens, pianist Garrick Ohlsson, and family traditions new and old, with the Home Alone film in concert, Cirque Nutcracker, and Broadway stars Mandy Gonzalez and Megan Hilty.
Joining us in celebrating the many holidays in these winter months, the BSO’ s Asian American and Pacific Islander Council( AAPI) has brought the glow of Diwali’ s“ Festival of Lights” to the Meyerhoff lobby pre-concert for the November 8 performance of Ravel’ s Shéhérazade. We continue to expand access, knowledge, and community through the BSO’ s AAPI Council and the relationships formed through my trip to China with five of our musicians in October 2025.
Another thing to celebrate is the ratification of a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with our Stagehand colleagues. This group represents some of the most important members of the BSO family. These individuals work tirelessly( and unnoticed) behind the scenes to ensure that every lighting cue, microphone, and music stand are never out of place. This agreement continues our history of a great partnership with our Local 19, I. A. T. S. E. Union.
Let the BSO be the soundtrack of your holiday season, and we can’ t wait to see you in 2027.
MARK C. HANSON President & CEO Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
ABOUT THE
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
For over a century, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra( BSO) has been a cornerstone of Maryland’ s cultural life and one of America’ s premier orchestras.
In July 2022, the BSO appointed Jonathon Heyward as Music Director, marking the start of a vibrant new chapter. Through inclusive programming and community engagement, he seeks to break down barriers and further connect with diverse audiences making the BSO a " symphony for all."
Heyward succeeds Marin Alsop, Music Director Laureate and OrchKids Founder. Members of the BSO play on instruments from
Alsop’ s family collection, including an 18th-century cello by Carlo Antonio Testore and an 1810 Nicolas Lupot violin, enriching the Orchestra’ s sound and preserving the legacy of Alsop’ s parents. The BSO engages over 350,000 people annually across Maryland. Since 1982, it has performed at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore City, and in 2005, it became the only U. S. orchestra to present a full season in two metropolitan areas with the addition of The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda.
Learn more at BSOmusic. org
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