Overture Magazine: 2017-2018 Season January-February 2018 | Page 6

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B A LT I M O R E S Y M P H O N Y O R C H E S T R A
NEWS OF NOTE
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GET TO KNOW:
WORDSMITH
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amille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the
Animals is famous for its beautiful
solo cello movement, “The Swan,”
and its appearances in pop-culture
favorites like Fantasia 2000. This
January and February, the BSO collaborates
with Baltimore-based hip-hop artist, Wordsmith,
who gives a fresh take on the timeless classic
with his original narration.
While classical repertoire is a relatively recent
addition to Wordsmith’s vast entertainment
portfolio, music has been a driving force in his life
for many years.
“I was always an avid music collector, saving
my lunch money to buy new tapes weekly. And
yeah, I said ‘tapes,’” he laughs. “Coming from
an urban/hip-hop background, classical music
hasn’t been prevalent in my life, so this is truly
a special experience.”
American poet Ogden Nash was the first to
compose verses for Carnival back in 1949. These
served as the starting point for Wordsmith when
he set out to tackle his own interpretation.
“My goal from there was to create an original
narrative that included hip-hop elements,
like varying cadences, syllable smashing and
poetical flows while remaining clever, funny
and metaphoric throughout the movements,”
says Wordsmith.
“The last step for me was making sure my words
could be expressed through action as well; I like
to entertain on stage, so I plan to add some nice
movements to drive home the narrative even more.”
So what can the audience expect from the
finished product?
“Beautiful music, comedic undertones, witty
wordplay and a new experience we can all be
proud of!”
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