The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra concludes its Eastern Shore season on Saturday, March 26 at Chesapeake College’s Todd Performing Art Center. It’s an all American program featuring works by Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber and George Gershwin. The concert begins at 8:00PM, and a pre-concert discussion led by Meg Sippey assistant to the BSO’s music director Marin Alsop with the orchestra’s assistant conductor Nicholas Hersh starts at 7:00PM.
The program features music by American composers including Aaron Copland’s The Tender Land Suite, Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto featuring violin soloist Simone Porter. The second half of the concert features George Gershwin’s Three Preludes. The program ends with Gershwin’s Catfish Row Suite from Porgy and Bess.
Nicholas Hersh is the orchestra’s assistant conductor. The Evanston, Illinois native made his Baltimore Symphony debut when he stepped in for an indisposed Yan Pascal Tortelier leading the orchestra in rehearsals and two sold-out performances that met with immediate ovation and critical acclaim. Mr. Hersh holds degrees from Stanford University and the University of Indiana, Jacobs School Music where he was music director of the Bloomington Indiana Symphony. Last season Mr. Hersh conducted the BSO at Chesapeake College.
Violin soloist Simone Porter is an emerging artist. The Los Angeles Times referred to her as a "future star" who has already appeared with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Los Angeles Symphony, and other world class orchestras including the Baltimore Symphony. She made her professional solo debut at age 10 with the Seattle Symphony. The Seattle native is an avid chamber musician, and plays on a 1745 Guadagnini on loan from the Mandell Collection of Southern California.
The Mid-Shore Symphony Society is now in its 45th season of presenting the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in partnership with Chesapeake College to Eastern Shore audiences. This season the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 100th anniversary.
These concerts are supported in part by ticket sales, the Maryland Arts Council, Queen Anne’s County Arts Council, Kent County Arts Council, Talbot County Arts Council, and by the generous contributions of friends of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
Tickets are $40, students $10, and are available at the door, or call 410 827 5867.