March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 48 F

50th Anniversary Performance For Annapolis Symphony Orchestra!

A momentous occasion warrants a special celebration, and the 50thAnniversary of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra (ASO) is of no exception. They have earned this special celebration by providing a half century of extraordinary musical entertainment and educational programs in the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County community. As the 2011-2012 season comes to a close, the excitement and energy is building for two blockbuster Anniversary concerts to be hosted in May. The concerts will end the season but signify the beginning of 50 more years of thriving as a cultural gem in the community.

On Friday, May 4 at 8:00 p.m., the ASO, under the direction of Maestro José-Luis Novo, will be performing at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts in Annapolis. Dvořák’s joyous Carnival Overture sets the festive mood followed by the special performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 by award-winning British pianist, Rachel Franklin. Adding to the excitement of this anniversary celebration concert is the World Premiere of Raíces: Concerto Suite for Orchestra by Grammy-winning composer Gabriela Lena Frank. Ms. Frank is the Music Alive Composer-in-Residence with ASO. Music Alive is a national residency program of the League of American Orchestras and Meet The Composer. Ms. Frank’s piece was commissioned by the ASO for its 50th Anniversary and is being composed to feature the exceptional talents of the ASO musicians. Concert-goers will be the first to hear this special piece performed by the ASO. Ravel’s masterpiece, Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2, will provide a fitting close for this memorable concert.

Adult tickets start at $25 each and student tickets are $10 each and can be purchased through the ASO website at www.annapolissymphony.org, by calling 410-263-0907, or by stopping by the ASO Box Office in Room 204 in Maryland Hall located at 801 Chase Street in Annapolis, Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Ticket holders are also invited to attend a free and informative concert lecture in the MD Hall auditorium at 6:45 p.m. before the concert. Led by Jonathan Palevsky, Program Director of WBJC, 91.5FM, this entertaining talk enhances the concert experience by providing historical and insightful perspectives on the music to be played. Lectures are sponsored by Bank of America.

Rounding out the extraordinary anniversary celebration weekend is a spectacular concert on Sunday, May 6 at 5:00 p.m. at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland, College Park. Led by Maestro José-Luis Novo, the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra will be joined by world-renowned mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves as she performs pieces by Wagner and Massenet. Dvořák’s joyous Carnival Overture will set the festive tone for the evening and the ASO-commissioned anniversary composition Raíces: Concerto Suite for Orchestra – by Grammy-winning Music Alive Composer-in-Residence, Gabriela Lena Frank – will also be performed. Ravel’s masterpiece, Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2, provides a fitting close for this concert and the noteworthy 50th Anniversary season.

Adult tickets are just $60 each and student tickets are $15 (ages 8-25 with valid ID). VIP tickets are available for $150 each and include a post-concert reception with Denyce Graves. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center Box Office at 301-405-2787 or online at www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu.

Bus transportation to the Clarice Smith performing Arts Center from Annapolis is also available for $20 per person. Contact the ASO office at 410-269-1132 to reserve seats.

Season support for the ASO generously provided by Elizabeth Richebourg Rea, Lexus, Maryland State Arts Council, Friends of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra and Anne Arundel Arts Council.

For more information on the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra and its May concerts, call 410-269-1132.

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