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MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT
by Barbara Fitzsimmons
Teresa L. Gordon
Second Violin
Teresa Gordon has been a second violin player at the Maryland Symphony Orchestra since 1994. Teresa is a graduate of the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music in Winchester, VA with her Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance and is a freelance violinist and violist in the greater Washington metropolitan area.
Ms. Gordon is a licensed public-school educator and currently serves as the Director of Orchestras at Rock Ridge High School in Ashburn, VA. Outside of school, Teresa maintains an active performing career and a small private studio. She is the newly appointed Concertmaster of the Piedmont Symphony in Warrenton, VA, and in addition to the MSO and PSO, Teresa is a member of the Apollo Orchestra, and the Two Rivers Chamber Orchestra. During her summers, Ms. Gordon serves on the faculty of the Shepherd University Strings Camp and is a performing member of the Shippensburg Summer Music Festival in PA.
Teresa enjoys playing a wide variety of musical styles from Classical, Pop, & Rock, to Bluegrass & Broadway, and has enjoyed performing with an eclectic mix of world-renowned artists at many of our region’s premier venues. In her free time, Teresa enjoys all things music, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Want to learn more about the musicians in the orchestra? Visit www.marylandsymphony.org/musicians
Maryland Symphony Orchestra
363 S Cleveland Ave, Suite 200 Hagerstown, Maryland 21740
SYMPHONY STAFF
Elizabeth Schulze Music Director & Conductor
Kim Bowen Executive Director
Michael Harp Director of Marketing
Jennifer Sutton, Esq Director of Development
Antoninus “AJ” Hines, Jr. Box Office &
Accounting Manager
Kyle Graham Operations Manager
Kathy Gleason Education Programs Coord.
Barbara Fitzsimmons ............. Development Associate
Nathan Lushbaugh Marketing Assistant
Cam Millar Operations Assistant
Christian Simmelink Personnel Manager
D. Marianne Gooding............................................... Librarian
AUDIO ENGINEERING
Bill Holaday Audio Recording Engineer
MARYLAND THEATRE STAFF
Jessica Green Executive Director
Anne Holzapfel Program Director
Melissa Fountain ......................................... Events Director
Jenna Miller Box Office Administrator
Timothy Gregory Box Office Assistant
Breanna Holloway .....................................Events Manager
Kelly Parr Events Assistant
Amanda Gowin Events Assistant
Mike Fletchinger Maintenance Manager
Phil Hunt ........................................... Maintenance Manager
Caleb Smith Production Manager
Noah Johnson Lead Lighting Technician
David Kunz...................................... Lead Audio Technician
Adam Petrie Lead Audio Technician
BRAVO! is published by the Maryland Symphony Orchestra. The publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein and accept no responsibility for errors, changes, or omissions. Reproduction of all or a portion of this guide is prohibited without the written permission of the publishers. Publication of an advertisement or article does not imply endorsement by the publishers. © 2024-2025. All rights reserved.
Phone: (301) 797-4000
Email: info@marylandsymphony.org
Web: www.marylandsymphony.org
SYMPHONY BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jason Call President
Douglas Spotts, M.D. Vice President
Valerie Owens Secretary
William “Tad” Holzapfel Treasurer
Jane Anderson Assistant Treasurer
Jane Anderson
Dave Barnhart
Teresa Barr
Jason Call
Judy Ditto
Katharine Groh Fitzsimmons
Jean Hamilton
Marjorie Hobbs
William “Tad” Holzapfel
Linda Hood
Michelle Leveque, Esq.
Monica Lingenfelter
Ira Lourie, M.D.
Heather McEndree
Nicholas Mohar-Schurz
Candice Mowbray, D.M.A.
Valerie Owens
Ilissa Ramm
Susan Rocco
Dustin Simmons
Douglas Spotts, M.D.
James Stone, Esq.
Hugh J. Talton, M.D.
James. D. Vaughn
SYMPHONY HONORARY DIRECTORS
Dr. J. Emmet Burke
Anton T. Dahbura, Ph.D
April L. Dowler
Patricia F. Enders
Frederica Erath
John F. Erath
Dr. J. Ramsay Farah
Brendan Fitzsimmons, Ph.D.
Donald R. Harsh, Jr.
Marjorie M. Hobbs
Howard S. Kaylor
Mindy Marsden
Dori Nipps
ABOUT THE COVER ART
Alan J. Noia
Mrs. Georgia Pierné
Mr. James G. Pierné
Samuel G. Reel, Jr.
William J. Reuter
Joel L. Rosenthal, M.D.
Hugh J. Talton, M.D.
Martha “Marty” Talton
Cassandra Wantz
Richard T. Whisner
The March cover features an image of the Common Starling. Mozart had a deep appreciation for nature, particularly birds. In late May 1784, he purchased a starling after hearing it sing what he believed to be a theme from his Piano Concerto in G Major, K. 453. Enchanted by this remarkable coincidence, he noted both the purchase and the bird’s unique rendition of the theme in his expense book. How the starling came to know the melody remains a mystery.
Hector Fernandez, Artist
ELIZABETH
SCHULZE,
MUSIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR
FIRST VIOLIN
Robert Martin
Concertmaster
MSO Guild Chair
Joanna Natalia Owen
Associate Concertmaster
Marty & Hugh Talton Chair
Brent Price
Assistant Concertmaster
Lysiane GravelLacombe
Thomas Marks Chair
Kristin Bakkegard
H. Lee Brewster
Yen-Jung Chen
Mauricio Couto
Megan Gray
Catherine Nelson
Petr Skopek
SECOND VIOLIN
Anna Luebke
Principal
J. Emmet Burke Chair
Ariadna Buonviri
Associate Principal
Julianna Chitwood
Assistant Principal
Ruth Erbe
Teresa L. Gordon
Melanie Kuperstein
Swiatek Kuznik
Kat Whitesides
Patricia WnekSchram
VIOLA
Phyllis Freeman
Principal
Alan J. Noia Chair
Magaly Rojas Seay
Associate Principal
Stephanie Knutsen+
Acting Assistant
Principal
Sungah Min
Rachel Holaday
Alice Tung
CELLO
Todd Thiel
Principal
J. Ramsay Farah Chair
Katlyn DeGraw
Associate Principal
Jessica Albrecht
Assistant Principal
Aneta Otreba
Mauricio Betanzo
Youbin Jun
Alyssa Moquin
Jessica Siegel Weaver
BASS
Adriane Benvenuti
Irving Principal
Shawn Alger
Associate Principal
Kimberly Parillo
Brandon Smith
FLUTE
Laura Kaufman
Mowry
Principal
Marjorie M. Hobbs Chair
Nicolette Driehuys Oppelt
Elena Yakovleva
PICCOLO
Elena Yakovleva
OBOE
Fatma Daglar
Principal
Joel L. Rosenthal Chair
Amanda Dusold
Rick Basehore
ENGLISH HORN
Rick Basehore
CLARINET
Beverly Butts
Principal
John M. Waltersdorf Chair
Jay Niepoetter
BASS CLARINET
Open
BASSOON
Erich Heckscher
Principal
Bennett S. Rubin Chair
Scott Cassada
Susan Copeland Wilson
CONTRABASSOON
Susan Copeland Wilson
FRENCH HORN
Alex Kovling
Principal
Libby Powell Chair
Mark Hughes
Assistant Principal
Chandra Cervantes
Kyle Pompei+
TRUMPET
Nathan Clark
Principal
Robert T. Kenney Chair
Scott A. Nelson
Robert W. Grab Chair
Matthew Misener
TROMBONE
Liam Glendening
Principal
Richard T. Whisner Chair
Jeffrey Gaylord
Kaz Kruszewski
TUBA
Zachary Bridges
Principal
Claude J. Bryant Chair
TIMPANI
Open
Principal
William J. Reuter Chair
Matthew Mitchener+
Eric Stoss+
PERCUSSION
Open
Principal
Donald R. Harsh, Jr. Chair
Julie Angelis Boehler+
Acting Principal
Alan Lichtman Chair
Robert Jenkins
Vincent & Phyllis Mauro Chair
HARP
Maryanne Meyer+ Principal
PIANO/KEYBOARD
Open
James G. Pierné Chair
PERSONNEL MANAGER
Christian Simmelink
GABRIELA BRONK MUSIC LIBRARY
LIBRARIAN
D. Marianne Gooding
+ One-Year Position
* On Leave
ABOUT THE MSO
by Barbara Fitzsimmons
On November 13, 1982, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra’s music rang through the concert hall in front of an audience of 1,400 for the very first time. With 55 musicians under the baton of our first conductor, Barry Tuckwell, we began our journey to become a cornerstone of the arts in Western Maryland and beyond.
Our inaugural season consisted of just four concerts and was a rousing success. Thanks to the dedication of the community that helped found us, the MSO was able to turn a profit in our very first year despite the logistic and economic struggles we faced as a symphony starting during a recession outside of a major city. This initial triumph provided the perfect springboard to grow, and grow we did.
After an extensive search for our next music director, we were lucky to welcome Elizabeth Schulze to the MSO in 1999 to usher in a new period of growth and music. Today, our yearly full orchestral performances have doubled, and we’ve expanded beyond the concert hall with small ensemble groups to further serve our community. From our much-anticipated Pops! performances to the Classical music we were formed to play, the modern MSO has something for everyone.
While most know the MSO for its performances, education has been a cornerstone of the organization since as early as 1985, when we launched our first educational programming for the community. A love of classical music starts young, but that doesn’t mean you are ever too old to grow your appreciation for music or learn something new about a melody that moves you. Today, we continue expanding the Vincent Rauth and Barbara Ingram Groh education department to provide programs for music lovers of all ages, even those of us who have long finished school.
Whether you come to us for your first concert or have been a subscriber for many years, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra is proud to welcome you to today’s performance. We hope you enjoy the show and that we see you at many more to come!
GUEST ARTIST BIO
▲ Curtis Stewart, violin
Praised for “combining omnivory and brilliance” (The New York Times), six-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated violinist and composer Curtis Stewart brings stories of American self-determination to the concert stage. As a soloist, composer, Artistic Director of the American Composers Orchestra, and professor at The Juilliard School, he bridges classical traditions with contemporary influences, forging personal and powerful connections between styles and cultures. Stewart has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the GRAMMY® Awards, among many others. His collaborations span a wide spectrum, from the Los Angeles Opera and singer-songwriter Tamar Kali to MTV specials with Wyclef Jean and soldout performances at Madison Square Garden alongside Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, and Seal. He has also served as a curator and guest soloist with
Anthony Roth Costanzo and the New York Philharmonic in groundbreaking touring performances at the Whitney Museum, Guggenheim Museum, and Museum of Modern Art.
His 2021 album, Of Power (Bright Shiny Things), a collection of quarantined song cycles and art videos, and his 2023 release, of Love.—a tribute to his late mother, Elektra Kurtis-Stewart, both earned GRAMMY® nominations for Best Classical Instrumental Solo. His latest recording, Julia Perry’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra with the Experiential Orchestra, is nominated for a 2025 GRAMMY® Award in the same category.
Stewart’s compositions have been commissioned by the Seattle Symphony, Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, Carnegie Hall’s Play/USA, New York Philharmonic musicians, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, among others. As Artistic Director of the American Composers Orchestra, he champions diverse voices in orchestral music, promoting innovation and accessibility in the field.
A dedicated educator, Stewart teaches at The Juilliard School and the Perlman Music Program, previously leading music theory and orchestra at LaGuardia High School for Music & Art and Performing Arts in NYC. In 2025, he was honored with the Sphinx Medal of Excellence for his contributions to classical music and his advocacy for underrepresented communities.
Learn more at www.curtisjstewart.com.
THE MARYLAND THEATRE
Saturday, March 15, 2025 | 7:30pm
Sunday, March 16, 2025 | 3:00pm
Elizabeth Schulze conductor
Curtis J. Stewart violin
JESSIE MONTGOMERY Strum (b. 1981)
8’
LEONARD BERNSTEIN
Serenade after Plato’s “Symposium” (1918-1990)
31’
I. Phaedrus: Pausanias – Lento and Allegro
II. Aristophanes – Allegretto
III. Eryximachus – Presto
IV. Agathon – Adagio
V. Socrates: Alcibiades – Molto tenuto and Allegro molto vivace
-- INTERMISSION --
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550 (1756-1791)
35’ I. Molto allegro
II. Andante
III. Menuetto. Allegretto – Trio
IV. Finale. Allegro assai
CONCERT SPONSORS
Dr. Stephen & Mrs. Linda Hood
PROGRAM NOTES
Strum
Jessie Montgomery
Born December 8, 1981, in New York, New York.
This work was premiered in its present form in 2012. It is scored for string orchestra.
Jessie Montgomery is an acclaimed composer, violinist, and educator. She is the recipient of the Leonard Bernstein Award from the ASCAP Foundation, the Sphinx Medal of Excellence, and her works are performed frequently around the world by leading musicians and ensembles. Her music interweaves classical music with elements of vernacular music, improvisation, poetry, and social consciousness, making her an acute interpreter of 21st century American sound and experience. Her profoundly felt works have been described as “turbulent, wildly colorful and exploding with life” (The Washington Post).
Her growing body of work includes solo, chamber, vocal, and orchestral works. Some recent highlights include Shift, Change, Turn (2019) commissioned by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Coincident Dances (2018) for the Chicago Sinfonietta, and Banner (2014)—written to mark the 200th anniversary of “The Star-Spangled Banner”—for The Sphinx Organization and the Joyce Foundation, which was presented in its UK premiere at the BBC Proms on 7 August 2021.
Summer 2021 brought a varied slate of premiere performances, including Five Freedom Songs, a song cycle conceived with and written for Soprano Julia Bullock, for Sun Valley and Grand Teton Music Festivals, San Francisco and Kansas City Symphonies, Boston and New Haven Symphony Orchestras, and the Virginia Arts Festival
(7 August); a site-specific collaboration with Bard SummerScape Festival and Pam Tanowitz Dance, I was waiting for the echo of a better day (8 July); and Passacaglia, a flute quartet for The National Flute Association’s 49th annual convention (13 August).
Since 1999, Jessie has been affiliated with The Sphinx Organization, which supports young African American and Latinx string players and has served as composer-inresidence for the Sphinx Virtuosi, the Organization’s flagship professional touring ensemble.
A founding member of PUBLIQuartet and a former member of the Catalyst Quartet, Jessie holds degrees from the Juilliard School and New York University and is currently a PhD Candidate in Music Composition at Princeton University. She is Professor of violin and composition at The New School. In May 2021, she began her three-year appointment as the Mead Composer-inResidence with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
“Strum is the culminating result of several versions of a string quintet I wrote in 2006. It was originally written for the Providence String Quartet and guests of Community MusicWorks Players, then arranged for string quartet in 2008 with several small revisions. In 2012 the piece underwent its final revisions with a rewrite of both the introduction and the ending for the Catalyst Quartet in a performance celebrating the 15th annual Sphinx Competition.
“Originally conceived for the formation of a cello quintet, the voicing is often spread wide over the ensemble, giving the music an expansive quality of sound. Within Strum I utilized texture motives, layers of rhythmic or harmonic ostinati [repeating patterns] that string together to form a bed of sound for melodies to weave in and out.
The strumming pizzicato serves as a texture motive and the primary driving rhythmic underpinning of the piece. Drawing on American folk idioms and the spirit of dance and movement, the piece has a kind of narrative that begins with fleeting nostalgia and transforms into ecstatic celebration.”
Biography and program notes graciously provided by the composer.
Serenade (after Plato’s Symposium)
Leonard Bernstein
Born August 25, 1918, in Lawrence, Massachusetts and died October 14, 1990, in New York, New York.
This work received its premiere in September of 1954 in Venice, Italy, by the Orchestra Del Teatro La Fenice with Isaac Stern as soloist and the composer conducting. It is scored for solo violin, timpani, percussion, harp, and strings.
An American composer of Russian-Jewish parentage, Leonard Bernstein worked his way from a middle-class suburb of Boston to become America’s greatest musical figure. Equally adept as a pianist conductor, teacher, and composer, Bernstein became the great American ambassador to the world’s musical community. Before his successes, students were often turned away from study in the great European conservatories because their American-ness made them incapable of artistic ability, in the eyes of many. Such was the opinion in much of postwar Europe in the 1950s. Bernstein single-handedly changed that opinion.
Bernstein, affectionately known as “Lenny,” was a benevolent taskmaster of a conductor who insisted on a rigorous schedule of intense rehearsals. Lenny knew the capabilities of the orchestra and brought out
the best in each player. He conducted all the world’s major orchestras and served as music director of the New York Philharmonic from 1958 to 1969. As a composer Bernstein’s output was diverse with three symphonies and numerous other orchestral pieces, including ballets, overtures, and works for soloists.
Despite his many chamber works, songs, and two operas (Trouble in Tahiti and A Quiet Place), Bernstein remains best known for his Broadway shows, especially Candide and West Side Story. Another show, entitled 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, is a series of vignettes involving the occupants of that famous address over a period of two centuries. With book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Bernstein, the show seemed destined to succeed. However, a musical about the inner workings of the White House, even in the bicentennial year of 1976, was a hard sell in post-Watergate America. It closed after seven performances.
During the time that Bernstein was composing Candide in 1954, he was also working on a piece for solo violin and orchestra. As mentioned in other writings on this work, the composer had two interests at the time – delivering a threeyear late commission from the Koussevitzky Foundation, and finally writing a concert piece for his friend Isaac Stern. The resulting work, Serenade (after Plato’s Symposium) resides simultaneously the worlds of the profound and the lyrical.
Plato’s Symposium is a meditation on the aspects of love set as a conversation during a drunken gathering of friends. Bernstein’s Serenade was composed just before his marriage to Felicia Montealegre. Bernstein’s romantic interests also included same-sex activity, which is another aspect of love that the composer may have found attractive in Plato’s text.
PROGRAM NOTES (con’t)
Bernstein provided a guide to the work that describes the piece in musical and philosophical terms.
“There is no literal program for this Serenade, despite the fact that it resulted from a rereading of Plato’s charming dialogue, “The Symposium”. The music, like the dialogue, is a series of related statements in praise of love, and generally follows the Platonic form through the succession of speakers at the banquet. The “relatedness” of the movements does not depend on common thematic material, but rather on a system whereby each movement evolves out of elements in the preceding one.
“For the benefit of those interested in literary allusion, I might suggest the following points as guideposts:
“I. Phaedrus: Pausanius (Lento; Allegro). Phaedrus opens the symposium with a lyrical oration in praise of Eros, the god of love. (Fugato, begun by the solo violin). Pausanias continues by describing the duality of lover and beloved. This is expressed in a classical sonata-allegro, based on the material of the opening fugato.
“II. Aristophanes (Allegretto). Aristophanes does not play the role of clown in this dialogue, but instead that of the bedtime storyteller, invoking the fairytale mythology of love.
“III. Eryximachus (Presto). The physician speaks of bodily harmony as a scientific model for the workings of love-patterns. This is an extremely short fugato scherzo, born of a blend of mystery and humor.
“IV. Agathon (Adagio). Perhaps the most moving speech of the dialogue, Agathon’s panegyric embraces all aspects of love’s powers, charms, and functions. This movement is a simple three-part song.
“V. Socrates: Alcibiades (Molto tenuto; Allegro molto vivace). Socrates describes his visit to the seer Diotima, quoting her speech on the demonology of love. This is a slow introduction of greater weight than any of the preceding movements; and serves as a highly developed reprise of the middle section of the Agathon movement, thus suggesting a hidden sonata-form. The famous interruption of Alcibiades and his band of drunken revelers ushers in the Allegro, which is an extended Rondo ranging in spirit from agitation through jig-like dance music to joyful celebration. If there is a hint of jazz in the celebration, I hope it will not be taken as anachronistic Greek partymusic, but rather the natural expression of a contemporary American composer imbued with the spirit of that timeless dinner party.”
Symphony No. 40 in G Minor
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Born January 27, 1756, in Salzburg, Austria and died December 5, 1791, in Vienna, Austria.
Although completed on July 25, 1788, this work was possibly performed on April 16, 1791, in Vienna, with Antonio Salieri conducting an orchestra of 180 members, but the story is probably apocryphal. It is scored for flute, pairs of clarinets, bassoons, and horns, and the usual complement of strings.
To have been such a gifted composer, recognized across Europe during his younger years as a musician par excellence, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart entered his thirties as a fading star. The young prodigy was now a full-fledged adult. He was no longer a precocious youth with abilities beyond his years. Mozart was expected to hold his own against more famous composers, such as Porpora, Dittersdorf, Vanhal and Salieri. To counter the fickle public’s harsh judgment, Mozart simply tried harder, producing some
of his most enduring works in his early 30s. The last four piano concertos, the Kegelstatt Trio, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, the opera Don Giovanni, and the final four symphonies all date from the years 1786-1788, when Mozart was between 30 and 32 years old.
Along with public rejection came personal problems. Financially, Mozart was in the direst of straits – which would continue to worsen until his death in 1791. Probably the lowest moment during this time was the sudden death of his 6-month-old daughter, Theresia, on June 29, 1788. It was during the very time of Theresia Mozart’s death that her father was feverishly composing his last three symphonies. Written in a span of ten weeks in May, June and July, they seem almost a summary of different aspects of Mozart’s personality. The 39th is joyful, almost flippant, with a finale that is especially robust. His final symphony, commonly called the Jupiter is more pedantic, with a meticulous fugal finale.
The middle of the three, the 40th, is introspective and subtly tinged with darker hues. One of only two symphonies in minor keys (the other is the 25th, also in G minor), Mozart explores the poignant territory he normally reserved for his operas – his greatest love and probably his compositional forte. Foregoing the customary slow introduction, Mozart begins the opening movement with a soft murmur in the violas. Without ceremony, the sighing violin melody seems to materialize from nowhere. From the outset, this is unmistakably headier than an ordinary symphony of the Classical period. There are bursts of volume, chromatic harmonies, and an approach to melodic writing that centers on short motifs – not long arching melodies. Such a description may bring to mind the early works of Ludwig van Beethoven, from which this music is not far removed.
The second movement is a graceful Andante,
also using a sigh motif to great effect. Here is Mozart at his most adventurous (a trait he explores to an even fuller extent in the final movement). Chromatic lines pull against each other, taking listeners of the late eighteenth century along hitherto uncharted paths.
Stern and aggressive, the third-movement Minuet is far removed from the courtly dance for which it is named. Accents are harsh, almost severe, but a somewhat gentler trio provides a worthy foil.
If the Andante was adventurous, the finale is brilliantly progressive. Built upon a rising arpeggiation, a gesture known in the period as the Mannheim Rocket, this churning powerhouse seems to build momentum until the final measures. The almost feral development section features modulations through many keys, making the grim G minor seems like a welcome refuge after daunting trials of the preceding measures. Many scholars refer to this symphony as a precursor to Romanticism, but our ears tell us, at least for Mozart in 1788, that Romanticism was in full force.
©2025 Orpheus Music Prose & Craig Doolin www.orpheusnotes.com
BRAVO! COVER ARTIST
Hector Fernandez is a self-taught artist who has been creating since he was young. Although he has worked in many mediums, his true passion is scratchboard, which allows for incredible detail and striking contrast in each piece.
Scratchboard is a unique black-and-white medium. The board is a wood panel with a fine white clay veneer covered by black India ink. The drawing starts black, and white lines are carefully scratched through the ink with sharp tools like scalpel blades.
Hector resides in Hagerstown, MD and is a Signature Member of the International Society of Scratchboard Artists, which he joined when it was formed 13 years ago.
He has received many awards for his art from various exhibitions including the Lancaster Museum of Art and History, Glendale Art Association, Washington County Arts Council, and most notably 8 awards from the International Society of Scratchboard Artists (2 Silver, 1 Bronze, and 5 Awards of Excellence).
Hector’s work has shown across the U.S., Canada, and Australia. He is thrilled to be collaborating with the Maryland Symphony Orchestra to create the cover artwork for the BRAVO! programs for the 2024/2025 Season.
See more of Hector’s work at www. hectorgallery.com.
Vincent Rauth and Barbara Ingram Groh
STUDENT MUSICIAN OF THE MONTH
Brandon Lu
Washington High School
Charles Town, WV
Congratulations to March’s Student of the Month, Brandon Lu! Brandon is a senior at Washington High School and an experienced pianist who has represented West Virginia in the MTNA Eastern Division Competition. Brandon has received superior ratings for his playing across competitions in three states and won multiple first place awards for his skills as a musician. Next year, Brandon hopes to continue piano studies at the university level while pursuing a major in Computer Engineering.
Upcoming Education Events:
Maryland Symphony Youth Strings &
Side By Side Concert at the Maryland Theatre: March 18, 2025
Storytime at Wash. County Library & Middletown Library: April 25, 2025
Our MSO Lecture Series continues this April & May!
Be sure to stay informed as topics, dates, and locations are announced on our website, on social media and through email.
See our website to learn more about our Instrument Bank and give a student the gift of music!
MUSIC DIRECTOR BIO
With passion, verve and illuminating musicianship, Elizabeth Schulze has been conducting orchestras and opera companies, advocating for music education, and electrifying audiences in the States and abroad for more than two and a half decades.
Recipient of the 2013 Sorel Medallion in Conducting for her adventurous programming, Schulze is in her 24th season as the Music Director and Conductor of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra and is the recently appointed Music Director and Conductor of the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra in Alaska.
Schulze made her European debut, leading the Mainz Chamber Orchestra in the Atlantisches Festival in Kaiserslautern, Germany. She appeared in Paris as the assistant guest conductor for the Paris Opera and has also appeared in London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Vienna with the National Symphony during its 1997 European tour. Her most recent international work includes conducting in Hong Kong, Jerusalem and Taipei.
Schulze’s recent guest conducting in the States includes appearances with the Buffalo Philharmonic and the New Jersey, Detroit, San Francisco and Chautauqua Symphonies. Her positions with U.S. orchestras include an appointment as Associate Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra, Music Director and Conductor of the Flagstaff, Waterloo/Cedar Falls, and Kenosha Symphony Orchestras, Principal Guest Conductor of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, Cover Conductor and Conducting Assistant for the New York Philharmonic, and Assistant Conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic, an appointment sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Since the beginning of her career, Schulze has been a spirited advocate for music education. Her far-ranging work included a long association with the National Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Music Institute (SMI). For more than 15 years Schulze conducted, taught and mentored dozens of young musicians at SMI at the Kennedy Center. She has also conducted the American Composer’s Orchestra in LinkUp educational and family concerts in Carnegie Hall and throughout New York City. And for six years, Schulze joined her mentor Leonard Slatkin, teaching at the NSO’s National Conducting Institute.
Her music education and mentoring work spans the elementary school to the university. She was an artist-in-residence at Northwestern University and has guest conducted the orchestras of The University of Maryland, the Manhattan School of Music and Catholic University of America. She has also guest lectured at the Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute of Music.
Schulze’s own education includes training in Europe and in the States. She graduated cum laude from Bryn Mawr College and was an honors student at the Interlochen Arts Academy. She holds graduate degrees in orchestral and choral conducting from SUNY at Stony Brook. She was the first doctoral fellow in orchestral conducting at Northwestern University and was selected as a conducting fellow at L’École d’Arts Americaines in France. She was the recipient of the first Aspen Music School Conducting Award. At Aspen, she worked with Murry Sidlin, Lawrence Foster and Sergiu Commissiona. As a Tanglewood fellow, she worked with Seiji Ozawa, Gustav Meier and Leonard Bernstein.
Schulze is represented by John Such Artists Management, Ltd.
FRIENDS OF THE SYMPHONY
Thank you to the following individuals, businesses, foundations and organizations that have contributed to the strength of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra as of January 31, 2025. (July 1, 2023 through February 28, 2025)
To update your donor acknowledgement information, please contact Jennifer Sutton, Director of Development, at jsutton@marylandsymphony.org.
PLATINUM BATON
($10,000 & Above)
William & Patricia Abeles
Antietam Broadband
Anonymous
Gary & Deb Bockrath
Jo Ann and Derwood Bousum Family
Mr. & Mrs. Howard B. Bowen
Mary K. Bowman Historical & Fine Arts Fund
City of Hagerstown
Katie Fitzsimmons in memory of Brendan Fitzsimmons
Alice Virginia and David W. Fletcher Foundation
Vincent Rauth Groh & Barbara Ingram Groh Perpetual Charitable Trust
John & Erin Hershey
Dr. Robert K. & Mrs.
Marjorie Hobbs
Elise Holloway Family
Mr. & Mrs. James N. Holzapfel
William “Tad” & Anne Holzapfel
William B. Hunsberger
Patrick McFadden & Michelle Leveque
Dr. George & Mrs. Connie Manger
Jim & Mindy Marsden
Middletown Valley Bank
Doug & Beth Mills
Nicholas Mohar-Schurz
Douglas & Deena Moul
James & Georgia Pierné
William G. Pitzer
Mary Ann Schurz
Dr. Aryeh & Mrs. Laura Herrera
Dr. Hugh & Mrs. Marty Talton
Waltersdorf-Henson Families
Washington County Arts Council
Washington County Commissioners
Roberta A. Waltersdorf Family
Martha Williams
Brandon & Haven Younger
GOLD BATON
($5,000 to $9,999)
Scott & Kim Bowen
Dr. Katie Carr & Mr. Ned Taylor
Charles Clark
Delaplaine Foundation, Inc.
Howard Garrett Family
Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Hood
Lee & Patricia Stine
Kershner Sisters Foundation
William & Monica Lingenfelter
Dr. & Mrs. Ira S. Lourie
Meritus Health, Inc.
Bill & Gaye McGovern
George & Nancy Mulholland
James & Colleen Stone
Washington County Health Department
Washington County Gaming Commission
Drs. Paul Waldman & Mary Money-Waldman
James Waltersdorf Family
Margaret O. Waltersdorf Family
David & Shanon Wolf
SILVER BATON
($3,000 to $4,999)
Teresa & John Barr
Mr. & Mrs. David Beachley
Joseph & Julie Boehler in honor of Patricia Angelis
Dr. J. Emmet & Mrs. Mary Anne Burke
Jason & Dadra Call
Dr. & Mrs. Robert Cirincione
Andrew C. Durham
Michael Fitzgerald
Jean Y. Inaba
Larry Klotz
Bill & Judith Lawrenson
Ed & Julie Lough
Lowell & Susan Michael
Paul & Mary Ann Miller
Mr. & Mrs. Paul D. Muldowney
Greg & Ilissa Ramm
Mrs. Theron Rinehart
Drs. Tara A. Rumbarger & James A. Schiro
Dr. & Mrs. Douglas Spotts
William & Kathleen Su
Donald & Paula Trumble
Matthew & Bernadette Wagner
Mr. & Mrs. William P. Young, Jr
CONDUCTOR’S CIRCLE
($1,500 to $2,999)
Capt. & Mrs. William. T. Alexander, Ret.
Dr. & Mrs. Michael V. Attardi
Kenneth & Anne Barton
Richard Barton
Mr. & Mrs. David Beachley
Frank & Cathy Bushey
Sun & Twila Cheung
Debbie & Todd Cornell
Michael Cusic
Dr. & Mrs. Allen Ditto
Reverend Dr. D. Stuart Dunnan
Robert & Louise Finch
Robert Fennel
Dr. & Mrs. Jay B. Greenberg
Jean Hamilton
Jimmy Hill
Willa Weller Kaal
Suzanne & Rick Kass
Rick & Donna Kipe
Robert & Susan Larivee
Ms. Doris E. Lehman
David & Louisa McCain
Mr. Peter Murdock & Dr. Monica Stallworth
James Marshall
Valerie Owens & Mike Dunkum
Harry & Patricia Reynolds
Mr. & Mrs. Denis Rocco
David & Suzanne Solberg
Dr. & Mrs. Robert Strauch
Frank & Cheryl Stearn
Jennifer-Joy Sutton & Sonny Smoyer
Susan Trail
Amy Weber
Terry Wills & Christine Parfitt
Marlene & Mike Young & Family
BENEFACTOR
($500 to $1,499)
Tina Angle
Anonymous
Dr. Michael & Mrs. Jane Anderson
Cathy Ashley-Cotleur
Stephenie Baker
Robert Barnhart
Phyllis Beard
Robert and Kathy Bell
Douglas Shaffer & Mary Bell
The Honourable & Mrs. W.
Kennedy Boone, III
Melissa Evans
David Bottini & Ray
Everngam
Jake & Diana Caldwell
Linda Chambers
Julianna Chitwood
Sherry Cramer
Maria Dahbura
Mr. Eckelbarger & Ms. Daniels
Beth Dellaposta
John & Dr. Ruth Dwyer
Patty Enders
Geo & Carol Engstrom
Mr. & Mrs. John F. Erath
Robert & Mary Fry
Jeffrey & Jacqueline Kelley
James McConnell
Ella C. Mose
Dr. Carl & Mrs. Louise Galligan
Cynthia Garland
BJ & Sherri Goetz
Joseph & Wanda Gerstner
Hagerstown Community College
Edwin & Lucinda Hawbaker
Dr. & Mrs. Eldon L. Hawbaker
Gary & Iris Heichel
Mark Jameson
Judith Jones
Mike and Kathy Jordan
Jordon Knicely
Jan Kochansky
Eric Knode
Patrick Larkin
Duane & Susan Lawson
Leiters Fine Catering
Judith & John Lilga
Virginia Lindsay - In memory of Tom Lindsay
Estelle Martin
Michael & Sandy Martin
Peter Michael
Tee Michel
Lisa Miller
David Milowe
Jennifer Moser
Cynthia Myers
Joanna Owen
Adrian & Jennifer Park
Thomas Robins
Kathy Robinson
Dr. Robert & Millie Steinke
Ronald & Leura Sulchek
Sunrise Rotary Club
Dwight & Nancy Swope
Thomas Tarpley
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Tischer
George A. Tompkins Jr.
Sandy Wantz
Bill & Kimberly Whaley
Carl & Monika Wertman
James & Stephanie Vaughn
PARTNER
($250 to $499)
Ruth Alpaugh
Jack Anderson
Anonymous
Elizabeth & Harold Baker
Dave Barnhart
Robert Batson
John & Helen Benchoff
Mike & Grace Bennett
J. Bruce & Connie Burley
Mary Kay Chaudrue & Charles Charpiat
Samuel Cushman
Dan & Carolyn Davis
Mr. Larry DeHaan
Donna Ersek
James C. Failor
Philip Fearnow
Mrs. Susan Fiedler
Patricia Ford
A. B. & Janet Fulton
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen C. Garlitz
Gretchen Gawler
David & Rosanna Gonzalez
Teresa Gordon
Fred & Kathy Gleason
Corey & Jessica Green
Thomas & Gwen Hard
Lucy Hogan
Janelle Horst
Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Hutzell
Kevin & Lori Jones
Mr. Brooks & Mr. Kline
Joan Canfield & William Kramer
April L. Dowler & John W. League Family
Gay Ludington
Robin Lyles
Victoria Lynch
Alfred Martin
FRIENDS OF THE SYMPHONY (con’t)
PARTNER
(con’t)
($250 to $499)
Dr. & Mrs. Raymond Morgan
Jean & Katharine Oliver
William E. O’Toole
Patricia Patton
Ann Portocarrero
Phyllis Price
Howard & Francine
Reynolds
Susan Roza
Michael Seem
Darcy Shull
Jennifer Smith
Deanna & Wilbur Soulis
James & Darlene Stojak
Dr. Robert & Mrs. Amy Strahl
David & Naomi Styer
David & Henrietta Tyson
Joseph & Rose Ulrich
Chris Vaccari
David & Deborah Vorhis
Rick Rogers & Susan Warrenfeltz
Sharon Wood
FRIEND
($100 to $249)
Robert Abdinoor, Sr.
Dr. & Mrs. A.F. Abdullah
Mr. Austin Abraham
Ms. Karen Adams
Teresa Angle
Anonymous
Laura Apelbaum
Dale Bannon
David Barnes
Jair Barr
Jeff & Mariah Beard
Stephen Becker
Laurie Bender
Pieter & Stephanie Bickford
Brian & Marina Bigsby
Fritz Blattl
Don & Mary Bowman
Mary-Jane Bowyer
Aileen Boyd
Cori Bragunier
Allen & Elizabeth Brown
Earl Brown
Susan & Wally Brubaker
Louise Bucco
Shawn Buck
Shaun & Cynthia Butcher
Scott & Megan Cassada
Barbara Clary
Robert Cook & Cherie
Pedersen
Mr. & Mrs. David M. Coe
Mauricio & Rose Couto
Paul & Anne Cox
Lynn Crosby
Arthur & Sondra
Crumbacker
Keith Dagliano
Benjamin & Kathleen
Dengler
Kathleen Detlefsen
Patricia Douglas
Richard & Kandyce Douglas
Greg Duffey
Kenneth & Pamela Duncan
Nancy Dunn
Andrew & Maria Durelli
Tracie & Marcia Felker
Steve Fritz
Kristi Frush
Devin Fitzsimmons
Ian Fitzsimmons
Richard & Susan Foot
Carl & Rose Marie Gearhart
Robin Gigger
Marianne Gooding
Bradley & Linda Gottfried
Robert Grahl
Danielle Gross
James & Brooke Grossman
Joshua Grove
Linda Grove
Sarah Hall
Michael & Rowan Harp
Donald Harsh, Jr.
Hillary Hawkins
Donald & Kathryn Henry
Michael Heyser
Roland and Leslie Hobbs
Lawrence Hoeck
Ed & Kathy Hose
Cindy Hykes
Sharon Isbin
James Itell
Karen Jenneke
Paula Jilanis
Judith Johnson
Liz Kaylor
Lawrence Keefer
Caitlin Kelch
David Steele & Robert Kelly
Mary Ann Keyser
James King
Robert & Barbara Kott
Ric & Betsey Lillard
Reverend George Limmer
John Lindeman
Sue Livera
Maryanne Ludy
Emma Lyles
Charles & Melissa Mackley
Missy Maddioncalda
James Main
Mary Malaspina
Pat & Frank Malejko
Bill Mandicott
Robert Mandley
Mike Manspeaker
Steven McDaniel
Heather McEndree
Joseph McIntyre
Kathy McKinley
Henry & Mary McKinney
Douglas Meyer
Vivian Michael
Charles Miller, Jr.
Tyler Miller
Annellen Moore
Raymond Moreland, Jr.
Ellie Morin
Frank Morrisey
Daniel Mullenix
LeRoy & Nicole Myers
Tim & Beth Newhardt
Nitzell Household
Larry & Helen Nowack
Allen Oberholzer
Lee Ann O’Brien
Emily O’Farrell
Terri Gwizdala
Cheryl Pedersen
Paul & Ann Pittman
Sarah Polzin
Brenda Price
David & Monica Quin
Sharon Ridenour
Dan & Careth Rinehart
James Roan
Martin & Karen Robinson
Michael Roehn
Maria Rojas
Mario Rojas
Galen Runkles
Beverly Schaff
Aileen Schulze
Eric Schwartz
Catherine Seibert
Jeffrey Selby
Toni Serini
Robert Shipley
Jeff Sholes
Dustin & Ashley Simmons
Petr Skopek
Frederick & Dorcas Slick
Thomas Sloan
Ida Smith
Jedidiah Smith
Steve Smith
Carolyn Snyder
Andrew & Gloria Stevens
Michelle Strong
Ms. Jeanne Stoner
Robert & Sara Sweeney
Tess Tiches
Hollis and Jacqueline Thoms
Ashton & Benito Vattelana
Frank & Annette Van Hilst
Daniel Villanueva
David Wallace
Cynthia Weaver
John Guy & Alexis Webb
Mark & Katharine Weimer
Mary L. Wetzel
Clarence White, Jr.
Brett Wilson
Julie Yoder
PATRON
($50 to $99)
Patton & Jacqueline Allen
Verna Anson
Dale Stein & Dominic
Ambrosi
Anonymous
Thomas J. Arenobine
Justin Artz
William Barrett
John Beck
Justin Behrens
Jessica Bennett
Andrew Bowen
Karen Boyer
Robert Brown
Jody Brumage
Thomas Buckley
Vicky Campanelli
Jimmy Campbell
Christopher Ciardiello
Joseph Cobb
John Colborn
Colleen Corballis
Kevin Cozort
Dr. Anton T. Dahbura
Beth Decker
Mary Dougherty
Beth Dowdell
Thomas Druzgal
Marian & Jim Emr
Pastor Andrea Ernest
Debbie Everhart
Kathy Everly
Robin Ferree
Jacqueline Fignar
Todd & Gail Fineberg
Cherie Ganoe
Jon Howard
Steve Flook
Larry Fry
Megan Gallagher
Thomas Gast
Stephen Ginaitis
Ethan Golden
Mr. Stephen & the Honorable Gina Groh
Mark & Kim Halsey
James & Shawn Hardy
Valerie Harshman
Thomas & Josie Haywood
Yuman He
Klaus & Becky Hein
Eunice Heistand
Sean Henderson
Danny Henley
Teresa Hoffman
Mary House
Elizabeth Houser
Jeff Hull
Judy Johnson
Jane Jones
Brian Kendall
Karol Kennedy
Karlen Keto
Brian Koppe
Wallace & Betty Lee
Barbara Linthicum
Fred & Amanda Littlepage
Teresa Lum
Aaron Mace
Christine Madeo
Frank Marconi
Ben Marlin
McCauley Family
Gary Meyer
Kim Milburn
Chris Moleskie
Tereance Moore
Patricia Mullinix
Amy Myers
Carole Myers
Christina Nemir
Gary Olds
Barry O’Neill
Theresa O’Sullivan
Edward Poling
Lisa Poole
Jonathan Prince
Mark Reback
Barbara Rice
Mary Ridenour
Keith Rodgers
Eric Rollins
Maurice Rumbarger
Susan Ruppert
Fred Rutledge
John & Bobbi Schnebly
Mr. & Mrs. Jonathon Schupp
Arby & Renee Shaw
Jennifer Sherwood
Rich Shilling
Sally Shumard
Joan Shupp
Nathan Speir
Thomas & Veronica Stein
Steven Stitley
Donnie Stottlemyer
Laura Strite
Kimberly Summers
Andrew Talton
Elizabeth Troy
Hector Fernandez & Roger Velasquez
Robert Watson
John & Donna Weimer
Wheeler Household
Mr. Daniel Webber & Dr. Candice Mowbray
Kenneth Wolfe
Andrea Wright
Joel Yount
MUSIC EDUCATION SOCIETY
The Music Education Society is dedicated to fostering intellectual, emotional, and social growth through the transformative power of music. Our educational outreach reaches Title I schools and Head Start programs, providing children from low-income families with the opportunity to experience and benefit from orchestral music.
The Youth Orchestra, composed of middle and high school students, nurtures the next generation of musicians. Additionally, our wide-ranging lecture series offers enriching experiences for adults of all ages. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the supporters listed below, whose generosity ensures that community members of all ages can experience the healing power of music.
Music Education Society Founding Members
Founding members as of February 28, 2025.
Mr. Robert Abdinoor, Sr.
Dr. & Mrs. A.F. Abdullah
Karen L. Adams
Capt. & Mrs. William. T. Alexander, Ret.
Dr. Michael & Mrs. Jane Anderson
Anonymous
Verna Anson
Harold & Elizabeth Baker
Dave Barnhart
John & Teresa Barr
Robert & Judith Batson
Stephen Becker
David & Elizabeth Beachley
Douglas Shaffer & Mary Bell
Kennedy & Debby Boone
Scott & Kim Bowen
Mr. Brooks & Mr. Kline
Dr. J. Emmet & Mrs. Mary
Anne Burke
J. Bruce & Connie Burley
Jason & Dadra Call
Scott & Megan Cassada
Dr. & Mrs. Robert Cirincione
Debbie & Todd Cornell
Ms. Sherry Cramer
Dr. Lynn Crosby
Alison Curwen
Dan & Carolyn Davis
Mr. Larry DeHaan in memory of Frank & Dolly DeHaan
Dr. & Mrs. Allen Ditto
Patricia Douglas
Kenneth & Pamela Duncan in memory of Kaye
Duncan
The Reverend Dr. D. Stuart Dunnan
Andrew C. Durham
Mr. & Mrs. John F. Erath
George & Donna Ersek
James C. Failor
Philip Fearnow
Robert & Virginia Fennel
Mrs. Susan Fiedler
Robert & Louise Finch
Richard & Susan Foot
Patricia Ford
Carl & Louise Galligan
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen C. Garlitz
Bruce & Sandra Gephart
Terri Gwizdala
Jamie & Sarah Hall
Jean Hamilton
Edwin & Lucinda Hawbaker
Ms. Deborah Hendrickson
Roland and Leslie Hobbs
Cindy & Jim Holzapfel
Tad & Anne Holzapfel
Anna Hutzell
Jean Inaba in honor of Elizabeth Schulze and all the violins
Dr. Mark Jameson
Karen Jenneke
Paula Jilanis
Lori & Kevin Jones
Michael & Kathy Jordan
Karlen Keto
Robert & Barbara Kott
Robert & Susan Larivee
Ms. Doris E. Lehman in honor of Elizabeth Schulze
Judith & John Lilga
Ric & Betsey Lillard
Virginia Lindsay - In memory of Tom Lindsay
Bill & Monica Lingenfelter
Ed & Julie Lough
Mary Malaspina
Mr. & Mrs. Frank Malejko
Estelle Martin
Peter Michael
Barbara Miller
Paul, Mary Ann Miller
Tyler Miller
Dr. & Mrs. Raymond Morgan
Ella C. Mose in memory of Jimmy
Dr. Candice Mowbray & Mr. Danny Webber
Paul & Harriet Muldowney
Patricia Mullinix
Larry & Helen Nowack
Ms. Valerie Owens & Mr. Mike Dunkum
Terry Wills & Christine Parfitt
Robert Cook & Cherie Pedersen
Georgia & Jim Pierné
William G. Pitzer
Edward Poling
Phyllis L Price, MD
Greg & Ilissa Ramm
Howard & Francine
Reynolds
Mrs. Theron Rinehart
Kathy Robinson
Mario & Magaly Rojas
Robert Shipley
Paul Skidmore
Ida Smith
Jennifer Smith
Wilbur & Deanna Soulis
Frank & Cheryl Stearn
Thomas & Veronica Stein
Dr. Robert & Millie Steinke
Andrew & Gloria Stevens in memory of David
Bragunier
Lee & Patricia Stine
Jim & Colleen Stone
Ronald & Leura Sulchek
Jim & Colleen Stone
David & Naomi Styer
Dr. Hugh & Mrs. Marty Talton
George A. Tompkins Jr.
Donald & Paula Trumble
David & Deborah Vorhis
James Waltersdorf
Margaret O. Waltersdorf
Roberta A. Waltersdorf
Sandy Wantz
Cynthia Weaver
Clarence White, Jr.
Martha Williams in memory of George W. & Margaret K. Comstock
David & Shanon Wolf
Lloyd Yavener
Marlene & Mike Young & Family
Mr. & Mrs. William P. Young, Jr.
HERITAGE SOCIETY & ENDOWMENT
The MSO’s commitment to excellence is supported by the generosity of individuals who are personally committed to promoting, preserving, and supporting the arts. In recognition of these patrons, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra has created the Heritage Society.
We invite you to consider becoming a member of the Heritage Society through an outright financial gift, living trust, bequest in will, life insurance gift naming, retirement gift plan, real estate gift donation of real property, or a charitable remainder annuity trust. Please contact Jennifer Sutton, Director of Development, at jsutton@marylandsymphony.org to learn more.
Heritage Society Members
Members as of February 28, 2025.
Dr. & Mrs. A. F. Abdullah
Alberta G. Alcorn Family
Dr. & Mrs. Michael Anderson
Anonymous
Mr. & Mrs. John M. Baer
Teresa & John Barr
Dave Barnhart
Jack Beachley Family
John Beck, Jr.
John R. Beck
Sara Bock
Gary & Deb Bockrath
The Honorable & Mrs. W. Kennedy Boone, III
Joann Bousum
Kim & Scott Bowen
Hermione H. Brewer
Mr. & Mrs. Jack B. Byers
Jason & Dadra Call
Michael G. Callas
Mr. & Mrs. Frank D. Carden, Jr.
Dr. & Mrs. Jack Carey
Mr. & Mrs. Allen J. Clopper
Peter & Kathleen
Clouthier in memory of Rosemary G. Vocke
Mrs. David Cushwa, III
Toni & Lee Crawford
Michael Cusic
Mary & Bud Dahbura Family
Dr. & Mrs. Breese Dickinson
Dr. & Mrs. Allen Ditto
Dr. Edward W. Ditto, III Family
Mr. & Mrs. Merle Elliott
Patricia Enders
Mr. & Mrs. Franklin P. Erck, III
Katie Fitzsimmons
Samuel Freeman Family
Dr. & Mrs. Carl J. Galligan
Mr. & Mrs. William H. Gelbach, Jr.
Florence Hill Graff Family
Vincent Rauth Groh & Barbara Ingram Groh Perpetual Charitable Trust
Lucinda S. Grunberg
Jean Hamilton
Mr. & Mrs. Donald R. Harsh, Jr.
Dr. Aryeh & Mrs. Laura Herrera
Mr. & Mrs. John Hershey, Jr.
Harvey H. Heyser, Jr.
Dr. & Mrs. Robert K. Hobbs
Elsie Holloway Family
Anne & William “Tad” Holzapfel
John H. Hornbaker, Jr., M.D.
Mr. & Mrs. Edward L. Hose
William B. Hunsberger
John V. Jamison, III Family
Karen Jenneke
Dr. Robert L. Josephs
Howard & Anne Kaylor
Mr. & Mrs. Robert T. Kenney
Renee & Fred Kramer
Michelle Leveque & Patrick McFadden
Bill & Monica Lingenfelter
Reverend George A. Limmer
Dr. & Mrs. Ira Lourie
Morton & Sophia Macht
Dr. & Mrs. Edward M. Macon
Dr. & Mrs. George Manger
Melinda & James E. Marsden
Mr. & Mrs. Jerry E. Massey
Paul C. & Margaret K. Massey Family
Vincent & Phyillis Mauro Family
Joseph McIntyre
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Meyer
Mrs. Victor D. Miller
Leslie W. Mills
Dr. Candace Mowbray & Mr. Daniel Webber
Dr. & Mrs. Robert Nitzell
Mr. & Mrs. Alan J. Noia
Valerie Owens & Mike Dunkum
Dr. & Mrs. Carl D. Pedersen
Mr. & Mrs. Dominick J. Perini
Mr. & Mrs. Spence W. Perry
Georgia & Jim Pierné
Mr. & Mrs. Charles L. Pitzer
Family
William G. Pitzer
Samuel G. Reel, Jr.
William J. & Selina A. Reuter
Mrs. Theron Rinehart
Pearl & Odell H. Rosen
Dr. & Mrs. Joel L. Rosenthal
Bennett Rubin Family
Mrs. Agnita M. Schreiber Family
The Schurz Family
Mr. & Mrs. Ralph L. Sharrett
Petr Skopek
Asley & Dustin Simmons
Dr. Douglas & Mrs. Sue Ellen Spotts
James & Colleen Stone
Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Z. Sulchek
Agnes Supernavage
Jennifer Sutton & Sonny Smoyer
Dr. & Mrs. Hugh J. Talton
Doris H. Thompson
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph C. Tischer
Jay L. Troxell Family
Bruce Van Wyk
John M. Waltersdorf
Family
Mr. & Mrs. Robert A. Wantz
Daniel Watkins
Mrs. Dorothy Slocum Webster
Dr. & Mrs. Howard N. Weeks
Mrs. Mary B. Welty
Captain J. Maury Werth
Mr. & Mrs. Richard T. Whisner
Mr. & Mrs. William P. Young, Jr.
Jim & Stephanie Vaughn
Celebrate the Arts & Cuisine on all four floors of the Performing Arts Center and enjoy the debut of a film honoring The Maryland Theatre’s rich history. This event will include an immersive journey through over a century of entertainment, community, and heritage. April 5, 6, 12, & 13, 2025
SEASON SPONSORS & PARTNERS
Our Deepest Gratitude to Our Season Sponsors and Partners
The Maryland Symphony Orchestra’s 2024-2025 season is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors and partners. We extend heartfelt thanks for their commitment to bringing exceptional music to our community.
The Maryland Symphony Orchestra is funded by an operating grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. Funding for the Maryland State Arts Council is also provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.
“INSPIRATIONS” PRE-CONCERT EXPERIENCE SPONSOR
The Schurz Family
SUBSCRIBER & DONOR VIP LOUNGE SPONSOR
The Holzapfel Family
SENIOR TRANSPORTATION SPONSOR
Mr. Ed Lough
SEASON HOSPITALITY PARTNER
FREDERICK TRANSPORTATION SPONSOR
TICKET SPONSOR
SUPPORTER SPOTLIGHT
Barbara
“You have to pass on music and experiences like this to the generation following you. Classical is the root of things in music and you can learn a lot from it.”
- Mike Cusic
Mike Cusic, a lifelong lover of music and annual subscriber to the Maryland Symphony Orchestra has generously included the MSO in his estate plans. We reached out to ask him about what motivated him to make this choice and he said the following…
I’ve been playing music since I was a teenager, it has always been something I was passionate about and wanted to be around. When I came to West Virginia in ’89 there wasn’t a lot of the genres I liked listening to around, so I started looking to get involved in other genres like bluegrass and classical.
I liked going to MSO concerts and hearing their great music and guests, like Sharon Isbin, in that beautiful venue. It reminded me that classical music is the foundation, it’s where the theory comes from for the music I typically play. The 1-4-5 progression goes back to Beethoven and Mozart, it didn’t just start with the genres of music that are more popular now. Knowing the root of things helps me as a player and will help the next generation of musicians, too.
I like that we have a local option that is focusing on the next generation. The MSO does a lot of youth programming and community activities and that’s how you keep people’s interest up and share classical music and music generally. I am fortunate enough to do this, support local music that I enjoy, and I get a good feeling back from the people at the Maryland Symphony so I’m happy to support what they’re doing to make sure it continues.
Congratulations to Elizabeth Schulze on 25 Years!
We proudly support the Maryland Symphony Orchestra Absolutely Exceptional Experiences