The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO) has announced the program for the first concert of its 25^th Anniversary season of 2022-2023. Under the baton of new Music Director and Conductor Michael Repper, the orchestra will present Ludwig von Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Opus 73, “Emperor” as its opening piece. The second half of the concert will be Robert Schumann’s “Rhenish” Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Opus 97.

Composed almost a half-century before the Schumann symphony, Beethoven’s “Emperor” concerto was written during the period when the composer was challenging the audience’s expectations of musical form. This was a time in Beethoven’s life when he had come through a dark period of depression and isolation, caused in part by his growing deafness.

The lilting “Rhenish” symphony, by contrast, was inspired by a trip along the Rhine that Schumann took with his wife, the renowned pianist Clara Schumann. It was not just the River itself but many sights along the way, including the imposing Cathedral at Cologne, that delighted Schumann. He described the flowing second movement as “a morning on the Rhine”.

“Beethoven’s fifth piano concerto is a tour-de-force for the pianist, for the orchestra, and for the enjoyment of the audience. It is an exciting way for us to begin our season at the MSO,” said Repper. “And the ‘Rhenish’ is a very fun piece; it is a great way to conclude the opening concert of MSO’s 25th season!”

The piano soloist for the “Emperor” is 39-year-old Irish pianist Michael McHale. The Belfast-born McHale is an international performing and recording artist who has performed with orchestras in the United States, England, Russia, Ireland, Japan, Germany, and Amsterdam.

CONCERT DETAILS FOLLOW…

WHEN and WHERE: This concert will be performed at three venues on three days on the Delmarva Peninsula.

Thursday, September 29, 2022 – 7:30 PM – Chesapeake College, Wye Mills, MD

Saturday, October 1, 7:30 PM – Cape Henlopen High School, Lewes, DE

Sunday, October 2, 3:00 PM – Performing Arts Center, Ocean City, MD

RETURNING TO CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE THIS SEASON

Chesapeake College in Wye Mills, Maryland, will be the venue for the September, December, and April Easton-area concerts. This venue is the only one in the area that can accommodate the size of the orchestra for the planned programs. It also is the only venue that offers a Steinway Grand Piano

TICKETS

Individual tickets for this concert are $50 per person at each venue.

Series subscriptions for the 2022-2023 season are available.

The Mid-Atlantic Symphony offers a group discount for the purchase of 10 or more tickets to a single concert.

The Orchestra also makes a limited number of free tickets available for students 18 years and under; tickets for accompanying parents are $10 each. Reservations are required for the free tickets and may be made by calling 888-846-8600.

PODCASTS

Podcasts for the season preview, for each concert, and for special MSO events are available on the MSO Web site at midatlanticsymphony.org. Podcasts are posted on the site approximately 7 to 10 days before a concert or event.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about the 2022-2023 season, or to order tickets, please visit www.midatlanticsymphony.org. Tickets may be ordered by telephone at 888-846-8600.

ABOUT THE MID-ATLANTIC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is the only professional symphony orchestra serving southern Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore with a full season of programs. The MSO is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council; the Talbot County Arts Council; the Worcester County Arts Council; the Sussex County, DE Council; and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc.

A complete schedule of the 2022-2023 season’s Masterworks and Ensembles programs, venues, times, and other information is available at www.midatlanticsymphony.org.

As it welcomes Music Director and Conductor Michael Repper to the podium, the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra will mark its 25^thanniversary season – a “Season of Celebration” – with the introduction of a new four-concert Ensembles Series to complement its traditional five-concert Masterworks Series and New Year’s Eve concert.

Both series will be presented at multiple venues on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and in Southern Delaware.

“With growing interest in live performances, we are adding a series of programs featuring brass, jazz, string, and woodwind ensembles comprised of Mid-Atlantic Symphony musicians to make the joy and diversity of music more widely available,” said Board President Jeffrey Parker.

“The new Ensembles Series will allow our audiences to become more familiar with individual players from the Orchestra as they perform together in these smaller groups,” Parker added. “The series will offer programs that appeal to a variety of musical tastes, as well as lower ticket prices to make the experience more affordable for families. Our established Masterworks Series will continue to feature new and familiar repertoire for full orchestra, with acclaimed guest performers from around the world.”

Masterworks Series programs include Florence Price’s rarely performed Symphony No. 1 as well as symphonies by Dvorak and Schumann; Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 (“Emperor”), with celebrated Irish pianist Michael McHale as guest soloist; Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1, with internationally acclaimed cellist Dominique de Willencourt as guest soloist; and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, with BBC Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Igor Yuzefovich as both guest soloist and conductor.

A complete schedule of 2022-2023 Masterworks and Ensembles programs, venues and times is available at www.midatlanticsymphony.org

The Mid-Atlantic Symphony also will celebrate its silver anniversary with its traditional non-subscription New Year’s Eve concert in Easton, MD, featuring acclaimed young singer Anna Kelly and Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition finalist Rachel Blaustein. Tickets are $65 for general admission or $90 for premium seating.

Subscriptions for the five-concert Masterworks Series, which includes the popular Holiday Joy program, are $210,a savings of $50 from individually purchased tickets. Single tickets for Masterworks programs are $50 for the September, November, and March concerts, and $55 for both the December and April programs.

Ensembles Series subscriptions, including a December performance of seasonal favorites by a six-person brass and percussion group of Mid-Atlantic Symphony musicians, are $125 for four concerts, a savings of $15 from individually purchased tickets, which are $35 each. The series also includes performances by a woodwind quintet, a string quartet, and a jazz ensemble.

In addition to single tickets and series subscriptions, the Mid-Atlantic Symphony offers a group discount for the purchase of 10 or more tickets to a single subscription concert.

The Orchestra also makes a limited number of free tickets available for students 18 years and under, with accompanying parents admitted for $10 each. Reservations are required for the free tickets, and may be made by calling 888-846-8600,

For additional information about the 2022-2023 season or to order tickets, visit www.midatlanticsymphony.org. Tickets also may be ordered by telephone at 888-846-8600.

The only professional symphony orchestra serving southern Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore with a full season of programs, the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council; the Talbot County Arts Council; the Worcester County Arts Council; the Sussex County, DE Council; and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc.

The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra has commenced a comprehensive search for a new music director after Julien Benichou advised the board of his intention to step down from the position upon the conclusion of his existing contract on June 30.

“We are grateful for Maestro Benichou’s efforts over 16 seasons to significantly elevate the caliber of the Orchestra’s musicians and to create exciting programs that offered our audiences some of the best in the classical music repertoire,” said Board President Jeffrey Parker.

“Our audience members, musicians and board will always remember Julien’s contributions toward making the MSO an excellent regional orchestra, and one of the few that continued public performances throughout the pandemic,” Parker added. “We wish Maestro Benichou the best in his future endeavors.”

In a letter to the MSO board, Maestro Benichou said: “After 17 seasons at the helm of the Mid-Atlantic Symphony, I feel this is a good time for me to step down from my position. The Orchestra has made immense progress and is on a good track. My conducting engagements and my new position with the Washington Opera Society are making my schedule too busy to be able to fully devote myself to the MSO, as I was once able to.”

He added: “I will keep nothing but good memories from my time with all of you and I am so grateful and proud to have been part of such a wonderful team.I wish you and the musicians of the MSO all the best in your future endeavors and know that the future of the Orchestra is bright.”

The only professional symphony orchestra serving southern Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council; the Talbot County Arts Council; the Worcester County Arts Council; the Sussex County, DE Council; and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc.

Award-winning conductor, composer and pianist Adam Glaser joins an ensemble of Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra musicians June 2 and 3 for an eclectic evening of jazz, crossover and contemporary music.

The special Jazz Pops program will be presented on Thursday, June 2 at the Avalon Theater in Easton, MD, and on Friday, June 3 at Epworth United Methodist Church in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Both performances begin at 7 PM. The Rehoboth Beach program will be followed by a fund-raising reception at the Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant in Rehoboth Beach.

“Audience reaction to our regular season concerts was so overwhelmingly positive that we decided to showcase some of our talented musicians in an additional program certain to please a variety of musical tastes,” said Mid-Atlantic Symphony Board President Jeffrey Parker. “It is clear that, after two years of pandemic restrictions, music lovers are eager to return to live performances.”

Individual tickets for the June 2 and 3 performances are $35. Tickets may be ordered online at www.midatlanticsymphony.org or by telephone at 888-846-8600. They also may be purchased at the door.

In addition, a limited number of free tickets are available for students 18years and under, with accompanying parents admitted for $10 each. Reservations are required for the free tickets, and may be made by calling 888-846-8600,

Tickets for the June 3 post-performance reception are $125, and include admission to the concert.

A faculty member of the Juilliard Pre-College Division since 1999, Adam Glaser conducts the Juilliard Pre-College Orchestra and Symphony in concerts at Lincoln Center, and serves as chair of the division’s conducting department. As the director of orchestras at Hofstra University, Glaser conducts the Hofstra Symphony Orchestra and Hofstra Chamber Orchestra, and teaches courses in conducting, orchestration, and music business.

Glaser has received awards from the Hermitage Artist Retreat, the American-Austrian Foundation and the Vienna Philharmonic’s Attergau Orchestra Institute.

An established composer, Glaser has enjoyed performances of his works by more than 25 orchestras including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Glaser earned a diploma in orchestral conducting from the Curtis Institute of Music, a master of music degree in orchestral conducting from the University of Michigan, and a master of business administration degree from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. He is a graduate of The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division in composition and is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

To ensure the safety of its audience members and musicians, the Orchestra requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination for everyone entering venues.

The only professional symphony orchestra serving southern Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore with a full season of programs, the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council; the Talbot County Arts Council; the Worcester County Arts Council; the Sussex County, DE Council; and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc.

The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra’s Season Finale Concert will now be performed at the Easton High School Auditorium. This concert, which was originally scheduled to be performed at the Todd Performing Arts Center was forced to change venues when the college recently advised the MSO that subsequent to an inspection the auditorium became unavailable. Unfortunately, the College has identified several facility issues impacting the theater as a result of its extended disuse and is currently unable to host events. The Mid-Atlantic Symphony was able to immediately secure Easton High’s School auditorium, which offers ample seating and parking, and is looking forward to making a return to the concert stage in April with an outstanding program featuring Yao Guang Zhai, Principal Clarinet of the Baltimore Symphony, performing Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A Major. The concert also includes Weber’s Overture to Euryanthe and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2.

After what promises to be an uplifting concert to end the Mid-Atlantic Symphony’s 24th season, we invite you to join us at our Legacy Award Gala Dinner as we honor the legacy of Mrs. Martha Read for all of her contributions to the MSO. The Gala dinner will now be held at the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy located at 114 S. Washington Street, Easton, MD  21601. There is ample parking on both South Washington Street and in the parking lot, opposite ESLC. For those who wish to attend the post-concert celebration, featuring four gourmet courses catered by Chef Jordan Lloyd of Hambleton House Catering & Events, tickets can be purchased on the MSO’s website or by contacting the MSO at 1-888-846-8600.

“We bring our 24^th season to its finale with some of the most uplifting, energetic and rousing of the classical and romantic repertoire,” said Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra Music Director Julien Benichou. “We are particularly pleased to have Yao GuangZhai join us for the Clarinet Concerto, one of Mozart’s most haunting and technically challenging compositions.”

The concert will be presented on Friday, April 22 at 7 PM at Easton High School; on Saturday, April 23 12 at 7 PM at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes, DE; and on Sunday, April 24 at 7 PM at the Performing Arts Center in Ocean City, MD.

Individual tickets are $50. In addition, a limited number of free tickets are available for students 18 years and under, with accompanying parents admitted for $10 each. Reservations are required for the free tickets, and may be made by calling 888-846-8600,

For additional information about the April concerts or to order tickets, visit www.midatlanticsymphony.org. Tickets also may be ordered by telephone at 888-846-8600, or purchased at the door.

To ensure the safety of its audience members and musicians, the Orchestra requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination for everyone entering venues.

German composer Carl Maria von Weber, best known for his operatic works, created Euryanthe between 1817 and 1823. Although the full opera is seldom performed today, the Overture is celebrated as an outstanding example of the early German Romantic style. It features themes that appear throughout what Weber described as a “grand heroic-romantic opera”.

Johannes Brahms composed his Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73 in the summer of 1877, remarkably quick work given the 21 years he labored over his First Symphony. The Second Symphony is one of the most cheerful of his works. Perhaps reflecting its composition while Brahms was living on the shores of a beautiful Austrian lake, the Symphony is sometimes called his “Pastoral”, an obvious reference to the Beethoven symphony with the same name.

The Clarinet Concerto was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s last major instrumental composition before his untimely death at the age of 35. He composed it for the clarinet virtuoso Anton Stadler, a friend and a fellow Freemason. The soloist’s second theme in the first movement explores the entire range of the clarinet, often leaping from one extreme to the other; it is frequently used in clarinet auditions of major orchestras.

Prior to joining the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Yao GuangZhai served as associate principal clarinet of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and principal clarinet of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. He won top prizes at the Hellam and Blount-Slawson young artist competitions and at the Aspen Music Festival and Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra concerto competition. A native of Taiyuan, China, Yao began his musical studies on the violin at age three and commenced clarinet lessons at age 10. He studied at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, the Idyllwild Arts Academy, and the Curtis Institute of Music.

The only professional symphony orchestra serving southern Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council; the Talbot County Arts Council; the Worcester County Arts Council; the Sussex County, DE Council; and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc.

The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra resumes its 2021-2022 season in March with a program featuring the Cello Concerto No. 2 by Camille Saint-Saëns, with award-winning cellist Julian Schwarz as guest soloist.

In addition to the Cello Concerto, the program will include Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Overture from The Magic Flute and Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 2.

“The second cello concerto is a thematic tour de force and is much more technically challenging than Saint-Saëns’s first,” said Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra Music Director Julien Benichou. “It is an ideal work to showcase the talent of a true virtuoso such as Julian Schwarz.”

The program will be performed on Thursday, March 10 at 7:30 PM at the Easton Church of God in Easton, MD; on Saturday, March 12 at 7:30 PM at Epworth United Methodist Church in Rehoboth Beach, DE; and on Sunday, March 13 at 3 PM at Community Church in Ocean Pines, MD.

Individual tickets for the March concert are $45. For additional information or to order tickets, visit www.midatlanticsymphony.org. Tickets also may be ordered by telephone at 888-846-8600, or purchased at the door.

To ensure the safety of its audience members and musicians, the Orchestra requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination for everyone entering venues.

Saint-Saëns’s Cello Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 119, was composed in 1902 and dedicated to the Dutch cellist Joseph Hollman, who gave the first performance in Paris in 1905. A cyclic work, it comprises two large movements, a composition style Saint-Saëns employed in several of his other works including the First Violin Sonata, the Fourth Piano Concerto, and the “Organ Symphony.”

Schumann’s Symphony No. 2, Op. 61, published in 1847, possesses an uplifting tone that is surprising given the health problems he was experiencing at the time. The Symphony also marked a shift in compositional strategy, as Schumann began to compose away from the piano and as he engaged in an intensive study of counterpoint with his wife, Clara Schumann.

Mozart completed the Overture to The Magic Flute, K. 620, just several days before the opera’s premiere in 1791. Reflecting the numeric symbolism of the Freemasons, of which he was a member, the Overture opens with a grand proclamation of each of the three notes of the tonic triad. The remainder of the work showcases Mozart’s brilliant use of counterpoint and dynamic contrasts to build a more complex piece than one might expect from its opening theme.

Guest soloist Julian Schwarz was born to a multigenerational musical family in Seattle, WA, in 1991. After making his concerto debut at the age of 11 with the Seattle Symphony – with his father Gerard Schwarz on the podium – he made his U.S. touring debut with the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2010.

Since receiving first prize at the inaugural Schoenfeld International String Competition in 2013, he has led an active career as soloist, performing with more than two dozen orchestras in the U.S. He also has performed internationally in countries including Australia, Hong Kong, Mexico, and Switzerland. In 2016, Schwarz and pianist Marika Bournaki were awarded first prize at the inaugural Boulder International Chamber Music Competition.

Schwarz, who has multiple recordings on Naxos Records and other labels, serves as assistant professor of cello at the Shenandoah Conservatory of Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA. He also is a member of the artist faculty of New York University’s Steinhardt School. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The Juilliard School, where he studied with Joel Krosnick.

Schwarz plays a Neapolitan cello made by Gennaro Gagliano in 1743.

The only professional symphony orchestra serving southern Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council; the Talbot County Arts Council; the Worcester County Arts Council; the Sussex County, DE Council; and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc.

The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra’s Brass Quintet will perform a selection of classical brass repertoire and seasonal favorites during a special program in Easton on Sunday, December 19.

The program, at Christ Church, 111 South Harrison Street, begins at 4 PM. Tickets are $35 and may be purchased in advance, online at www.midatlanticsymphony.org or by calling 888-846-8600. Tickets also will be available at the door.

“This special program affords the opportunity to present several exceptional but seldom heard classical compositions for brass, as well as holiday standards from the 17^th Century to the present,” said MSO General Manager, Dane Krich. “Showcasing the talent of several of the Mid-Atlantic Symphony’s professional musicians, the Holiday Brass concert is certain to please audience members of all ages and musical tastes.”

The program includes Jean-Joseph Mouret’s Rondeau, which is used as the theme song for the Masterpiece Series on PBS. The classical portion of the program also includes “Rose Without A Thorn,” a suite composed by King Henry VIII, and works by Bach and Joseph Bologne.

Popular seasonal tunes include Joy to the World, Silent Night, Little Drummer Boy, Sleigh Ride, and more.

The program will be performed by Luke Engelke and Guy McIntosh, trumpet; Michael Hall, French horn; Nick Mazziott, trombone; Zach Bridges, tuba; and Dane Krich, percussion.

To ensure the safety of its audience members and musicians, the Orchestra requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination for everyone entering venues. In addition, Christ Church requires that masks be worn.

The only professional symphony orchestra serving southern Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council; the Talbot County Arts Council; the Worcester County Arts Council; the Sussex County, DE Council; and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc.

The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra continues its tradition of sharing seasonal cheer when it presents its popular Holiday Joy program, with acclaimed French soprano Norah Amsellem as guest soloist.

“Holiday Joy affords us the opportunity to celebrate the season with orchestral and vocal works representing a variety of cultures and traditions, reminding us of the diversity of society and demonstrating the power of music to bring us together,” said Music Director Julien Benichou. “We are delighted to be joined by the talented Norah Amsellem, who has performed leading roles with major opera companies in the United States and in Europe.”

Featuring a selection of seasonal favorites, the festive program will be presented on December 3 at 7 PM at the Avalon Theatre in Easton, MD; on December 4 at 7 PM at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes, DE; and on December 5 at 3 PM at the Ocean City Performing Arts Center in Ocean City, MD.

The December 4 performance is sponsored by the Gallo Gives Foundation, the charitable arm of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Gallo Realty, a full-service real estate brokerage with offices in Lewes, Rehoboth Beach and Bethany Beach. The Foundation is funded by agents and staff, who contribute a portion of their commission, which is then matched by Gallo Realty. The mission of the Foundation is to support local charitable organizations in need, and to enhance the presence of the arts in Sussex County, DE.

Tickets for the Holiday Joy program are $50, and may be purchased in advance at www.midatlanticsymphony.org or by calling 888-846-8600. Tickets also are available at the door.

To ensure the safety of its audience members and musicians, the Orchestra requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination for everyone entering venues. Some venues also may require that masks be worn.

Norah Amsellem began her musical studies at age 5 in her native Paris, later continuing her education in the U.S. at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, and with Lorraine Nubar at The Juilliard School.

A winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and member of the Met’s Lindemann Young Artist Program, Ms. Amsellem made her official debut with the company in October 1995 as Micaela in Carmen. She has performed at the Met more than 30 times in roles including Liù in Turandot and Gilda in Rigoletto.

Ms. Amsellem also has performed at La Scala in Milan, and with the San Francisco Opera, London’s Royal Opera, the Vienna State Opera, the Munich State Opera and the Berlin State Opera, among others. She has recorded for labels including Decca and Telarc.

For additional information about the Mid-Atlantic Symphony and the Holiday Joy program, visit www.midatlanticsymphony.org

The only professional symphony orchestra serving Maryland’s Eastern Shore and southern Delaware, the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council; the Talbot County Arts Council; the Worcester County Arts Council; the Sussex County, DE Council; and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc.