Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Partners with The University of Maryland

The orchestra has partnered with the University of Maryland’s Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and School of Music to promote community engagement

The collaboration between the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and the University of Maryland’s (UMD) Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (The Clarice) and the School of Music (SOM), aims to invest in its community, students, and the future of orchestral performance.

Combining their cultural resources, The Clarice, SOM, and BSO, are set to launch new civic initiatives and engage new audiences — with the BSO continuing to extend its reach across the state of Maryland. 

The initiatives include Sound Impact, a collective of musicians who perform music to build community. The project will involve BSO musicians and SOM ensembles, with performances and community commissions to be held in libraries, detention centers, youth facilities, and churches.

Additionally, BSO music director laureate Marin Alsop and BSO’s new incoming music director Jonathon Heyward, will lead conducting masterclasses for students in SOM.

“Connecting with emerging talent and rising musicians is a key component to my tenure with the BSO,” said Heyward. “I feel very fortunate to be able to foster partnerships that align so beautifully with my artistic values. It is a wonderful opportunity to sincerely connect with the next generation of visionary artists and musicians while making this art form that we all love approachable and accessible.”

The Clarice is home to the National Orchestral Institute+Festival — designed for young orchestral musicians to engage with the community through partnerships and performances that empower historically excluded voices in classical music. SOM also hosts many programs centered on advocacy, entrepreneurship, and empowering students through music.

The partnership will also launch the “Voices of Prince George’s County” program, which will give voice through music to individuals in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and see their stories shared with audiences at The Clarice. 

“‘Voices of Prince George’s County’ offers a tremendous opportunity for social impact in our community, and I am thrilled to celebrate this partnership,” said UMD president Darryll J. Pines. “It expands UMD’s campus-wide Arts for All initiative, which demonstrates the community-building and the transformative power of the arts.”

“As the largest arts organization in Maryland, the [BSO] remains committed to sharing the magic of music with more people, more often,” said BSO president and CEO, Mark Hanson. “This partnership allows us to continue inspiring audiences of all ages through a wide-variety of symphonic experiences throughout the state of Maryland and beyond.” 

“Our School of Music students will gain so much through this partnership,” added SOM’s director Gregory Miller. “It gives them incredible opportunities to expand their musical education through performances, masterclasses and community engagement.” 

“We believe the performing arts are for everyone and that culture can serve as a vital catalyst for positive social change,” expressed Terry Dwyer, The Clarice’s executive director. “This partnership we hope will ignite a new kind of musical dialogue with our on and off-campus communities that will lead to meaningful contributions to the cultural and civic life of Prince George’s County and UMD.” 

To mark the partnership, a three-concert series launching in November 2023, will see concert performances with audience engagement, hosted by Heyward, an ethnomusicologist, and UMD College of Arts and Humanities dean Stephanie Shonekan. Additionally, the three organizations are co-commissioning a new work that will have its world premiere in the second year of their collaboration.

Founded over a century ago, the BSO performs annually for over 275,000 people throughout the State of Maryland. In 2005, it became the nation’s first orchestra to perform its full season of classical and pops concerts in two metropolitan areas.