Maryland Symphony Orchestra Presents “The Firebird” at Maryland Theatre Performing Arts Center
HAGERSTOWN, Md. – April 8, 2022 – The 40th anniversary season of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra comes to a close on Saturday, May 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 8 at 3:00 pm with a grand celebration that includes a 40th Anniversary Gala event. “The Firebird” concert features the music of Igor Stravinsky, Gabriel Pierné, and César Franck. Madeline Olson, principal harpist for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, will join the MSO as a featured soloist for this performance. The concert will be performed live at the Maryland Theatre and also broadcast on the symphony’s “MSO Live! Virtual Concert Hall” streaming platform at watch.marylandsymphony.org.
Igor Stravinsky’s “The Firebird” has been described as a “shimmering musical fairy tale.” For Stravinsky, this piece served as a personal ‘letter of introduction’ to the musical world. The inventive, virtuosic use of orchestral colors and abrupt, repetitive rhythms take audience members on a sound journey unlike any they may have previously experienced. The work offers a truly dazzling, triumphant conclusion to the MSO’s 40th anniversary season.
Also featured on the program, the “Concertstück for Harp & Orchestra in G sharp” is one of the most admired harp selections in the classical repertoire. It was written by the French composer Gabriel Pierné in 1901 and received its world premiere in 1903. The performance of this selection on the concert program has special meaning for James Pierné, a Hagerstown resident; Gabriel Pierné was his great grandfather. The Pierné family will be in attendance at the performance.
Music for harp was relatively scant before the 20th century – Gabriel Pierné changed that. Music for the instrument began to appear in relative abundance around 1904 with works by Debussy, Ravel, and Saint-Saëns, and the rest of the century saw a wealth of works for harp and orchestra.
Madeline Olson, principal harpist for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, will be the featured soloist on the Pierné work. Ms. Olson is an award-winning soloist with who has performed with numerous ensembles including the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, The Orchestra Now, the Juilliard Orchestra, New World Symphony, Modesto Symphony Orchestra, Fresno Philharmonic, and the Riverside Symphony. In February 2020 she was appointed the principal harpist for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under music director JoAnn Falletta.
César Franck’s remarkable and radical Symphony in D Minor will conclude the program. This is a symphony that's worthily crafted and finely wrought. Considered French music's most significant late-19th century symphony, the audience will experience a magnificent symphonic finale to a season that has been filled with outstanding guest artists and incredible performances by the Maryland Symphony.
One of Washington County's most anticipated events, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra’s 2022 40th Anniversary Gala will also take place on Saturday May 7th at the historic Maryland Theatre. The 2022 MSO Gala will be unlike any other in our region offering an evening of incredible experience with world-class music.
Guests will enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, fun photo opportunities and the ability to bid on unique auction packages before heading upstairs to The Maryland Theatre Ballroom for a delicious spring inspired dinner. After dinner, guests will attend “The Firebird” performance by the MSO and return after the concert to the Ballroom for an After-Party experience featuring a 40th Anniversary toast, additional photo opportunities, dessert, live music by the Dixie Power Trio (the East Coast’s premier New Orleans music ensemble!) and dancing.
The 2021/2022 concert season is presented through the generous support of Antietam Broadband. The MSO is also supported by an operating grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. Bowman Hospitality provides the finest Guest Artist accommodations as the official hospitality partner of the MSO.
Tickets for the concert range from $29 to $79 for adults and children. To purchase tickets, call 301-797-4000 or go online at www.marylandsymphony.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the MSO Box Office on the second floor of the Maryland Theatre at 21 S. Potomac Street, Hagerstown.
What: The “Firebird”
Where: The Maryland Theatre
21 S. Potomac Street
Hagerstown, MD 21740
When: Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 8, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.
Tickets: $29 - $79. Tickets can be purchased online at www.marylandsymphony.org; in person at the Maryland Symphony Orchestra Administrative Offices located at 21 S Potomac Street, 2nd Floor, Hagerstown, MD 21740 (11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday); or by calling the Box Office at 301-797-4000 during normal business hours. Group Rates are available for groups of ten or more.
VENUE INFORMATION
Built in 1915, designed by renowned architect Thomas Lamb, the Maryland Theatre is the anchor to the Arts & Entertainment district in downtown Hagerstown. The Theatre provides comfortable seating for 1,300 at performances of country artists, comedians, children's shows, recitals, stage shows, and more. Since 1982, the Theatre has been the official home of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra. The Maryland Theatre welcomes approximately 120,000 people through her doors annually. The Maryland Theatre is located at 21 S. Potomac Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740.
ABOUT MARYLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Founded in 1982, Maryland Symphony Orchestra is celebrating its 40th season as the area’s premier professional orchestra. Under the musical direction of Maestra Elizabeth Schulze, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra is dedicated to providing musical performances that educate and entertain, while enhancing the cultural environment of Western Maryland and the surrounding region. Learn more: www.marylandsymphony.org
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