Symphony Number One
- Baltimore War Memorial
- Emmanuel Episcopal Church
- Lovely Lane Methodist Church
- Morgan State University
Symphony Number One (SNO) is a chamber orchestra primarily devoted to new music based in Baltimore, Maryland. SNO performs each year in musical venues in Mount Vernon, Baltimore, at Morgan State University, and across the city. Jordan Randall Smith is Symphony Number One's founder and current music director.[1][2]
History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/SNO_Stravinsky_septet_August_2017_02.jpg/170px-SNO_Stravinsky_septet_August_2017_02.jpg)
Symphony Number One was founded in 2015 by Jordan Randall Smith, Nicholas Bentz, and Sean Meyers, all of whom were graduate and undergraduate students at the Peabody Institute.[3][4] Symphony Number One is a chamber orchestra devoted to performing works by emerging composers. A non-profit performing arts organization, SNO maintains close relationships with the other independent classical music organizations of Baltimore, and is a part of Maryland's classical arts space.[5] With its focus on contemporary music, SNO can also be classified as a contemporary classical ensemble.
The orchestra's president is Dr. Janan Broadbent and Ben Goldberg is SNO's composer-in-residence. The orchestra's current concertmaster is Nikita Borisevich. Founder Jordan Randall Smith and co-founder Nicholas Bentz are current members of the collective. The other co-founder was saxophonist Sean Meyers; Smith, Bentz, and Meyers first met at the Peabody Institute.[6] The three put together the inaugural concert in May 2015 at the Baltimore War Memorial.[7][8] In 2017, SNO appointed Brian Tracey as executive director.[9]
SNO was invited to perform at the inaugural Light City festival on April 2, 2016, in Baltimore.[10][11][12] In September 2016, Symphony Number One began its second season with compositions by Richard Strauss, Mahler, and Steve Reich.[13] SNO was named a "Category Buster" by Baltimore Magazine in their 2016 "Best of Baltimore" issue;[14] SNO also won runner up for "Best Band" in Baltimore Magazine's Reader's Poll.[15] In addition, SNO was featured in I Care if You Listen's Mixtape #20.[16]
Symphony Number One emphasizes inclusionary policies in orchestra membership, audience access, and selection of featured composers.[17][18] SNO is a two-time recipient of grants by Women's Philharmonic Advocacy for multiple commissions of female composers.[19][20]
SNO is the 2019 winner of The American Prize in Orchestral Performance.[21][22]
Repertoire
Notable premieres
Symphony Number One's cornerstone project is the commissioning of new works. SNO has commissioned several works from American and international composers, which include:
- Kirsten Broberg: In Search of Imagery (2020)[23]
- James Lee III: Chamber Symphony: Awakened to Eternal Realities (2018)[24][25]
- Carolyn Chen: Animalcules (2017)[26]
- Nicholas Bentz: Approaching Eternity (2017)[4][24]
- Natalie Draper: Timelapse Variations (2016)[27]
- Martha Horst: Straussian Landscapes (2016)[28]
- Andrew Posner: The Promised Burning (2016)[29][30]
- Jonathan Russell: Light Cathedral (2016)[31]
- Nicole Murphy: Water Mirrors (2015)
- Andrew Boss: Saxophone Concerto, written for saxophonist Sean Meyers (2015)[32][33]
- Mark Fromm: Symphony No. 1 (2015)[34][35]
Masterworks[clarification needed]
- John Adams: Son of Chamber Symphony
- Pierre Boulez: Dérive 2
- Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 7
- Antonín Dvořák: Serenade No. 2
- Charles Ives: Symphony No. 3
- Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 4; Das Lied von der Erde
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra
- Arnold Schoenberg: Chamber Symphony No. 1
- Richard Strauss: Sonatine No. 2
- Igor Stravinsky: L'Histoire du soldat
Crossover
- Dan Deacon: "When I Was Done Dying"
- Lady Gaga: "Poker Face"
- Leonard Cohen: "Hallelujah"
- Martina Lynch: "Dear Media"
- Radiohead: "Pyramid Song"
Music directors
- Jordan Randall Smith (2015–present)
Members
SNO is a flexible collective of approximately thirty artist-entrepreneurs, including instrumentalists, vocalists, composers, and sound and production designers. The musicians also serve as the executive and operational leadership.[36][37]
- Guilherme Andreas (flute)
- James Duncan (clarinet)
- Scott Johnson Jr. (bass clarinet)
- Mateen Milan (bassoon)
- Susan Summers (saxophone)[38]
- Scott Ullman (horn)
- Andy Ezell (trumpet)
- Sarah Manley (trombone)
- Matt Stiens (percussion)
- Elizabeth G. Hill (piano)
- Dan Rorke (keyboard)
- Nikita Borisevich (violin)
- Keegan Donlon (viola)
- Mike Newman (cello)
- Michael Rittling (double bass)
- Ben Goldberg (composer in residence)
- Jordan Randall Smith (conductor)
Performances and tours
SNO on the Road
SNO offers small tours concerts called "SNO on the Road". In February 2016, members Sean Meyers and Elizabeth G. Hill used the series to present saxophone and piano recitals in which the piano reduction of the Andrew Boss Saxophone Concerto was premiered, their second album–Emergence–was released, and the sheet music for the concerto went on sale.[39][40]
More recently, Symphony Number One performed at TEDxMidAtlantic 2017 in Washington, D.C.[41][42]
Community outreach
SNO offers several programs to engage with a variety of audiences in Baltimore as well as to work with composers internationally.
Beethoven's Kitchen
In May 2016, Melissa Lander presented SNO's first significant chamber music concert under the umbrella of "Beethoven's Kitchen".[43][44] The series focuses both on new music and concert experiences and on combining food and drink.[45][46]
Call for Scores
SNO holds an annual Call for Scores competition, recognizing two winners each year. The winning composers are commissioned to write new works for Symphony Number One.[47] In its third call for scores, Symphony Number One added a number of additional prizes, including the "Maryland Prize," recognizing a Maryland composer's achievements. Howard County native Karena Ingram was the winner.[48]
Broadcasts
- WYPR's Midday: Performance broadcast across the State of Maryland. Hosted by Tom Hall.[49]
- Maryland Public Television's Artworks: Performance broadcast across the State of Maryland. Hosted by Rhea Feikin.
- The Baltimore Sun's Roughly Speaking: Performance broadcast live from the lobby of The Baltimore Sun. Hosted by Dan Rodricks.
- KALW's Music from Other Minds: Radio broadcast featuring SNO's third album, More. Hosted by Danny Clay.
Discography
SNO emphasizes recordings as an integral component of its program.[50] In addition to freely releasing live performances of individual compositions, SNO records albums on its own custom label, SNOtone.
- 2017: Approaching: Martha Horst: Straussian Landscapes ; Hangrui Zhang: Baltimore Prelude ; Nicholas Bentz: Approaching Eternity. (SNOtone)[51]
- 2016: More: Natalie Draper: Timelapse Variations; Jonathan Russell: Light Cathedral; Andrew Posner: The Promised Burning. (SNOtone)[52][53]
- 2016: Emergence: Andrew Boss: Concerto for Saxophone and Small Chamber Orchestra, feat. Sean Meyers – alto saxophone. (SNOtone)[54]
- 2015: Symphony Number One: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra, feat. Raoul Cho, Jordan Thomas; Gabriel Fauré: Pavane; Mark Fromm: Symphony No. 1, feat. Hanul Park – bassoon. (SNOtone)[55][56]
References
- ^ Lim, John (June 28, 2016). "Jordan Smith on How Becoming a Maestro at the Pivot Led to a Great Career as a Conductor". Moving Forward. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
- ^ Symphony Number One at Library of Congress
- ^ Bell, Margaret (September 15, 2015). "Peabody alumni found new group Symphony Number One". The Peabody Post. Archived from the original on July 11, 2018. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ a b Scherch, John (2018-04-03). "Student Composer of the Month – April 2018: Nicholas Bentz". WBJC. Archived from the original on 2018-04-04. Retrieved 2018-04-04.
- ^ Evartt, Diane. "Music: Orchestras". Maryland State Archives: Maryland Manual On-Line. Archived from the original on March 2, 2018. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ "SoundNotion 202: Ockeghem Fanboys". SoundNotion.tv. April 20, 2015. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017.
- ^ McCauley, Mary (May 6, 2016). "Baltimore's War Memorial is home for a new concert series by mostly local artists". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017.
- ^ Souza, Gabriella (May 8, 2015). "Baltimore's Newest Chamber Orchestra Makes Debut". Baltimore Magazine.
- ^ Munshaw, Jonathan (July 10, 2017). "5 minutes with Brian Tracey, executive director, Symphony Number One". Baltimore Business Journal. Archived from the original on August 25, 2017. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
- ^ Juliette, Rebecca (March 29, 2016). "BmoreArt's Picks: Baltimore Art Galleries, Openings, and Events March 29 – April 4". BmoreArt. Archived from the original on October 6, 2017. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ Woolever, Lydia (March 30, 2016). "Weekend Lineup: April 1–3". Baltimore Magazine. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ Kinney, Dubray (April 7, 2016). "Light City Baltimore dazzles in its inauguration". The Johns Hopkins News-Letter. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
- ^ McCabe, Brett (September 21, 2016). "Symphony Number One prepares to begin season two". Johns Hopkins University Hub. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
- ^ Souza, Gabriella (August 22, 2016). "Best of Baltimore 2016". Baltimore Magazine. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
- ^ "Best of Baltimore Readers' Poll 2016". Baltimore Magazine. August 5, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
- ^ "Mixtape #20". I Care if You Listen. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
- ^ Milligan, Carley (October 27, 2015). "How I promote composers for social change". Baltimore Business Journal. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
- ^ Kujawa, Frankie (November 25, 2016). "Symphony Number One Electrifies Baltimore Music Scene". Baltimore OUTloud. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
- ^ Baer, Sarah (December 2, 2015). "Announcing 2015 Performance Grant Winners". Women's Philharmonic Advocacy Blog. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
- ^ Baer, Sarah (November 16, 2016). "Announcing the 2016 Performance Grant Winners". Women's Philharmonic Advocacy Blog. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
- ^ Katz, David (2019-08-29). "The American Prize: Winners: orchestras, 2018–19". The American Prize. Archived from the original on 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
- ^ "Symphony Number One Wins American Prize". Peabody Post. 2019-09-07. Archived from the original on 2019-09-17. Retrieved 2019-09-17.
- ^ Stories, Local (29 August 2019). "Meet Kirsten Soriano Broberg in Aubrey – Voyage Dallas Magazine | Dallas City Guide". Archived from the original on 2019-09-17. Retrieved 2019-09-17.
- ^ a b Smith, Tim (August 23, 2017). "Symphony Number One showcases new work from diverse composers". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
- ^ Scherch, John (2019-09-03). "First Impression: You Should Really Read This Book « WBJC". www.wbjc.com. Archived from the original on 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
- ^ Baer, Sarah (2017-10-20). "Symphony Number One Comes Home this Weekend". Women's Philharmonic Blog. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
- ^ Lundquist, Tiffany (October 26, 2015). "CJoshua Diaz and Taylor Hillary Boykins to make their debut with Symphony Number One on Nov. 5". The Peabody Post. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ Lundquist, Tiffany (October 25, 2015). "Symphony Number One Opened September 23 and 24 with Wealth of Winds". The Peabody Post. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ Lundquist, Tiffany (April 24, 2016). "Symphony Number One to Perform Works by Adams, Posner, Omiccioli on Season Finale Concerts". The Peabody Post. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ Gerr, Melissa (May 11, 2016). "Out & About: Winning Notes". Baltimore Jewish Times. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
- ^ Woolever, Lydia (February 8, 2017). "Music Reviews: February 2017 – The latest from PLRLS and Symphony Number One". Baltimore. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
- ^ Yockel, Michael (April 24, 2016). "Off the Grid: We talk to 18 of the most talented Baltimore musicians out there". Baltimore Style. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ Smith, Tim (September 29, 2016). "Symphony Number One opens season promisingly with Mahler, new sax concerto". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
- ^ Buchanan, Douglas (December 20, 2016). "New Gifts of New Music". Image-Music-Text. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ Fromm, Mark, 1982– Symphony, no. 1 at Library of Congress
- ^ Woolever, Lydia (January 22, 2016). "Q&A with Symphony One". Baltimore. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
- ^ "About". Symphony Number One. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
- ^ "Susan Summers". The United States Navy Band.[dead link]
- ^ Lundquist, Tiffany (February 11, 2016). "Symphony Number One Announces New Album and Concert Tour". The Peabody Post. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ "A Symphony Number One Chamber Concert featuring Sean Meyers, saxophone and Elizabeth Hill, piano". District of Columbia Public Library. February 11, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
- ^ "TEDxMidAtlantic 2017: Speakers". TED. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- ^ Wainger, Liz (30 October 2017). "The Amazing Superpower of a Great Metaphor". HuffPost. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- ^ Lundquist, Tiffany (May 18, 2016). "Symphony Number One Presents 'Beethoven's Kitchen' with Works by Gill, Posner, Schubert". The Peabody Post. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ "Weekend Events Calendar: Italian Festival, Blockenstein, Taste of 3 Cities and more". Baltimore Fishbowl. 2019-05-30. Archived from the original on 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
- ^ "First Impression: …that was a thing « WBJC". www.wbjc.com. Archived from the original on 2019-06-02. Retrieved 2019-06-23.
- ^ Eds, The (2019-05-30). "Weekend Events Calendar: Italian Festival, Blockenstein, Taste of 3 Cities and more". Baltimore Fishbowl. Archived from the original on 2019-05-30. Retrieved 2019-06-23.
- ^ Juliette, Rebecca (April 16, 2015). "Symphony No.1 Call for Scores". BmoreArt. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ "Karena Ingram ('16 Music) Wins Award in Call for Scores!". University of Maryland, Baltimore County Department of Music. August 2, 2016. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ "Midday on WYPR". NPR.org. Archived from the original on 2018-02-01. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
- ^ LaRocca, Lauren (2018-05-07). "Variations on a Theme: Local Institutions Make Classical Music Accessible—And Relevant—In The 21st Century". Baltimore magazine. Archived from the original on 2018-05-17. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
- ^ Lundquist, Tiffany (August 13, 2017). "Nicholas Bentz on New Symphony Number One Album". The Peabody Post. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
- ^ Stapleton, Maggie (December 13, 2016). "Sneak Peek Audio Leak: Symphony Number One". Second Inversion. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
- ^ McCabe, Bret (December 16, 2016). "Recent Peabody graduate tackles man-made environmental destruction in mournful composition". Johns Hopkins University Hub. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
- ^ Feikin, Rhea (June 23, 2016). "Artworks: Episode 431". Maryland Public Television. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ Smith, Tim (November 22, 2015). "Checking out new classical recordings with Baltimore roots". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ Woolever, Lydia (February 17, 2016). "Music Reviews: February 2016 – The latest from Thrushes, Charm City Junction, and Symphony One". Baltimore. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
Further reading
- Buker, Samantha (Spring 2016). "Fertile Ground". Peabody Magazine. No. 2. Retrieved 11 November 2016 – via issuu.
External links
- Official website
- Symphony Number One at AllMusic
- Symphony Number One discography at Discogs
- Symphony Number One on iTunes
- Classical Music is Boring, and so Are the Best Ideas, a TED talk by Jordan Randall Smith, TEDxMidAtlantic 2017
- Catalyst by Ben Goldberg – World Premiere, a TED talk by Symphony Number One, TEDxMidAtlantic 2017
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