BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
ANNOUNCES SECOND SEASON OF
PULSE CONCERT SERIES
BSO and WTMD 89.7’s Series Pairs the Orchestra With Indie Bands
HOUNDMOUTH (9/22); BRETT DENNEN (10/20);
LAKE STREET DIVE (2/23); LOWER DENS (5/11)
Tickets go on public sale SATURDAY, JULY 9 AT NOON at BSOPulse.org
BALTIMORE, MD (July 6, 2016) — The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) in partnership with WTMD 89.7 announced today the line-up for the second season of its PULSE concert series, which pairs members of the orchestra with prominent indie bands. The artists and concert dates are: Houndmouth (Thursday, September 22, 2016); Brett Dennen (Thursday, October 20, 2016); Lake Street Dive (Thursday, February 23, 2017); and Lower Dens (Thursday, May 11, 2017).
Each concert begins with a performance by members of the orchestra, conducted by BSO Associate Conductor Nicholas Hersh, followed by a set featuring the headliner band and culminating with the two groups performing on stage together. After the orchestra’s performance and while the stage is being set for the band, WTMD morning host Alex Cortright and Nicholas Hersh get up-close and personal by interviewing guest artists and BSO musicians onstage, discussing the relationship and parallels between these music forms, often revealing insider information to the audience.
PULSE is made possible by a generous grant from The Wallace Foundation.
“The BSO, like all arts organizations, is always looking for innovative ways to expand its audience, and one of the best ways to do that is to collaborate and cross-pollinate with artistic partners,” said board chair Barbara Bozzuto. “The BSO and WTMD 89.7 have created a concert experience that is bringing hundreds of new people to the symphony, and making BSO fans out of them all. We thank the Wallace Foundation, who recognizes the importance of building audiences for their generous in their support of this series.”
BSO Associate Conductor Nicholas Hersh, Pulse Executive Producer Toby Blumenthal and WTMD Program Director/Interim General Manager Scott Mullins have co-curated the artists and content for each concert, and Hersh in most cases makes arrangements of the bands’ music and conducts the collaborative sets with the BSO. Hersh also programs the orchestral selections for each concert, choosing works from the classical repertoire that explore musical connections that cross both genres. Featured works this season include works by Arvo Pärt, John Adams, Darius Milhaud, and Steve Reich.
“This is a groundbreaking concert experience, and it’s an honor and a joy to be a part of it” said Hersh. “We’ve seen such a positive reaction to our first BSO Pulse season—with a lot of folks who might not otherwise ever have set foot in the symphony taking the leap and opening up to a whole new way of listening to music. It’s a pleasure to collaborate with our featured bands and explore the deep connections between musical genres, and I couldn’t be more thrilled for the music we have planned for this season.”
Pulse concerts are held at the BSO’s Baltimore home, Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, and for each concert, the public areas of the hall transform into a festival atmosphere, with food selections from some of Baltimore’s favorite restaurants and breweries, vinyl record sales, a dedicated whisky lounge, and drink specials at the lobby bars. Lobby doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the bars stay open throughout the performance until after each show. Vendors for the 2016-17 season concerts include Parts & Labor, Penn & Quill, Ryleigh’s Oyster, Colette, Dangerously Delicious Pies, Neopal Smokery, Dooby’s, b Bistro, Helmand, Charmery, Union Craft Brewing, Flying Dog, and Brewer’s Art.
Contributing to the pre-concert festival vibe is live music curated by local musician Jana Hunter (of featured band Lower Dens), who will help shine a light on lesser-known Baltimore artists. Scheduled to perform are: Jordannah Elizabeth, DaikonDaikon, PM Lignum, Ami Dang, Blacksage, All Rogers, Jr., Curved Light, and TT the Artist.
Each concert is broadcast live on WTMD 89.7 and rebroadcast throughout the season.
“The response from our listeners has been tremendous, and WTMD is very proud to be a partner in this innovative series,” said Scott Mullins, WTMD Program Director/Interim General Manager, and a co-curator of Pulse. “We consider this collaboration with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra to be one of our most important partnerships as it allows us to engage music lovers in a very creative and challenging way. The first season was a huge success and with the line-up we have for season two, we’re expecting a sell out for each show.”
About the bands:
More information about the headliner bands for Pulse can be found at their respective websites.
Houndmouth www.houndmouth.com
Brett Dennen www.brettdennen.net
Lake Street Dive www.lakestreetdive.com
Lower Dens www.lowerdens.net
Tickets:
Show tickets are $35 flat General Admission for each individual show, inclusive of all fees (there are no service charges). The price to buy all four shows is $125. Food and beverages will be sold separately throughout the night, and there will be happy hour specials when doors open. In addition to General Admission tickets, a limited number of exclusive VIP packages for all four concerts, priced at $275 will be offered this season. VIP packages will include: a reserved seat in the first five rows of the orchestra section of the hall, a parking pass for each concert, a drink voucher for each concert,* an official concert poster, and occasional special invitations to meet BSO musicians and guest artists. Tickets are available beginning Saturday, July 9 at noon at BSOPulse.org or by calling (410) 783-8000.
*Patrons must be 21 years of age or older to consume alcohol
About WTMD 89.7
WTMD 89.7 is licensed to Towson University. WTMD 89.7 is an independent, listener-supported music station, and programs a mix of indie rock, blues, and Americana. The station is known for bringing new voices to the air that are often overlooked by the mainstream media and for its relentless support of Baltimore musicians. WTMD is operated by Towson University Public Media, and is a trusted radio source for music and cultural programming in the Baltimore region.
About the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Celebrating its centennial in 2016, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is recognized as one of America’s most important and innovative orchestras. Led by Maestra Marin Alsop, the orchestra is internationally acclaimed and locally admired for its enduring commitment to artistic excellence through its concerts, recordings, broadcasts, touring, and through its groundbreaking education and community outreach initiatives. Founded in 1916 by the city of Baltimore, the BSO is the only major American orchestra to have originated as a city department. Reorganized as an independent institution in 1942, the orchestra serves people and communities throughout the State of Maryland. Since 1982, its Baltimore home has been the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, and in 2005, the BSO became the nation’s first orchestra with year-round venues in two metropolitan areas when The Music Center at Strathmore opened in Bethesda, Maryland. As a cultural ambassador for the city and region, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has established a global presence through its extensive European and East Asian tours, its numerous appearances in Carnegie Hall, and through its wide-ranging discography. The BSO’s boasts comprehensive education and community programs designed for audiences of all ages, from Music Box Series for toddlers, weekday matinees, and weekend family concerts to side-by-side concerts for school-age children, to open rehearsals, musical mentors, OrchLabs, and the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras for aspiring young musicians. For adults, the BSO Academy and Rusty Musicians programs give amateur musicians the opportunity to “play with the pros.” And, the award-winning OrchKids™ program, launched by Marin Alsop and the BSO in 2008, provides education resources and fosters social change through the power of music for children in the city’s neediest communities.
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is funded by operating grants from the Maryland State Arts Council, the Baltimore County Commission on the Arts and Sciences, the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, and the Maryland State Department of Education.