In Sunday’s (6/20) Baltimore Sun, Tim Smith writes about “the inaugural BSO Academy, which will wrap up an intensive week of activities for adult amateur musicians with a ‘donor appreciation concert’ and party on Saturday at Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Nearly 50 people from around the region paid up to $1,650 for this new community outreach venture by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, a camp for grownups who wanted to take their musical interests to a different level. Most camp days at the Meyerhoff lasted 11 or 12 hours. Participants spent a lot of time in sectional rehearsals—groups of strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion working in separate spots. Afternoons were filled with seminars that focused on such topics as breathing techniques for wind players and preventing injuries common to musicians. BSO concertmaster Jonathan Carney gave a master class; associate concertmaster Madeline Adkins offered a session on baroque string instruments and technique. The main attraction for the campers was the opportunity to be integrated into the ranks of the BSO for a week of rehearsals led by music director Marin Alsop. … Alsop chose two big, colorful and demanding works for the campers and BSO players to work on during the academy: Rachmaninoff’s ‘Symphonic Dances’ and Respighi’s ‘The Pines of Rome.’ ”
Posted June 23, 2010
