Baltimore Symphony Orchestra details immersive 2026–27 season with new series, visuals, and major guests
A season framed around sound, imagery, and new concert formats
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2026–27 season under the theme “Illuminated Through Sound,” outlining programming that frequently pairs orchestral repertory with projected visuals and staged storytelling elements. The season also introduces new scheduling formats alongside large-scale “Signature” events intended to anchor the year’s highest-profile offerings.
Performances are set for the orchestra’s two primary venues: Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore and The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda.
New series: weekday mornings and earlier Saturday evenings
Two new series are scheduled to reshape when audiences can attend full classical programs:
Coffee Series: four Friday-morning concerts at 11 a.m. at the Meyerhoff, including programs titled “Mozart Meets Latin Masters” (Oct. 23) and “Copland & a New American Symphony” (June 4).
Symphony at Six Series: four Saturday performances with a 6 p.m. start, including “Ohlsson Plays Brahms” (Nov. 14) and “Heyward Conducts Verdi’s Requiem” (June 12).
Immersive and multimedia highlights, from space imagery to behind-the-music presentation
Several programs explicitly incorporate visuals as part of the concert design. “The Planets – An HD Odyssey” (Feb. 11–13) is billed as combining orchestral performance with high-definition space imagery above the stage, with Damon Gupton conducting music by Anna Clyne, Mozart, and Holst. A separate “Beyond the Score®: Beethoven: Symphony No. 5” program (May 1–2) is listed as a complete performance of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony in a format that emphasizes contextual presentation.
The season’s brochure also references visual storytelling tied to Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition,” pointing to a broader emphasis on concert experiences that extend beyond a standard symphonic presentation.
Signature events and cross-genre programming
A new “Signature Series” includes several large-scale events. Among them are “Psycho in Concert” (Oct. 30–Nov. 1), featuring live performance of Bernard Herrmann’s score timed to the film, and “Beethoven’s Ninth: New Year’s Celebration” (Jan. 1–3), featuring the Baltimore Choral Arts Society and soloists for the “Choral” Symphony.
The Signature Series is presented as a set of “blockbuster” symphonic experiences spanning both venues.
The list also includes “The Music of Joe Hisaishi” (Mar. 12–15), conducted by Jiannan Cheng, described as moving between concert-hall works and film scores.
Living composers, premieres, and featured artists
The schedule includes contemporary works and commissions alongside canonical repertory. The Coffee Series program “Copland & a New American Symphony” lists the world premiere of Jonathan Leshnoff’s Symphony No. 6, commissioned by the BSO, on a program that also includes Philip Glass’ Symphony No. 15, “Lincoln.”
Across the season, the BSO lists guest soloists and conductors for major programs, including violinist Isabelle Faust for “Heyward Conducts Schumann and Brahms” (April 17).
Subscriptions are being marketed ahead of single-ticket sales, with an early pricing deadline identified as March 27, 2026, and general on-sale timing indicated for summer 2026.