The Baltimore Symphony Orchestraโs grand finale of its 2023-24 Symphony in the City concert series will pay tribute to the victims of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and raise funds for recovery efforts.
The performance will take place on June 7 at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine.
The free community outdoor concert brings Jonathon Heywardโs inaugural year as Music Director to a close, and Heyward will conduct the orchestra and a lineup of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestraโs performing groups. BSO Artistic Partner Wordsmith, musicians from BSO OrchKids, and the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra will perform.
The concert will be dedicated to those affected by the tragic Key Bridge collapse in the early morning hours of March 26, 2024 and the ongoing recovery. It will pay tribute to the lives lost, the dedication of first responders, the generosity of the Baltimore community, and the resilience of the families and workers affected.
The concert is free to attend, though the BSO invites attendees to reserve tickets and โpay it forwardโ by supporting the Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong Key Bridge Fund at the Baltimore Community Foundation. The fund supports the financial recovery for families, port workers, first responders, and community members impacted with cash assistance.
Of course, the Star-Spangled Banner will be performed at the historic site that inspired its composition (whose author the bridge was named after), and the rest of the program will comprise classical and contemporary pieces. Highlights include Shostakovich’s Festive Overture, Marsalisโ Herald, Holler, and Hallelujah (a BSO co-commission), Barber’s Adagio for Strings, and the finale of Dvoลรกkโs Symphony No. 9, among others.
“Music holds a profound power to heal and to bring us together, especially in our most challenging moments,โ said BSO Music Director Jonathon Heyward. โAs we gather at Fort McHenry, we’re not just sharing a concert; we’re uniting in a communal experience that celebrates resilience and recovery and underscores our belief in musicโs ability to comfort, connect, and inspire.”
The full program is as follows:
SHOSTAKOVICH Festive Overture
MARSALIS Herald, Holler, and Hallelujah (BSO co-commission)
BONDS March from Montgomery Variations
WORDSMITH Welcome Home
BARBER Adagio for Strings
RAVEL Rigaudon from Le Tombeau de Couperin
BOLOGNE (arr. Debbaut) Rondeau from String Quartet, Op. 1, No. 3
PRICE (arr. Hart) The Deserted Garden
DVOลรK Symphony No.9, mvt. IV.
Attendees are invited to make a day of the event, arriving early to tour fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, get an early dinner or even food to go from any of the restaurants around Federal Hill or Locust Point. Picnic blankets and lawn chairs are welcome.
For ticket reservations, admission details, and information about permitted items, click this link.
Symphony in the City’s grand finale concert takes place on Friday, June 7, 2024, at 7 p.m. Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine’s East Lawn is located at 2400 E. Fort Ave., Baltimore, MD 21230.
