O’Malley’s March, with lead singer and guitarist Martin O’Malley, will play during the opening night of the 2009 River Concert Series June 19.
ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. (June 16, 2009) — St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) River Concert Series opens June 19 and 20 with a celebration of Maryland’s 375th birthday. The 11th year of summer evening entertainment for the community will feature world-class music, food from local vendors, and a fireworks display on Saturday. Under the musical direction of Jeffrey Silberschlag, the Chesapeake Orchestra will feature renowned guest artists, including Martin O’Malley’s Celtic rock band, O’Malley’s March, performing with the Chesapeake Orchestra Friday night.
Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers is Saturday’s headliner, with world-renowned musicians from Scotland and the Baltimore Symphony performing Friday and Saturday night.
Gates open at 5 p.m. and concerts start at 7 p.m. The concerts are free and open to the public, and picnic baskets are welcome.
The Chesapeake Orchestra will perform the world premiere of Maryland composer N. Lincoln-DeCusatis’ “Terrae Mariae: A Creation Story,” which features distinguished Marylanders as narrators. Friday’s narrators will be Jane Margaret O’Brien, President of St. Mary’s College of Maryland; Delegate John L. Bohanan; Delegate Anthony J. O’Donnell; James Muldoon, Chairman of SMCM’s Board of Trustees; and Virginia Stein, Arts Alliance Chair, SMCM.
On Friday and Saturday night, Scottish soprano Marie Claire Breen and world-renowned trumpeters, including John Wallace, who played at the marriage of the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana, and Baltimore Symphony principal trumpet, Andrew Balio, will join the Chesapeake Orchestra in a performance of music by Biber, Vivaldi, Albinoni, and Handel. Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 “The New World” will also be featured on Friday night.
On Saturday, Anne Akiko Meyers, celebrated as one of the world’s premiere concert violinists, will perform Barber’s Concerto for Violin plus popular selections, including Gershwin’s “Summertime” and other favorites, such as “Autumn in New York.” Meyers has performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, among others.
The celebration of Maryland’s 375th birthday continues on Saturday. College English professor Jennifer Cognard-Black’s inspiring script gives voice to the early Maryland settlers set to the music of “Terrae Mariae: A Creation Story.” “Although Catholics are often the masters, and Protestants often the servants, here in Mary Land, they plow the fertile field together and meet in the Assembly in friendship,” early Maryland settler George Alsop wrote in 1666. Narrators for Saturday night will include Cindy Broyles, Vice President, Booz Allen Hamilton; Todd Morgan, Vice President, SAIC; Regina Faden, Executive Director, Historic St. Mary’s City; and John Savich, St. Mary’s County Administrator. Handel’s “Royal Fireworks” will play to live fireworks over the St. Mary’s River.
Silberschlag, music director and conductor of the River Concert Series, Chesapeake Orchestra, and the Italian Alba Music Festival, has recorded with the London Symphony, London Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Warsaw Philharmonic, and Czech Radio Orchestra. His performances have been hailed by European critics as thrilling, compelling, and outstanding. Silberschlag has collaborated with such artists as Hilary Hahn, Lara St. John, Terence Blanchard, the Ahn Trio, and Jane Monheit.
The goal of the River Concert Series is to assist in economically enhancing the region and cultivating a cultural tourist destination by organizing arts and historical offerings. In 1999, the Chesapeake Orchestra came into a residency relationship with SMCM with the initiation of the River Concert Series. Since then, the Chesapeake Orchestra has sought to provide musical programming to reach the broadest possible audience.
The River Concert Series has become the cornerstone of growing arts activities at the College and throughout St. Mary’s County.
For more information, visit the River Concert Series Web site at http://www.riverconcertseries.com/ .