If it’s your first time at a classical music concert, allow the Frederick Symphony Orchestra to get you acquainted with this season’s chosen composers before you see our show:

• Leroy Anderson. The American composer is famous for short, light concert pieces — many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra. The FSO will perform Anderson’s Christmas Festival and Sleigh Ride during Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker on Dec. 9 at Frederick Community College.

• Johann Sebastian Bach. Hear the German composer’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, BWV 1050 by soloist Wayne Wold during Baroque Celebrations on Sept. 30 at Hood College.

• Ernest Bloch. The American-Swiss composer offers 16 orchestral works, 13 concertantes, 6 vocal and choral pieces, 10 piano compositions, and more. The FSO will perform Bloch’s Prayer from Jewish Life No. 1 with soloist Tom Mitchell during Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker.

• Bob Cerulli. The American composer is most famous for his Holiday Pops Sing Along, which includes Joy to the World; O Come, All Ye Faithful; Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, and Silent Night. We’ll be performing this during Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker with guest conductor Andrew Rosenfeld.

• Antonín Dvořák. Listen to the Czech composer during Baroque Celebrations’ Serenade for Winds in D Minor, Op. 44 by the Kokopelli Wind Quintet of Frederick, Maryland.

• Edward Elgar. The English composer has classical music works in the British and international classical concert repertoire, including Froissart Overture, Serenade for Strings, Enigma Variations, and Salut d’Amour (Love’s Greeting). 

  The Frederick Symphony Orchestra will be playing all of these compositions during Eloquent Elgar on May 5, 2018. This is also the Young Artist Showcase, so grab your tickets early.

• Duke Ellington. American composer Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington is also known as a pianist and bandleader of a jazz orchestra spanning his 50-year career. The FSO will be playing his co-composed The Nutcracker with Pyotr Tchaikovsky during Duke EIlington’s Nutcracker.

• George Frideric Handel. Listen to harpist Casey Perley during Handel’s Concerto for Organ in B-flat Major, HWV 294 in Baroque Celebrations.

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Listen to the famous Austrian composer in Baroque Celebrations with Divertimento in D Major, K. 136 and Quintet in Eb Major, K. 452.

  You can also hear Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp in C Major, K. 299 in Mozart On The Civil War Trail on Feb. 11, 2018 at Zion Lutheran Church. Soloists Paulela Burchill and Perley will be joining the stage.

• Francis Poulenc. The French composer and pianist has created melodies, solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music. Our dedicated concert, Poulenc And The Pines, will be Mar. 18, 2018 at Hood College. The repertoire will include Organ Fanfare and Organ Concerto in G Minor.

• Sergei Rachmaninoff. Also known as a virtuoso pianist and conductor, the Russian composer will be celebrated in Moscow On The Monocacy on Oct. 21 with Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor by soloist Rachel Franklin.  

• Ottorino Respighi. Most famous as an Italian violinist, Respighi is responsible for three famous orchestral tone poems: Fountains of Rome, Pines of Rome, and Roman Festivals.

  The Frederick Symphony will be playing the second tone poem during Poulenc And The Pines, as well as Ancient Airs and Dances Set I with guest conductor Rosenfeld during Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker.

• John Rutter. As the only living composer on our list, United Kingdom-born Rutter is a conductor, editor, arranger, and record producer of choral music. He’ll be celebrated during Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker with his Suite Antique by soloist Burchill.

• Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns. Listen to the French composer’s Septet in Eb Major, Op. 65 (15) during Mozart On The Civil War Trail.

• Pyotr Tchaikovsky. The Russian composer is famous for his Romantic Period works, including Waltz from Eugene Onegin and Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (Little Russian), which you can hear in Moscow On The Monocacy. You can also hear Tchaikovsky in Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker with The Nutcracker.

• Ludwig van Beethoven. Hear the German composer and pianist’s Septet in Eb Major, Op. 20 during Mozart On The Civil War Trail.

We hope you visit us soon! You can find tickets to any of the classical music concerts in Maryland by clicking on the button below: