40th anniversary season of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra concludes with 'The Firebird' performance and gala

May 4—The 40th anniversary season of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra comes to a close at 7:30 p.m. May 7 and 3 p.m. May 8 with a grand celebration that includes the 40th Anniversary Gala.

"The Firebird" concert features the music of Igor Stravinsky, Gabriel Pierné and César Franck. Madeline Olson, principal harpist for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, will join the MSO as a featured soloist for this performance. The concert will be performed live at the Maryland Theatre in Hagerstown and also broadcast on the symphony's "MSO Live! Virtual Concert Hall" streaming platform at watch.marylandsymphony.org.

Igor Stravinsky's "The Firebird" has been described as a "shimmering musical fairy tale." For Stravinsky, this piece served as a personal "letter of introduction" to the musical world. The inventive, virtuosic use of orchestral colors and abrupt, repetitive rhythms take audience members on a sound journey unlike any they may have previously experienced. The work offers a truly dazzling, triumphant conclusion to the MSO's 40th anniversary season.

Also featured on the program, the "Concertstück for Harp & Orchestra in G sharp" is one of the most admired harp selections in the classical repertoire. It was written by the French composer Gabriel Pierné in 1901 and received its world premiere in 1903. The performance of this selection on the concert program has special meaning for James Pierné, a Hagerstown resident; Gabriel Pierné was his great grandfather. The Pierné family will be in attendance at the performance.

Music for harp was relatively scant before the 20th century, but Gabriel Pierné changed that. Music for the instrument began to appear in relative abundance around 1904 with works by Debussy, Ravel and Saint-Saëns, and the rest of the century saw a wealth of works for harp and orchestra.

Madeline Olson, principal harpist for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, will be the featured soloist on the Pierné work. Olson is an award-winning soloist with who has performed with numerous ensembles, including the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, The Orchestra Now, the Juilliard Orchestra, New World Symphony, Modesto Symphony Orchestra, Fresno Philharmonic and the Riverside Symphony. In February 2020, she was appointed the principal harpist for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

César Franck's remarkable and radical Symphony in D Minor will conclude the program. This is a symphony that's worthily crafted and finely wrought and considered French music's most significant late-19th-century symphony.

One of Washington County's most anticipated events, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra's 2022 40th Anniversary Gala will also take place on May 7 at the historic Maryland Theatre. Guests can enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, fun photo opportunities and the ability to bid on auction packages before heading upstairs to the Maryland Theatre Ballroom for a spring-inspired dinner. After dinner, guests will attend "The Firebird" performance by the MSO and return after the concert to the ballroom for an after party featuring a 40th Anniversary toast, additional photo opportunities, dessert, live music by the Dixie Power Trio and dancing.

Tickets for the concert range from $29 to $79 for adults and children. To purchase tickets, call 301-797-4000 or go to marylandsymphony.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the MSO Box Office on the second floor of the Maryland Theatre at 21 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown.