Our Exciting 2025-2026 Season!

 

The season began on September 21, with a festive concert, Music of the Americas: A Celebration of Life & Culture. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, showcasing the rich musical repertoire of Latin America.

The season continued with the annual Halloween Spooktacular! on Sunday afternoon, October 19, at St. John’s College Key Auditorium. A community favorite, this concert is always great way to introduce younger members of our community to classical music while having fun. Orchestra members enjoy wearing costumes and the audience is encouraged to do so and compete in a costume contest. Local personality Michael Hughes was the master of ceremonies.

On Sunday, December 14, our Naptown Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus presented its debut concert, “Sounds of the Season” at Eastport United Methodist Church, 926 Bay Ridge Avenue, at 3pm. It was be a joyous celebration of this happy time of year!

On Sunday afternoon, February 22, the orchestra presented Legends and Landscapes, featuring the artistry of pianist William Bloomquist, and talented dancers from the Ballet Theatre of Maryland at Maryland Hall. This concert provided a special opportunity for Broadneck High School musicians to play side-by-side with Naptown Philharmonic Orchestra members.

Saturday evening, April 18, the concert drew standing ovations not only for the classical music that inspired many of our favorite movies but also for talented young artists. The Magic of Cinema concert highlighted winners of the Naptown Philharmonic Orchestra’s Young Artists Concerto Competition, which was open to all Maryland high school musicians.

On Saturday evening, June 6, the final performance of the season, American Voices: United Through Song, will feature renown pianist Thomas Pandolfi and the inaugural performance of the Naptown Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus, directed by Jeanne Kelly, performing with the orchestra to showcase American music and celebrate America’s 250th birthday.

Concert Details

John O’Leary, emcee
Featuring
Thomas Pandolfi, piano

Debut of the Naptown Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus, Jeanne Kelly, NPO Chorus Master

John Adams, Chairman Dances Foxtrot for Orchestra
Gershwin, Piano Concerto in F

Intermission

Bernstein, Make Our Garden Grow from Candide
American/pop/multi-ethnic selections performed by the Naptown Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus:
Stomp Your Foot – Aaron Copland
This Little Light of Mine – traditional spiritual attributed to Harry Dixon Loes
Porgy and Bess – George and Ira Gershwin
Battle Hymn of the Republic – Julia Ward Howe
America the Beautiful – Katharine Lee Bates and Samuel A. Ward

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Past Concerts This Season

Featuring
Young Artists Concerto Competition Winners
Natalie Conte, soprano
Jennifer Blades, mezzo-soprano

Young Artist Winners Performances
Christopher Chung, cello – Dvorak; Cello Concerto in B minor, first movement
Juniper Brinegar, clarinet – Rossini; Introduction, Theme & Variations for Clarinet & Orchestra
Yuto Shimomura, violin – Saint-Saëns; Violin Concerto No. 3, third movement

Intermission

Strauss, Also Sprach Zarathustra; opening theme only (2001: A Space Odyssey)
Bizet, Habanera from Carmen (Magnolia, Up!)
Bellini, Casta Diva from Norma (Age of Ultron)
Mascagni, Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana (Godfather III)
Offenbach, Barcarolle (duet) from Tales of Hoffman (Life is Beautiful)
Delibes, Flower Duet from Lakmé (Hunger, True Romance, Meet the Parents, and more)
John Williams, 1941 March (1941)
Beethoven, Symphony No. 5; last movement only (Fantasia, A Clockwork Orange, and more)

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Featuring

Side-by-Side with Broadneck High School Orchestra

Sibelius, Finlandia – watch on YouTube
Brahms, Piano Concerto No. 1, D minor – click to watch on YouTube

Intermission

Jessie Montgomery, Hymn for Everyone – watch on YouTube
Ravel, Daphnis Suite No. 2 (with dancers from Ballet Theatre of Maryland) – watch on YouTube

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This was the Naptown Philharmonic Chorus’ inaugural concert, directed by Jeanne Kelly.
Songs of the Season celebrated  this happy time of year.
The repertoire included these favorites, and an audience sing along!

Amen! Tell it on the Mountain!
Deck the Halls
Do You Hear What I Hear
Hallelujah Chorus
Hanukkah, the Season of Light
Here We Come A-Caroling (a celebration of British carols)
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Jingle Bells
Let it Snow!
O Christmas Tree
The Christmas Song
We Need a Little Christmas
We Wish You a Merry Christmas

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Michael Hughes, Emcee & Narrator

Heinrich Marschner, Der Vampyr Overture, op. 42
Eric Whitacre, October
James Newton Howard, Peter Pan: Suite for Orchestra & Narrator

Intermission

John Williams, The Devil’s Dance from the Witches of Eastwick

Bobby “Boris” Pickett, Monster Mash (arr. G. Scimonelli)
Vocalists: Glenn Scimonelli, Natalie Van Horn, Bethany Toner, Leah Moore

Presentation of Costume Contest Winners

Berlioz, Dance of a Witches Sabbath (Symphonie Fantastique: Movement V)

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Amy Beach, Bal Masqué
Copland, Shaker Melody (from Appalachian Spring)
Barber, Symphony No. 1 (in one movement)

Intermission

Márquez, Danzón No. 2
Velasquez (arr.), Tico Tico
Villoldo/Matos (arr. Drago), El choclo y la cumparsita
Robert Xavier Rodriguez, Sinfonia a la Mariachi

Special guests: Cañas y Su Mariachi de Oro

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