Annapolis Symphony Orchestra

08/04/2026

Congratulations to A*O Artistic Director and Conductor José-Luis Novo for his work this summer with Carnegie Hall's National Youth Orchestra of the United States. Maestro Novo prepared the ensemble ahead of the arrival of conductor Karina Canellakis and pianist Kirill Gerstein, who will bring the NYO-USA to perform a tour of Europe. Read more here: https://symphony.org/national-youth-orchestra-of-the-united-states-nyo-usa-embarks-on-european-tour/

07/31/2026

Tickets to performances in our 2026-27 season are on sale starting tomorrow, August 1.

💭 Some helpful tips to remember:

➡️ Tickets start at $25 - there's a seat waiting for you!
➡️ Signature Series subscribers can purchase tickets through their portal and use their 20% off benefit for additional tickets to Signature Series and Holiday Pops concerts. Bring a friend!
➡️ FlexPass subscribers get 20% off tickets to our Holiday Pops concerts at Maryland Hall and Severna Park High School - we hope it makes sharing the holiday season more affordable and fun!
➡️ All student tickets are $15. Students = elementary to college, faculty, and staff. Please provide proof of attendance when you call the Box Office to purchase these tickets.
➡️ Military, law enforcement, and first responder discounts are available. Please call the Box Office to redeem these discounts.

💻 Visit our website to purchase tickets https://annapolissymphony.org/events/.
☎️Call the Box Office for subscriber discounted tickets, student tickets, or special discounts starting Monday, August 3 at 410-263-0907
📩 Email us for help at [email protected].

07/27/2026

Are you ready for the A*O's 65th season? Tickets for concerts in 2026-27 go on sale August 1 (this coming Saturday). Here's what to look out for:

➡️ 1 Collaboration with Maryland Hall and the -String-Quartet performing Felix Mendelssohn’s Octet alongside A*O principal musicians
➡️ 2 Pops in the Park performances at Quiet Waters and Downs Parks
➡️ 2 Holiday Pops performances, both with vocalist Stephanie Waters (.studio) at Maryland Hall and Severna Park High School
➡️ 2 All New Matinee performances - these Sunday at 3 PM performances are great if you want to enjoy a shorter concert, prefer a Sunday performance in the afternoon, or want to experience the music on repeat.
➡️ 2 performances of Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf with Really Inventive Stuff, a bilingual production in Spanish. We'll have 4 School Field Trip concerts and 1 Family concert that include the collaboration.
➡️ 2 Chamber Orchestra concerts
➡️ 5 Guest Artists of international renown, like Julian Schwarz, Vadim Repin, Esther Yoo - 에스더 유 and Stewart Goodyear
➡️ 10 Signature Series performances over 5 weekends, at Maryland Hall and Strathmore

⏰ ⏰ Don’t miss the music! Tickets are sure to sell fast, so get yours starting August 1. To reserve your favorite seat all season, and save on tickets, consider a subscription. View the options at https://annapolissymphony.org/events-tickets/subscribe/

🗒The A*O does not engage with third party ticket vendors. Tickets should be purchased only through our Box Office or at https://annapolissymphony.org/.

PC: Emily Carter, "In Nature's Realm"
PC: Photo credit for our guest musicians can be found on their websites.

07/25/2026

👏👏 Catherine Shoichet of CNN wrote an exceptional piece that was published today about our concertmaster Netanel Draiblate (Airline Violinist), who is also a United pilot. Check it out, and comment here with one fact you didn't know about Nati before reading the article. So many nuggets! 👼
https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/25/travel/united-pilot-violinist-netanel-draiblate-enterprise
We're very proud of Nati, who is not only a highly-respected concertmaster, but also the founder and Director of Annapolis Symphony Academy, a program he grew from scratch to 170 students this year. He is a valued member of our administrative staff team. He's an enthusiastic and caring leader and partner on innumerable projects in the community. And he's a good friend to everyone he meets. Bravo Nati! You're rocking the Airline Violinist gig like no one else. 🤩 🤩

United Airlines First Officer Netanel Draiblate is also concertmaster of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra. He says his careers as a pilot and a violinist share some striking similarities.

07/15/2026

The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra (A*O) announces four new board members to its Board of Trustees, as well as a new Musician Representative from the Player’s Committee.

As Anne Arundel County's oldest and largest performing arts organization, the A*O is a cultural cornerstone of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. The Orchestra enriches lives through exceptional live music, music education, and service to the community.

Serving on the Board of Trustees is one of the highest forms of volunteer leadership within the organization. Trustees provide strategic governance, financial oversight, philanthropic leadership, and community advocacy while working with the Orchestra's professional staff to ensure the A*O continues to fulfill its mission for generations to come.

Joining the Board of Trustees are Andy Bienstock, Karen Bell-Wright, Lisa Hillman, and Siena Scott.

Collectively, they bring diverse leadership experiences, thoughtful perspectives, and a shared commitment to strengthening the Orchestra's connection to the community while helping guide its long-term success.

Musician Representative to the Board

Derek Smith will be the musician representative from the Player’s Committee, a non-voting role on the Board of Trustees. Derek is the Associate Principal Violist and Chair of the Musicians' Players' Committee for the A*O. He holds Master’s degrees in Violin and Viola Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, and performs regularly with the Richmond Symphony, National Philharmonic, and the Washington National Opera Orchestra. He is a faculty member of Annapolis Symphony Academy.

To read the full announcement, which includes a note of gratitude to our outgoing board members and Musician Representative Alexandra (Sasha) Mikhlin, and a listing of current board members, please visit our website at https://annapolissymphony.org/news/board-announcement/

07/08/2026

In her inaugural State of the A*O speech to the Board of Trustees on June 30, Executive Director Erica Bondarev Rapach asks the question, "What does it take to prepare a 64-year-old organization for its next 64 years?"

Looking back on the 2025-26 season, what makes us most proud isn’t any one accomplishment. It’s that we’ve become much more intentional about asking—and answering—this, and many other questions together.

➡️ Please click here to read Erica's State of the A*O. We think you'll be amazed at all we accomplished, and be inspired by the work -- and music -- ahead: https://annapolissymphony.org/news/state-of-the-aso/

07/07/2026

Annapolis rang in the Fourth of July in grand fashion, and the A*O was there to celebrate!

On July 3rd, the A*O Brass Quintet braved 100+ degree heat to open a showing of the movie Hamilton at St. John's College for an audience of hundreds of people.

🫶Thank you to A*O musicians Christopher Buchanan and Thomas Bithell, trumpets; Shane Iler, horn; David Perkel, trombone; and Jake Fewx, tuba. Thanks also to Finance Director Sarah Johansen and Executive Director Erica Bondarev Rapach for representing the A*O at the event.

🏆The event was made possible by the The City Of Annapolis and was organized by the Annapolis250 Commission and Frances Marketing Group, LLC.

Photos and video by Erica Bondarev Rapach and Judy Buddensick.

07/03/2026

😎 The heat is on - and so is tonight's concert.

7:30 PM | Lawn of St. John's College | Free and open to the public

The A*O Brass Quintet is scheduled to perform ahead of the Annapolis250 Commission's showing of the movie Hamilton tonight at 7:30 pm at St. John's College. This event remains scheduled at this time.

A*O musicians Christopher Buchanan and Thomas Bithell (trumpets), Shane Iler (horn), David Perkel (trombone), and Jake Fewx (tuba) have programmed a delightful concert including patriotic favorites, Broadway classics, jazz, and chamber music.

It's the perfect way to kick off an Annapolis summer evening and to take your mind off the heat.

A few tips:

🚗 Parking in downtown Annapolis is widely available nearby including Calvert Street and Gotts garages. Free shuttles are available if you don't want to drive in, or you can order a ride from Go! Time for $1-2.

🍿 Arrive early to find your preferred spot

💦 Bring water. If you forget yours, it will be available for sale from the City of Annapolis

🍉 Pack a blanket or lawn chair and your favorite hot-weather picnic

🤩 Invite your family and friends for an unforgettable evening of live music and a movie under the stars.

No tickets are required—just come early, find your spot on the lawn, and enjoy a perfect summer evening with the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Weather related event updates are determined by the City of Annapolis. View their website and social media pages for any changes.s

06/24/2026

We are very excited to announce that Maryland's Poet Laureate Lady Brion will perform at our Pops in the Park concerts at Downs Park and Quiet Waters Park.

Lady Brion is an international spoken word artist, activist, organizer and educator. In 2024 she was appointed by Governor Wes Moore as the Poet Laureate of Maryland, making her the youngest Poet Laureate in Maryland’s history and the only spoken word artist to ever hold this position.

Lady Brion will perform Lincoln Portrait by Aaron Copland, a work for narrator and orchestra that incorporates parts of President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and includes excerpts from other iconic speeches by Lincoln. She will also perform two of her own poems.

Mark your calendar, plan your picnic, and get ready for a powerful and unforgettable free concert this Labor Day weekend.

September 5, 2026 at at 11:30 AM at Downs Park
September 6, 2026 at 5:00 PM at Quiet Waters
More info: https://annapolissymphony.org/