Boston Symphony Orchestra Returns to Symphony Hall for First Time Since Pandemic Performance Hiatus

Boston Symphony Orchestra has announced their upcoming programming including newly recorded videos launching in November and December, plus Music In Changing Times and more.

See schedule highlights below!

BSO Explores the Theme American Promise

• Thursday, November 19, at noon: Ken-David Masur leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Dvořák's Symphony No. 9, New World, and Ives' The Unanswered Question; BSO musicians to be featured in chamber music performance of Florence Price's String Quartet in G

• Thursday, November 26, at noon: Thomas Wilkins leads the BSO in Jessie Montgomery's Starburst; William Grant Still's Out of the Silence, and Duke Ellington's New World A-Comin', both featuring piano soloist Aaron Diehl; Ellington's Come Sunday, with Charlotte Blake Alston as narrator, and the fourth movement from Still's Symphony No. 4; BSO musicians to be featured in chamber music performance of Osvaldo Golijov's Lullaby and Doina

• Thursday, December 3, at noon: Giancarlo Guerrero leads Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man and Appalachian Spring on a program with Joan Tower's Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman No. 1, and Barber's Adagio for Strings; BSO musicians to be featured in chamber music performances

Please note: Each of the BSO's Music in Changing Times online video programs will include a magazine-style segment with musicians, composers, and conductors shedding light on the musical selections and themes associated with each program.

Former BSO Associate Conductor Ken-David Masur, BSO Youth and Family Concerts Conductor Thomas Wilkins, Giancarlo Guerrero, Charlotte Blake Alston

BSONOW PRESENTS BOSTON POPS 2020 HOLIDAY CELEBRATION CONCERT ON DECEMBER 10 AT WWW.BSO.ORG/NOW

• Thursday, December 10 at noon: Keith Lockhart leads the Boston Pops Orchestra in the online Holiday Pops program including the Pops' classic "Sleigh Ride," a Stan Kenton arrangement of "Good King Wenceslas" for brass and rhythm section, a Christmastime medley of seasonal favorites, "Home for the Holidays" with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus joining virtually, and local celebrity narrators reciting stanzas from "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" ("'Twas the Night Before Christmas").

Special highlights particularly for young audiences include "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers" accompanied by a film by FableVision, "We Need a Little Christmas," a "Christmas is for Children" sing-along, and "Christmas Time is Here," featuring a special virtual performance by the Boston Symphony Children's Choir; sensory supports will be available for families with children or adults diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder or sensory sensitivities.

Portions of this Holiday Pops program were filmed at Fenway Park, where team mascot Wally participated in the recording festivities with Mr. Lockhart and the Pops musicians (additional details in Holiday Pops section below)

Please note: The BSO's streaming video platform will allow viewers to tailor their experience by advancing to or repeating the musical selections of their choosing, including those created especially for younger children.

• Wednesday, December 9, 6:30 p.m.: The annual corporate fundraiser A Company Christmas at Pops begins with a virtual pre-concert VIP Reception for lead sponsors and a simultaneous virtual children's program, followed by the musical program, Home for the Holidays, and an exclusive live conversation with Keith Lockhart (additional details about this private fundraiser in Holiday Pops section below)

• Distributed throughout the holiday season: Keith Lockhart and the brass players of the Pops Orchestra perform a 30-minute video concert, featuring Keith Lockhart narrating "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" ("'Twas the Night Before Christmas"), to be distributed to Boston's Children's Hospital and the Spaulding Rehabilitation Center, as well as other hospitals in the greater Boston area, through their closed-circuit TV networks.

Keith Lockhart, Boston Symphony Children's Choir, Tanglewood Festival Chorus, Red Sox mascot Wally

BSONOW PRESENTS US: SESSIONS, A UNIQUE VIDEO COLLABORATION BETWEEN MOE POPE AND STL GLD, THOMAS WILKINS, AND MEMBERS OF THE BSO

OCTOBER 29 THROUGH NOVEMBER 13, FREE-OF-CHARGE AT WWW.BSO.ORG/STLGLD; PLEASE NOTE DIFFERENT RELEASE DATES COMPARED TO OTHER BSONOW CONTENT

• Thursday, October 29: Us: Session 1: "With Me" by STL GLD and Members of the BSO
The series begins with the release of a powerful music video by STL GLD performed with eight members of the BSO string section, all playing on camera at home, in a special arrangement of STL GLD's 2019 song "With Me."

• Monday, November 2: Us: Session 2: Moe Pope, Thomas Wilkins, and Janos Fulop
In the first of six video podcasts, Thomas Wilkins joins STL GLD members, including emcee Moe Pope, producer The Arcitype, and saxophonist Tim Hall-who serves as host of the entire podcast series-for a lively and illuminating conversation with a focus on the value of being open to music of all kinds.

• Wednesday, November 4: Us: Session 3: Rachel Childers, Dzidzor, and Julia Easterlin
BSO horn player Rachel Childers, folklorist/storyteller Dzidzor, and singer-songwriter Julia Easterlin join Tim Hall for a discussion ranging from the question "when do you finally feel like a professional artist?" to facing loss and rage.

• Friday, November 6: Us: Session 4: Suzanne Nelsen, Christopher Talken, and Lawrence Wolfe BSO bassoonist Suzanne Nelsen, STL GLD vocalist Christopher Talken, BSO Assistant Principal Bass Lawrence Wolfe, and host Tim Hall discuss the importance of amplifying marginalized voices and the influence of church music.

• Monday, November 9: Us: Session 5: Danny Kim and Cliff Notez
BSO violist Danny Kim and musician/filmmaker Cliff Notez join host Tim Hall in a conversation including reflections on living in the moment onstage.

• Wednesday, November 11: Us: Session 6: Bonnie Bewick, Chris Klaxton, and Jonathan Ulman
Tim Hall leads BSO violinist Bonnie Bewick, multi-instrumentalist/composer Chris Klaxton, and STL GLD drummer Jonathan Ulman on finding "the pocket" in music and breaking down social and musical barriers.

• Friday, November 13: Us: Session 7: Cynthia Meyers and Najee Janey
BSO piccolo player Cynthia Meyers and songwriter/performer Najee Janey join host Tim Hall in a conversation about finding inspiration and the creativity inside everyone.

Moe Pope, folklorist/storyteller Dzidzor, BSO horn player Rachel Childers, STL GLD

INFORMATION ON HOW TO ACCESS BSONOW NEWLY RECORDED ONLINE VIDEO CONTENT TO BE DISTRIBUTED AT WWW.BSO.ORG/NOW, THURSDAYS AT NOON, NOVEMBER 19-APRIL 13

• THE COMPLETE SERIES OF BSO AND HOLIDAY POPS ONLINE PROGRAMMING IS AVAILABLE IN RECOGNITION OF DONATIONS OF $100 OR MORE BY VISITING WWW.BSO.ORG/GIVE; ALL DONATIONS MADE BY DECEMBER 31 WILL BE DOUBLED BY THE GROSS FAMILY CHALLENGE, UP TO $1 MILLION

• HOLIDAY POPS PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE FOR A $30 FEE STARTING MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, AT 10 A.M., BY VISITING WWW.BSO.ORG/NOW OR CALLING 888-266-1200, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 10 A.M. to 4 P.M.

• BOSTON-BASED HIP-HOP/SPOKEN WORD ARTISTS MOE POPE AND STL GLD ONLINE MULTI-VIDEO PROJECT WITH THOMAS WILKINS AND BSO MUSICIANS TO BE RELEASED FREE-OF-CHARGE IN ADVANCE OF OFFICIAL BSONOW LAUNCH, ON OCTOBER 29, THROUGH WWW.BSO.ORG/STLGLD

• FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE LAUNCH OF AN ESSENTIAL WORKERS ACCESS PROGRAM AND COMPLIMENTARY ACCESS FOR BSO SUBSCRIBERS, COLLEGE CARD HOLDERS, CORPORATE PARTNERS, AND CURRENT BSO, POPS, AND TANGLEWOOD DONORS OF $100 OR MORE, AS WELL AS INFORMATION ABOUT A COMPLIMENTARY 24-HOUR TRIAL ACCESS PROGRAM FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH WWW.BSO.ORG/NOW

Over the next six months, November through April, the BSO is committing to its online video presence on a whole new level, highlighting newly recorded performances by its beloved ensembles-the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops orchestras-while also shining a spotlight on individual BSO musicians in chamber music works, its BSO Youth and Family Concerts, and its unique educational and community partnerships. Now under the new rubric BSONOW, this newly recorded online video content, as well as related performances from the BSO Archives, will be released at www.bso.org/now on select Thursdays, at noon, November 19-April 29, and will remain available for 30 days after each initial posting. The BSO, Pops, and youth-focused video performances will be recorded from the stage of Symphony Hall-widely considered one of the top three acoustic concert halls in the world-which will also be featured for all its beautiful detail and historic significance. The first recording for the Boston Symphony Orchestra's BSONOW online content will take place on Wednesday, October 28, representing the first time the musicians of the BSO will perform together at Symphony Hall since the pandemic forced the orchestra to close its doors to the public on March 13.

In advance of the official November 19 launch date, the BSO will begin online distribution of a unique multi-video collaboration between Thomas Wilkins, BSO musicians, and Boston-based hip-hop/spoken word artists Moe Pope and STL GLD, which will launch on Thursday, October 29, at www.bso.org/stlgld. The culmination of a two-year collaboration, the project's initial short release will be followed by six long-form video releases, all available free of charge through www.bso.org/now.

In appreciation for the support of essential workers in our communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, in partnership with Bank of America, is pleased to offer complimentary access to select online concerts and other programs. For additional information about the Essential Workers Program, visit www.bso.org/essential. The BSO also is proud to continue offering access to college students via the newly-revised online College Card program, in partnership with the Arbella Insurance Foundation. For additional information visit www.bso.org/collegecard.

In response to this hiatus from live performances, the BSO launched its expanded digital offerings on March 26 with BSO at Home and BSO HomeSchool, followed by Boston Pops at Home (all available at www.bso.org), the Tanglewood 2020 Online Festival (www.tanglewood.org), and, currently, Encore BSO Recitals (www.bso.org), available through November 19. The success of these programs, which have generated millions of interactions-both directly with the actual online content and indirectly through the orchestra's social media channels about that content-has been an inspiration for the orchestra to continue to explore new ways of reaching its music community and beyond with new, innovative, and compelling programming during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of March 13, 2020, and continuing on through April 2021 and possibly beyond, the orchestra has been forced to cancel the remainder of its 2019-20 BSO Youth Concert Series and 2019-20 BSO season and the entire 2020 Boston Pops, 2020 Tanglewood, 2020 Holiday Pops, and 2020-21 BSO seasons.

Today, the BSO is announcing the details of its newly recorded BSONOW November and December online offerings, with plans to announce future programming on an incremental basis due to the need for the organization to be flexible in connection with possible changes in restrictions and recommendations around COVID-19 protocols.

Mark Volpe is the Eunice and Julian Cohen BSO President and CEO. Andris Nelsons is the Ray and Maria Stata BSO Music Director, and Keith Lockhart is the Julian and Eunice Cohen Boston Pops Conductor. Thomas Wilkins is the Germeshausen BSO Youth and Family Concerts Conductor and the BSO's Artistic Advisor for Education and Community Engagement.

FURTHER DETAILS: BSONOW NEWLY RECORDED VIDEO RELEASES IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER

Boston Symphony Orchestra's Online Offerings: Music in Changing Times, with first three program installments available November 19, 26, and December 3

Under the banner title of Music in Changing Times, the BSO will stream 15 newly recorded BSO programs, each approximately 60 minutes in length, to be released on select Thursdays at noon, November 19-April 29, at www.bso.org/now. Within this broad banner theme, each of the BSONOW offerings will be grouped into packages of three thematically focused programs. The common elements for all 15 programs will be performances by the Boston Symphony Orchestra; chamber music performances by BSO musicians; and a magazine-format component that will feature musicians and experts exploring the connections between the individual works on each program, the programming themes and their relationship to the music being performed, and the guest artists and composers featured in the programming. At the start of each online video, the conductors for each program will welcome the viewers and introduce the works to be performed. The BSO's Music in Changing Times online offerings will also put a special focus on traditionally unheard and underrepresented voices in classical music.

The first series "American Promise," under the direction of Ken-David Masur (November 19), Thomas Wilkins (November 26), and Giancarlo Guerrero (December 3), explores the emergence of distinctively American musical voices, from Charles Ives to composers of today. Ives' innovative compositions symbolize the American spirit of independent thinking rooted in the New England Transcendentalists. His The Unanswered Question opens the BSO's season in the spirit of speculation and striving for truth that underlies artistic endeavor. Drawing on Black spirituals learned from his assistant Harry Burleigh, Antonín Dvořák's New World Symphony was an inspiration to later generations of American composers. Musical stories of struggle, belonging, and triumph resonate in works by such varied voices as those of Aaron Copland-whose Appalachian Spring illustrates life on the early American frontier-and Duke Ellington, the consummate narrator of Harlem's vibrant streets and people. The richness of the American musical vernacular, from spirituals and hymn tunes to the blues, jazz, and rock music, continues to be, a creative and spiritual wellspring for composers of today, including the New York-born Jessie Montgomery and the Argentine-American Osvaldo Golijov.

BSO Music Director Andris Nelsons will return to Boston in the new year to record a future episode of Music in Changing Times that will focus on Beethoven symphonies. The three-program theme for Mr. Nelsons' programs will be Sounds of Revolution: Beethoven and Musical Revolutionaries. Mr. Nelsons had been scheduled to conduct all nine Beethoven seasons during the first portion of the 2020-21 BSO season before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Boston Pops 2020 Holiday Celebration Online Offerings Available at bso.org/now December 10, with A Company Christmas Fundraiser Taking Place on December 9

Classic Holiday Pops Program Available for Streaming on Thursday, December 10, at noon, at www.bso.org/now.

One of New England's most popular Christmastime traditions continues in 2020 with a virtual Holiday Pops program that will feature the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Keith Lockhart in favorites of the season, starting Thursday, December 10, at noon, at www.bso.org/now. Drawing from both performances recorded at Symphony Hall during the second week of November and Fenway Park in October, as well as some special archival performances, this program embodies the Holiday Pops' classic formula of combining beloved seasonal classics such as "Sleigh Ride" and "The Twelve Days of Christmas" with newer content and inspirational readings of Christmastime favorites. Since no Holiday Pops program is complete without performances of the great choral works of the season, 156 members of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus will join the festivities virtually for "Home for the Holidays," and 58 young singers of the Boston Symphony Children's Choir join the performances virtually as well for a performance of "Christmas Time is Here." The TFC and BSCC are under the direction of James Burton.

Keith Lockhart and members of the brass and rhythm sections of the Boston Pops are filming their Boston Pops 2020 Holiday Celebration online programming at two of Boston's most iconic locations: Symphony Hall and Fenway Park. At Fenway Park, the orchestra was recorded playing in left field in front of the iconic Green Monster, with additional classic locations including the Red Sox dugout, in center field, and in the grandstands. They recorded such holiday favorites as "Must Be Santa" (joined by Wally in the title role-in full Santa Claus suit), "Frosty All the Way," "Good King Wenceslas," "A Merry Christmas Sing-Along," and "A Christmas Festival," Leroy Anderson's uplifting compilation of some of the most beloved music of the holiday season.

This year, the musical selections take special advantage of the digital format for festive effect, including the appearances by local celebrity narrators who will recite different stanzas from "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" ("'Twas the Night Before Christmas"). The Boston Pops 2020 Holiday Celebration program will feature illustrations by local elementary school students that depict their ideas of peace to accompany the selection "Let There Be Peace on Earth." No Holiday Pops program, of course, would take place without a visit from Santa Claus who this year will arrive with his own special supply of digital surprises.

The Boston Pops Presents Sensory-Friendly Supports for Holiday Pops Concert
Following up on the Holiday Pops' first-ever sensory-friendly concert in 2019, this year's program on December 10 will include a special version for streaming that is designed for families with children or adults diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder or sensory sensitivities. In consultation with autism therapists and clinicians, the BSO's Education Department has produced supplementary written materials for download, such as song listening maps, to help make the program more meaningful and accessible to a broader audience. The sensory-friendly version of Holiday Pops program comes at no additional cost to participants.

Holiday Pops Virtual Program for Boston Children's Hospital and Spaulding Rehabilitation Center and other hospitals throughout the Greater Boston area
Boston Pops musicians will also spread holiday cheer at local hospitals. In lieu of annual holiday visits to Boston Children's Hospital and Spaulding Rehabilitation Center, Keith Lockhart and the brass players of the Pops Orchestra will produce for hospitals an approximately 30-minute video concert based on an October recording at Fenway Park. Distributed throughout the holiday season to hospitals for their closed-circuit TV networks, the concert includes arrangements of "Good King Wenceslas," "Must Be Santa," and "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" ("'Twas the Night Before Christmas") with narration from Keith Lockhart, among other selections.

37th Annual A Company Christmas at Pops, a private corporate fundraiser, streams on Wednesday, December 9, starting at 6:30 p.m.
A Company Christmas at Pops, co-chaired by Steve Gannon, General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer, Citizens Bank, and Andy Plump, President, Research & Development, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. will take place on Wednesday, December 9, starting at 6:30 p.m. with a virtual Pre-Concert VIP Reception for Lead Sponsors and a simultaneous virtual Children's Program, a tradition of every Holiday Pops corporate event since 1983. The A Company Christmas at Pops - Home for the Holidays concert will begin streaming at 7 p.m., followed by an exclusive Live Conversation with Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart.

A Company Christmas at Pops - Home for the Holidays is a virtual reimagining of a long-time annual corporate event in which the business community comes together to celebrate a beloved Boston Pops holiday tradition. Now in its 37th year, A Company Christmas at Pops highlights the extraordinary partnership between the Greater Boston business community and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Each year, A Company Christmas at Pops offers leaders from every industry the opportunity to entertain their valued clients, employees, and friends in the company of Boston's top-level corporations, capped off with a special Holiday Pops performance by Keith Lockhart and the renowned Boston Pops Orchestra. This year's virtual gala will retain this same spirit, complete with new surprises. A Company Christmas at Pops - Home for the Holidays provides a unique opportunity for companies and guests to come together through a festive shared experience, enjoyed from the comfort of home.

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