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Only 4 openings left for YLCMF –
1 Viola, 1 cello, 1 Trumpet, 1 Flute

Montgomery Philharmonic – 14th Season – EDITIONS

The idea of bringing cultural equity into the concert hall has been percolating in Conductor Ragusa’s mind for several years. She knows, firsthand, the strides that must be taken on the podium and with programming to bring classical music well into the 21st Century by placing women composers and composers of color alongside the Eurocentric compositions that make up the canon of symphonic music. The bold step taken by the Montgomery Philharmonic will result in a dynamic season that represents a way of listening to classical music that is long overdue. Please join us by attending the concerts in our 14th season – EDITIONS.

October 13, 2019 at 7:00 PM – The Dance Edition

October 13, 2019 at 7:00 PM – The Dance Edition
The Montgomery Philharmonic’s concert season starts with the DANCE EDITION. Each piece in this edition is selected to represent different aspects of dance. Brahms represents the folk dancing of the Hungarian diaspora, dances noted for their well-developed sense of rhythm. Each dance demonstrates folk dancing still celebrated in villages. The second set of dances originates in Panama. These four dances are based on a collection of Panamanian folk tunes collected in the 1920’s by Ethnomusicologist Elizabeth Waldo. Waldo brought these folk tunes home and turned over all of her music and notes about what she had seen in Panama to William Grant Still. The result was a transcription of these dance forms, with several of them woven together for strings. The final segment of the DANCE EDITION is Aaron Copland’s Rodeo. Copland’s magical piece was choregraphed by Agnes DeMille for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, an American outgrowth of the famous Ballet Russe in Paris. The story is about an American Rodeo, and this is the only ballet where Copland left the American folk tunes intact. DeMille danced the lead, American Cowgirl, and received 22 curtain calls for her work in the premiere.

January 19, 2020 at 2:00 PM – The Senior Edition

January 19, 2020 at 2:00 PM – The Senior Edition

The Montgomery Philharmonic plays its second concert, SENIOR EDITION, twice this season. It is part of our service to the senior community, bringing music to those who might not be able to get to our concerts. Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat for Solo Violin, Viola, and Orchestra features concertmaster Lydia Leong on violin and Ted McAllister on viola. This delightful piece is a tour de force for solo violin and solo viola that is not to be missed. The second piece is Haydn’s Symphony No. 43 in E-flat, “Mercury.” It is not known whether the reference to Mercury has any real bearing on the symphony or not. Conductor Ragusa thinks that the connection is to Mercury, the Roman God of Eloquence and Communication, and the Inventor of All Arts. This expressive symphony has great symmetry and structure.

February 24, 2020 at 7:00 PM – The Youth Edition

February 24, 2020 at 7:00 PM – Youth Edition

The Montgomery Philharmonic teams up with students in the Montgomery Village Middle School bands and orchestras to put on a fantastic concert with our young neighbors called the YOUTH EDITION. During this concert, the MP plays with the Intermediate and Advanced Bands and also the Intermediate and Advanced Orchestras. The concert concludes with a selection in which the middle schoolers from both groups and the MP perform all together.


March 29, 2020 at 7:00 PM – The Symphony Edition

March 29, 2020 at 7:00 PM – The Symphony Edition

The Montgomery Philharmonic’s March concert is a continuation of our exploration of the evolution of the symphony with the SYMPHONY EDITION. It juxtaposes two great symphonists, Florence Price and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The drama displayed in each composition is remarkable. Price’s work is steeped in European tradition, yet it consists mostly of American idioms and her southern roots. Tchaikovsky’s music is also steeped in European tradition, as he spent many years away from Russia before finally returning in the mid-1880s. Like Price’s American idioms, Tchaikovsky’s music is full of Russian characteristics in the form of melodies, harmonies, and rhythms.

June 7, 2020 at 7:00 PM – The Local Edition

June 7, 2020 at 7:00 PM – The Local Edition

The Montgomery Philharmonic closes its season with the LOCAL EDITION. This edition features not only a local composer, George Walker, but also a local soloist, Matthew van Hoose. A Washington, DC, native, Walker was the first African American composer to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music and was both a composer and a concert pianist. His music draws on his exposure as a pianist to the works of Beethoven, Chopin, and Brahms and also has strong influences of jazz, folk songs, and church hymns. Symphony No. 3 is one of five symphonies that Walker wrote. Matthew van Hoose is a local concert pianist whose name you might recognize as the organist for the Washington Nationals baseball team. Van Hoose’s love of baseball led him to start playing for the Nationals about 5 years ago. He plays Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
Thanks for visiting the Montgomery Philharmonic’s website. We’re happy that you found us and we would love for you to come to our concerts.
  • Our programming is adventurous and engaging. Those who attend our concerts always find something that they like and often discover new pieces that broaden their musical tastes.
  • Our venue is intimate, so most people are able to sit close to the orchestra.
  • Our concerts are free. We love providing this service to our community audiences and want you to experience the music with us.
  • The orchestra is terrific and its mission is even better – to serve the community at a high level through great programming, community outreach for young and old alike, and a welcoming environment.
  • Our website contains WebNotes—engaging information about each concert, connected to each concert date tab. Audience members tell us that they use them to read about the music, view it, and listen to it.
  • The Montgomery Philharmonic is re-inventing the community orchestra not only for the musicians that we engage but also for the community that we serve. Our program includes great connections through the Bernie Rappaport Young Artist Competition for middle school students, the side-by-side concert with Montgomery Village Middle School students, the Youth Chamber Music Festival, and our Summer Reading Sessions.
  • Members of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and National Symphony Orchestra serve as orchestra coaches for a series of Adult Education Master Classes that are open to the public.
    • Why join the Montgomery Philharmonic?
    • We offer varied experiences for each musician. The orchestra’s repertoire is extensive and spans many genres and time periods.
    • By collaborating with the Central Maryland Chorale, our members have an opportunity to play oratorio.
    • We offer members the option of participating in an in-depth, year-long study of chamber music, leading to concerts at area Senior Centers.
    • Section rehearsals provide members with extra help solving problems that are unique to their particular section. 
    • Coaching from BSO and NSO members gives each orchestra member a new perspective on the music, which raises our performing ability. They are excited to help us and always offer great advice.
    • Our orchestra provides a unique opportunity for the serious community musician who desires the challenge of musical growth.

    Community Outreach

    Young Artists
    The Bernie Rappaport Competition gives middle school musicians an opportunity to play a concerto with a symphony orchestra. Named in memory of a trumpet player in the Montgomery Philharmonic, the winners of the competition are featured in one of the MP's concerts and we provide a small prize to help the winners continue their music education.     more…
    Summer Reading Sessions
    The Montgomery Philharmonic offers a free Summer Reading Session as part of each season. The reading session is open to musicians of all ages who are accomplished enough to play in a symphony orchestra and who have reasonable sight-reading skills.     More…
    SRS Repertoire
    Youth Chamber Music
    In the summer, the Montgomery Philharmonic hosts a free Youth Chamber Music Festival for youth ages 11-19. Members of the MP serve as coaches for the chamber music ensembles. For most of the students, it is their first experience with chamber music and this unique way of learning music. It teaches listening skills, leadership, and how to rely on each other.
    More…
    BSO and NSO Masterclasses
    Yearly, the Montgomery Philharmonic hosts a special series of Masterclasses with members of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra. The classes are a peek into what goes on to prepare string technique and major chamber works. These Adult Education Masterclasses are open to the public     …more
    About the Artists
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    This organization is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council. To discover more about the Maryland State Arts Council and how the impact Maryland, visit msac.org
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    This organization is supported in part by the     Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County.
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    This organization is supported in part by the Women’s Philharmonic Advocacy. Visit https://wophil.org for more information.
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    This organization is supported in part by the City of Gaithersburg.

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