For years, the Academy Art Museum and the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra have shared more than audiences. Their ongoing partnership has helped make live music a regular part of the Museum experience, bringing accomplished musicians into an intimate setting where audiences can encounter music much as they encounter art: up close.
That relationship continues during the 2026-27 season through two complementary concert series at the Museum — the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra Ensemble Series and AAM’s popular (and sold out!) Music at Noon series.
The partnership is a natural connection between two of the region’s cultural institutions and a shared commitment to creating meaningful arts experiences on the Eastern Shore. Rather than limiting the Museum experience to the visual arts, the collaboration creates opportunities for audiences to move between disciplines and experience the galleries as a gathering place for art, music and community.
“Partnerships like the one we’ve built with the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra reinforce the Museum’s role as a multidisciplinary cultural gathering place,” said Charlotte Potter Kasic, Executive Director of the Academy Art Museum. “On any given visit, you might experience an exhibition, hear an extraordinary musician, attend an artist talk or take a class. Music has become an important part of that mix, and our longstanding relationship with MSO allows us to create even more opportunities for people to gather, discover something new and experience the arts together.”
The MSO Ensemble Series brings principal musicians from the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra to AAM for chamber performances throughout the season. The smaller ensembles and intimate setting offer audiences a different experience from a full orchestral concert, creating an unusually close connection between musicians and listeners.
The 2026-27 Ensemble Series opens Sunday, Oct. 11, with “Horn Trio and Piano Trio: The Schumanns and Brahms,” featuring works by Robert Schumann, Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms.
The series returns Feb. 7 with “Woodwinds & Strings: Beethoven’s Legacy,” commemorating the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s death with his Three Duets for Clarinet and Bassoon and String Quartet No. 7 in F Major, Op. 59, No. 1, Razumovsky.
The season concludes May 16 with “String Quartet: Italian Masters,” featuring chamber works by Puccini, Donizetti and Verdi.
Alongside the MSO Ensemble Series, the Museum’s Music at Noon program has developed its own devoted following.
Curated by Jeffrey Parker, board chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra and a former Academy Art Museum trustee, the members-only series pairs a light lunch with an hour of live music and conversation. Its popularity speaks for itself: the entire 2026-27 Music at Noon season is already sold out.
“What makes Music at Noon so special is the intimacy of the experience,” said Jeffrey Parker, board chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra and former Academy Art Museum trustee. “We’re able to bring remarkable musicians to Easton and give audiences an opportunity to experience their artistry in a setting that feels personal and immediate. The relationship between the Museum and MSO has created a real home for this kind of musical experience, and the enthusiasm we see from audiences year after year speaks to how meaningful it has become.”
Together, the two series illustrate what has made the relationship between AAM and MSO so enduring. The partnership is not simply about bringing concerts into another venue. It creates a different way to experience music — one built around proximity, conversation and the sense of discovery that comes from encountering an extraordinary performer just a few feet away.
The 2026-27 Music at Noon season runs Oct. 20 through April 20 and is currently sold out. Museum members may join the waiting list for next season. For more information, visit https://academyartmuseum.org/music-at-noon-2026-2027-season or email membership@academyartmuseum.org.
The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra Ensemble Series at AAM begins Oct. 11, with additional performances Feb. 7 and May 16. Tickets for the MSO Ensemble Series are available through the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra.
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About the Academy Art Museum
Founded in 1958, the Academy Art Museum is the Eastern Shore’s leading cultural institution, accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It combines the dynamism of an ambitious contemporary art museum with the intimacy of a community space. With five working studios, a 24,000 sq. ft. facility, and innovative programs including a robust artist-in-residence initiative and major commissions for its soaring atrium, the Museum is a destination for artists, scholars, collectors, and families alike. For more information, visit academyartmuseum.org.
