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February 12, 2026

Centreville Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Centreville

6 Arts Notes

Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra Pilots “MSO 101: Demystifying the Symphony” Community Education Series

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The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO) recently piloted a new community education initiative, MSO 101: Demystifying the Symphony. This free, four-session course was designed to welcome newcomers into the world of orchestral music. Open to the public, the sessions were held on Wednesday afternoons in January at the Ocean Pines Library.

Created for those curious about symphonic music but unsure where to begin, MSO 101 was designed to help participants feel confident and excited about attending live symphony performances. The course explored not only the music itself, but also the concert experience—what to expect, how to listen, and how to feel comfortable walking into a concert hall for the first time.

“The goal was to show people that classical music is no different from any other type of music—it’s meant to be enjoyed,” said Dane Krich, MSO’s General Manager. “There’s sometimes a perception that symphony concerts are only for an elite audience. At MSO that couldn’t be further from the truth. We want people to feel welcome, curious, and confident walking into a concert hall, whether it’s their first time or their fiftieth.”

The weekly sessions guided participants through the fundamentals of orchestral music and concert-going. Early sessions introduced the orchestra, its instruments, and the role of the conductor, along with an overview of what a symphony is and how it developed. Participants learned how concerts are structured, how to read a program, when to clap, and what to expect in terms of etiquette and atmosphere. Later sessions focused on listening skills and musical language, helping attendees understand common musical forms and how composers use sound to tell stories. The final session also introduced major composers, and offered practical guidance on choosing a concert and planning a symphony concert experience.

When developing the curriculum, MSO turned to one of its own leaders to launch the program. “As we were shaping MSO 101, there was no one better than Dr. Rebecca Pille to teach the first course.” Krich added, “Her ability to connect with people, explain complex ideas clearly, and share her genuine love of music made her the perfect choice. This was always envisioned as the first of many MSO 101s, and Rebecca set a wonderful foundation.”

To ensure that learning extended beyond the classroom, participants in MSO 101 received tickets to MSO concerts, allowing them to put their new knowledge into practice and experience a live performance firsthand. The goal was for education and curiosity to culminate in an actual MSO concert, reinforcing that the symphony is accessible, welcoming, and engaging.

Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with practical ideas for refining future offerings. The pilot course was a collaboration between MSO and the Friends of the Ocean Pines Library, whose support helped make the program free and accessible to the community.

This course reflects MSO’s ongoing commitment to education, audience development, and community engagement. By breaking down perceived barriers and inviting new listeners into the symphonic experience, the orchestra continues to expand how people connect with live classical music on the Eastern Shore.

For more information about upcoming programs and concerts, visit www.midatlanticsymphony.org

ABOUT THE MID-ATLANTIC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra is the only professional symphony orchestra serving southern Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore with a full season of programs. The MSO is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council, the Talbot County Arts Council, the Worcester County Arts Council, the Sussex County (Delaware) Council, and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc.

A complete schedule of the 2025-2026 season’s Masterworks and Ensembles programs, including venues, times, and other details, is available at www.midatlanticsymphony.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

CBMM’s Bear Me Into Freedom Exhibition Opens Feb. 27

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 During Black History Month amid the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is pleased to share that its latest exhibition, Bear Me Into Freedom: The Talbot County of Frederick Douglass, will open to guests on Friday, Feb. 27.

Located on the second floor of the Changing Exhibitions Building, Bear Me Into Freedom explores Douglass’ early life right here in Maryland’s Talbot County and how those experiences shaped his journey to become a prominent abolitionist, writer, and orator. Guests will trace key moments and locations in Douglass’ life—from his birth and formative years as an enslaved person to his escape to freedom and later returns as a free man—and discover how the Eastern Shore landscape influenced an American icon.

Bear Me Into Freedom will feature mural-style prints of black-and-white photographs from local photographer and historian Jeff McGuiness’ book of the same name as well as historical documents and images, and hands-on activities, plus a closed-loop artificial intelligence interactive, to create an immersive and educational experience.

Bear Me Into Freedom is included with general admission, which is always free for CBMM members. CBMM will host an exclusive opening event for its members on Friday, March 6, to share the exhibition and its impactful storytelling. Learn more and plan your visit at cbmm.org/BearMeIntoFreedom.

“Not far from CBMM, you can see the places and landscapes where Frederick Douglass rose from the depths of enslavement and became determined to seek freedom,” Director of Curatorial Affairs & Exhibitions Jen Dolde said. “Bear Me Into Freedom traces his steps and seeks to connect guests with Douglass’s formative experiences and his humanity. We invite them to gaze at a mural portraying the dark, open waters of the Chesapeake Bay, read Douglass’ words, and ask themselves if they see a barrier or a path to freedom.”

Entering Bear Me Into Freedom, guests will be greeted by a historic map of Talbot County that outlines the places, routes, and timeline of Douglass’ life in the area, while a graphic timeline connects these waypoints and fills in events beyond his time in Maryland.

The exhibition shares a series of stories that are augmented by experiential objects and hands-on activities. These include a haul seine net and net-making activity that represents Douglass’ grandmother’s work and the landscape of Tuckahoe Creek, a caulking interactive that connects guests to his escape out of Baltimore disguised as a free sailor, and a pulpit where guests can deliver a speech as Douglass did during his 1878 return to Talbot County as a celebrated figure.

Blending history with technology, CBMM partnered with interpretive experience design firm TimeLooper to create the Douglass AI interactive. The experience invites guests to ask questions by voice or tablet and receive thoughtfully curated responses delivered in the authentic voice of a digital representation of Douglass. The automated replies draw from an extensive body of primary and secondary sources written by and about Douglass.

CBMM’s Bear Me Into Freedom is inspired by McGuinness’ photography project, which pairs Douglass’ own writing with present-day imagery highlighting the unique Eastern Shore landscape that helped shape him. The book, published in 2022, is available in CBMM’s Museum Store.

The exhibition also serves as a strong companion for McGuiness’ interactive film project “Bear Me Into Freedom: Frederick Douglass and the Struggle for America’s Promise,” which is slated to launch locally later this year.

“The story of Frederick Douglass is inextricably linked with Talbot County, and as we celebrate America250, this is the perfect time to explore those connections through this exhibition,” McGuiness said. “I am grateful to CBMM and its curatorial team for their support, passion, and care in helping amplify this project and share these vital stories about Douglass’ life in such an impactful way.”

Set to run through the end of 2027, Bear Me Into Freedom expands CBMM’s storytelling surrounding freedom seekers in the Chesapeake. Sailing to Freedom: Maritime Dimensions of the Underground Railroad continues to run on the first floor of the Changing Exhibitions Building.

Just across the courtyard on Fogg’s Landing is Mitchell House, the historic home of Douglass’ sister Eliza Bailey Mitchell and her family. In CBMM’s Welcome Center, the Water Lines exhibition highlights its small craft collection, featuring the story of Joseph Keene’s journey to freedom in a log canoe.

These stops are featured as part of CBMM’s Seeking Freedom public guided tour, which is available on select weekends and holidays throughout the year.

The Seeking Freedom tour is also available for adult and school groups. Next month, all Talbot County eighth graders will experience the tour as part of an inclusive history grant through the Maryland 250 Commission.

Stay tuned for more planned programming around Bear Me Into Freedom during its run, including a visit later this spring from Dr. Timothy Walker, a historian who edited the “Sailing to Freedom” book that informed that exhibition, to share a snapshot of Douglass’ life in New Bedford, Mass.

Bear Me Into Freedom is funded, in part, through CBMM’s Regional Folklife Center under the Maryland Traditions program of the Maryland State Arts Council and the generosity of Marla & Harold Baines and Charles & Ann Harvey Yonkers. To support this exhibition as a sponsor, please contact CBMM’s Chief Historian Pete Lesher at [email protected].

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is a non-profit educational organization that preserves and explores the history, environment, and culture of the entire Chesapeake Bay region, and makes this resource accessible to all.

Every aspect of fulfilling this mission is driven by CBMM’s values of relevance, authenticity, and stewardship, along with a commitment to providing engaging guest experiences and transformative educational programming, all while serving as a vital community partner. Learn more at cbmm.org.

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Symbiosis: an Exhibition Inspired by Lichens at Adkins Arboretum

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(Le ) Snow Lichen by Marilyn Banner, encaus c on wood. (Right) Tree Hugger (Cedar, Indiantown Landing, Chester River) by Mary McCoy, acrylic and photo transfer on wood.

Enticing in their intricacy and variety, the lichens in Symbiosis, an exhibition of small paintings by artists Marilyn Banner and Mary McCoy, are like miniature landscapes full of color and textures.

Accompanied by McCoy’s poems about lichens, the show is on view in the (Left) Snow Lichen by Marilyn Banner, encaustic on wood. (Right) Tree Hugger (Cedar, Indiantown Landing, Chester River) by Mary McCoy, acrylic and photo transfer on wood. Arboretum’s Visitor’s Center Art Gallery from January 6 through February 27. There will be a public reception on Saturday, January 10 from 2 to 4 p.m., to meet the artists.

Friends and colleagues for over 40 years, the two artists have exhibited their work together in galleries across the Mid-Atlantic region. Banner, who lives in Takoma Park, is an encaustic artist, while McCoy, an artist, writer and longtime volunteer on the Arboretum’s art committee, is from Centreville. During an email conversation in 2020, they were surprised to learn that each of them was making small paintings of lichens. Both had been taking closeup photographs of lichens for many years, at home and while traveling, and had independently begun using them as source materials.

Composite organisms formed by a symbiotic relationship of fungi and algae or cyanobacteria, lichens grow on outdoor surfaces on every continent. The first colonizers of naked rock, they begin the process of breaking stone down into soil allowing moss and small plants to begin to grow, ultimately creating an ecosystem where plants and animals can flourish.

“Lichens are ancient,” Banner said. “They model symbiosis, the mutual energy exchange that sustains life and growth.” McCoy said, “I’ve been taking photos of lichens on stones, trees, even on my kayaks for years, but it was when I was in Iceland for a conference that I was amazed by the lichens growing on bare volcanic rock. Somehow, they were managing to live out there in this incredibly bleak, cold, windswept environment.”

Black and white lichens growing on an alley wall in Barcelona first sparked Banner’s interest. Struck by the animated patterns of their spreading growth, she began to find lichens everywhere, especially on her walks during the pandemic, and soon was painting them with encaustics, an art medium dating back 2,500 years in which mixture of pigment, beeswax, and damar resin is painted on in many layers creating a lush, translucent effect.

“Encaustic is for me the perfect medium for painting lichen,” Banner said. “I respond strongly to texture, especially in nature. Encaustic is made of ‘nature,’ i.e. beeswax and damar. It has a ‘feel’ to it, a kind of magic for me. I can push, pull, touch, scrape, dig, carve, melt, reshape—all the physical ‘hand’ stuff I like to do.”

The artist’s hand is also highly evident in McCoy’s works, in which she used gestural strokes of acrylic medium to paint directly into photo transfers of her lichen shots. “I wanted to work with my photos of lichens in ways that would highlight their complexity and fragility and how they seem animated, full of energy, even though they grow very, very slowly,” she explained.

Several of McCoy’s poems about lichens are interspersed with the paintings. Curious about the qualities and characteristics of lichens and how they benefit life on earth, she began reading about them and took a workshop on lichens at the Arboretum.

“The more I learned about them, the more I was impressed at how primary they are to life on earth,” she said. “I think initially both Marilyn and I were just kind of enchanted by their beauty and intricacy, but it turns out they also play an essential role in soil formation, carbon sequestration and oxygen production, as well as being early indicators of air pollution.”

In choosing the title Symbiosis for their show, the two artists hope to convey the most important lesson they’ve gleaned from their focus on lichens—that these organisms survive and thrive through cooperation, embodying our growing realization that the driving force of life on earth is not competition but interdependence.

A 400-acre native garden and preserve, Adkins Arboretum provides exceptional experiences in nature to promote environmental stewardship.

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Chesapeake Music Presents Jazz and Chamber Music this Winter

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Chesapeake Music is delighted to host two exciting Winter Interlude Concerts on back-to-back weekends: an evening of jazz with the Stephen Philip Harvey Jazz Orchestra on Saturday, February 21 at 7:30 p.m. and an afternoon of chamber music featuring the Abeo Quartet with violist Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 1. While individual concert tickets are available for purchase, Chesapeake Music has also put together a special 2026 Winter Interlude two-concert package at a discounted rate. Both concerts will be performed at The Ebenezer Theater at Prager Family Center for the Arts for the Eastern Shore community.

On Saturday, February 21 at 7:30 p.m., the 17-piece Stephen Philip Harvey Jazz Orchestra will be one of the largest ensembles to ever take the stage at the historic Ebenezer Theater, promising an unmatched, explosive energy that will need to be witnessed (and felt) to be believed! The ensemble will play a mixture of music from their recent album release (“Multiversal”) alongside select works from their first release in 2022 (“Smash!”). Both albums contain entirely original compositions by Stephen Philip Harvey, inspired by comic books and superheroes. The concert will be a pseudo-cinematic experience that will bring the audience into an action-packed setlist of ethereal melodies, hard-hitting counterpoint, and heroic themes.

On Sunday, March 1 at 2 p.m., experience the electric artistry of the Abeo Quartet as they make their return to Easton. Chesapeake Music fans may remember them from their Silver Prize win at the 10th Biennial Chesapeake Chamber Music Competition in 2022. This time around, they will be joined by the luminous violist Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, founding violist of the twice-Grammy-nominated Dover Quartet and recognized as one of the most sought-after chamber musicians of her generation. Together, these musicians will bring depth, passion, precision, and profound musical dialogue to a thrilling program.

Chesapeake Music offers a limited number of free tickets for students, educators, and Talbot County First Responders, as well as a “buy-one-get-one” option for first-time patrons of Chesapeake Music. General admission tickets are $50, and two-concert packages are $75. Visit ChesapeakeMusic.org for tickets and more information.

Based in Easton, Maryland, Chesapeake Music is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that brings renowned musicians to delight, engage, and surprise today’s audiences, and educate, inspire, and develop tomorrow’s.

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Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra Announces Finalists for the Elizabeth Loker International Concerto Competition

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The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO) has selected the three finalists for the final round of the fifth annual Elizabeth Loker International Concerto Competition, presented as a live concert on Sunday, March 15 at 3:00 PM at the Todd Performing Arts Center at Chesapeake College in Wye Mills, Maryland, bringing outstanding young instrumental soloists from across the United States and around the world to the Eastern Shore.

Backed by the more than 40 musicians of the full Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, the final round features three finalists selected from an international applicant pool through two preliminary rounds of adjudicated video submissions. Over the past three years alone, 398 young musicians from 27 states and 16 countries across Europe, Asia, the Pacific Rim, the South Pacific, and North America have participated in the competition, reflecting its rapidly growing international reputation. The Competition is unique in the world of similar events for young instrumental musicians. Almost all other major competitions for young soloists are performed only with piano accompaniment or solo. This singular opportunity to perform and compete backed by a leading professional symphony orchestra is very rare and attracts record entries.

The three finalists will perform their complete concertos in a unique concert and competition all in one, offering a remarkable experience for both performers and audiences. In addition to international recognition and professional exposure, the Competition awards $9,000 in cash prizes, including $5,000 for First Prize, $2,500 for Second Prize, $1,000 for Honorable Mention, and a $500 Audience Prize, and offers finalists the opportunity to perform with the full Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Grammy Award–winning Music Director Michael Repper.

This year’s finalists represent extraordinary artistic achievement and promise. Violinist Sophia Werner of New York City will perform Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto. A Kovner Fellow at The Juilliard School, Werner won the 2024 Juilliard Concerto Competition and has appeared as a soloist with the Juilliard Orchestra in Alice Tully Hall. She regularly serves as Concertmaster of the Juilliard Orchestra and has performed at major venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and David Geffen Hall.

Pianist Brielle Perez, also based in New York City, will perform Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major. Praised for her expressive artistry and musical sensitivity, Perez is currently pursuing her Master’s degree at The Juilliard School and has performed extensively across the United States, Europe, and Asia, including appearances at Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and the Mozarteum in Salzburg. She is a First Prize winner of the 2025 Juilliard Mieczysław Munz Piano Scholarship Competition and was recently featured on WQXR’s Young Artists Showcase.

Violinist Mio Imai of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will perform Dvořák’s Violin Concerto. At just fifteen years old, Imai has already appeared as a soloist with major orchestras in the United States and Europe, including the Nashville Symphony and Vancouver Symphony. A multiple international competition laureate, she studies with Kimberly Fisher of The Philadelphia Orchestra and is widely recognized as one of the most compelling young violinists of her generation.

The final round will be judged by a distinguished panel including Edward Polochick, longtime Music Director of the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra and a respected conductor and educator; Dr. Laura Colgate, Concertmaster of the National Philharmonic and co-founder and Artistic Director of the Boulanger Initiative; and Qing Li, Principal Second Violin of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

In addition to the final competition concert, MSO will host a Preview Evening on Saturday, March 14 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the Academy Art Museum, where each finalist will present a short recital. This informal event offers audiences an intimate preview of the artistry and talent that will take center stage with the orchestra the following afternoon.

According to Maestro Repper, the Elizabeth Loker International Concerto Competition has become “world class” in just a few short years. “Young musicians can tell when something is genuine,” Repper says. “This Competition treats them with respect, care, and seriousness, and word spreads quickly when that happens. Its growth comes from trust—and from the feeling that this is a place where young artists are truly supported, not just evaluated.”

Tickets and additional information are available at www.midatlanticsymphony.org.

ABOUT THE MID-ATLANTIC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is the only professional symphony orchestra serving southern Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore with a full season of programs. The MSO is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council, the Talbot County Arts Council, the Worcester County Arts Council, the Sussex County (Delaware) Council, and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc.

A complete schedule of the 2025-2026 season’s Masterworks and Ensembles programs, including venues, times, and other details, is available at www.midatlanticsymphony.org.

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Disney’s NEWSIES JR. Playing at The Country School in Easton

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Disney’s Newsies JR. leaps onto the stage at The Country School for three performances: Friday, February 27 at 7:00 p.m., Saturday, February 28 at 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, March 1 at 2:00 p.m. This high-energy musical is based on the beloved 1992 Disney film Newsies and the Tony Award®-winning Broadway production of the same name.

The Country School’s production features a cast of 64 students, directed by Laura Spies and Jessica Newell, and showcases the talent, heart, and hard work of young performers from across the school community.

“Newsies has been one of my favorite musicals since I was a little girl. I can’t wait to see it come to life on our stage for kids and adults of all ages to enjoy!”  -Laura Spies

Audiences will be swept up in the story of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and the leader of a scrappy band of young “newsies” in turn-of-the-century Manhattan. When powerful publishing tycoons raise distribution prices at the expense of the boys, Jack unites young workers from across the city to strike against injustice and fight for what’s right. Bursting with electrifying music, athletic choreography, and a timeless message about courage and community, Newsies JR. delivers nonstop thrills for audiences of all ages.

For information on purchasing tickets, please visit countryschool.org.

Disney’s Newsies JR. is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by Music Theatre International (MTI).

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Academy Art Museum Welcomes Five New Members to it’s Board of Trustees

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Pictured from left to right: Benjamin C. Tilghman; Debbie Potter; Jay Borneman, PhD; Denise Anne Bode; Mark Dickinson.

The Academy Art Museum (AAM) is pleased to announce the appointment of five new members to its Board of Trustees, strengthening the Museum’s leadership with deep expertise across the arts, education, public policy, business, and community engagement.

The newly appointed trustees — Jay Borneman, Denise Bode; Mark Dickinson; Debbie Potter; and Benjamin C. Tilghman — bring decades of professional experience and a shared commitment to advance the Museum’s mission of connecting people to art, ideas, and one another through exhibitions, education, and public programs.

“The new trustees reflect a   breadth of perspectives and  experience that will help the Academy Art Museum continue to thrive,” said Christine Martin, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “Their  knowledge, leadership, and passion for the arts will be invaluable as the Museum continues to grow its impact locally and regionally.

New Trustees

Jay Borneman is the founder and principal of Oak View Point Partners and retired Chairman and CEO of Hyland’s, Inc., a mid-size OTC pharmaceutical manufacturer. He holds degrees in chemistry, finance, and health policy, and has served as a trustee for St. Joseph’s University, the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, and the Avalon Foundation. Mr.. Borneman splits his time between Pennsylvania and Oxford, Maryland.

Denise Bode brings more than four decades of leadership in public policy, energy, and nonprofit governance. A nationally recognized expert in trade, tax, and environmental policy, she has led major industry associations and previously served as Chairman of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. Denise has held trustee and executive leadership roles at several cultural and civic organizations, including the Avalon Foundation and the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum, and is an active supporter of the arts on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Mark Dickinson is a retired attorney and real estate investor with extensive experience in historic preservation, conservation, and community-based philanthropy. Now a full-time Talbot County resident, he has served on numerous nonprofit boards, including Preservation Maryland, the Washington County Historical Society, and San Mar Children’s Home. His work reflects a longstanding commitment to stewardship, mentorship, and place-based community investment.

Debbie Potter spent much of her professional career in Washington, D.C., serving in senior roles across federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice. A former journalist and national press award recipient, she is deeply engaged in volunteer service and nonprofit leadership on the Eastern Shore. Debbie has previously served on the Board of Trustees of the Avalon Foundation

Benjamin C. Tilghman is a professor of art history at Washington College whose work bridges academic scholarship and public-facing museum engagement. His background includes curatorial fellowships, exhibition development, public lectures, and extensive experience in arts governance and fundraising. He currently serves as Chair of the Public Arts Committee in Chestertown, where he has led major public sculpture initiatives and community collaborations.

Board of Trustees

The Academy Art Museum Board of Trustees is chaired by Christine Martin, with Brenda Fike serving as Vice Chair, Sue Bredekamp as Secretary, and Ronald Flohr as Treasurer. Additional trustees include MaryLou Armstrong Peters, Denise Bode, Jay Borneman, Sandy Cardin, Mark Dickinson, Robert Fogarty, Jazmine Gibson, Denise Grant, Shelton Hawkins, Elizabeth Hormel, Victoria Gomez Lozano, Joanne Lukens, Debbie Potter, Chris Sadler, Ann Scully, Beth Spurry, Ben Tilghman, Holly Townsend, Daniel Weiss, and Donald Wooters.

With the addition of these new trustees, the Academy Art Museum continues to build a Board that reflects its commitment to artistic excellence, thoughtful stewardship, and meaningful community connection.

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

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Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra Presents February Ensembles Series Concerts Featuring Mozart, Schubert, and Penderecki

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The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra continues its 2025–2026 Ensembles Series with a set of chamber music concerts taking place February 6 through 8 across Maryland and Delaware. Featuring works by Franz Schubert, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Krzysztof Penderecki, the program highlights the artistry of the MSO’s principal musicians in an intimate chamber setting.

The concerts will be performed on Friday, February 6 at 7:00 PM at Community Church in Ocean Pines, Maryland; Saturday, February 7 at 3:00 PM at Epworth United Methodist Church in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware; and Sunday, February 8 at 4:00 PM at the Academy Art Museum in Easton, Maryland.

The program opens with Schubert’s String Trio in B-flat major, D. 471, an early chamber work that reflects the composer’s lyrical instincts and emerging voice. Mozart’s Oboe Quartet in F major, K. 370 follows, a piece written for virtuoso oboist Friedrich Ramm and admired for its elegance, clarity, and expressive interplay between winds and strings. Completing the program is Penderecki’s Quartet for Clarinet and String Trio, a striking 20th-century work that combines modern harmonic language with dramatic contrast and intensity.

The performers include Celaya Kirchner, Principal Second Violin; Yuri Tomenko, Principal Viola; Katie McCarthy, Principal Cello; Dana Newcomb, Principal Oboe; and Cheryl Hill, Principal Clarinet. Together, the ensemble brings a wide range of musical styles and historical periods into close conversation, showcasing both individual virtuosity and collaborative musicianship.

Now in its fourth season, the MSO’s Ensembles Series has become an important part of the orchestra’s artistic mission, offering audiences the opportunity to experience chamber music in intimate venues throughout the Delmarva Peninsula while spotlighting the depth and versatility of the orchestra’s musicians.

Tickets and additional information are available at www.midatlanticsymphony.org

ABOUT THE MID-ATLANTIC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is the only professional symphony orchestra serving southern Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore with a full season of programs. The MSO is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council, the Talbot County Arts Council, the Worcester County Arts Council, the Sussex County (Delaware) Council, and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc.

A complete schedule of the 2025-2026 season’s Masterworks and Ensembles programs, including venues, times, and other details, is available at www.midatlanticsymphony.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Music Theory for Folk Musicians at Allegro Academy

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Calling all folk musicians, singer-songwriters, fiddlers, and living-room players! Allegro Academy is offering our new Music Theory for Folk Musicians class this winter! Have you ever wondered why so many songs only have three chords, and which three they are? Want some vocabulary to explain what’s going on in your music? Need to know about modes? Join us to build a foundation of music theory in a folk-music context. Classes will take place Tuesday evenings, January 6, 13, 20, & 27, from 6:30-8pm, with plenty of time for your questions each week. Total cost for the 4-week session is $100.

Teaching the class will be Allegro Board President, Topher Lawton.  Topher is an accomplished vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and teacher based on Maryland’s eastern shore. He holds an undergraduate degree in music history and a graduate degree in information science, and has two decades of experience leading small performance ensembles. His research and practice focuses on vocal expression of human experiences, from renaissance madrigals to early American shape-note music, and he has taught music theory and performance at all levels from grade school through adult learners. Currently, he’s enmeshed in the study of the 18th-century music found in the colonies, and the ways that music formed and informed our American identity during the Revolution. You can see Topher performing with Ampersand, and with various other groups throughout the mid-Atlantic.

Allegro Academy, a non-profit music conservatory located in downtown Easton, connects musicians through workshops, lessons, ensembles, and performances, and aspires to enrich the lives of music enthusiasts of all ages and incomes in our community. Academy Programs are supported in part by generous contributions from individuals, Talbot Arts, the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, and the Maryland State Arts Council.

For more information and registration links, please visit www.allegroacademyeaston.com or call 410-603-8361. 

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The Bay Country Chorus Makes a  Difference in the Lives of the Vulnerable Through Song

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The Bay Country Chorus (BCC) is a mixed (men and women) choir whose motto is to keep the whole world singing.  Our primary mission is to bring four-part harmony music to the elderly and underserved audiences in our community. Most notably, we often perform at senior living facilities, farmer’s markets, and community events.
 Our music brings musical entertainment to citizens who might not otherwise have the opportunity to enjoy live music.  It is particularly gratifying for members of BCC to see the extremely positive reactions and joy our music brings its audiences.  Yes, we make a difference in many lives, and you can be part of it!
We are recruiting new singers!  Beginning Monday, January 8th, we are learning 3-4 songs that will be performed for our Singing Valentines program on February 14.  You do not have to audition.  Please join us, and our artistic director will determine which part fits your range.  There are online learning tracks and a very helpful director who is happy to work with you one on one if you like.
The BCC meets at the Senior Center at 400 Brookletts in Easton every Monday from 6 PM to 8PM.  Our Singing Valentines program rehearsal will take place from 6PM – 7PM from Monday, January 8th until Monday, February 12th.  An hour of your time to check us out is the only commitment we ask for our trial program.
If you have any questions, please call Lesley Aaron, Artistic Director at 305-395-9895 or email [email protected]
Our choir is a group of fun-loving, friendly, and caring folks!
If you would like to make a difference in the lives of underserved communities,  please consider joining us!

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