SIGNATURE SERIES III: THE CALL OF THE WILD
Strauss – An Alpine Symphony
March 5-6, 2027
Pre Concert Lecture at 6:30 PM
Concert Starts at 7:30 PM
Maryland Hall
Tickets start at $25
Claude Debussy “Fêtes” from Nocturnes
Maurice Ravel Alborada del gracioso
Tan Dun Passacaglia: Secret of Wind and Birds
Richard Strauss Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony), Op. 64
This concert is approximately 2 hours in length, with a 20 minute intermission.
MUSIC PROGRAM
Four iconic works span centuries, cultures, and soundscapes. Orchestral instrumentation brings the call of the wild to the stage – the sounds of birds, the majesty of mountains, and a stunning orchestral morning.
Debussy’s “Fêtes,” the second movement of his Nocturnes, is a luminous celebration of rhythm, color, and atmosphere that colors the ephemeral moods of Parisian festivities, shimmering orchestration, and dazzling color with painterly light. Translated to “Festivals,” it bursts with joyous celebration.
Maurice Ravel’s Alborada del gracioso (“Morning Song of the Jester”)bursts with Spanish flair, from virtuosic strings and fiery castanets to the jester’s tender bassoon “song of the dawn,” blending wit, charm, and radiant orchestral color.
Tan Dun’s Passacaglia: Secret of Wind and Birds is a modern marvel that transforms smartphones into instruments. The piece begins with recordings of bird songs performed on six ancient Chinese instruments — the guzheng, pipa, erhu, suona, dizi, and sheng — played back on the smartphones of musicians and audience members. Thus, the audience is led, along with the musicians, by conductor José-Luis Novo. By merging ancient Chinese musical heritage, the natural world, and contemporary sound, Tan Dun crafts a work that is as innovative as it is poetic — a transcendent encounter with the rhythms, colors, and secrets of the world around us.
The performance culminates with Richard Strauss’ An Alpine Symphony, a monumental tone poem for massive forces that paints an 11-hour ascent of a mountain—from nightfall through sunrise, storm, and triumphant summit. Scored for nearly 100 players, including wind and thunder machines, organ, cowbells, and offstage horns, Strauss creates a breathtaking, cinematic world that captures both nature’s grandeur and the human spirit.
Photo credit “Tricolor Heron” by Emily Carter
PRE CONCERT LECTURE
Jonathan Palevski, Program Director of WBJC Classical Radio, will present a free pre-concert lecture at 6:30 PM in Maryland Hall’s main auditorium. He’ll share engaging insights into the evening’s composers, their times, and the music you’re about to hear, followed by time for questions. It’s an enjoyable way to deepen your connection to the program and meet fellow music lovers before the concert begins.
The lecture is free for concert ticket holders. A ticket to the evening’s performance is required for entry.
TICKETING
Tickets start at $25. Check the online seating chart to select $25 seats.
Single tickets for this performance will be available for sale beginning August 1, 2026.
A Sunday 3 PM one hour matinee including only Tan Dun’s Passacaglia: Secret of Wind and Birds and Strauss’ An Alpine Symphony is available. Due to the shortened program, we have priced the performance accordingly. Learn more.
Signature Series Subscribers can use their 20% off discount to save on additional tickets to this concert. Please purchase tickets through your Patron Portal starting August 1, 2026. The discount will be automatically applied.
Student tickets to this performance are $15. Military, Law Enforcement, and First Responder ticket discounts are also available. Please call the Box Office at 410-263-0907 to redeem these discounts starting August 1, 2026.
THANK YOU
This performance is made possible in part with the support of the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC.org) and Arts Council of Anne Arundel County (ACAAC.org).