Bloomington Symphony Orchestra - Indiana

Jazzin' Btown - Imagine: Collaboration - Jazz, Sax, and Sibelius
2022-10-23 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis) | Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN, 47408, United States
BSO and AAAMC present:
Imagine: Collaboration
Sunday, October 23, 2022
Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 6pmMickey Tucker’s Spiritual Collage: A Suite for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra
Nkieru Okoye’s Voices Shouting Out
Jean Sibelius’ Violin Concerto – Elson Koh, violin, 2022 BSO Youth Concerto Competition Winner

CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR TICKETS FOR IMAGINE: COLLABORATION
($25 adults, $12 students, FREE ages 18 and under)
OR GET A BSO SEASON PASS TO SAVE OVER 12% OFF FULL PRICE!

Indiana University’s Archives of African American Music and Culture (AAAMC) and the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra (BSO) are making musical history. In 1978, African American jazz pianist and composer Mickey Tucker received the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant to compose what he calls his magnum opus, Spiritual Collage: A Suite for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra. Inspired by the Negro spiritual, “I’ve Just Come from the Fountain,” this work was written for a seventy-piece orchestra innovatively merging classical and jazz musical traditions. While the NEA grant supported composition and part printing processes, it unfortunately did not fund a culminating performance. As a result, Tucker stored this masterpiece in his home for forty-plus years, where it would seemingly never be heard by anyone. Speaking with AAAMC Director Dr. Tyron Cooper, the eighty-one-year-old composer lamented, “I don’t think I will ever hear this piece performed in my lifetime.” In 2021, Tucker and his wife Sheila donated the only hand-written copy of Spiritual Collage, along with numerous original musical scores, manuscripts, photos, letters, audio and video recordings and other materials, establishing the Mickey Tucker collection at AAAMC. Then, Cooper in collaboration with the BSO’s Artistic Director and Conductor Alejandro Gómez Guillén, formed a partnership between their respective organizations to normalize musical works by Black composers in Bloomington Symphony Orchestra’s concert seasons, where recently BSO has presented the Indiana premiere of Florence Price’s Symphony no. 4, and Dawn Norfleet’s Seed. In keeping with this vision, the BSO will present the world premiere of Tucker’s Spiritual Collage at the Buskirk Chumley Theater on Sunday, October 23rd at 6pm EDT.
Joining the BSO is a lineup of internationally acclaimed jazz greats including pianist Cyrus Chestnut, bassist Avery Sharpe, drummer Ronnie Burrage with saxophonists Gary Bartz, Greg Osby, Carol Sudhalter, and Indianapolis native Rob Dixon. The audience will have an opportunity to meet Mickey and Sheila, as they both join via live stream from their home in Australia. This live performance will be recorded for the award-winning documentary series AAAMC Speaks, which brings AAAMC collections alive through episodes highlighting performers, scholars and industry executives who intersect with the archives’ holdings.
In addition to Tucker’s piece, other works and artists will be showcased, such as Voices Shouting Out by African American composer Okoye Nkeiru, and the BSO 2022 Youth Concerto Competition winner, Elson Koh, performing Jean Sibelius’s Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47. This concert is co-sponsored by IU’s Office of the Provost, the City of Bloomington, the Indiana Arts Commission, IU’s Platform Arts and Humanities Laboratory, and IU’s College Arts and Humanities Institute.

Buy your Collaboration tickets here.

Individual concerts:

Adult: $25
Student w/ID $12
Children 18 and under: Free

Or get all 4 BSO season tickets now!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Also join us for “Engage the Artists” (Saturday, October 22, 2022—FAR Center for Contemporary Arts, 6pm)
FREE, Space Limited. RSVP here. Reservations appreciated by not required
On Saturday, October 22 (6pm-8:30pm) at Bloomington’s FAR Center, the Bloomington community will have an opportunity to “meet the artists.” Moderated by the Director of Indiana University’s Archives of African American Music and Culture Dr. Tyron Cooper, nationally and internationally acclaimed jazz musicians Greg Osby, Cyrus Chestnut, Gary Bartz, Ronnie Burrage, Carol Sudhalter, Avery G. Sharpe, and Rob Dixon will discuss their backgrounds and careers, provide a brief masterclass, and enjoy a community jam session. This event will be FREE and open to the public (space is limited). Musicians who would like to participate in the masterclass and/or jam session will be able to sign up at the door, which opens at 5:30pm. This event is co-sponsored by IU’s Office of the Provost, FAR Center, and the City of Bloomington.

Jazzin’ B-Town: Discovery Through Music is the umbrella concept for events on October 22nd and 23rd dedicated to fostering meaningful exchange between jazz and classical music traditions as well as Indiana University Bloomington and broader community artists. The above two events will be offered in line with this significant initiative, which stems from a recent partnership between IU’s Archives of African American Music and Culture and the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra. For more information contact aaamc@indiana.edu or bso@bloomingtonsymphony.com.

Jazzin' Btown: “Engage the Artists”
2022-10-22 18:00 - 20:30 | FAR Center, 505 W. Fourth Street, Bloomington, IN, 47404
“Engage the Artists” (Saturday, October 22, 2022—FAR Center for Contemporary Arts, 6pm)
FREE, Space Limited. RSVP here. Reservations appreciated by not required
On Saturday, October 22 (6pm-8:30pm) at Bloomington’s FAR Center, the Bloomington community will have an opportunity to “meet the artists.” Moderated by the Director of Indiana University’s Archives of African American Music and Culture Dr. Tyron Cooper, nationally and internationally acclaimed jazz musicians Greg Osby, Cyrus Chestnut, Gary Bartz, Ronnie Burrage, Carol Sudhalter, Avery G. Sharpe, and Rob Dixon will discuss their backgrounds and careers, provide a brief masterclass, and enjoy a community jam session. This event will be FREE and open to the public (space is limited). Musicians who would like to participate in the masterclass and/or jam session will be able to sign up at the door, which opens at 5:30pm. This event is co-sponsored by IU’s Office of the Provost, FAR Center, and the City of Bloomington.

Also be sure to join us the following day for:
“Imagine: Collaboration” (Sunday, October 23, 2022—Buskirk-Chumley Theatre, 6pm)
TICKETS AT THE BCT BOX OFFICE ($25 adults, $12 students, FREE ages 18 and under)
Indiana University’s Archives of African American Music and Culture (AAAMC) and the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra (BSO) are making musical history. In 1978, African American jazz pianist and composer Mickey Tucker received the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant to compose what he calls his magnum opus, Spiritual Collage: A Suite for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra. Inspired by the Negro spiritual, “I’ve Just Come from the Fountain,” this work was written for a seventy-piece orchestra innovatively merging classical and jazz musical traditions. While the NEA grant supported composition and part printing processes, it unfortunately did not fund a culminating performance. As a result, Tucker stored this masterpiece in his home for forty-plus years, where it would seemingly never be heard by anyone. Speaking with AAAMC Director Dr. Tyron Cooper, the eighty-one-year-old composer lamented, “I don’t think I will ever hear this piece performed in my lifetime.” In 2021, Tucker and his wife Sheila donated the only hand-written copy of Spiritual Collage, along with numerous original musical scores, manuscripts, photos, letters, audio and video recordings and other materials, establishing the Mickey Tucker collection at AAAMC. Then, Cooper in collaboration with the BSO’s Artistic Director and Conductor Alejandro Gómez Guillén, formed a partnership between their respective organizations to normalize musical works by Black composers in Bloomington Symphony Orchestra’s concert seasons, where recently BSO has presented the Indiana premiere of Florence Price’s Symphony no. 4, and Dawn Norfleet’s Seed. In keeping with this vision, the BSO will present the world premiere of Tucker’s Spiritual Collage at the Buskirk Chumley Theater on Sunday, October 23rd at 6pm EDT. Joining the BSO is a lineup of internationally acclaimed jazz greats including pianist Cyrus Chestnut, bassist Avery Sharpe, drummer Ronnie Burrage with saxophonists Gary Bartz, Greg Osby, Carol Sudhalter, and Indianapolis native Rob Dixon. The audience will have an opportunity to meet Mickey and Sheila, as they both join via live stream from their home in Australia. This live performance will be recorded for the award-winning documentary series AAAMC Speaks, which brings AAAMC collections alive through episodes highlighting performers, scholars and industry executives who intersect with the archives’ holdings. In addition to Tucker’s piece, other works and artists will be showcased, such as Voices Shouting Out by African American composer Okoye Nkeiru, and the BSO 2022 Youth Concerto Competition winner, Elson Koh, performing Jean Sibelius’s Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47. This concert is co-sponsored by IU’s Office of the Provost, the City of Bloomington, the Indiana Arts Commission, IU’s Platform Arts and Humanities Laboratory, and IU’s College Arts and Humanities Institute.

Buy your Collaboration tickets here.

Individual concerts:

Adult: $25
Student w/ID $12
Children 18 and under: Free

Or get all 4 BSO season tickets now!

Jazzin’ B-Town: Discovery Through Music is the umbrella concept for events on October 22nd and 23rd dedicated to fostering meaningful exchange between jazz and classical music traditions as well as Indiana University Bloomington and broader community artists. The following two events will be offered in line with this significant initiative, which stems from a recent partnership between IU’s Archives of African American Music and Culture and the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra. For more information contact aaamc@indiana.edu or bso@bloomingtonsymphony.com.

Autumn Reflections: A Chamber Concert
2022-09-21 19:00 - 20:30 | Bell Trace, 800 Bell Trace Ct, Bloomington, IN, 47408, United States
at Bell Trace
As we welcome the coming of Fall, we hope you’ll join us for a serene evening of chamber music, featuring members of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra. We chose these pieces to be contemplative in nature, reflecting the mood of the season as we enjoy the last of Summer’s warmth and look forward to the holidays to come.
Autumn Rain Tyler Mazone
The ensemble
Oblivion Astor Piazzolla
Ruth Mayhew, flute, and the ensemble
Deux Interludes Jaques Ibert
Kit Boulding, violin
Ruth Mayhew, flute
Alissa Guntren, piano
Reflection, Op 19 for cello and piano Louis Moseson
Stephen Moseson, mosi nova
Christina Chung, piano
The Deserted Garden Florence B. Price
Adoration Florence B. Price
Suite de Pieces, Op. 3 Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Pastorale
Cavatina
Barcarolle
Contemplation
Deep River, Op. 59 No. 10 Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Sarah Strickland, violin, Dr. Vicki King, piano
Ensemble

Violin:
Nancy Argersinger
Tobi Abubakare
Kit Boulding
Jennifer Morgan
Ellison Oliger
Juli Songer
Viola:
Angela Gallip
Crista Riter
Cosmo Pearson-Young
Cello:
Nicole Vasconi
Stephen Moseson
Bass:
Ron Kadish

NOTE:
We will be performing in the multi-storied apartment building; the entrance is up the first right hand turn onto Bell Trace Circle, after one enters Bell Trace from John Hinkle Road.
Parking is on the right side of that road and in the parking lot just to the left after you turn on to Bell Trace Circle, in any place not marked as Reserved for Residents.
Please come in the main entrance and sign in at the front desk.

Space Jams 2: Return of The Planets
2022-09-10 19:00 - 2022-09-17 19:00 | Online, IN, United States
Did you miss out on the out-of-this world BSO performance of Holst’s The Planets last May? Or do you want a chance to relive the magic?
Make a donation to the BSO, big or small, and we’ll send you a link to a professional recording of the event!
Watch during the viewing party on Saturday, September 10th at 7pm to chat with BSO friends. Or choose to watch and re-watch as many times as you want through Sept 17th.

or send a check with your email in the memo line to:
Bloomington Symphony Orchestra
320 W 8th St, Ste 100A
Bloomington, IN 47401

**After you make a paypal donation, you should be redirected back to the BSO website that contains the link. If that doesn’t happen, you will receive the link within 24 hours.**

Season 53: Imagination - On Sale now!
2022-08-29 - 2022-10-22 | Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN, 47408, United States
Season 53: Imagination
Buy your season tickets HERE
Join us at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater for four imaginative performances, and save up to 12% off individual prices!
Adult: $88
Student w/ID $44
Children 18 and under: $5

Individual concerts:

Adult: $25
Student w/ID $12
Children 18 and under: Free

Sunday October 23, 2022, 6pm
Imagine: Collaboration
Jazz, Sax, and Sibelius
As part of this week’s Jazzin’ B-Town special presentations, the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra and the IU Archives of African American Music and Culture (AAAMC) present Spiritual Collage: A Suite for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra by jazz pianist Mickey Tucker, as the BSO plays alongside acclaimed jazz artists Greg Osby, Cyrus Chestnut, Gary Bartz, Avery Sharpe,, Ronnie Burrage, Carol Sudhalter and Rob Dixon. The BSO 2022 Youth Concerto Competition winner, Elson Koh, will also be showcased performing Jean Sibelius’s Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47.

Buy your Collaboration tickets here.

Friday November 25, 2022, 5pm or 8pm
Celebrate the Season
Celebrate the Season with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. We’ll have two festive and family-friendly shows perfectly framing downtown’s Canopy of Lights. First a slightly shorter concert at 5pm (finishing just in time to catch the Canopy of Lights), followed by an expanded 8pm show as a great way to warm up after the lights have been lit. Start your season off with some SPARKLE!
Buy your Celebrate the Season tickets here.

Sunday March 5, 2023, 5pm
Imagine: Legacy
featuring BSO founder Geoffrey Simon
He’s back! Our founder Geoffrey Simon planned to come help us celebrate our 50th season in March 2020, but we all know how that ended up. Fortunately, he will join us this March instead for a concert featuring pianist Ignas Maknickas. Come be a part of history as the man who started it all returns to conduct the orchestra he founded in 1969!
Buy your Legacy tickets here.

Sunday May 14, 2023, 5pm
Imagine: Legends
featuring Stravinsky and Ranjbaran
Heroic victory. Rising from the ashes. The BSO explores epic mythology as we end our 53rd season with Igor Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite. Behzad Ranjbaran’s Seven Passages, based on Persian mythology, will add to the mystique of this epic concert.
Buy your Legend tickets here.

A Summer Serenade at Switchyard Park
2022-08-28 18:30 - 20:00 | Switchyard Park Main Stage, 1601 S Rogers St, Bloomington, IN, 47403, United States
Who doesn’t love animals? Join the BSO in a summer serenade to our furry and feathered friends. Featuring works by Stravinsky, Copland, and Gershwin, this concert will make you sit up and BEG for more! Bring a picnic, some comfy seating, and the whole family for this FREE summer event.

6:00pm – Animal Adoption event: Find your new furever friend, with the City of Bloomington Animal Care and Control
6:30pm – Musical Petting Zoo: Get a chance to touch and play several of the instruments you are about to hear perform. A fun event for kids of all ages.
7:00pm –Concert begins: Be sure to bring chairs or a picnic blanket. Well behaved pups are welcome!

2022 BSO Annual Meeting
2022-07-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Everybody is cordially invited to the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra’s Annual Meeting on Tuesday, July 19th at 7-8:00pm EDT, live on Zoom. Join the meeting using THIS LINK, or log in using the meeting ID: 820 1298 8355, Passcode: [REDACTED]
The purpose of the annual meeting is to provide a State of the Orchestra, discuss the upcoming 53rd season programming (including a pair of exciting international guest performers), and present other information of interest. We will also conduct our required annual orchestra business: financial reports, voting on board members and officers, and bylaws updates. We will conclude with an opportunity for YOU to give feedback and join the BSO as we begin looking at our Strategic Plan for the next 5-10 years.
Voting members of the BSO are composed of performing musicians (at least 3 concert this season), staff, and individual donors contributing $25 or more. If you are a voting member of the BSO, we hope you can join us for the meeting but even if not, we STRONGLY encourage you to respond to the ballot and cast your vote. Your participation in person OR via the ballot is vital as we again need to achieve quorum to conclude our official business. So please, take a moment to visit the ballot and let your voice be heard:
You can vote any time now through July 20th, but why wait?
BSO Ballot: VOTE HERE
Please feel free to contact us with any questions. bso@bloomingtonsymphony.com
We hope to see you on July 19th!

A BSO Gala-ctic Party
2022-05-22 16:30 - 18:30 | The Dimension Mill, 642 N Madison St, Bloomington, IN, United States
Tickets available now! $35 includes sci-fi themed drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and desserts

Click here to buy party tickets using a credit card or paypal.
Or mail a check to: BSO Gala, 320 W 8th St, Ste 100A, Bloomington, IN 47404
Or pay with cash, check, or credit card at the door, but please reserve your place at the event by emailing us at gala@bloomingtonsymphony.com, or leaving a message at 812-331-2320

Don’t forget your tickets for the Space Jams concert, too!

GALA-CTIC PARTY at the MILL

Have you ever wanted to shake hands with Han Solo or take a photo with Mr. Spock? All of your sci-fi dreams are about to come true with the BSO’s

Tucked in between our 3:00 and 7:00 pm performances of Space Jams, we’re hosting the galaxy’s coolest event! Take some time to party with your fellow music fans, meet the members of the orchestra, show off your costuming skills, and have fun while supporting your community orchestra. Sci-fi themed drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and desserts are included in the $35 ticket price.
Make sure you also get tickets to Space Jams to hear the BSO perform Holst’s The Planets!

BSO Musicians: reserve your 1 free ticket by emailing us: gala@bloomingtonsymphony.com.

Space Jams
2022-05-22 15:00 - 19:00 | Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN, 47408, United States
View the printed program for today’s concert HERE

Join us for our last concert of our 52nd season, featuring Holst’s The Planets!
Buy CONCERT TICKETS here or at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater box office.
Click here for GALA-CTIC PARTY info and tickets.

Why are we here? What is the meaning of life?

Those questions – and humanity’s fascination with the cosmos – hearken back to our very origins. Since early history, depictions of what might exist in the canopy of stars abound in art, stories, and music.
In the world of symphonic music, one of the most famous and exciting explorations of these questions is Gustav Holst’s beloved The Planets. Holst’s masterwork captures our collective imagination, and has inspired composers since Holst began writing it in 1914. It has also influenced practically every sci-fi movie ever, and has spurred our imaginations to think of what might be out there, in the expanse of outer space.
Join your Bloomington Symphony Orchestra for Space Jams, a cosmic celebration featuring Holst’s beloved masterpiece in its full, expanded, original instrumentation.
2 performances available

3:00-4:00pm – Matinee performance: Holst’s The Planets (60 minutes, no intermission)
7:00-8:45pm – Expanded evening performance: IN addition to The Planets, you will hear Cycles by local film composer Zachary Walter (The Good Catholic, Ms. White Light) which will set the mood for our interstellar voyage. A collaboration with local choir Voces Novae will share stellar music such as Ērik Ešenvalds Stars and Lauren Bernofsky’s O Cosmos. This later show also includes a sci-fi costume contest (come dressed as your favorite sci-fi character!), space-themed visuals to accompany the music, and more!

How can I make this evening even more memorable?
Glad you asked! To celebrate the end of our season and the very special music we have planned for you, the BSO is hosting a Gala-ctic Party between the two performances at 4:30-6:30pm. Learn more at bloomingtonsymphony.com/gala-ctic-party.

Doors open 1 hour before each performance for this reserved seating event. Wearing a mask indoors is strongly encouraged. Vaccine verification or negative covid test results within 48 hours is required to enter the venue. BCT COVID Policy FAQ.

Conversations @ FAR: A BSO Chamber Concert
2022-04-06 19:00 - 20:00 | FAR Center, 505 W. Fourth Street, Bloomington, IN, 47404
CLICK HERE to reserve your seat using Paypal
To pay with cash or check, email us at: bso@bloomingtonsymphony.com, or leave a message at 812-331-2320.

For the safety of our musicians and patrons, face masks will be required to attend.

Conversations @ Far: A BSO Chamber Concert
April 6, 2022 @ 7pm
FAR Center for Contemporary Art
505 W 4th St, Bloomington, IN 47404

Parking Information– Enter from the North entrance on 4th Street.

Featuring:

Franz Schubert – Trout Quintet
Kit Boulding, violin; Sarah Strickland, viola; John Winninger, cello; Audrey Williams, Bass; Diane Rivera, piano

George Enescu – Légende
Todd Davidson, trumpet; Paulette Davidson, piano

Francis Poulenc – Trio for Piano, Bassoon, and Oboe
Vicki King, piano; Catherine Marchese, bassoon; Jeehoon Kim, oboe

Through Our Eyes
2022-03-13 17:00 - 18:00 | Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN, 47408, United States
View Concert Program Here (pdf)

Buy Tickets Now
Join the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra for Through Our Eyes, as we encourage us all to view different perspectives, through 3 unique pieces:
In Indian-American composer Reena Esmail’s Testament from Vishwas you will hear traditional Hindustani melodies and see why Esmail is one of the most important musicians of her generation.
Adolfo Mejía’s Pequeña Suite encapsulates different music from Colombia and was the first piece to feature the Colombian Cumbia rhythm on the orchestral stage!
Stacy Garrop’s The Battle for the Ballot was written to commemorate the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote, and features quotes from the U.S. suffragette movement.

We hope you join us for this eye-opening event!

Doors open at 4:00 pm for this General Admission event. The estimated length of the show is 60 minutes without an intermission. Wearing a mask is required indoors in Monroe County. Proof of vaccine or negative covid test results within 48 hours required to enter the venue. BCT Covid Policy FAQ. Please stay home of you do no feel well. In person tickets can be transferred to virtual tickets.

Can’t make it to the theater? WATCH THE LIVESTREAM. High-quality video will be available for streaming to watch live, or anytime within 48 hours of the performance. To watch online, purchase your tickets by 3pm on the day of the concert through the Buskirk-Chumley website, then use the same email to create or login to your account on mandolin.com. Within 48 hours of the concert, “Through Your Eyes”should appear on the “see my tickets” section when you log on to mandolin.com. on the top of the page. If the concert does not appear there within 48 hours before the concert, you should contact live@mandolin.com

Celebrate the Season, 7pm at Brown County Music Center
2021-12-11 19:00 - 20:30 | Brown County Music Center, 200 Maple Leaf Boulevard, Nashville, IN, 47448, United States
The Bloomington Symphony Orchestra’s Celebrate the Season show returns once more to the Brown County Music Center with a festive performance including themes of peace and thanksgiving. Come get in the holiday spirit with family favorites like “Sleigh Ride” and discover new music that’s guaranteed to put some sparkle in your holidays!

Purchase tickets at the BCMC Box Office.*
*Vaccine verification or negative covid test results within 48 hours required to enter the venue. BCMC Safety Policy.

Celebrate the Season - 8pm at BCT
2021-11-26 20:00 - 21:30 | Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN, 47408, United States
Come Celebrate the Season with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater! Pick from two festive performances with music including themes of peace and thanksgiving. The two family-friendly shows perfectly frame downtown’s Canopy of Lights: first a shorter concert at 5:30pm (with a special guest from the North Pole!) finishing just in time to catch the Canopy of Lights celebration on the Square, followed by an expanded 8pm show as a great way to warm up after the lights have been lit.
Special guests include Sylvia McNair narrating a unique ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Lucia Walker singing I Dreamed a Dream, and dancers from Motion Arts Dance Academy helping give life to excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite.

Can’t make it to the theater? The 8pm show will be livestreamed and available for 48 hours!
Or join us at the Brown County Music Center on December 11, 7pm.

Buy your tickets now!
Nov 26 at Buskirk-Chumley Theater*
Nov 26 Livestream
Dec 11 at Brown County Music Center*

*Vaccine verification or negative covid test results within 48 hours required to enter the venue, per the safety policies for the BCT or BCMC.

Celebrate the Season - 5:30pm at BCT
2021-11-26 17:30 - 18:30 | Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN, 47408, United States

Wade in the Water: Exploring Florence Price's Symphony No. 4 & art songs
2021-10-24 17:00 - 19:00 | Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN, 47408, United States
Click here to view the digital version of the printed program, including program notes and art song texts

In collaboration with the Archives of African American Music and Culture (AAAMC), the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra presents “Wade in the Water: Exploring Florence Price’s 4th Symphony and art songs”. Included in the program is a guest appearance by tenor, scholar, and cultural activist Dr. Marquese Carter who will perform and share insights on Price’s art songs, expand on her historical context, the renaissance of her music in the last few years, and address why her music and that of other composers of color have been historically overlooked. Written in 1945, Price’s 4th Symphony has only been performed a few times since its 2018 premiere. Help raise awareness for one of the most important musical voices in the United States, and be one of the few people to experience the piece live!
There will be time for Q&A.

Tickets are now available through the Buskirk-Chumley Box Office
In-person*: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pe.c/10847514
Livestream**: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pe.c/10863976

Join us Wednesday, Oct 20, 7-8pm EDT for a FREE Zoom event featuring BSO Artistic Director Alejandro Gómez Guillén and tenor, scholar, and cultural activist Dr. Marquese Carter as they have an informal discussion about their careers and musical journeys involving under-represented musicians and composers. Zoom link, Meeting ID: 856 2892 4390, Passcode: [REDACTED]

Keep an eye out for updates here and on our social media for more events in the week leading up to the performance.

*Per BCT policy, wearing a mask is required in the building. Vaccine verification or negative covid test results within 48 hours required to enter the venue.
**Livestream tickets must be purchased by 3pm EDT on the day of the show, and will only be available concurrent with the live performance at 5pm EDT on Sunday Oct 24. You will receive a link via email the week of the show from hello@mandolin.live and will have to create a free Mandolin account if you don’t have one yet. This is the same service we used for the Beethoven recording last February. For technical support contact help@mandolin.live.

BSO Panel Discussion
2021-10-23 16:00 - 17:00 | Zoom
In anticipation of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra’s concert on Sunday, we will host an informal panel to discuss the inclusion of Black composers and musicians within (and without) Western musical traditions, and more. JOIN THE DISCUSSION VIA ZOOM OR FACEBOOK LIVE.

Panelists include:
Shenika John Jordan
Road Manager, African American Choral Ensemble

Andre Jamal Cardine Jr.
Indiana University
Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology
Dr. Dawn Norfleet
composer/flutist/singer/pedagogue

Moderated by Kennedi Johnson
Graduate Student, Indiana University
Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology
Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies

Zoom Discussion with the BSO and Dr. Marquese Carter
2021-10-20 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
In advance of the BSO’s “Wade in the Water” concert at the BCT on Sunday, featuring works by Florence Price, we are giving prospective audience members (and anyone else who is interested) the chance to learn more about this fascinating composer and her work. Please join us and our special guest Dr. Marquese Carter (they/them) for an informal discussion about the careers and musical journeys of under-represented musicians and composers.

This event will take place from 7:00-8:00pm EST over Zoom. Please join us: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85628924390…

Learn more about Dr. Carter’s and all of their amazing endeavors, including their scholarship on Price: http://www.marquesecarter.com/bio.html

More information and tickets for Sunday’s concert is available at: https://bctboxoffice.org/event/wade-in-the-water/

*POSTPONED* Conversations at FAR: Memories
2021-09-30 18:30 - 19:30 | FAR Center, 505 W. Fourth Street, Bloomington, IN, 47404
A BSO Chamber Concert Series

This event has been postponed to the Spring.

Together Again
2021-08-29 19:00 - 20:30 | Switchyard Park Main Stage, 1601 S Rogers St, Bloomington, IN, 47403, United States
Click here to view the program.
The Bloomington Symphony Orchestra is back together again!
Join us as we launch our 52nd season: Resilient. The orchestra will play some favorite selections from concerts in the past and special guest Mayor John Hamilton will take a turn with the conductor’s baton for one piece. Come meet Cooper Olsen, winner of the 2020 Youth Concerto Competition. Let’s celebrate the return to in-person concerts and the resilience shown by the orchestra – and the community – as we come together again to make music! Sponsored by IU Credit Union.
Sunday, August 29 7 p.m.
Switchyard Park, Main Stage
Free Admission

Alejandro conducts our first rehearsal together, at Switchyard Park

2021 Youth Concerto Competition -- Submission Deadline
2021-08-01 | IN
The Bloomington Symphony Orchestra is accepting applications for its annual Youth Concerto Competition.
Deadline to apply is 11:59pm EDT, Sunday, August 1, 2021. Apply here: 2021 BSO YCC Application

Eligibility:
1. Entrants can include any instrumental musician up to high school graduates of Spring 2021, and must be under 20 years old as of August 1, 2021.
2. The competition is open to Indiana residents of Monroe, Brown, Greene, Lawrence, Morgan, or Owen counties.
3. Previous BSO Youth Concerto Competition first place winners are not eligible to compete.
Performance:
1. Entrants will record a video* of themselves, without accompaniment, performing a piece of music that has an orchestral accompaniment, not to exceed 15 minutes in length.
2. The video must be a raw, unedited, single-take video using non-professional grade equipment. Cell phone quality expected.
Submission:
1. Applications are due no later than 11:59 PM EDT on Sunday, August 1, 2021.
2. Use a program like Google Drive or Dropbox to create a shareable link to the video file and a photo or pdf of the sheet music. Files should allow access to anybody with the link.
Judging/winnings:
1. The results of the competition will be announced by the end of August 2021. All entrants will receive a phone call from the BSO artistic director after a decision is confirmed, and all entrants will receive notes from the judges. All decisions by the judges are final. The panel of judges includes the BSO Artistic Director (Alejandro Gómez Guillén) and several other friends of the orchestra.
2. The BSO Youth Concerto Competition winner will receive a $250 cash prize. The Runner-up will receive a $150 cash prize. The judges reserve the right not to award a winner.
3. The winner may be offered the opportunity to perform live with the orchestra and/or to record a solo performance for distribution on our website and social media.
* To reduce bias, audio will be extracted from the video and names removed from applications before judging begins.

Please contact us if you have any questions, need help choosing appropriate music, or need any other support. We will make every effort possible to assist you.
ycc@bloomingtonsymphony.com
812-331-2320

Sam Swyers Graduation Recital
2021-07-17 15:00 - 16:00 | Bloomington Free Methodist Church, 1121 S Lincoln St, Bloomington, IN, 47401, United States
Join us in celebrating the BSO’s own trombonist, Sam Swyers, at his HS Graduation Recital on Saturday, July 17, 2021, 3:00pm at the Bloomington Free Methodist Church. We are so proud of Sam and wish him all the best as he continues his musical journey at IU’s Jacobs School of Music this fall.

Return of the Fifth
2021-07-11 00:00 - 2021-07-18 23:59 | Online, IN, United States
The BSO is re-releasing their spectacular socially-distanced performance of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, recorded in October 2020.
We’re asking for donations (in any amount) to support the BSO’s return to live, in person performances. Please click here to give us a little love, and get a link to the video in exchange!

We’ll have special incentives all week long – matching donor days, video clips, chances for you to share what this music means to you, and more! So join us on our Facebook Event and stay tuned for more updates!

2021 Annual Meeting - Virtual
2021-06-22 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Update:

In case you missed it, or want to watch it again, HERE is the recording of the Annual Meeting.

And if you just want to see the slide show, CLICK HERE.

And below is the last slide that didn’t get shown for some reason:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The BSO Annual Meeting will held on Tuesday June 22, 2021 7-8:00pm. It will be hosted on Zoom (https://iu.zoom.us/j/84345983283) and live-streamed on the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra – Indiana Facebook page.

We will provide a State Of The Orchestra presentation, will discuss the upcoming 52st season programming, and other information. We will also conduct our required annual Orchestra business – financial reports, Bylaws updates, and voting on Board Members and Officers.

Electronic ballots and instructions will be provided via email to all eligible members (musicians, donors, and sponsors) prior to the meeting. Even if you cannot attend the livestream and participate in the meeting it is vitally important to fill out and submit your ballot for quorum purposes.

See you there!

Mingus, Stravinsky, and the BSO
2021-06-13 16:00 - 17:00 | FAR Center, 505 W. Fourth Street, Bloomington, IN, 47404
Join us at 4:00 pm on Sunday, June 13th, for an exciting chamber concert by members of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra.
Featuring:
Proto/Chenault “Mingus Live in the Underworld”*
Ron Kadish, double bass & Alejandro Gómez Guillén, narrator
Stravinsky’s “L’Histoire du soldat” (concert suite)**
Kit Boulding, violin
Ron Kadish, double bass
Carl Weinberg, clarinet
Cynthia Stacy, bassoon
Todd Davidson, trumpet
Sam Swyers, trombone
Daniel McKillip, percussion
Alejandro Gómez Guillén, conductor & narrator

*Content Warning: The Mingus narration may not be appropriate for all audiences. Preview the text here.
**4:15pm entry permitted for Stravinsky only.

There are 2 viewing options:
1. $12 – In-person at FAR Center for Contemporary Arts. Seats will be limited to 60 people, so be sure to reserve your tickets today to enjoy the thrill of live music again! This is a concert with reduced capacity. Per CDC guidelines, vaccinated people can choose to wear masks, unvaccinated individuals should wear masks. SOLD OUT
2. $10 Live-stream online. Enjoy the concert with your family from the comfort of your home. Video will be available for 48 hours starting on Sunday at 4pm.
Choose from the dropdown menu below, then click Add to Cart. You will then be able to choose the number of tickets and be asked to pay with a credit card or with your PayPal account.

Click Add to Cart to purchase your ticket:

Live-stream Only $10.00 USD

A Musical Day in the Neighborhood
2021-05-16 15:00 - 16:00 | Livestream
Join members of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra for a short, sweet, FREE concert at 3 pm on Sunday, May 16th at the FAR Center for Contemporary Arts.
We’ll be featuring members of our string section, as well as Sinead Whelan, guest soloist for Telemann’s Viola Concerto. Sinead did an outstanding job with the Concerto at the BSO’s Youth Concerto Competition, so please come cheer her on!
With social distancing, the maximum in-person seating for this event will be 50. However, we will also be live-streaming the event on Bloomington Gramophone’s Facebook page, so if you’d rather enjoy the show from the comforts of home, please do.
Seating is very limited (30 chairs inside, up to 20 standing/bring your own chair outside, weather permitting), and we already have a waiting list. Please look for our live-stream on Facebook instead!
Click here to view a PDF of today’s program.
The program also includes Sibelius’s Impromptu for String Orchestra, and selections from Dvorak’s Terzetto, solo marimba works by Muramatsu and Debussy, and more.

Supporting Your Child's Musical Journey
2021-04-24 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Registration required
Join a panel of music education professionals who will address steps that parents and caregivers can take to support a child’s musical experiences. Topics include establishing good communication with the teacher, supporting home practice, motivating and encouraging your child, and more. Advance questions may be emailed to boverman@mcpl.info or asked during the Q&A part of the presentation.
Age 18 and up.
Please register with a valid email address. A link to the Zoom program will be emailed to you upon registration.
A partnership between Bloomington Symphony Orchestra and the Library.
Presenter: Sara Strickland, Bloomington Symphony Orchestra

BSO Musician Performance Hour
2021-04-20 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
This ‘clip show’ blends live performances and pre-recorded videos of short pieces from BSO musicians.

Live on Zoom and on our Facebook page.

Guided listening: Brahms 3 meets Santana - FREE EVENT
2021-03-16 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Artistic Director Alejandro Gómez Guillén shares his insights into some of your favorite classical pieces as you watch/listen together. For our first guided listening event, let’s explore Brahms’ 3rd Symphony.
Fun fact: Carlos Santana used a theme from Brahms’ 3rd in one of his songs. Want to learn more? Join our free event on March 16th, at 7 PM!

Join us on Zoom , or on our Facebook event

Beethoven Birthday Bash (February 5-7, 2021)
2021-02-05 - 2021-02-07 | IN, United States
Join the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra in a (slightly belated) celebration of Beethoven’s 250th birthday – TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE!
Though we’d originally hoped to perform this concert for a live audience, that was not practical under recent and current conditions. Instead, musicians were socially-distanced, and, for the first time ever, were positioned throughout the auditorium itself, rather than onstage. The BSO recorded this performance of Beethoven’s iconic Fifth Symphony in partnership with the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.
Friday, February 5th @ 7:00 pm – Live Beethoven Q&A*
Saturday, February 6th @ 7:00 pm – Beethoven’s 5th Symphony! (available for an additional 24 hours after the initial broadcast)
*For those who want to dig deeper, we’ve added a live Q&A between BSO Artistic Director Alejandro Gómez Guillén and violinist/musicologist Christine Wisch as they tackle your questions and share insights about Beethoven’s music and the BSO’s recording process.
If you bought an $18 ticket, you should have already received the zoom link for this event, exclusively for Concert+ Q&A ticket holders.
Tickets are still available for the Concert + Q&A or just the Concert itself on the BCT’s website.
And don’t worry, If you already purchased tickets back in March 2020, they’re still valid for our on-demand presentation, including the Q&A and you should have received an email with information about access.
We want this to be something we can all enjoy and be proud of. Rest assured that it will be a concert performance like none you’ve ever seen from the BSO.
Questions? Please call us at 812-331-2320 or email us at volunteratbso@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

2020 Poinsettias On Sale Now!
2020-11-25 | IN
MAKE THIS SEASON SPECIAL WITH GORGEOUS POINSETTIAS!
Our plants are healthy, long-lasting, and overloaded with big, beautiful blooms, perfect for home, office, corporate public areas, gifts, church, clubs, and events!
Choose from 5 stunning varieties, available in pot sizes ranging from 6.5” to 10”.
New this year!
Contactless delivery available for any order! Get one for yourself or as a gift to a special friend, delivered right to your door.
$5 charge per delivery. Free delivery for orders of $100 or more.
SAVE THE DATES!
Orders due by
Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Poinsettia Curbside pick-up
Wednesday, December 9, 12-6 pm
First United Church
2420 E. 3rd Street
Bloomington, IN
Pick up in the circle drive – We will give you a number to call or text once you arrive so we can bring your order to your car.

After you submit your order form, you will be prompted to pay:1. Online using a credit card or Paypal
2. Send a check:
BSO Poinsettias
P.O. Box 1823
Bloomington, IN 47402

Thank you for supporting YOUR Bloomington Symphony Orchestra!

CLICK HERE TO ORDER NOW!

The BSO is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization – half of your total order is tax deductible.
Special pricing available for nonprofits.
Contact us for more information:
812-331-2320
bso.poinsettias@gmail.com
