For over a century, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) has been recognized as one of America’s leading orchestras and one of Maryland’s most significant cultural institutions. Under the direction of music director Marin Alsop, the orchestra is internationally renowned and locally admired for its innovation, performances, recordings and educational outreach initiatives including OrchKids. Launched by Marin Alsop and the BSO in 2008, OrchKids provides children with educational resources and fosters social change. The BSO is widely recognized for its highly acclaimed recordings, including a 2010 disc on the Decca label featuring Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F and Rhapsody in Blue, as well as the 2017 Naxos release of Bernstein’s Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2. Both recordings were led by Alsop and feature pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Alsop also led the BSO in its 2009 Naxos recording of Leonard Bernstein’s MASS. Recent releases include Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet with Alsop and Handel’s Messiah with conductor Edward Polochick and the Concert Artists of Baltimore Symphonic Chorale. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performs annually for more than 350,000 people throughout the State of Maryland. Since 1982, the BSO has performed at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore. In 2005, with the opening of The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, MD, the BSO became the nation’s first orchestra with year-round venues in two metropolitan areas.