Boston Landmarks Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Boston Landmarks Orchestra is an American orchestra
based in Boston
, Massachusetts
, USA.
to perform free concerts for the Boston community in significant locations around the city. The Landmarks Orchestra is one of two orchestras in the United States that offers high-quality classical concerts for free. By presenting high-quality music performances in historical places, the Orchestra hopes to introduce new audiences to classical music while bringing together the diverse communities of the area.
For the 2003 season, the Boston Landmarks Orchestra, through a grant from State Street, commissioned composer Daniel Pinkham
to create a work based on Robert McCloskey
's beloved children's book Make Way for Ducklings
. The premiere took place on the Boston Common
on June 21, 2003 and there were concerts in communities all over eastern Massachusetts throughout that summer. In the summer of 2004, a recording of Make Way for Ducklings, narrated by Senator Kennedy, was released by Landmarks Recordings.
In summer 2004, the Orchestra commissioned a work by Julian Wachner, based on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
's Paul Revere
’s Ride. The Orchestra performed Wachner’s work throughout summer 2004, and partnered with the Paul Revere House in the development of pre-concert workshops. A recording of this work, also narrated by Senator Kennedy was released in spring 2005. For summer 2005, the orchestra commissioned The Journey of Phillis Wheatley
by Nkeiru Okoye, with text by Carolivia Herron
.
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
based in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, USA.
History
The Boston Landmarks Orchestra was founded in January 2001 by Charles AnsbacherCharles Ansbacher
Charles Ansbacher was an American conductor. After undergraduate and graduate work at Brown University and the University of Cincinnati , he studied conducting at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria...
to perform free concerts for the Boston community in significant locations around the city. The Landmarks Orchestra is one of two orchestras in the United States that offers high-quality classical concerts for free. By presenting high-quality music performances in historical places, the Orchestra hopes to introduce new audiences to classical music while bringing together the diverse communities of the area.
Mission
The mission of the Boston Landmarks Orchestra is- to make high quality, classical music concerts available to all,
- to promote the appreciation and preservation of significant historical, geographical and architectural landmarks,
- to foster a broad appreciation of classical music,
- to work with community partners to facilitate revitalization and development,
- to enhance the area as a cultural destination,
- to serve as an incubator for new classical works for children.
The Second Decade
The Boston Landmarks Orchestra has started its second decade with a move to WGBH's offices at 10 Guest Street in Boston, MA. It also hired Christopher Wilkins as its new Music Director.Outreach
The Boston Landmarks Orchestra collaborates with Boston-area organizations such as schools, community centers, churches, museums, environmental groups and senior centers to devise educational partnerships of various forms, including work experience for youth, guest lectures and open rehearsals.For the 2003 season, the Boston Landmarks Orchestra, through a grant from State Street, commissioned composer Daniel Pinkham
Daniel Pinkham
Daniel Rogers Pinkham, Jr. was an American composer, organist, and harpsichordist. Pinkham was one of America's most active composers during his lifetime...
to create a work based on Robert McCloskey
Robert McCloskey
Robert McCloskey was an American author and illustrator of children's books. McCloskey wrote and illustrated eight books, two of which won the Caldecott Medal, the American Library Association's annual award of distinction for children's book illustration.Many of McCloskey's books were set on the...
's beloved children's book Make Way for Ducklings
Make Way For Ducklings
Make Way for Ducklings is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Robert McCloskey. First published in 1941, the book tells the story of a pair of mallard ducks who decide to raise their family on an island in the lagoon in Boston Public Garden, a park in the center of Boston,...
. The premiere took place on the Boston Common
Boston Common
Boston Common is a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts. It is sometimes erroneously referred to as the "Boston Commons". Dating from 1634, it is the oldest city park in the United States. The Boston Common consists of of land bounded by Tremont Street, Park Street, Beacon Street,...
on June 21, 2003 and there were concerts in communities all over eastern Massachusetts throughout that summer. In the summer of 2004, a recording of Make Way for Ducklings, narrated by Senator Kennedy, was released by Landmarks Recordings.
In summer 2004, the Orchestra commissioned a work by Julian Wachner, based on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet and educator whose works include "Paul Revere's Ride", The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline...
's Paul Revere
Paul Revere
Paul Revere was an American silversmith and a patriot in the American Revolution. He is most famous for alerting Colonial militia of approaching British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, as dramatized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, Paul Revere's Ride...
’s Ride. The Orchestra performed Wachner’s work throughout summer 2004, and partnered with the Paul Revere House in the development of pre-concert workshops. A recording of this work, also narrated by Senator Kennedy was released in spring 2005. For summer 2005, the orchestra commissioned The Journey of Phillis Wheatley
Phillis Wheatley
Phillis Wheatley was the first African American poet and first African-American woman whose writings were published. Born in Gambia, Senegal, she was sold into slavery at age seven...
by Nkeiru Okoye, with text by Carolivia Herron
Carolivia Herron
Carolivia Herron is a Jewish American writer of children's and adult literature, and a scholar of African-American Judaica.-Personal life:She was born to Oscar Smith Herron and Georgia Carol Herron, in Washington D.C....
.
Commissions
- Two Tajik Sentiments (2002) by Tolib Shahidi
- MAMBO!!! (2003) by Thomas Oboe LeeThomas Oboe LeeThomas Oboe Lee is a Chinese American composer.- Life :He and his family left Communist China in 1949, and lived in Hong Kong for ten years until 1959, when he moved to São Paulo, Brazil. He emigrated to the USA in the summer of 1966.His musical education began in Brazil during the Bossa Nova craze...
- Three Benjamin Franklin Dances (2003) and May We Live in Peace (2003) by Patricia Van Ness
- Make Way for Ducklings (2003) by Daniel PinkhamDaniel PinkhamDaniel Rogers Pinkham, Jr. was an American composer, organist, and harpsichordist. Pinkham was one of America's most active composers during his lifetime...
, text by Robert McCloskeyRobert McCloskeyRobert McCloskey was an American author and illustrator of children's books. McCloskey wrote and illustrated eight books, two of which won the Caldecott Medal, the American Library Association's annual award of distinction for children's book illustration.Many of McCloskey's books were set on the... - The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere (2004) by Julian Wachner, text by Henry Wadsworth LongfellowHenry Wadsworth LongfellowHenry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet and educator whose works include "Paul Revere's Ride", The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline...
- Pluto (2005) by Thomas Oboe LeeThomas Oboe LeeThomas Oboe Lee is a Chinese American composer.- Life :He and his family left Communist China in 1949, and lived in Hong Kong for ten years until 1959, when he moved to São Paulo, Brazil. He emigrated to the USA in the summer of 1966.His musical education began in Brazil during the Bossa Nova craze...
- The Journey of Phillis Wheatley (2005) by Nkeiru Okoye, text by Carolivia HerronCarolivia HerronCarolivia Herron is a Jewish American writer of children's and adult literature, and a scholar of African-American Judaica.-Personal life:She was born to Oscar Smith Herron and Georgia Carol Herron, in Washington D.C....
- Chamber Symphony (2006) by Michael Weinstein (joint project with New England Orchestra Consortium)
- Lifting the Curse: A Story of the Red Sox (2006) by Julian Wachner, text by Bill Littlefield
- Dance Suite for Orchestra (2006) by Jeremiah Klarman
- David and ``Old Ironsides' (2007) by Larry Thomas Bell, text by Constance Leeds
- Absolutely Fearless (2007) by Stephen Feigenbaum
- John Adams: The Voice Heard ‘Round the World (2008) by Anthony DiLorenzo, text by Marion Carlson
- Speak, Sing, Whale (2008) by Stephen Feigenbaum
- The Story of Frederick Law Olmsted (2009) composed by Thomas Oboe LeeThomas Oboe LeeThomas Oboe Lee is a Chinese American composer.- Life :He and his family left Communist China in 1949, and lived in Hong Kong for ten years until 1959, when he moved to São Paulo, Brazil. He emigrated to the USA in the summer of 1966.His musical education began in Brazil during the Bossa Nova craze...
with text by Nancy Stevenson