Symphony Number One is Baltimore's newest chamber orchestra, dedicated to performing and promoting substantial works by emerging composers.
Led by Music Director Jordan Randall Smith, Symphony Number One brings together great composers of the past, virtuoso performers of the present, and the leading compositional voices of the future.
Symphony Number One has been named Winner of The American Prize for Professional Orchestras! This award recognizes our 2017-2018 season which, among other exciting projects, including premieres by Carolyn Chen, Jasmine Arielle Barnes, and 14 other…
Symphony Number One has been named a semi-finalist in the The American Prize Orchestra division! This award recognizes our 2017-2018 season which, among other exciting projects, including premieres by Carolyn Chen, Jasmine Arielle Barnes, and 14 other…
SNO Co-founder and founding Concertmaster Nicholas Bentz was interviewed as All-Classical WBJC's inaugural Student Composer of the Month. Podcast host John Scherch talks to Nick about his future plans as a composer and violinist, his history with launching Symphony Number One and his perspectives as a composer. Nick even discusses one of the seven "totems" that guided his compositional process as he created Approaching Eternity for Symphony Number One. Listen to the podcast below:
Album cover for Approaching
Nearly two years after its premiere, Symphony Number One co-founder again took up the Boss Saxophone concerto, this time with the University of Texas New Music Ensemble. Here is a video from that performance, which happened to take place the same night as Symphony Number One gave the premiere of Nicholas Bentz’s Approaching Eternity.
Our 2nd commercial release, Emergence, was an EP featuring Andrew Boss’ Saxophone Concerto. It is available in all formats on iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon.
Take a look at a new trove of photos from last April when we premiered Approaching Eternity by Nicholas Bentz in April of 2017 at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Baltimore. Photo Credit: Dan Rorke.
Music Director Jordan Randall Smith leads the orchestra in Bentz’s Approaching Eternity.
Principal Cellist Mike Newman and cellist Rob Erb Kaufman perform Nick’s work with its challenging writing for strings.
Bassoonist Mateen Milan was an guest artist with the orchestra at the time, but later auditioned to join the group.
Former Associate Concertmaster Kristin Bakkegard leads the orchestra
Current and former Principal Hornist Scott Ullman and Kelso Jones (respectively) perform with guest artist Gabriel Luciano and the woodwinds of Symphony Number One.
The composer in his own words: Nicholas Bentz gives a description of the basis for his sprawling new work, Approaching Eternity for Chamber Orchestra. just moments before the orchestra gives the second performances.
Take a look at this clip of Approaching Eternity, then learn more about our latest album (which includes Approaching Eternity), Approaching.
The question I most often get in regards to Approaching Eternity, is how one deals with composing a piece of its length. It doesn’t take much research to find that a piece combining the medium of a large chamber symphony with the breadth of an hour-long swath of time is a rarity in this period of music composition. It’s no fault of the composer here – many factors outside of the composer’s control (mostly economic) have contributed to the unfortunate and gaping hole in the repertoire that we now have, but now is the time to fill that space. But regardless, the composer of the 21st century isn’t normally expected to fulfill a commission like this, so how do we all go about it?
The piece is conceived as one large swath of music, with seven distinct sections that flow into each other without pause. Each of these sections is demarcated by a cryptic ‘totem’ that relates to a piece of visual art, poetry, literature, or even film, that served as a creative impetus for the section. The sections, when woven together, create a life cycle beginning with the first movement: Ode to the Abyss.
What I like the most about Symphony Number One is their dedication to bringing the works of emerging composers to life. Being involved with SNO means being a part of the creative process, allowing new music to reach out and positively influence the community
Today, we release the last of our Light City tracks! In this first track, we highlight our featured composer, Joel Puckett. While Symphony Number One focuses heavily on emerging composers just entering into their careers, we also have a deep love for modern masters like Puckett, Boulez, and Adams. Soloist Nicholas Bentz performs a new version of Joel Puckett's "Mint Julep," the finale from his violin concerto, Southern Comforts.
Jordan Randall Smith, Music Director
Brian Harris, Managing Director
Our fourth album is here! You can order your copy of Approaching directly from the Symphony Number One store!
Featuring:
Click on the links above to learn more about and sample each piece.