About Us

SYMPHONY NUMBER ONE is Baltimore's newest chamber orchestra, performing substantial works by emerging composers, alongside riveting masterworks, beloved classics, and a twist of pop. SYMPHONY NUMBER ONE brings together great composers of the past, virtuoso performers of the present, and the leading compositional voices of the future, creating electrifying concert experiences for all of Baltimore.

SYMPHONY NUMBER ONE has been named a FINALIST for The American Prize in Orchestral Performance. Praised for presenting "full-length freshness on each program" by the Baltimore Sun, the orchestra was founded in 2015 by Jordan Randall Smith, Nicholas Bentz, and Sean Meyers. SYMPHONY NUMBER ONE has premiered new works of over three dozen composers, released four "must get" albums (available for purchase or download on Amazon & iTunes), and performed at Baltimore's inaugural Light City Festival. The orchestra was also highlighted in Baltimore STYLE as "brazen...like an indie rock band", featured twice on the acclaimed television show MPT Artworks, granted the "Category Buster" award by Baltimore Magazine for their Best of Baltimore 2016, and chosen as runner up for Baltimore's Best Band the 2016 Best of Baltimore Reader's Poll.

SYMPHONY NUMBER ONE develops close working relationships with young and emerging composers, gives new works multiple hearings, produces substantial recordings, and creates unique concert experiences for the public by juxtaposing new music with the classical canon. 

Jordan Randall Smith

Founder | Music Director

Award-winning conductor Jordan Randall Smith is the Music Director of Symphony Number One, Music Director at Hunt's Church and was recently appointed Assistant Conductor of the Hopkins Symphony Orchestra at the Johns Hopkins University. Smith was formerly Co-founder and Artistic Director of the Dallas Festival of Modern Music and Assistant Conductor of the Peabody Opera Theater. Smith was lauded for being "an attentive partner" by the Baltimore Sun. Jordan's leadership of Mahler's fourth symphony was praised by the Sun's Tim Smith: "The third movement, in particular, was quite sensitively molded." According to the Ft. Worth Music Examiner, Jordan, "drove an intensity in the air," leading the festival’s ensemble in residence, Ars Nova Dallas, in a series of performances of Schoenberg's landmark Pierrot Lunaire. Conductor Alan Gilbert called Jordan’s conducting of Boulez’ Le Marteau sans Maître, “impressive.”

In 2016, Jordan was named a Baltimore Social Innovation Fellow for his work with Symphony Number One. He was the recipient of a Bruno Walter Fellowship at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in 2010 where he studied with Marin Alsop, Gustav Meier, and Jennifer Higdon and conducted the festival orchestra in concert. An active supporter of new music, Jordan has a discography spanning six commercial releases and a history of commissions, leading over 40 world premieres. Jordan is also a student of early music, having formerly served as Apprentice Conductor of the Dallas Bach Society Orchestra and Chorus.

Smith has mentored hundreds of young musicians in ensembles across the country including the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Cross Timbers Youth Orchestra. He is currently the conductor of the Frederick Regional Youth Orchestra Symphonia.

A Doctor of Musical Arts candidate in Conducting at the Peabody Conservatory, Smith was a student of Gustav Meier, Markand Thakar, and Marin Alsop. He received a Master of Music degree in Orchestral Conducting at Texas Tech University under Gary Lewis.

An enthusiastic advocate for classical music, Jordan was invited to give a TED Talk at TEDxMidatlantic 2017 and is a contributor to Baltimore Magazine. Learn more about Jordan at jordanrsmith.com.

Brian Harris

Managing Director

Brian Harris is an oboist and network engineer who recently relocated to Baltimore from nearby Clarksburg, MD. He began his career in music education before transitioning into networking and telecommunications infrastructure, where he has remained for over a decade. Because of his managerial role on a range of fast-paced, results-driven contracts, Harris brings a wealth of leadership experience to Symphony Number One’s administrative team. Outside of work, Brian is an active member on the community ensemble circuit. He plays with the Hopkins Symphony Orchestra and performs locally as a freelance musician. Highlights of past performances have included concert cycles with the Columbia Orchestra (MD), NIH Philharmonia, and as featured soloist with the Montgomery Village Community Band. Brian is inspired by the rich musical community in Baltimore, and will be instrumental in planning Symphony Number One’s upcoming seasons.

Elizabeth Hill

DELLA F. HILL PRINCIPAL PIANO | DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Elizabeth G. Hill is an accomplished soloist, chamber musician, orchestral pianist, and educator. Her recent concert appearances include performances for the Embassy Concert Series, the Arts Club of Washington, the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts, and the Robert-Schumann-Haus in Zwickau, Germany. A devoted supporter of new music, Elizabeth’s work in contemporary music ranges from solo and chamber ensemble performances,  including John Hilliard’s Piano Concerto No. 2,  the premier of the solo piano cycle “Mosaics” by Tim Rumsey, and performances for the New Voices Festival and Capital Fringe in Washington, DC. Hill is the co-founder of Meraki.
 
Elizabeth’s principal instructors of solo and collaborative piano include Drs. Lise Keiter, Eric Ruple, Gabriel Dobner, and Ralitza Patcheva. Elizabeth studied Piano Performance at Mary Baldwin College and James Madison University. She earned the Doctorate in Musical Arts (DMA) in Chamber Music at The Catholic University of America. In addition to her performing career, Elizabeth maintains a successful studio of private students in the Washington, DC area since 2008. Learn more at elizabethghill.com.

Mateen Milan

PRINCIPAL Bassoon | Outreach Director

Baltimore native Mateen Milan is a performer, teacher and advocate of music that uses the bassoon as a tool for impactful, thoughtful and inspiring musical experiences. Mateen serves as an orchestral, chamber and solo musician throughout Maryland and beyond while also being an avid teacher for institutions such as the Peabody Preparatory, Baltimore School for the Arts and the Baltimore Symphony's Orchkids Program. Mateen’s diverse ensemble experiences have lead him to perform with the Hunt Valley Symphony, Occasional Symphony, Symphony Number One, Astronaut Symphony and other freelance ensembles such as the Johns Hopkins Orchestra, Northern Neck Symphony and the Baltimore Symphonic Band, all while performing with Peabody’s Concert and Modern Orchestras within his ongoing education at the Peabody Conservatory.

Scott Ullman

PRINCIPAL Horn

After living in Baltimore for about a year, Scott Ullman has made this city his home. Originally from Moorpark, California, he honed his talents in Denver, Colorado while performing with groups such as The Nebula Ensemble, The Pueblo Symphony,  The Longmont Symphony, and The Evergreen Chamber Ensemble. Also, in 2014 Scott had the honor to study abroad in Glasgow, Scotland and study with Stephanie Jones, 4th horn of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

In past summers, Scott won auditions to attend the Colorado College Summer Music Festival, the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute, and the Miami Music Festival. He has also attended the Mendez Brass Institute and two international horn symposiums.

Scott earned his Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Denver with Susan McCullough, and he is currently pursuing his Master of Horn Performance degreeat the Peabody Conservatory under the tutelage of Denise Tryon.

sUsan Summers

Principal Saxophone, Publicist

Saxophonist Susan Summers is recognized as a versatile soloist and collaborative artist. She has commissioned several new works for saxophone, including Molly Joyce’s Attainability for tenor saxophone and double wind quintet, which she performed and recorded at The Delaplaine Arts Center in July 2015. Susan recently made her New York City debut at the Triskelion Arts CollabFest where she gave the world premiere of Justin Porter’s Cosmic Meditation for saxophone + electronics + dancer. Other notable premieres include Porter’s Catapult for saxophone + electronics, which was premiered at the 2015 SEAMUS National Conference where it was recognized as an ASCAP Award Finalist.
Susan earned her Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees from the Peabody Conservatory of The Johns Hopkins University where she studied with eminent saxophonist Gary Louie. In her spare time, Susan enjoys practicing POP Pilates, and sipping a cappuccino while exploring the art of lettering and calligraphy. Learn more at susansummersmusic.com

Matt Stiens

Principal Percussion

Matthew Stiens is a chamber musician and dedicated to expanding the percussion repertoire. He has premiered dozens of works, from solos to orchestra works, in places such as Maryland, Missouri, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. His repertoire interests include solo marimba, mixed chamber groups, and theatric works. As a performer, he has gained many accolades. In Wichita, Kansas, he twice won the Instrumental Division of the Naftzger Competition, competing against strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion players. In the summer of 2012, he was selected to attend the Aspen Music Festival and School; there he became the first percussionist in 28 years to win a concerto competition. The following spring, he won the University of Missouri Concerto Competition and performed a concerto with the University Philharmonic the following year.

Ben Goldberg

Composer-In-Residence

Ben Goldberg is a New York-based composer who has received awards for his concert music, film music, and academic achievements. A storyteller though music, his compositions often use programmatic elements to communicate to the listener. Ensembles that have performed his works include the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Central Ohio Symphony, and Reno Philharmonic Youth Strings Symphonia. His composition Reconnecting was featured in Symphony magazine and at The League of American Orchestras and Percussive Arts Society national conferences. He was the winner of the 2013 Susanville Symphony Composition Competition, and selected as the only orchestral Composer Fellow for the 2015 UC Davis Music and Words festival and Composition Workshop. He was one of three composers selected for the Lexington Philharmonic’s 2016 New Music Experiment, where they performed his composition Declaration. His work American Frontier was the winner of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s 2017 Audience of the Future composition contest. Goldberg’s music has been broadcasted in over thirty countries and featured internationally in films, television programs, podcasts, video game apps, and advertisements. He studied composition at Berklee College of Music, and was the recipient of the school’s Film Scoring Achievement Award. 

Michael Rittling

Principal Contrabass | Sales Director

Michael Rittling is also the Associate Principal Bass with the Maryland Symphony Orchestra in nearby Hagerstown, and Section Bass with the Apollo Orchestra in Bethesda, Maryland. He joined the bass section of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra in 2009, and served as Principal from 2011 to 2014. Michael was Principal Bass with the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra for nearly two seasons, starting in 2009. Michael has also performed with the National Philharmonic, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, and the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

Outside of playing, Michael enjoys teaching and maintains a private teaching studio in Baltimore. He served as Double Bass Faculty at the Tennessee Valley Music Festival in Huntsville, Alabama from 2009 to 2013, Teaching Assistant at Brevard Music Center from 2007 to 2008, and as an Instructor at the Florida State University Double Bass Camp in 2005.

Michael received Bachelor degrees in Music and Music Education from Florida State University in 2006. He attended Indiana University and completed a Master’s of Music degree in 2008 and a Performer Diploma in 2009. Throughout his education, Michael studied under Lawrence Hurst, Melanie Punter, Jeff Turner, Peter Lloyd, and Michael Allen. Michael has also attended numerous summer festivals including the National Repertory Orchestra, Brevard Music Center, and Sewannee Summer Music Festival.

Nicholas Bentz

CO-FOUNDER

Nicholas Bentz is quickly building a reputation as a rising star across the globe. As a composer, Bentz has been commissioned by the Annual Robinson Jeffers Association Conference, SONAR New Music Ensemble, the College of Charleston Contemporary Music Ensemble, and the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. As a violinist, Nicholas has soloed with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Pacific Philharmonic, Piccolo Spoleto Festival Orchestra, and has performed with the Moscow Symphony Orchestra. Nicholas was a finalist for the Dorothy DeLay Fellowship Competition in 2012 at the Aspen Music Festival and was a finalist for the 2014 Marbury Competition. Nick won the 2014 Pacific Region International Summer Music Academy Concerto Competition. 

Nicholas received the David and Karen Stahl Memorial Scholarship from the Charleston Symphony Orchestra League in 2013, and is currently enrolled at the Peabody Institute as a recipient of both the Eugene Scheffres and Richard E. Hartt Scholarship as well as the Randolph S. Rothschild Scholarship. Bentz is pursuing composition and violin studies at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, where he is co-concertmaster of the Peabody Concert Orchestra and a student of Kevin Puts and Herbert Greenberg. Learn more at nicholasbentz.net.

sean Meyers

Co-Founder

Praised by the Baltimore Sun for his “technical aplomb and keen expressive nuance,” saxophonist Sean Meyers performs as a soloist and collaborative artist across the Eastern U.S. and beyond. He has commissioned more than a dozen new compositions for saxophone, including theConcerto for Alto Saxophone and Chamber Orchestraby Andrew Boss, which he premiered and recorded in Baltimore in September 2015.

Sean’s repertoire also encompasses masterpieces by renowned composers ranging from Bolcom to Piazzolla. He has performed extensively in the Baltimore-D.C. area in both traditional and non-traditional venues. He has a passion for making music exciting and accessible to everyone, regardless of ability to pay or travel to traditional concert venues. He has organized and performed concerts for patients at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and seniors at the Basilica Place Senior Living Community as part of his work with the Creative Access at the Peabody Conservatory. Learn more at seanmeyers.net.