Concerts in Easton, Lewes, and Ocean Pines feature music by Florence Price, Antonín Dvořák, and Joseph Haydn

DELMARVA PENINSULA — The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO), under the direction of Music Director Michael Repper, will open its 2026–2027 season, New Worlds, Timeless Wonders, with From London to America, a program bringing together three distinctive musical voices across continents and generations. The opening performance will take place Thursday, September 24, at 7:30 PM at Easton Church of God in Easton, Maryland. The orchestra will then travel to Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes, Delaware, for a 7:30 PM performance on Saturday, September 26, before concluding the opening weekend at Community Church in Ocean Pines, Maryland, on Sunday, September 27, at 3 PM.

The program invites audiences to hear the lyricism of Florence Price’s Adoration, the warmth of Antonín Dvořák’s Serenade for Strings, and the brilliance of Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 104 in D Major, “London.” Together, the works offer a journey from intimate expression to the energy and grandeur of the symphonic tradition.

Florence Price holds an important place in American music history. In 1933, she became the first Black woman to have a symphony performed by a major American orchestra when the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performed her Symphony No. 1. Although much of her music remained outside the standard concert repertoire for decades, renewed interest in her work has introduced her compositions to new generations of listeners. Her Adoration, originally written for organ, is a brief, lyrical work whose expressive simplicity offers an intimate opening to the program.

Dvořák’s Serenade for Strings provides a different kind of musical experience. Written in 1875, the work is known for its graceful melodies, rich string textures, and balance of elegance and warmth. Its five movements move between gentle lyricism and lively rhythmic energy, offering audiences an opportunity to hear the string orchestra in a work that has remained a favorite of performers and listeners alike.

The program concludes with Haydn’s Symphony No. 104, “London,” the last of his 104 symphonies. Composed during his second visit to London and premiered in 1795, the work represents the culmination of his long career as a symphonist. From its dramatic opening to its energetic finale, the symphony combines the clarity, wit, and musical invention that helped establish Haydn as one of the central figures of the Classical era.

From London to America also introduces the spirit of the MSO’s new season: the opportunity to return to familiar favorites while discovering music that may become a new favorite. Whether attending for the first time or continuing a long-standing tradition, audiences are invited to begin a season of memorable live musical experiences.

Tickets and additional information are available at www.midatlanticsymphony.org.

ABOUT THE MID-ATLANTIC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is the only professional symphony orchestra serving southern Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore with a full season of programs. The MSO is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council, the Talbot County Arts Council, the Worcester County Arts Council, the Sussex County (Delaware) Council, and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc.

A complete schedule of the 2026-2027 season’s Masterworks and Ensembles programs, including venues, times, and other details, is available atwww.midatlanticsymphony.org.