Press Release: Modesto Symphony Orchestra performs Gershwin’s An American in Paris and Youth Orchestra performs Spring Concert in February
MODESTO, CA – The Modesto Symphony Orchestra (MSO) will perform Gershwin’s An American in Paris on February 9 & 10, 2024 led by Music Director Nicholas Hersh. The weekend’s program includes MSO’s premiere of William L. Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony, as well as Lili Boulanger’s D’un Matin de Printemps (Of a Spring Morning) which will feature a video presentation created in collaboration with Visit Modesto. The program will end with Gershwin’s An American in Paris.
MODESTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Contact:
Caroline Nickel
(209) 523-4156
cnickel@modestosymphony.org
For Immediate Release: February 9, 2024
(From left to right: conductor Nicholas Hersh, Modesto Symphony Orchestra)
Modesto Symphony Orchestra performs Gershwin’s An American in Paris and Youth Orchestra performs Spring Concert in February
February 9 & 10, 2024 - Modesto Symphony Orchestra Performs Gershwin’s An American in Paris, Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony, and Boulanger’s D’un Matin de Printemps (Of a Spring Morning)
February 10, 2024 - Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra to perform Mozart, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Tchaikovsky in Spring Concert
MODESTO, CA – The Modesto Symphony Orchestra (MSO) will perform Gershwin’s An American in Paris on February 9 & 10, 2024 led by Music Director Nicholas Hersh. The weekend’s program includes MSO’s premiere of William L. Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony, as well as Lili Boulanger’s D’un Matin de Printemps (Of a Spring Morning) which will feature a video presentation created in collaboration with Visit Modesto. The program will end with Gershwin’s An American in Paris.
“Our February Classics program explores the shifting sonic landscape of the early 20th Century, when musical innovation was constant, and the now-familiar “swing” and “jazz” were new!” says Music Director Nicholas Hersh. “Anchoring our concert is Gershwin’s famous orchestral travelogue, An American in Paris, which captures all the hustle and bustle of the Champs-Élysées and the composer’s own bittersweet homesickness for New York. Before that, we’ll hear the rarely performed Negro Folk Symphony by William Dawson, which weaves traditional Black American spirituals into a symphonic tour-de-force. And connecting the two: the wordless tone poem Of a Spring Morning by the French prodigy Lili Boulanger, featuring a new multimedia collaboration with Visit Modesto just in time for almond blossom season!”
The video presentation made in collaboration with Visit Modesto will feature photos and footage of almond blossoms, capturing the beauty of springtime in Stanislaus County. It will be projected on screen during the MSO’s performance of Boulanger’s D’un Matin de Printemps (Of a Spring Morning), similar to MSO’s live-to-film concert movie performances.
This weekend also includes the Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra (MSYO) in their Spring Concert on February 10, 2024. The MSYO comprises two orchestras with students from grades 5 through 12 and is led by a deeply engaged leadership team. For this concert, the MSYO Symphony Orchestra will be conducted by former MSYO Music Director and the MSO’s current Principal Pops Conductor, Ryan Murray. This Spring Concert will feature works by Mozart, Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, and more. Learn more about the MSYO at ModestoSymphony.org/about-msyo.
MODESTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Gershwin’s an american in paris
Gershwin’s An American in Paris
February 9 & 10, 2024 at 7:30pm
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
PROGRAM
William L. Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony
Lili Boulanger: D’un Matin de Printemps (Of a Spring Morning)
George Gershwin: An American in Paris
Gallo Center for the Arts, Mary Stuart Rogers Theater
1000 I Street, Modesto
TICKETS:
Pricing: $20 / 36 / 52 / 72 / 94
$12 student tickets available at the Gallo Center Ticket Office. Students can purchase two $12 tickets with their student ID.
MODESTO SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA, SPRING CONCERT
Saturday, February 10, 2024, at 2:00 pm
Donald Grishaw, MSYO Concert Orchestra Conductor
Ryan Murray, MSYO Symphony Orchestra Conductor
Program to include works by Mozart, Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, and more!
Gallo Center for the Arts, Mary Stuart Rogers Theater
1000 I Street, Modesto
Tickets:
Adult: $14
Youth: $5
Ticketing information
Tickets are available online through ModestoSymphony.org or through the Gallo Center for the Arts Ticket Office at (209) 338-2100.
Group Prices available: Groups of 10+ receive a 15% discount on tickets. Call (209) 338-5064 for more information.
Gallo Center Ticket Office Hours: Monday through Friday 10:00am-6:00pm / Saturday 12:00pm-6:00pm
###
The Modesto Symphony Orchestra is a Resident Company of The Gallo Center for the Arts. The DoubleTree Hotel is the official hotel of the MSO.
Press Release: Celebrate the Holidays with the Modesto Symphony Orchestra
MODESTO, CA - The Modesto Symphony Orchestra’s (MSO) holiday concerts offer fun for the entire family. Complete with holiday décor and your favorite carols, the MSO’s holiday concerts have become community favorites. The first of the MSO’s two holiday concerts is Holiday Pops! on Friday, December 1, 2023 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, December 2, 2023 at the Gallo Center for the Arts. Conducted by Principal Pops Conductor Ryan Murray, this lively and festive concert features Broadway star Ashley Brown and the MSO Chorus. The Holiday Candlelight Concert will be held on December 19, 2023 at 8 pm in a new location, Our Lady of Fatima Church at 505 W. Granger Ave. in Modesto. MSO Chorus Director, Daniel R. Afonso Jr., will conduct this traditional holiday concert and Our Lady of Fatima Church is the perfect setting for a more intimate concert that will also feature the MSO Chorus and the Opus Handbell Ensemble.
MODESTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Contact:
Caroline Nickel
cnickel@modestosymphony.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / November 1, 2023
(Pictured from left to right; top row: Ryan Murray, Principal Pops Conductor; Daniel R. Afonso Jr., MSO Chorus Director; Ashley Brown, guest vocalist; bottom row: Holiday Pops! at the Gallo Center for the Arts; Holiday Candlelight Concert)
Celebrate the Holidays with the Modesto Symphony Orchestra
Holiday Pops! with Ashley Brown – December 1 & 2, 2023
Holiday Candlelight Concert – December 19, 2023
MODESTO, CA - The Modesto Symphony Orchestra’s (MSO) holiday concerts offer fun for the entire family. Complete with holiday décor and your favorite carols, the MSO’s holiday concerts have become community favorites. The first of the MSO’s two holiday concerts is Holiday Pops! on Friday, December 1, 2023 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, December 2, 2023 at the Gallo Center for the Arts. Conducted by Principal Pops Conductor Ryan Murray, this lively and festive concert features Broadway star Ashley Brown and the MSO Chorus. The Holiday Candlelight Concert will be held on December 19, 2023 at 8 pm in a new location, Our Lady of Fatima Church at 505 W. Granger Ave. in Modesto. MSO Chorus Director, Daniel R. Afonso Jr., will conduct this traditional holiday concert and Our Lady of Fatima Church is the perfect setting for a more intimate concert that will also feature the MSO Chorus and the Opus Handbell Ensemble.
“I’m so looking forward to Holiday Pops this year! It’s always such a wonderful celebration of the holiday season and a great chance for us all to come together as a community!” says Ryan Murray, Principal Pops Conductor for the Modesto Symphony Orchestra. “I’m thrilled that Ashley Brown will be returning this year as our guest soloist. We had such great fun last time Ashley was here and she is truly an incredible performer. She has some fantastic music in store for all of you! I can’t wait to share all this terrific holiday music with you and can’t wait to be on stage with our incredible Modesto Symphony, Modesto Symphony Chorus, and Ashley Brown!”
Holiday Pops headliner, Ashley Brown, returns to Modesto after last performing with the MSO in 2017. Ashley is best known for originating the role of the titular character in the Broadway production of Mary Poppins, for which she received Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, and Drama Desk award nominations. She has performed with many top orchestras in North America, including the Boston Bops, the New York Philharmonic, and The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra at Disney Hall.
“The holiday season is always a special time for the MSO,” says Caroline Nickel, President and CEO of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra. “We hope that both our Holiday Pops! and Holiday Candlelight Concert can bring a little extra warmth and joy to our community. It’s a special feeling being able to take the time to slow down and spend time with friends and family during the holiday season and each year we look forward to extending that feeling to our audiences.”
MODESTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Holiday Pops!
Friday, December 1, 2023 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, December 2, 2023 at 2 pm
Ryan Murray, conductor
Ashley Brown, vocalist
Modesto Symphony Orchestra
Modesto Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Daniel R. Afonso Jr., director
Gallo Center for the Arts, Mary Stuart Rogers Theater
1000 I Street, Modesto
Tickets
Pricing: $20 / 36 / 52 / 72 / 94
Tickets are available online through ModestoSymphony.org or through the Gallo Center for the Arts Ticket Office at (209) 338-2100.
Group Prices available: Groups of 10+ receive a 15% discount on tickets. Call (209) 338-5064 for more information.
Gallo Center Ticket Office Hours: Monday through Friday 10:00am-6:00pm / Saturday 12:00pm-6:00pm
Concert Sponsored by: Beard LAnd & Investment Co.
MODESTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Holiday Candlelight Concert
Tuesday, December 20, 2022 at 8:00 pm
Daniel R. Afonso Jr., conductor
Modesto Symphony Orchestra
Modesto Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Daniel R. Afonso Jr., director
Opus Handbell Ensemble, Richard Colla, director
Our Lady of Fatima Church
505 W. Granger Avenue, Modesto
TICKETS:
Pricing:
Adult: $39 / 59
Youth: $10 / 20
Tickets are available online through ModestoSymphony.org or through the Gallo Center for the Arts Ticket Office at (209) 338-2100.
Group Prices available: Groups of 10+ receive a 15% discount on Standard Adult seating. Call (209) 338-5064 for more information.
Ticket Office Hours: Monday through Friday 10:00am-6:00pm / Saturday 12:00pm-6:00pm
Artist Bios
###
The Modesto Symphony Orchestra is a Resident Company of The Gallo Center for the Arts. The DoubleTree Hotel is the official hotel of the MSO.
Press Release: The Modesto Symphony Orchestra Performs Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” Live In Concert To Film
MODESTO, CA – The Modesto Symphony Orchestra (MSO) will perform Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” featuring a screening of Disney’s timeless holiday classic with Grammy®-winning composer Danny Elfman’s musical score performed live to the film. The concert will be led by Principal Pops Conductor Ryan Murray on Friday, November 3rd, 2023 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, November 4th, 2023 at 2:00 pm at the Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto. Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas will be celebrating its 30th Anniversary this October.
MODESTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Nicholas Hersh, Music Director
Contact:
Caroline Nickel
(209) 523-4156
cnickel@modestosymphony.org
For Immediate Release: September 29, 2023
(click to download high-resolution image)
The Modesto Symphony Orchestra Performs Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” Live In Concert To Film
Concert features Composer Danny Elfman’s Complete Score Performed Live to Picture Conducted by Ryan Murray Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Film Release
MODESTO, CA – The Modesto Symphony Orchestra (MSO) will perform Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” featuring a screening of Disney’s timeless holiday classic with Grammy®-winning composer Danny Elfman’s musical score performed live to the film. The concert will be led by Principal Pops Conductor Ryan Murray on Friday, November 3rd, 2023 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, November 4th, 2023 at 2:00 pm at the Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto. Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” will be celebrating its 30th Anniversary this October.
“We are so excited to bring Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” back to the stage with our Modesto Symphony Orchestra,” says Caroline Nickel, President and CEO of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra. “We last performed this concert in two sold-out performances in 2017, and it was such a thrilling experience to see our audiences be swept up in the magic of Danny Elfman’s score. It was amazing to see the creativity and enthusiasm the audience showed by dressing up in costume for the event. We hope to recreate the experience this year and I look forward to seeing everyone dress to impress!”
First released in 1993, Tim Burton's “The Nightmare Before Christmas” was directed by Henry Selick (“James and the Giant Peach”) and based on a story and characters by Tim Burton. The film follows the earnest-but-misguided adventures of Jack Skellington, Halloween Town's beloved Pumpkin King, as he attempts to take over the Christmas holiday. Against the advice of Sally, a lonely rag doll who has feelings for him, Jack enlists three mischievous trick-or-treaters – Lock, Shock, and Barrel – to help him kidnap Santa Claus. The film is rated “PG.”
Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” Live in Concert is presented by the Modesto Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ryan Murray and will be performed at the Gallo Center for the Arts on November 3, 2023 at 7:30 pm and November 4, 2023 at 2 pm. For tickets and further information, visit www.modestosymphony.org.
MODESTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert Live to Film
Friday November 3, 2023 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, November 4, 2023 at 2 pm
Ryan Murray, conductor
Gallo Center for the Arts, Mary Stuart Rogers Theater
1000 I Street, Modesto
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert Live to Film is presented by Disney Concerts. © Disney
Tickets:
Pricing: $ 20* / 36 / 52 / 72 / 94*
*Limited seats are available.
Tickets are available online through ModestoSymphony.org or through the Gallo Center for the Arts Ticket Office at (209) 338-2100.
Group Prices available: Groups of 10+ receive a 15% discount on tickets. Call (209) 338-5064 for more information.
Gallo Center Ticket Office Hours: Monday through Friday 10:00 am-6:00 pm / Saturday 12:00 pm-6:00 pm
Subscription packages are available now online, by phone, and at the Gallo Center Ticket Office. Pops Series Subscribers can save 15% off single tickets. Visit ModestoSymphony.org for full details.
2023-2024 SEASON PARTNER:
Boyett Petroleum
###
The Modesto Symphony Orchestra is a Resident Company of The Gallo Center for the Arts.
The DoubleTree Hotel is the official hotel of the MSO.
Press Release: Modesto Symphony Orchestra 93rd Season Opens With New Music Director Nicholas Hersh
MODESTO, CA – The Modesto Symphony Orchestra (MSO) will open its 93rd season with new Music Director Nicholas Hersh with Tchaikovsky & Copland on Friday, October 13 and Saturday, October 14, 2023. The program will start with Mozart’s Overture to The Marriage of Figaro then will feature pianist Alessio Bax on Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1. The evening will conclude with Copland’s Symphony No. 3 which features the well-known theme from Fanfare for the Common Man. As part of the opening weekend festivities, the MSO will have an after-party in the lobby to celebrate the new season and their new Music Director Nicholas Hersh.
MODESTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Contact:
Caroline Nickel
(209) 523-4156
cnickel@modestosymphony.org
For Immediate Release: September 19, 2023
(Pictured: Nicholas Hersh, MSO Music Director – photo by Stephanie Nolt; Alessio Bax, piano - photo by Marco Borggreve)
Modesto Symphony Orchestra 93rd Season Opens With New Music Director Nicholas Hersh
MSO’s Classic Series Programming Announced
The MSO’s 93rd season will open with a concert celebrating new Music Director Nicholas Hersh leading the MSO in Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Copland’s Symphony No. 3
Hersh will return in February for a concert featuring William Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony, Lili Boulanger’s D’un Matin de Printemps (Of a Spring Morning), and Gershwin’s An American in Paris
March will bring a new format to the MSO with a concert curated by the orchestra. The program will feature music that was hand-selected by the orchestra to share with the community. The evening will end with an after-party where the audience can meet the orchestra!
Hersh and the MSO will be joined by violinist Tai Murray in April for Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor. The program will also feature pieces by Piazzolla, Farrenc, and Bach.
The Classics Series will end with Beethoven’s monumental Symphony No. 9 which will feature the MSO Chorus and soloists.
MODESTO, CA – The Modesto Symphony Orchestra (MSO) will open its 93rd season with new Music Director Nicholas Hersh with Tchaikovsky & Copland on Friday, October 13 and Saturday, October 14, 2023. The program will start with Mozart’s Overture to The Marriage of Figaro then will feature pianist Alessio Bax on Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1. The evening will conclude with Copland’s Symphony No. 3 which features the well-known theme from Fanfare for the Common Man. As part of the opening weekend festivities, the MSO will have an after-party in the lobby to celebrate the new season and their new Music Director Nicholas Hersh.
“We are so excited to open our Classics Series with our new Music Director Nicholas Hersh,” said Caroline Nickel, President and CEO of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra Association. “Nick immediately started to work completing the programming for our season and we are so excited to share it with the community. Everyone at the MSO is thrilled to have Nick’s artistic leadership and we can’t wait to see where we’ll go from here.”
MODESTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 2023-24 CLASSICS SeRIES
Five concerts performed on both Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM in the Mary Stuart Rogers Theater at Gallo Center for the Arts.
Tchaikovsky & Copland
October 13 & 14, 2023 at 7:30pm
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
Alessio Bax, piano
PROGRAM
Amadeus Mozart: Overture to The Marriage of Figaro
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1
Aaron Copland: Symphony No. 3
Gershwin’s An American in Paris
February 9 & 10, 2024 at 7:30pm
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
PROGRAM
William Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony
Lili Boulanger: D’un Matin de Printemps (Of a Spring Morning)
George Gershwin: An American in Paris
Symphonic Soundtrack
March 15 & 16, 2024 at 7:30pm
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
Symphonic Soundtrack is a brand-new concert experience which will feature a special program curated by your MSO musicians and conclude with an afterparty that everyone can enjoy!
Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto
April 12 & 13, 2024 at 7:30pm
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
Tai Murray, violin
PROGRAM
Astor Piazzolla: Tangazo
Louise Farrenc: Symphony No. 3 in G minor
Johann Sebastian Bach, arr. Hersh: “Little Fugue” in G minor
Felix Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9
May 10 & 11, 2024 at 7:30pm
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
Featuring the MSO Chorus
Daniel R. Afonso Jr., chorus director
TICKETS:
Single Tickets: $20 / 36 / 52 / 72 / 94
$12 student tickets available at the Gallo Center Ticket Office. Students can purchase two $12 tickets with their student ID.
Subscription packages are available now online, by phone, and at the Gallo Center Ticket Office. Visit ModestoSymphony.org for full details.
Group Prices available: Groups of 10+ receive a 15% discount on tickets. Call (209) 338-5064 for more information.
Gallo Center Ticket Office
Hours: Monday through Friday 10:00am to 6:00pm and Saturdays 12:00pm to 6:00pm.
Phone: 209-338-2100
###
The Modesto Symphony Orchestra is a Resident Company of The Gallo Center for the Arts. The DoubleTree Hotel is the official hotel of the MSO.
Press Release: Modesto Symphony Orchestra Appoints Nicholas Hersh as Music Director
MODESTO, CA – The Modesto Symphony Orchestra Association (MSOA) is excited to announce that the Board of Directors has named Nicholas Hersh as the organization’s next Music Director. Hersh is only the ninth music director for the Modesto Symphony Orchestra and he will lead the MSOA’s 93rd season. Hersh’s artistic leadership will bring innovative, captivating, and exciting ideas and programs into our community and his passion for music education will help guide our existing education programs to new heights.
MODESTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Contact:
Caroline Nickel
(209) 523-4156
cnickel@modestosymphony.org
UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL:
August 22, 2023 at 10:00 AM PST
(Pictured: Nicholas Hersh, MSO Music Director–photo by Stephanie Nolt; Nicholas Hersh performing with the MSO, November 2022–photo by Brad Ancheta)
Modesto Symphony Orchestra Appoints Nicholas Hersh as Music Director
MODESTO, CA – The Modesto Symphony Orchestra Association (MSOA) is excited to announce that the Board of Directors has named Nicholas Hersh as the organization’s next Music Director. Hersh is only the ninth music director for the Modesto Symphony Orchestra and he will lead the MSOA’s 93rd season. Hersh’s artistic leadership will bring innovative, captivating, and exciting ideas and programs into our community and his passion for music education will help guide our existing education programs to new heights.
MSO’s Music Director search began in 2018 with an initial response of over 200 applicants, “The process of selecting a new Music Director has been an inspiring experience for the MSOA Board of Directors,” says Board Chairperson Steve Pallios. “Careful deliberation, coordination, and planning went into choosing our next artistic leader. Nick has a passion for producing high-quality performances and enhancing our community’s quality of life through music. The Board and I are looking forward to Nick‘s ambitions for the MSOA through innovative and collaborative programming and understanding of what our community needs.”
In his first season with the MSOA, Hersh will lead the entire 2023-24 Classics Series. Hersh will work with the MSOA to complete each program and ensure it complements the orchestra and guest artists while being exciting and captivating for the community as well as meeting his artistic standard. The Modesto Symphony Orchestra will also be Hersh’s first Music Directorship.
“I am beyond thrilled that my first music directorship will be in such a vibrant, music-loving city as Modesto,” says newly appointed MSOA Music Director Nicholas Hersh, “There was a certain electricity in the Gallo Center when the MSO musicians and I collaborated last year, shared not only onstage but with the audience as well; together we'll grow that energy, creating bespoke artistic experiences for the entire Modesto community and cementing the role of music education for all ages as a driver of social good. I can't wait to be back in Modesto this October for Tchaikovsky's blazing Piano Concerto No. 1 with Alessio Bax, whose inventive musicianship I've long admired, as well as a season full of both new discoveries and fast favorites!”
“Nick immediately impressed us with his thoughtful consideration of our entire organization, collaborating with our staff, and connecting with our musicians and audiences,” says Caroline Nickel, President and CEO. “We invited Nick to join us last season due to his reputation and notable conducting engagements, but after working with him in November, his personality and enthusiasm for both orchestral performances and music education shined through. I had the opportunity to reconnect with him, and I knew he would be a great fit for our organization and the values that we strive for. We’re excited to welcome him on board, and we can’t wait to see him lead our orchestra in his Music Director debut this October.”
Hersh, an American conductor and a rising star in the world of classical music, brings to Modesto an array of talents and accomplishments. During his tenure as Associate Conductor with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO), he led the symphony in numerous concerts and directed Baltimore’s education and family programming as well as serving as Artistic Director of the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra. Hersh created the BSO Pulse series, through which he brought together prominent indie bands and orchestral musicians in unique collaborations.
Additionally, Hersh frequently works with major symphony orchestras including the National Symphony Orchestra, Houston, Colorado, and the Peabody Orchestra of John Hopkins University. Hersh is also a successful arranger and orchestrator, and audiences that attended his debut with the Modesto Symphony in November 2022 were treated to his orchestral arrangement of Franz Schubert’s String Quartet No. 14, “Death and the Maiden.”
The MSOA is excited to enter this new era with Hersh and bring innovation not only on stage but in our community. Join us in welcoming Nicholas Hersh as he leads the MSO in the following programs:
Artist bio
Nicholas Hersh
American conductor Nicholas Hersh has earned critical acclaim for his innovative programming and natural ability to connect with musicians and audiences alike.
In the 2023-24 season, Hersh returns to the National, Houston, Baltimore, Colorado, and New Jersey Symphonies, while making debuts with the Springfield Symphony and Wintergreen Festival. Recent include engagements with the Detroit, Grand Rapids, New World, North Carolina, Phoenix, Portland (ME), Richmond, Tucson, Utah, and Winston-Salem symphony orchestras, Louisiana and Rochester Philharmonics, and the Florida and Sarasota Orchestras.
Over a remarkable tenure as Associate Conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Hersh created the BSO Pulse series, through which he brought together indie bands and orchestral musicians in unique collaborations; he led the BSO in several subscription weeks, and concerts in and around Baltimore; and he directed the BSO’s educational and family programming, including the celebrated Academy for adult amateur musicians. Hersh also maintains a close relationship with the National Symphony Orchestra, leading concerts throughout Washington, D.C. He stepped in to replace an indisposed Yan Pascal Tortelier, on subscription, to great acclaim.
Hersh is frequently in demand as an arranger and orchestrator, with commissions from orchestras around the globe for adaptations of everything from classical solo and chamber music to popular songs. His orchestration of Beethoven’s Cello Sonata Op. 69 was premiered by the Philharmonie Zuidnederland in January 2022, while his symphonic arrangement of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody continues to see worldwide success as a viral YouTube hit. He also serves as arranger and editor for the James P. Johnson Orchestra Edition.
Hersh grew up in Evanston, Illinois and started his musical training as a cellist. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Stanford University and a Master’s Degree in Conducting from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Hersh is also a two-time recipient of the Solti Foundation Career Assistance Award. Nicholas lives in Philadelphia with his wife Caitlin and their two cats, and in his free time enjoys baking (and eating) sourdough bread.
About the MSO
The Modesto Symphony Orchestra (MSO) was founded in 1931 by Frank Mancini, Malin Langstroth, and Leonard Fristrom, who worked with local leaders to establish a musical and cultural focal point. The MSO became a fully professional orchestra in 1977. New innovations developed, such as pops concerts, the formation of the Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra in 1976, and the first Picnic at the Pops in 1994. The 21st century marked further growth with the formation of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra Chorus in 2001, becoming a resident company of the Gallo Center for the Arts when their doors opened in 2007, and the creation of the Modesto Symphony Youth Chorus in 2017.
Each season, the MSO performs five classics concerts and three pops concerts at the Gallo Center for the Arts and produces two community favorites, Picnic at the Pops at the E. & J. Gallo Winery and the Holiday Candlelight Concert. Through its education and outreach programs, the MSO is able to reach over 15,000 students each year by working closely with local schools and providing free or low-cost opportunities to experience classical music.
The 2023-2024 season marks the Modesto Symphony’s 93rd season. The MSO continues to strive to enrich and enhance the community by bringing music of the highest artistic caliber and fostering lifelong music education and appreciation.
###
The Modesto Symphony Orchestra is a Resident Company of The Gallo Center for the Arts. The DoubleTree Hotel is the official hotel of the MSO.