Given all the stretches of cool, damp weather lately, it's hard to believe that summer is almost here. But it's coming and, with it, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's annual summer concerts, which help a good deal to make up for the traditional slowdown of cultural activity around town.
As usual, the BSO will keep things on the lighter side, musically — no daunting Mahler or Bruckner symphonies. But there will be some new twists, thanks, in part, to the "Pulse" series of concerts introduced this season featuring indie bands with the orchestra.
"Given the success of Pulse so far," says BSO associate conductor Nicholas Hersh, "we're implementing lessons we learned from that series in terms of programming and enhancing the experience of being in the hall."
Count on some intermission-less concerts and informal remarks made about the music by the gifted and dynamic Hersh. Oh, yes, and drinks.
At Pulse concerts, audience members can take beverages into the hall, a no-no at most BSO performances held at Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Plans are for the drinks-allowed policy to be on tap this summer.
A rundown of the season:
Star-Spangled Spectacular
Hersh will conduct the traditional Independence Day concerts July 3 and 4 outdoors at Oregon Ridge (13401 Beaver Dam Road, Cockeysville). In addition to the national anthem, with the winner of the BSO's annual "O, Say Can You Sing?" contest leading the way, the orchestra will perform such perennial favorites as Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" and the Sousa march "Stars and Stripes Forever."
Grateful Dead Symphony
The main item for this program, July 14 at Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (1212 Cathedral St.), is Lee Johnson's Dead Symphony No. 6, an orchestral work that incorporates 10 songs by the eminent rock band Grateful Dead. But that's not all.
"We're also going to perform three movements from symphonies that have a kind of hard-rock vibe — the opening of Beethoven's Fifth, the second movement of Shostakovich's Tenth, and the finale of Tchaikovsky Fifth," Hersh says.
Salsa at the Symphony
This program brings together diverse works with Latin rhythms, among them George Gershwin's "Cuban Overture," a suite from Manuel de Falla's "The Three-Cornered Hat" and the infectious "Mambo" from Leonard Bernstein's "West Side Story."
There's room, too, for the elegant guitar concerto by Joaquin Rodrigo, "Concierto de Aranjuez," with soloist Meng Su.
Performances are July 21 at the Music Center at Strathmore (5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda); July 22 at Meyerhoff.
Final Fantasy
The BSO performs music by Nobuo Uematsu and Masashi Hamauzu composed for the popular "Final Fantasy" series of video games, July 23 at Meyerhoff.
Rhapsody in Blue
In addition to Aaron Copland's lyrical "Quiet City," with BSO principal players Andrew Balio (trumpet) and Jane Marvine (English horn) as soloists, this mostly American program conducted by Hersh offers the Three Dance Episodes from Bernstein's "On the Town" and, with piano soloist Charlie Albright, Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue."
Balancing those pieces will be dance-inspired music from centuries earlier, Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 2, with BSO principal flutist Emily Skala as soloist.
Performances are July 28 at Strathmore, July 29 at Meyerhoff.
The Music of David Bowie
"The recent passing of David Bowie was so unfortunate for the world," Hersh says. "This is an important concert for that reason."
Brent Havens will conduct the BSO and a rock band in arrangements of classic Bowie songs July 30 at Meyerhoff.
Harry Potter in Concert
Closing out the BSO summer season is a multimedia event — the showing of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," the first of the Potter series, on a big screen, with the orchestra playing every note of John Williams' film score.
Justin Freer conducts the production Aug. 4 and 6 at Meyerhoff, Aug. 5 at Strathmore.
For tickets and more information about the BSO's summer season, call 410-783-8000, or go to bsomusic.org.