After being hired as the music director and organist at Faith Lutheran Church in 2012, in Cockeysville, Gregory Lauer quickly discovered that the north Baltimore County community was overflowing with musical talent. He met a judicial assistant who played the viola, and an orchestra conductor who taught music classes in Anne Arundel County public schools. With the help of those and other fellow musicians, and fired by his own ambition, Lauer then tried to create something the area had never had before — its own symphony orchestra.In 2013, Lauer launched the Hunt Valley Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra's reputation for quality has made Lauer's a well-known name in the local music community. In addition to his work with the symphony, and at Faith Lutheran, Lauer is director of fine arts at Mercy High School, in north Baltimore, leading its choral music, instrumental music, dance and theater programs.Originally from York, Pa., Lauer has always been involved in music. He started playing the piano at age 6 and continued to explore different instruments throughout high school. His relationship with music evolved from a hobby into a passion after his first time playing the French horn at 15."I played horn one day, and it was just my voice," Lauer said.After graduating from Fairmont State University, W. Va. with a degree in music, he continued to play in orchestras, including the West Virginia Symphony and York College Symphony, in his hometown of York, Pa., as a freelance French horn player.In addition to working as a private instructor, Lauer has been an adjunct faculty member in the musical theater department at West Virginia Wesleyan College. He now leads the Hunt Valley Symphony Orchestra as its founder and executive director."I remember him talking about his vision to create the orchestra," said Ann Cordial, a violist in Hunt Valley Symphony Orchestra. "When he gets an idea in his mind, he goes after it full speed."'Scary starting off'Lauer said he fell in love with Hunt Valley and northern Baltimore County through his work at Faith Lutheran Church. After meeting with local conductor Gregory Metzler and other musicians, such as Cordial, Lauer decided to take a run at forming the orchestra. While helping the orchestra find financial support, Cordial said she tacked posters around town advertising upcoming auditions. Anyone could audition, and people from all walks of life put their names on the list."From personal trainers to nurses, doctors, Baltimore judicial facilitators, it's a really wide array of types of people that are in there," Lauer said. "And they're really good."The audition process required musicians to play two contrasting pieces and either two scales or two orchestral excerpts for the wind section. The musicians played in front of Metzler, who also serves as the orchestra director. In 2013, the community orchestra members came together for their first rehearsal. Hearing the orchestra roar to life on stage was nothing short of magical, according to Cordial."I knew right there I was hooked," she said.The orchestra's first performance was at the Hunt Valley Towne Centre in September 2013. Now, the orchestra performs about five concerts a year. Orchestras across the country have struggled to cover costs of operations, with symphonies in cities such as New Orleans and Denver shuttering their doors in the 1980s and '90s. Other than the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Maryland has orchestras in Washington County, Annapolis and Harford County."It is scary starting off," Lauer said.To boost the orchestra's profile in the community, Lauer did aggressive outreach by handing out free tickets and including pop music in concerts. The symphony has also raised more than $3,000 in scholarships for students pursuing music in college and attending summer music festivals."I think we all are on the same mission in the big scheme of things of keeping the arts alive, and really programming so new people will come and hear and support us," Lauer said.The orchestra performed at different locations in Hunt Valley before calling Mercy High School its permanent home in January 2015. Mercy is the only high school in the area with an independent orchestra in residence, helping students gain experience working with professionals."When students see someone with that level of passion, it really impresses on them," Mercy High School President Mary Beth Lennon said.Bringing vision to Mercy HighLennon hired Lauer as Mercy's director of fine arts in 2013, after the former director retired. "He has really brought a tremendous vision to Mercy," Lennon said.In December 2015, Lauer combined his work with the symphony orchestra and Mercy High School for a winter concert, "A Holiday Spectacular." The concert featured songs from the Trans Siberian Orchestra, dance performances, sing-a-longs to Christmas classics, and Broadway show tunes. His inspiration for the program came after watching the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular during the summer. The performance included the chorale and dance troupe from Mercy, and musicians from five public and private high schools."We'll be doing that again this year," Lauer said. "We're going to expand it to three nights."Lennon said the Holiday Spectacular was one of the most memorable events of the program last year and that it filled the auditorium and thrilled the audience."It was really a high point for the program," Lennon said.The orchestra's fall schedule includes five concerts, with the season opener performance of "Symphony No. 4" by Tchaikovsky taking place on Sept. 24 and Sept. 25. The next two performances include a costume-friendly Halloween concert with guest conductor Brian Coffill and the Holiday Spectacular. All but two of the performances, one on Sept. 24 at the Grand Lodge of Maryland and the other on June 10 at the John Carroll School, will be at Mercy High School."By going to a concert, you're supporting a great group of people who pour their hearts into the rehearsals and into the performances," Lauer said.