The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is internationally recognized as having achieved a preeminent place among the world's most important orchestras. Acclaimed for its enduring pursuit of artistic excellence, the BSO has attracted a devoted national and international following while maintaining deep bonds throughout Maryland with innovative education and community outreach initiatives.

The BSO made musical history in September 2007 when Marin Alsop led her inaugural concerts as the Orchestra’s 12th music director, making her the first woman to head a major American orchestra. With her highly praised artistic vision, her dynamic musicianship and her commitment to accessibility in classical music, Maestra Alsop’s leadership has ushered in a new era for the BSO and its audiences.

The BSO has added several critically-acclaimed albums to its discography, including a three-disc Dvořák cycle of Symphonies Nos. 6, 7, 8 and 9. In August 2009, the BSO and Marin Alsop released Bernstein’s Mass, which rose to number six on the Classical Billboard Charts and received a Grammy nomination for Best Classical Album. The Orchestra made its foray into online distribution in April 2007 with the release of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring on iTunes, which became the site’s number one classical music download.

In addition to the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, where the orchestra has performed for 30 years, the BSO is a founding partner and resident orchestra at The Music Center at Strathmore, just outside Washington, D.C. With its opening in February 2005, the BSO became the nation’s only major orchestra with year-round venues in two metropolitan areas.