The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO), in partnership with WYPR, a Baltimore Public Media non-profit company, will offer a pay-what-you wish family-focused performance pairing two timeless classics, Peter and the Wolf and Hansel and Gretel, at Hood College on Saturday, January 10, 2026.
Supported by a grant from the Delaplaine Foundation, the one-hour special BSO Sherman Foundation Family Collection event is designed to expand family-centered arts access in greater Frederick.
Baltimore-based performing artist Wordsmith will narrate both Peter and the Wolf and Hansel and Gretel alongside a BSO woodwind quintet, introducing young listeners and their families to the enchanting characters and instruments that drive Prokofiev’s and Humperdinck’s classic stories. Entertaining and instructional, this program is a perfect introduction to the rich musical world of the orchestra for young audiences (recommended for ages 4 – 8).
The program will be presented in Hodson Beneficial Library at Hood College, with doors opening at 9:30 a.m. and the performance running 10:00–11:00 a.m. with no intermission.
“WYPR is proud to partner with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra to expand family-centered arts programming throughout Maryland,” said Craig Swagler, President and General Manager of WYPR. “Public media organizations don’t just tell the stories of our communities—we also create spaces where people can experience them together, through innovative events that connect families with the music, artists, and traditions that sustain Maryland’s cultural life.”
With pay-what-you-wish admission, attendees will have the option to attend at no cost – or make voluntary donations to support the BSO’s ongoing community engagement efforts.
“The BSO is committed to making orchestral music accessible to families across Maryland, and we are thrilled to return to the Frederick community with a Saturday morning program designed with young audiences in mind,” said Mark C. Hanson, President and CEO of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. “Thanks to the generosity of the Delaplaine Foundation, and our partnership with WYPR and Hood College, we’re able to offer a welcoming, low-barrier concert where young listeners can experience live music and world-class BSO musicians up close in their own community.”
Tickets are required for the concert. Families can secure their seats in advance here.
About the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
For over a century, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) has been recognized as one of America’s leading orchestras and one of Maryland’s most significant cultural institutions. The Orchestra is internationally renowned and locally admired for its innovation, performances, recordings, and educational outreach initiatives including OrchKids.
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performs annually for more than 275,000 people throughout the State of Maryland. Since 1982, the BSO has performed at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, and since 2005, with the opening of The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, MD, the BSO became the nation’s first Orchestra performing its full season of classical and pops concerts in two metropolitan areas.
In September 2023, Jonathon Heyward officially launched his tenure as Music Director, bringing fresh energy and vision to the BSO. His appointment marked a historic moment as he became the first African American to lead the orchestra, following Music Director Laureate and OrchKids Founder Marin Alsop. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is a proud member of the League of American Orchestras.
More information about the BSO can be found at BSOmusic.org.
About Baltimore Public Media
Baltimore Public Media (BPM) is an independent community licensee and home to the Baltimore area’s NPR News Station, WYPR 88.1 FM; the region’s home for total music discovery, WTMD 89.7 FM; and Your Public Studios, which produces and distributes acclaimed local podcasts. Along with in-person live events that engage and enrich the lives of our community, Baltimore Public Media provides rich, vibrant programming in news, music, arts, and culture across expanding radio and digital formats that connect, enrich, and elevate the residents and communities of Baltimore and the region.