This May, the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO) concludes its season with Romantic Triumph & Celebration, a program highlighting the expressive beauty and emotional depth of 19th-century Romantic music.

Performances will take place on Thursday, May 8 at 7:30 PM at the Todd Performing Arts Center in Wye Mills, MD; Saturday, May 10 at 3:00 PM at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes, DE; and Sunday, May 11 at 3:00 PM at the Performing Arts Center in Ocean City, MD.

The program includes Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel’s Overture in C major, a vivid and lyrical orchestral work; Robert Schumann’s Cello Concerto, known for its warmth and poetic character; and Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, the “Italian,” filled with vibrant rhythms and sunlit melodies inspired by his travels through Italy.

The featured soloist is Gabriel Martins, an award-winning cellist who has appeared with leading orchestras and in major concert halls worldwide, including Carnegie Hall and Wigmore Hall. He is a winner of the Concert Artists Guild/Young Classical Artists Trust Grand Prize and the Sphinx Competition Gold Medal.

In addition to the orchestral performances, the MSO will present its Season Finale Ensemble Series concerts, offering audiences a more intimate chamber music experience featuring members of the orchestra. These performances will take place on Saturday, May 17 at 7:00 PM at Epworth United Methodist Church in Rehoboth Beach, DE, and Sunday, May 18 at 4:00 PM at the Academy Art Museum in Easton, MD.

The Ensemble Series program includes Phantasy for Oboe, Violin, Viola, & Cello by Benjamin Britten, String Quartet No. 3 “Mishima” by Philip Glass, Langsamer Satz by Anton Webern, and Quartet for English Horn, Violin, Viola, & Cello by Jean Françaix.

Tickets and more information are available at www.midatlanticsymphony.org.

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ABOUT THE MID-ATLANTIC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is the only professional symphony orchestra serving southern Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore with a full season of programs. The MSO is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council, the Talbot County Arts Council, the Worcester County Arts Council, the Sussex County (Delaware) Council, and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc.

A complete schedule of the 2024-2025 season’s Masterworks and Ensembles programs, including venues, times, and other details, is available at www.midatlanticsymphony.org.

The Working Artists Forum is pleased to invite the public to a member’s exhibit from May 1 through June 30, 2025, at the Gallery at the Market at Dover Station.

The exhibit, titled “All Things Spring”, is in a dedicated gallery space within the Market. Opening reception is First Friday, May 2, from 5-7 p.m.

Enjoy light refreshments and a beautiful selection of studio and plein air works by 24 regional artists. 

Launched in 1979 by a small group of artists, Working Artists Forum – now with over 100 members – is a thriving arts organization with many vital connections within the Eastern Shore’s arts community.  Members exhibit widely, win awards, teach classes and workshops, and actively participate in arts events throughout our region.

The Market at Dover Station is a new and unique shopping, dining and social experience located in a renovated 1912 warehouse at 500 Dover Street in the heart of historic Easton, Maryland.

Tred Avon Players (TAP) and the Oxford Community Center (OCC) are excited to invite youth to participate in Shakespeare Midsummer Stage, an immersive four-day Shakespeare workshop for students entering grades 5–12. This exciting new program runs July 28–31, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day at the Oxford Community Center, culminating in a free showcase performance for family and friends on Thursday, July 31 at 6:30 p.m.

As part of their shared mission to educate and inspire, TAP and OCC are launching this unique summer experience to offer students a fun, engaging, and educational opportunity to explore the timeless works of William Shakespeare.

Participants will work with veteran actor, director, and school teacher David Cherry to develop their skills in acting, voice, movement, and scene study—building confidence, creativity, and stage presence in a supportive and collaborative environment.

“This is not just about learning Shakespeare,” said Cherry, who leads the program. “It’s about connecting with the language, the characters, and with each other. Students will gain tools that apply both onstage and off—and they’ll have a blast doing it.”

“We’re thrilled to bring this kind of meaningful arts education to young people in our community,” said Liza Ledford, Executive Director of Oxford Community Center, and Melissa Barcomb-Doyle, President of Tred Avon Players, in a joint statement. “This partnership reflects our shared commitment to providing opportunities that spark creativity, nurture talent, and build community through the arts.”

The workshop fee is $200 per student and includes a Shakespeare Midsummer Stage t-shirt. Space is limited. Registration closes May 31, 2025 or until full. To learn more and register, visit https://www.tredavonplayers.org/youth-workshop-2

About Tred Avon Players

Founded in 1982, Tred Avon Players is a nonprofit community theater dedicated to enriching, educating, and entertaining audiences with high-quality productions. For more than four decades, TAP has thrived thanks to the dedication of local performers, stagehands, audience members, and donors. To learn how you can get involved or purchase tickets for upcoming shows, visit www.tredavonplayers.org and follow TAP on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Now hanging at Easton’s liveliest art gallery, the Trippe Gallery, is the “Art of the Garden” exhibition. This popular annual show is celebrating its 9th year! In concert with “Art in Bloom” promoted by Discover Easton,  the exhibition will feature floral arrangements inspired by a particular painting by members of The Garden Club of The Eastern Shore for the opening reception Friday May 2 from 5-7pm.

The exhibition will showcase the work of a talented group of artists who have taken inspiration from the natural world to create stunning pieces that explore the intersection of art and horticulture. The paintings display an exploration of the harmonies of color, texture, and form, and showcases the incredible diversity of artistic styles and techniques used to capture the beauty of nature.

Featured art in the exhibition will be oil paintings by Nancy Tankersley, Beth Bathe, Jill Basham, Meg Nottingham Walsh, Lynn Mehta, Zufar Bikbov, David Diaz, Cynthia Rosen, Christine Lashley, Georganna Lenssen as well as fine art photography by Nanny Trippe, acrylic paintings by Hanna MacNaughtan and botanical watercolors by Lee Boulay D’Zmura.

The Trippe Gallery invites you to come enjoy this exciting diverse collection of art by many of your favorite artists in the exhibition “The Art of the Garden”. The exhibition will run through June with new works added throughout. The gallery will be open on First Friday, May 2 until 7:00 pm with opening reception. The Trippe is located at 23 N Harrison St-for more information please call 410-310-8727.

Reflection and Celebration is the theme of this year’s Chamber Music Festival – six concerts performed by world-class musicians at the Ebenezer Theater in historic Easton, Maryland. Back for this celebration and as a reflection of the Festival’s past four decades are musicians long-associated with the Festival – Catherine Cho, current Artistic Director, Robert McDonald, Peggy Pearson, Daniel and Todd Phillips, Tara Helen O’Connor, Carmit Zori, and especially two of its founding members, J. Lawrie Bloom and Artistic Director, Marcy Rosen. These players will perform some of their and the audience’s favorite repertoire, combining forces in partnerships well-established over the years. As always, the Festival will also showcase a distinguished guest string quartet as well as superb younger musicians who are well on their way to becoming outstanding performers on the world’s stages. And, as always, there will be entertaining surprises along the way.

Week Two of the Festival will feature the iconic Juilliard String Quartet – Areta Zhulla, Ronald Copes, Molly Carr, and Astrid Schween. They will perform Bedřich Smetana’s highly autobiographical and moving String Quartet No. 1 in E Minor “From My Life” (June 12). They will also perform Beethoven’s monumental String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat Major, complete with its original last movement, the Grosse Fuge.  Preceding the Beethoven, they play Jörg Widmann’s String Quartet No. 8 “Study on Beethoven III,” where the second movement is a set of variations based on the fourth movement of the Beethoven string quartet (both on June 13).

Newcomers to the Festival are 28-year-old violist Zhanbo Zheng and 28-year-old pianists Albert Cano Smit and Wynona Wang. All three are major first-prize winners in their fields and acclaimed soloists with major orchestras worldwide. All three will join forces with the Festival’s veteran musicians in varied repertoire, including works by Haydn, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Dvořák, and Fauré. Of special note, Smit will partner with Chesapeake Music favorite, cellist Sterling Elliott, playing American composer Amy Beach’s sublime Dreaming for Violoncello & Piano (June 6), and Wang will join flutist Tara Helen O’Connor for Mel Bonis’ beautiful and spirited Sonata in C-sharp Minor for Flute and Piano (June 14). Smit will also perform solo, playing two charming works by Cécile Chaminade: Étude de concert, “Automne” and Pièce humoristique, “Autrefois” (June 7).

The Festival will offer a generous mix of standard repertoire favorites and lesser-known gems. Favorites include Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet in A Major (June 8) and his Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat Major, (June 13); Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 5 in A Major (June 7); Brahms’ Piano Trio No. 2 in C Major (June 6); Dvořák’s Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat Major (June 7); Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor (June 8), and his String Quintet No. 1 in A Major (June 12). Among the exciting lesser-known works are Luigi Boccherini’s Quintet in D Minor in an arrangement by oboist Peggy Pearson (June 6); Robert Schumann’s Märchenerzählungen (“Fairy Tales”): Four Pieces for Clarinet, Viola and Piano (June 6); Louise Farrenc’s Trio in E Minor for Flute, Cello and Piano (June 12); Arnold Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht (“Transfigured Night”) (June 14), and Gabriel Fauré’s Piano Quartet No. 2 in G Minor (June 14).

For more information on Chesapeake Music’s 40^th Chamber Music Festival and to purchase tickets, visit ChesapeakeMusic.org.

 

Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival Schedule

June 6–14, 2025

June 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Opening Extravaganza!

June 7 – 7:30 p.m.
Hope and Drama

June 8 – 5:00 p.m.
Masters at Work

June 12 – 7:30 p.m.
From My Life

June 13 – 7:30 p.m.
Quartets Old and New

June 14 – 7:30 p.m.
Festival Finale

2 Free and Open Rehearsals: June 4 and June 11 at 10:00 a.m.

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Based in Easton, Maryland, and celebrating its 40th Anniversary Year, Chesapeake Music is a nonprofit organization that brings renowned musicians to delight, engage, and surprise today’s audiences, and educate, inspire, and develop tomorrow’s. Learn more at ChesapeakeMusic.org.

Celebrating the Beauty of Flowers in Art — Opening During Easton’s May Day Festivities Studio B Art Gallery is thrilled to announce a special spring exhibit, “The Art of Blossoms”, opening Friday, May 2, in conjunction with Discover Easton’s annual May Day Celebration. The gallery will host an “Art Salon” opening reception during Easton’s First Friday Gallery Walk, this month themed Art in Bloom, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Art of Blossoms celebrates the beauty of flowers through the artistry of fine paintings. Visitors will be treated to a collection of works inspired by floral forms and vibrant color palettes, capturing the essence and joy of nature in bloom. Among the featured artists, the exhibit will prominently showcase the exquisite paintings of the esteemed Lani Browning, whose artwork beautifully captures the soul of spring. Lani presents viewers with canvases bursting with vibrant color and delicate detail. Her enchanting depictions of blossoms evoke a sense of wonder and the pure joy of nature in full bloom, making her a central highlight of this springtime celebration.

Studio B’s festivities are part of a larger downtown event, Easton’s May Day Celebration, taking place May 1–3. Returning this year is the beloved Downtown Floral Decorating Contest, with storefronts and businesses across Easton creatively adorned with flowers and greenery. Displays will be available for public viewing starting Thursday, May 1 at noon, and will remain throughout the weekend. Judging by the Talbot County Garden Club will highlight standout designs in categories such as Best Planters, Best Wreaths, Best Baskets, and Best Ongoing Seasonal Displays. Be sure to stop by Studio B to see our floral arrangement while enjoying the spring exhibit.

Additional May Day events include a free outdoor movie screening of “The Lorax” in the Talbot County Historical Society garden on Friday evening at 8:30 p.m.; free horse-drawn carriage rides through downtown Easton; a Ladies’ Brunch hosted by the Tidewater Inn; and a flower demonstration and wine tasting in the Waterfowl Building. More details and information can be found at www.discovereaston.com/mayday.

Celebrate the arrival of spring with fine art, flowers, and festivities in the heart of Easton. Visit Studio B Art Gallery during the First Friday “Art Salon” and experience the magic of The Art of Blossoms.

For more information about Studio B Art Gallery, visit us online at www.studiobartgallery.com, on Facebook and Instagram @studiobartgallery, or contact Betty Huang at [email protected].

Studio B Art Gallery is located at 7 B Goldsborough Street in historic downtown Easton, Maryland. The gallery represents nationally and internationally known painters Lani Browning, Hiu Lai Chong, Bernard Dellario, Ken DeWaard, Diz Hormel, Betty Huang, Qiang Huang, Charles Newman, Daniel Robbins, Master Jove Wang, and sculptor Rick Casali.

Troika Gallery is continuing their Spring Show through May 31, 2025 with beautiful new artwork by select gallery artists on exhibit.  A reception will take place May 2, First Friday, from 5-8 pm with light refreshments, coinciding with the May Day Celebration ‘Art in Bloom’ throughout Historic Downtown Easton.

Presenting “The Finest of Fine Art”  since 1997, Troika Gallery is the longest operating gallery on the Eastern Shore. Whether you are an art collector, art lover, or an art browser, you will enjoy your visit to Troika Gallery as the friendly ambiance has cultivated loyal followers. Professional artist and owner Laura Era, and Gallery Manager Peg Fitzgerald, welcome your visit to browse the collections.

Troika Gallery located at 9 South Harrison Street, is open Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 11 am until 6:00 pm, and Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday by appointment.  For more information, call 410-770-9190 or visit www.troikagallery.com. 

 

The Oxford Community Center is proud to present world-renowned jazz vocalist Allan Harris on Friday, May 2, for a one-night-only performance honoring the legendary Nat King Cole. Part of the acclaimed Jazz Series On Stage at OCC, the concert invites audiences to experience the rich, velvety tones of Cole’s songbook through the singular voice of one of today’s most celebrated interpreters.

Described by The New York Times as a “velvet-voiced baritone with an earthy edge,” Allan Harris has captivated audiences around the globe with his masterful storytelling, elegant phrasing, and genre-defying performances. His tribute to Nat King Cole is more than a concert—it’s a deeply personal homage to an artist who helped define American music and break racial barriers along the way.

“He was for everybody,” said Harris. “He sang for the world, and he delivered the exact songs that the composers wrote. When you heard a Nat King Cole song, you heard every word, every syllable, and it made sense. It was just wonderful.”

Backed by a stellar jazz trio, Harris will perform some of Cole’s most beloved songs, from the buoyant charm of “Rambling Rose” to the silken romance of “Unforgettable,” delivered with the diction, warmth, and storytelling that make Harris a standout on any stage.

“We’re honored to bring Allan Harris to our stage,” said Liza Ledford, Executive Director of the Oxford Community Center. “His connection to this music is palpable, and it will be a night of beauty, nostalgia, and extraordinary talent in an intimate setting.”

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Event Details:
Allan Harris: The Music of Nat King Cole
Friday, May 2, 2025 | 7:30 PM
Oxford Community Center | 200 Oxford Rd, Oxford, MD
Tickets and more information: oxfordcc.org

This event is expected to sell out. Advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended.

The Zebra Gallery will open two shows in May, with an opening on Friday, May 2 from 5 to 7 p.m. with artist talks. The two artists in the Main Gallery, Frank DePietro and Richard Fritz, MD, feature color palettes and subject matter represent springtime and growth.

Frank DePietro lives in Landenberg, PA, teaching classes at Longwood Gardens and The Delaware Art Museum. He describes his work as contemporary realist paintings. His work is derived from experiences making traditional landscape and plein air paintings. Conceptually similar, his art attempts to capture time through the changes of light and color displayed in the natural world.

“I prefer to work in the controlled environment of a studio, where I can spend long periods of unlimited time with my subject matter, contemplating the relationship of nature to the formal elements of painting. I begin my process with a photographic search for visually impactful compositions that reveal and document a specific time and place.  The images I collect are transformed and simplified with considerations of shape, line, form, texture, space, tone, and color,” DePietro states.

Richard Fritz, MD, a retired physician living in Easton, describes himself as an oil painter in the colorist tradition, focusing primarily on landscapes. The academics of painting requires discipline in mastery of medium, draftsmanship, and composition. But the real joy of painting lies in the creative journey it provides.

‘My artistic vision has spiritual roots relating to the belief that consciousness follows light, and light manifests in color. Painting landscapes opens a dialogue with creation, exploring the interplay of light and dark, form and color, object and awareness. The act of painting is, in itself, meditative and joyful. My artistic aspiration is to animate natural scenes with a sense of innate mindfulness and quiet compassion, and to communicate that feeling to the viewer,” he shares.

Additional artists, Shelton Hawkins and April Claggett will have work on display in June with an opening on Friday, June 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. Shelton Hawkins, of Easton, MD, will have his second annual basketball-themed event at the gallery. This show called “For Love of the Game” will feature his basketball courts painted all over the world. April Claggett, an Easton MD native, will display a group of paintings she calls “Entanglements.” This work from Africa does not depict suffering but premises a symbolic realm where the longing for wholeness, even perhaps with things antithetical or past, can be real and present. Simple fictions of accompaniment in daywork and daydreams—playful, mysterious, absurd, violent—inhabit indeterminate spaces.

Susan Schauer John comments, “The upcoming artists featured in the gallery bring an amazing range of interpretations in their work and I think the community will really enjoy these inspiring works of art.”

The Zebra Gallery address is 5 N. Harrison Street, Easton, MD (across the street from the Historic Tidewater Inn). For further information, visit https://www.thezebragallery.com.

Get ready, Eastern Shore—on Saturday, May 3, the Academy Art Museum is shaking things up with what promises to be the boldest gala of the year. This year’s celebration trades the traditional gala for an unexpected twist: a massive industrial warehouse just north of Easton. For one night only, the raw space will be transformed into a sleek, city-loft-style venue that’s all about modern edge and creative flair.

The inspiration? The razor-sharp realism of photorealist legend Richard Estes, whose exhibition Urban Landscapes, opens at the Academy on May 1. His intricate urban scenes spark a sense of connection and astonishing detail—setting the tone for a night that blurs the line between art and experience.

Setting the sonic mood is none other than local music legend Kentavius Jones, debuting an original soundscape composed exclusively for the event. Expect grooves that echo with the energy of city streets, crafted to perfectly complement Estes’ visual world.

It wouldn’t be a true Academy Art Museum night without incredible food. Gourmet by the Bay returns with a menu as bold and creative as the art on display—yes, you’ll want to Instagram it before you take a bite.

“We wanted this year’s gala to feel like a turning point—a moment that reflects the scale of our ambition and the energy of our community,” said Charlotte Potter Kasic, Director of the Academy Art Museum. “It’s not just a celebration of what we’ve done, but of everything we’re about to do. This is a party with purpose.”

More than a night of music, art, and conversation, this gala fuels the museum’s mission: supporting dynamic exhibitions, hands-on classes for all ages, and year-round programming—while keeping admission free for everyone.

So mark your calendar, put on something fabulous, and prepare for an evening that’s as visionary as the art that inspired it.

For information and to purchase tickets, visit here.