BmoreArt

This week’s news includes: Remembering Ann Everton of Darsombra, C. Grimaldis Gallery closing, NGA closes unexpectedly, Before the Americas exhibition finds a new home, Tawny Chatmon exhibition at NMWA, Turnstile takes on the world, Free Fall Baltimore, Junius Wilson’s fantastic reality at AVAM, Laverne’s comes to Station North, New/Next Film Fest will return in 2026, Contemporary Art at the Folger, BSO news, the Lewis Museum satellite gallery at The Village at Mondawmin open, and Baltimore’s love of Edgar Allan Poe– with reporting from Baltimore Magazine, Baltimore Fishbowl, The Baltimore Banner, and other local and independent news sources.

Header Image: Tawny Chatmon, The Reconciliation / Economic Heritage,  Embroidery and acrylic paint on archival pigment print, 60 x 43 x 2.5 in., 2024. Courtesy the artist and Galerie Myrtis

Ann Everton, member of Baltimore rock band Darsombra, dies in car crash
by Ed Schrader
Published October 7 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Excerpt: Editor’s note: Ann Everton, a member of the Baltimore band Darsombra, died in a New York car crash on Oct. 3, 2025. Baltimore Fishbowl is republishing this 2022 interview with Everton, and her fellow Darsombra band member Brian Daniloski, in her memory.

With an album in the works and a new tape release, Darsombra have been hitting the road hard with a stop in their home territory slated this Saturday [Nov. 19, 2022] at The Metro Gallery.

Darsombra enthusiastically self characterizes as “trans-apocalyptic galaxy rock.” The band’s music jumps frenetically from wistful stretches of euphoria to contemplative bare arrangements shifting at times to elegantly menacing territory and back out the other side. You get layers with Darsombra.

I was able to recently dive into some of those layers with the band’s members Ann Everton and Brian Daniloski, and I think we each had a few laughs along the way.

:: See Also ::

Stand with Brian in Memory of Ann | Go Fund Me

A Gallery Announcement
Newsletter :: October 7

Dear Friends,

After 48 years of continuous operation in Baltimore, the C. Grimaldis Gallery will be closing its doors on December 31st. Our final exhibition — a variation of our Summer Show, renamed The Last Picture Show — will be available to the public until November 10th. Starting on January 1, 2026, the gallery will transition to a primarily online presence through our website, www.cgrimaldisgallery.com, as well as platforms like Artsy and Artnet, and participation in selected art fairs. In this new capacity, we will serve as a resource for our collectors, curators, and museums as we facilitate primary and secondary market sales.

A Short Reminiscence

The gallery opened in September of 1977 at 928 North Charles Street, the front parlor of a Mount Vernon row house. In 1986, we renovated and moved further down Charles Street to 523, our current location, and concurrently in the years 1990-1993 we operated a sculpture space at 1006 Morton Street to facilitate large scale sculpture.

We have had the honor of promoting artists within our gallery stable across many generations. Some have already passed, but their work remains and continues to define the gallery’s ethos. Artists Eugene Leake (1911-2005), Raoul Middleman (1935-2021), and Grace Hartigan (1922-2008) were instrumental in the development and success of the gallery, as well as my personal development as a dealer. Starting in 1981, we introduced the Baltimore public to icons of art history with exhibitions of Alice Neel (1900-1984), Elaine de Kooning (1918-1989), Willem de Kooning (1904-1997), and British sculptor Sir Anthony Caro (1924-2013). Their pioneering solo exhibitions established the gallery as an important art venue beyond the limits of our city and state. Through carefully curated group exhibitions that placed these major figures alongside emerging talents, we aimed not only to build trust in our vision, but also to shine a light on the significance and promise of younger artists’ work.

In the ensuing years, many artists have joined the gallery, and every one of you should know that your work and spirit have enhanced not only the evolution of the gallery, but of the whole art scene in our city as it’s reaching a pinnacle today. We hope our commitment to you has been self-evident in the relationships we’ve built, collections we’ve stewarded, and careers we’ve helped to shape. It is a nostalgic exercise indeed to reflect upon how much each one of you has meant to me throughout this outstanding journey.

So, many thanks to Chul-Hyun Ahn, Markus Baldegger, Henry Coe, Madeleine Dietz, Frank Dituri, Hasan Elahi, Joel Fisher, Carol Miller Frost, Cheryl Goldsleger, Jon Isherwood, Hidenori Ishii, Mel Kendrick, Heejo Kim, Jae Ko, Dimitra Lazaridou, Jane Manus, Ben Marcin, Rania Matar, John McCarty, Beverly McIver, Christopher Myers, Christine Neill, Bernd Radtke, Giorgos Rigas (1921-2014), Ulrich Rückriem, John Ruppert, Jim Sanborn, Annette Sauermann, Wade Saunders, Bill Schmidt, Nora Sturges, John Van Alstine, Costas Varotsos, Joan Waltemath, and John Waters.

The Chapter Ahead

And thus today, with an acknowledgement that change is the only constant in life, I share the news of this new trajectory for the C. Grimaldis Gallery. We will close our 523 North Charles Street location on December 31, 2025. We look forward to seeing you during this closing exhibition in the coming months.

I am profoundly grateful to each of you, collectors and artists, for the generosity of spirit, time, and support, and your shared commitment to promote the arts as a critical pillar of our society. May this continue onward.

Sincerely,

Costas

Constantine Grimaldis

C. Grimaldis Gallery

National Gallery of Art Closure
News Brief :: October 4

Beginning tomorrow, October 5, the National Gallery will be temporarily closed and all programs will be canceled until further notice.

We will share any updates about our operating status on nga.gov, on social media, and via our newsletter. We are unable to respond to any general inquiries by phone or email.

An Exhibition Axed Under Trump’s DEI Ban Finds a New Home
by Noëlle de Leeuw
Published October 5 in Hyperallergic

Excerpt: One of the first exhibitions to be terminated as a result of Trump’s attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has found a new home in Fairfax, Virginia. On Saturday, September 13, Before the Americas, initially slated for the Art Museum of the Americas in Washington, DC, officially opened its doors at the Gillespie Gallery at George Mason University School of Art. Featuring the work of 39 artists representing 17 countries, including Amy Sherald, Renee Stout, Alma Thomas, Elizabeth Catlett, and Alonzo Davis, the show explores ancestral memory, migration, and interconnectivity in African American, Afro-Latino, and Caribbean communities through mediums from sculpture to printmaking to book art.

Cheryl Edwards, the exhibition’s curator, told Hyperallergic she felt “relieved and redeemed” when the show opened for the public — “You know, like Bob Marley’s Redemption Song,” she said.

The exhibition was set to open at the Art Museum of the Americas, part of the Organization of American States, on March 21, four years after it was first commissioned. In February, Edwards received a phone call informing her that the show had been terminated. The Trump administration had allegedly labeled it a “DEI program and event” and withdrawn funding for the show, which had been previously secured under the Biden administration.

:: See Also ::

Exhibition Canceled By Trump’s DEI Ban Opens at George Mason University
by Francesca Aton
Published October 6 in Art News

“Tawny Chatmon: Sanctuaries of Truth, Dissolution of Lies” opening at The National Museum of Women in the Arts October 15th
Newsletter :: October 6

Galerie Myrtis is pleased to announce the forthcoming solo exhibition “Tawny Chatmon: Sanctuaries of Truth, Dissolution of Lies,” which will be hosted at The National Museum of Women in the Arts from October 15, 2025, to March 8, 2026. The opening celebration will occur on October 15th from 5:30 to 8:00 pm. Reservations are required to attend this program. We encourage guests to use the discount code “CHATMON” at checkout to obtain tickets. Click here to purchase passes.“This presentation of Tawny Chatmon’s work at NMWA marks a significant evolution in her photography-based practice. The exhibition debuts selections from her latest series, “The Restoration” (2021 to present) and “The Reconciliation” (2024 to present), which incorporate assemblage, embroidery, film, and audio narrative. These works broaden the visual language Chatmon established in her iconic gilded series such as “If I’m no longer here, I wanted you to Know…” (2020 to 2021), “Remnants” (2021 to 2023), and “Iconography” (2023 to present); selections from these series are also on view. These large and lushly patterned works depicting children are stylistically inspired by Austrian painter Gustav Klimt as well as Byzantine mosaics.

For Chatmon, the materiality of her work is as important as her subjects. Concerns over ethical sourcing of gold and cobalt, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have led Chatmon away from using genuine gold. Instead, her two new series explore the conceptual and visual possibilities of embroidery and textiles. In “The Reconciliation,” Chatmon addresses stereotypes surrounding the food of the African diaspora. By reclaiming subjects and stories that have been distorted by racism, she honors the meals that have nourished Black families for centuries.

Chatmon’s series “The Restoration” was born out of a desire to remove antique racist dolls and figurines from circulation. In it, she features children holding these objects, which the artist has lovingly and carefully repainted and reclothed, symbolically reclaiming Black bodies and histories. Through her works, Chatmon urges viewers to celebrate the “significance, preciousness, sacred nature, and value” of her Black subjects.” – The National Museum of Women in the Arts

Free Fall is in Full Swing with Citywide Events
Press Release :: October 8

The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA) announces the 2025 grantees selected to receive Free Fall Baltimore funding. Free Fall Baltimore is a citywide celebration of the arts held in conjunction with National Arts & Humanities Month. From October 1–31, galleries, venues, and performance spaces across Baltimore City produce free arts & cultural events — from concerts and screenings to workshops, exhibitions, and more. Free Fall 2025 is made possible by the generous support of the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) and community sponsor, State Employees Credit Union of Maryland, Inc. (SECU).

In addition to promoting these free events all month long, BOPA also provides funding to individual creatives and small arts organizations through the Free Fall Baltimore grant program. This year, BOPA awarded $1,000 grants to 50 artists and organizations for their proposed events, all of which are free, open to the public, and located in Baltimore City. “Free Fall Baltimore truly reflects the creative spirit of our city,” said Robyn Murphy, CEO of BOPA. “This year’s grantees represent an incredible diversity of artists, organizations, and ideas — from neighborhood festivals and dance performances to film screenings and family workshops. Together, they showcase the many ways art brings people together and strengthens our communities. Every Free Fall event is an opportunity for Baltimoreans from Arlington to Armistead Gardens and beyond to experience the power of creativity and the joy of connection.”

Organizations with operating budgets over $300,000 were not eligible to apply for grant funds, however, many of Baltimore’s cultural institutions still produce Free Fall activities. Look for free events hosted by the National Aquarium, Baltimore Museum of Art, American Visionary Art Museum, OpenWorks, and more. There are scheduled events and interactive activities for people of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of experience in a variety of creative disciplines so everyone can find a way to participate in Free Fall Baltimore.

Learn more about Free Fall Baltimore by visiting freefallbaltimore.org/ and following BOPA on social media (@promoandarts). Please note that we are still adding more events to the Free Fall Baltimore website as we confirm details with each grantee so be sure to check back.

Turnstile Takes Off: How Baltimore Shaped The World’s Biggest Hardcore Band
by Lydia Woolever
Published October 7 in Baltimore Magazine

Excerpt: THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON, a crowd had been growing in the Wyman Park Dell. To the west, they scrambled down its hillsides beneath the Baltimore Museum of Art, cutting through brambles and over briars in search of a small clearing. To the east, they spread out across the grass and shimmied up oak trees for a better view near Charles Street. Looking south, there were people, and more people—old-head punks, fresh-faced Hopkins students, parents shouldering earmuffed babies—and high in the sky hung an almost-full moon, as if it, too, had been lured here, on this warm spring night in north Baltimore.

In the center of it all stood an empty stage, built there this very morning, its colorful paneled backdrop resembling those old off-air signals on early color TVs. And for a while, everyone waited there. Then finally, an hour before sunset, the first line of ambient synth began lilting out of those big, black speakers. A hush fell over the dell until, slowly but surely, Turnstile appeared.

Woodlawn sculptor fulfills dream as show opens at American Visionary Art Museum
by Rona Kobell
Published October 4 in The Baltimore Banner

Junius Wilson’s dream was big. It was also heavy.

The 82-year-old Woodlawn artist, who has fought through depression, colon cancer and debilitating pain from a fall, finally got his big break Friday — a show at the American Visionary Art Museum. He’d wanted that ever since he began sculpting a decade ago and ultimately built a whimsical display evoking ancient Egypt in his backyard.

But when curators visited his suburban cul-de-sac earlier this year to choose the pieces they would display in “Fantastic Realities,” a show featuring the works of Wilson and other artists, they immediately realized that box trucks and platforms were inadequate for the task at hand.

Some of Wilson’s sculptures are 15 feet tall and weigh more than 800 pounds. Most had never lived anywhere except outside, in his yard, where they’d been subjected to wind, water, and critters that had made themselves at home in the nooks and crevices of his art.

Among the most challenging to move of the eight pieces displayed was Wilson’s minotaur sculpture, which comes with a hook to help move it — not that the apparatus is much help for an 800-pound delicate magenta carving.

“The first thing I asked is, ‘How much does it weigh?’” said Conner Dorbin, the museum’s registrar, who is tasked with getting artwork delivered and set up in the galleries. “Then, I needed to know, would it go through our front door? And if not, would it fit through the elevator? And if not, how will we get it up the stairs?”

Eventually, Dorbin and nine members of his team managed to nestle the minotaur into a nook on the second floor. Other pieces displayed include a giant tribute to the Ukrainian community that Wilson carved out of a tree in a Pikesville friend’s backyard.

Dorbin and his team also had to hire an exterminator to fumigate the pieces before placing them in their new home at the AVAM.

Wilson’s artist friends are no strangers to the difficulty of moving his immense pieces, which often include intricate chambers inside other chambers, where nothing is as it seems.

“The first time I met him, he put me to work,” said Anthony Coates, now 69, who helped Wilson move a 2-ton piece of wood for a giant pyramid that he built in the Woodlawn yard. Wilson hosts occasional pop-up shows in his yard where he dresses like a pharaoh and plays the flute in front of the structure.

“Fantastic Realities” opened Friday evening at the Federal Hill museum and will be on display for a year. The show includes an incarcerated craftsman who fashions sculptures out of found objects in his cell.

AVAM founder Rebecca Hoffberger has known Wilson for 50 years; he is close with one of her childhood friends, Michael Margolis. But she had never offered him the opportunity to exhibit his work until The Baltimore Banner featured it last year.

“Junius’ work is otherworldly,” said Ellen Owens, the museum’s director. “He’s making art in his backyard, and shooting it into the sky. He’s really channeling space and time.”

It’s a particularly satisfying turn of events for Wilson, who was not sure he would live to see this moment. Trained as an electrician, Wilson fell 30 feet off some scaffolding on a job 30 years ago while installing wires. He was in immense physical pain for years, and fell into a deep depression that only lifted a decade ago, when he began carving his sculptures after his doctor advised him to find a hobby.

His story is similar to so many of the artists that AVAM features — self-trained visionaries who use found objects to create art after suffering from trauma.

While most carvers place a picture over a piece of wood and trace it, Wilson works differently. He has visions. The picture springs from his mind. He sees the figure and begins to carve. It shifts with his imagination as he works, and the finished piece looks nothing like he initially envisioned.

“If you look at the artists we have canonized in our field, he’s obviously with them,” said exhibit curator Gage Branda.

Branda, an artist himself, understood Wilson’s elation at the show, but also his pain in parting with his artwork. So he built Wilson a totem pole to place in his yard, a connection between the two as artists and a promise that the museum would take good care of Wilson’s fantastic beasts.

“I hope it was a fair trade,” Branda said.

Wilson finished chemotherapy for colon cancer, but said small amounts of the disease remain in his body. Beaming as he pushed around a walker, Wilson took in the other artists’ work and chatted with curators and docents as his wife, Ilona, looked on. Friday night, Ilona stayed with the walker as Wilson, resplendent in his pharaoh garb, needed his hands free to hold his carved staff and shake hands with well-wishers.

“I need a knee replacement, I still have cancer. I have neuropathy from the chemo. And I am having the best time of my life,” he said. “It’s a wonderful thing to feel good knowing that you’re in a state of mind where you can meet people at my level and enjoy them.”

This story was republished with permission from The Baltimore Banner. Visit www.thebanner.com for more.

Club and restaurant called Laverne’s proposed to replace Trip’s Place on Charles Street, part of a larger arts and culture hub planned for Station North
by Ed Gunts
Published October 8 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Excerpt: The former Trip’s Place nightspot in Station North will reopen as a club and restaurant called Laverne’s, part of a larger arts and culture hub planned for the 1800 block of North Charles Street.

Baltimore’s liquor board is scheduled on Thursday to consider an application to transfer a Class ‘BD7’ Beer, Wine & Liquor License to a group that plans to open Laverne’s where Trip’s Place used to be.

The public hearing is a sign that new owners are moving ahead with previously-announced plans to reopen the adjoining Trip’s Place and Gatsby’s nightclub buildings, which have been dormant for years, for arts-related uses.

New/Next Film Festival already confirmed for fourth year, returning in Fall 2026
by Aliza Worthington
Published October 7 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Excerpt: Not even a week after the 2025 New/Next Film Festival has passed, organizers have announced it will return for a fourth installment in the fall of 2026.

Presented by Baltimore Public Media (BPM), the festival brought more than 150 films and 300 filmmakers to the Charles Theatre the first weekend in October 2025. Craig Swagler, Baltimore Public Media’s president and general manager, is eager to continue the festival’s mission of offering cutting-edge cinema from Baltimore and beyond.

“I’m excited to announce the continuation of what is fast becoming a tradition—the 2026, fourth edition of the New/Next Film Festival will return next autumn,” Swagler said. “As we conclude the 2025 New/Next here at the Charles Theatre, know that we will be back again next year to celebrate another extraordinary season of art. Each year, this festival has grown, and I cannot wait to see what new partnerships, collaborations, and expansions await the independent film community.”

:: See Also ::

Photos: New/Next Film Festival 2025 After Dark
by J.M. Giordano
Published October 7 in Baltimore Magazine

Folger Shakespeare Library Announces Contemporary Art at the Folger, an exhibition featuring Folger Artist Fellows
Press Release :: October 8

Today, the Folger Shakespeare Library announced Contemporary Art at the Folger. ​Beginning in October 2025 and extending to April 2026, the Folger will host small solo exhibitions featuring the work of four recent Artist Fellows at the Folger Institute, the center for advanced research in the early modern humanities at the Folger. The four artists will give talks at the Folger during the run of their exhibition. Artist Fellow Alexander D’Agostino will also give a talk at the Folger on April 26, 2026 in support of his upcoming exhibition at Transformer DC next spring.

Each year, the Folger Shakespeare Library awards fellowships to artists whose creative work encompasses research on the stories, art, and objects in the Folger’s collection. The 2025-26 fellowship year saw a record 270 applications, with applicants representing 37 countries. The Folger has hosted 50 artist fellows since the program launched in 2015.

“Fellows have the opportunity to explore our collection and discover new material for their creative and critical work, producing everything from articles and books to oil paintings and concertos,” said Patricia Akhimie, Director of the Folger Institute. “Their work advances the value of the humanities in specific and tangible ways, and this exhibition welcomes a broader audience to see the incredible outputs some of our past fellows have created.”

Notable alumni achievements include Gbenga Adesina’s Death Does Not End at the Sea, longlisted for the National Book Award for Poetry and winner of the Raz/Shumaker Prairie Schooner Book Prize in Poetry; Courtney Bailey‘s 2024 production BRITCHES! a play for Lady Romeos for Prison Performing Arts in St. Louis, Missouri; Casey Carsel‘s solo show I can’t shake the stranger out of you at Toi Moroki Centre of Contemporary Art in New Zealand; and Ania Upstill‘s queer, punk, pirate musical Antonio!, which was a critical hit during its 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival run.

The Folger’s Artist Fellowship program is unique in its flexibility, offering onsite, virtual, or hybrid residencies without requiring a final product. ​Fellows are selected by an external committee of respected artists, ensuring a breadth of discipline and methodology. ​The Folger also supports past fellows through its Artist Alumni Fellowships, which provide up to $4,000 for public engagement projects. ​

Contemporary Art at the Folger will be on view in the Stuart and Mimi Rose Rare Book and Manuscript Exhibition Hall through April 5, 2026. The Folger Shakespeare Library is located at 201 East Capitol Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003, and is open Tuesday–Sunday from 11am–6pm, with extended Friday hours until 9pm. Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $15. Visitors may also reserve timed-entry passes. For more information about the exhibition, please visit: folger.edu/contemporary-art.

For more information about the exhibitions, artist talks, and related events, visit the Folger’s What’s On calendar at folger.edu/whats-on. ​

Contemporary Art at the Folger is curated by Leah Thomas, Public Humanities Program Manager and Manager for the Artistic Research Fellowships program.

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Announces Symphony in the City Concert at Johns Hopkins University
Press Release :: October 6

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) will bring its Symphony in the City series to Turner Auditorium at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at 7:30 pm. The free community concert will feature the conducting debut of Jiannan Cheng, the BSO’s newly appointed assistant conductor, in a program of evocative autumnal works.

The program highlights the artistry of underrepresented and well-loved composers alike, from Fanny Mendelssohn’s spirited Overture in C major to Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s lyrical Novelletten, and from Jean Sibelius’s Autrefois (Scène pastorale) to Florence Price’s vibrant Suite of Dances. Works by Vaughan Williams, Grieg, and Debussy complete the program.

“It is an honor to join the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra family this season and even more special to make my official debut on a Symphony in the City concert – a series so deeply rooted in community,” said Jiannan Cheng, assistant conductor, BSO. “This program brings together music of tenderness, charm, and joy, and I am especially moved to share works by composers whose voices deserve to be heard more widely. I look forward to connecting with our Baltimore neighbors through this performance.”

Presented in partnership with Johns Hopkins University, the event aligns with the University’s 150th anniversary celebrations, underscoring the shared commitment of both institutions to community connection, education, and cultural enrichment. In addition to hosting the Symphony in the City concert, Johns Hopkins University will be underwriting access for hundreds of Hopkins students to experience the Orchestra all-season long through the BSO’s Student Select program. Normally a $45 season-long membership, Student Select holders enjoy complimentary access to all BSO Classical Collection concerts, specially discounted tickets to Popular and Celebrations Collection concerts, and the opportunity to bring a friend for just $10.

“We’re thrilled to welcome the BSO to Johns Hopkins for this special performance,” said Lisa Ishii, M.D., M.H.S., Senior Vice President of Operations for Johns Hopkins Health System. “It’s an evening that showcases the best of Baltimore’s talent and spirit.”

Symphony in the City: Johns Hopkins Turner Auditorium
Wednesday, November 19, 2025

7:30 pm Concert Start Time
Turner Auditorium, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21205
Jiannan Cheng, conductor

Program:

• Fanny MENDELSSOHN – Overture in C major
• VAUGHAN WILLIAMS – Fantasia on Greensleeves
• Samuel COLERIDGE-TAYLOR – Four Novelletten, No. 1 and No. 4
• SIBELIUS – Autrefois (Scène pastorale)
• GRIEG – Holberg Suite, Mvts. 1, 4, 5
• DEBUSSY – Petite Suite
• Florence PRICE – Suite of Dances

This performance will run approximately 60 minutes and is presented without intermission.

Admission is free, but reservations are recommended. For details and tickets, visit https://my.bsomusic.org/overview/20300

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Symphony in the City series is made possible by the generous support of Presenting Sponsor BGE, additional support from Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins 150, and the major support of Robert E. Meyerhoff & Rheda Becker. Launched in 2019, Symphony in the City is a testament to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s commitment to bringing world-class music to audiences beyond the walls of the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, reaching every corner of Baltimore City. It serves as a celebration of community, culture, and the transformative power of music.

About Jiannan Cheng

Praised as “a rare combination of technical skill, intense musicality, and a genuine passion,” Jiannan Cheng has quickly established herself as one of the most dynamic artists of her generation. Winner of the 1st Prize, Orchestra Prize, and Audience Prize at the 2024 Hugo Alfvén International Conducting Competition in Sweden and 2nd Prize at the Orchestra’s Conductor Competition in Romania, she currently serves as the Music Director of Orchestra Concordia. She has conducted orchestras across Europe, North America, and Asia, including Les Violons du Roy, the Stuttgart Philharmonic, Orchestra Giovanile Luigi Cherubini, Georgian Chamber Orchestra Ingolstadt, the Tianjin Juilliard Orchestra, and the Dallas Opera Orchestra. Equally active in opera, she has held positions with Opernfestspiele Heidenheim, City Lyric Opera, and the Vienna Summer Music Festival, and was a participant in The Dallas Opera’s Hart Institute for Women Conductors. Born in China, Jiannan studied conducting at the China Conservatory of Music, the University of Washington, the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Munich, and has been mentored by conductors including Riccardo Muti, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Marin Alsop, and Kurt Masur.

:: See Also ::

BSO and Hopkins team up for free Symphony in the City concert
by Aliza Worthington
Published October 6 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Appoints Jiannan Cheng as Assistant Conductor and Tatiana Pérez-Hernández as Conducting Fellow
Press Release :: October 6

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) announces the appointment of Jiannan Cheng as Assistant Conductor and Tatiana Pérez-Hernández as Conducting Fellow for the 2025–26 season. Cheng succeeds Jonathon Taylor Rush, who held the position of Assistant Conductor, later promoted to Associate Conductor, from 2020 to 2023.

“I am thrilled to welcome Jiannan and Tatiana to the BSO family,” said Jonathon Heyward, Music Director of the BSO. “There is a real talent in Jiannan’s music making and she brings to the BSO a deep knowledge and curiosity. I look forward to working with both as they share their artistry, perspective, and voice with our orchestra and our greater BSO community.”

Equally passionate about symphonic and operatic repertoire, Cheng is recognized for her technical precision, illuminating musical insight and powerful emotional depth. Currently Music Director of Orchestra Concordia, she has appeared with ensembles across Europe, North America and Asia, as well as won such prestigious competitions as the 2024 Alfvén International Conducting Competition in Sweden. As BSO Assistant Conductor, she will lead select family and education rehearsals and performances, as well as conduct several holiday, summer, and special concerts throughout the season. Offstage, Cheng will serve as cover conductor for most classical subscription programs, advise during rehearsals, and contribute to the BSO’s community and education initiatives, among many other responsibilities.

“I am truly honored to join the BSO and to be part of this exciting season,” said Jiannan Cheng. “From my very first weeks, I have been inspired by the artistry, dedication, and warmth of our music director, musicians and staff. It means so much to me to be given this incredible opportunity, and I’m excited to bring more music to our audiences.”

The importance of adding two women from diverse backgrounds to the BSO’s conducting ranks is not lost on Heyward, who also said, “Young people need to see mirrors and windows on the podium to help them build their sense of belonging and imagine a future in classical music. With education programming such an important focus of their roles, Jiannan and Tatiana will help us build even more bridges to the many thousands of young students set to experience the BSO this season.”

A rising conductor and cellist hailing from Colombia, Tatiana Pérez-Hernández joins the BSO as its inaugural Conducting Fellow, a new program reflecting Music Director Jonathon Heyward’s desire to mentor rising conducting talent and build a foundation for further success in the field. In her role, Pérez-Hernández will serve as a cover conductor for several BSO concerts and lead select education and community programs including Side-by-Side rehearsals with regional schools and BSO Play Date, an immersive side-by-side rehearsal experience for amateur musicians. Throughout the Fellowship, Pérez-Hernández will engage with Music Director Jonathon Heyward, Music Director Laureate Marin Alsop, guest conductors, musicians and staff, receiving guidance for matters such as musical interpretation and technique, career development, artistic planning and operations, and conductor-musician collaboration.

“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to learn from the exceptional musicianship and generosity of the orchestra members,” shared Tatiana Pérez-Hernández. “I look forward to contributing meaningfully to the cultural fabric of the institution, the city of Baltimore, and the state of Maryland.”

Cheng and Pérez-Hernández join the BSO’s roster of artistic leaders and partners under Music Director Jonathon Heyward including dedicated conducting staff for the four ensembles comprising the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras (BSYO). In January 2025, the BSO announced the three-year appointment of former Associate Conductor Nicholas Hersh as Principal Conductor of the BSO Academy, its signature weeklong program for adult instrumentalists.

Cheng makes her BSO debut at the free Symphony in the City concert at Johns Hopkins University on November 19.

About Jiannan Cheng

Praised as “a rare combination of technical skill, intense musicality, and a genuine passion,” Jiannan Cheng has quickly established herself as one of the most dynamic artists of her generation. Winner of the 1st Prize, Orchestra Prize, and Audience Prize at the 2024 Hugo Alfvén International Conducting Competition in Sweden and 2nd Prize at the Orchestra’s Conductor Competition in Romania, she currently serves as the Music Director of Orchestra Concordia. She has conducted orchestras across Europe, North America, and Asia, including Les Violons du Roy, the Stuttgart Philharmonic, Orchestra Giovanile Luigi Cherubini, Georgian Chamber Orchestra Ingolstadt, the Tianjin Juilliard Orchestra, and the Dallas Opera Orchestra. Equally active in opera, she has held positions with Opernfestspiele Heidenheim, City Lyric Opera, and the Vienna Summer Music Festival, and was a participant in The Dallas Opera’s Hart Institute for Women Conductors. Born in China, Jiannan studied conducting at the China Conservatory of Music, the University of Washington, the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Munich, and has been mentored by conductors including Riccardo Muti, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Marin Alsop, and Kurt Masur.

About Tatiana Pérez-Hernández

Tatiana Pérez Hernández is an acclaimed Colombian conductor known for her musical depth and

dynamic presence on the podium. She currently serves as Fellowship Conductor with the Baltimore

Symphony Orchestra (2025–2026) and has been a prizewinner and laureated in competitions including

La Maestra (Paris), Bogotá Philharmonic Women Conductors Competition, and the Orchestre de

la Suisse Romande’s Assistant Conductor Competition (Geneva). She has conducted the Chineke! Orchestra in the UK premiere of Florence Price’s Symphony No. 4, and collaborated with major orchestras across Latin America. She has assisted renowned conductors such as Gustavo Dudamel, Klaus Mäkelä, Pablo Heras-Casado, Roberto González and Andrés Orozco-Estrada with Orchestre Paris, Gothenburg Symphony and SWR Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart. In 2022, Tatiana won the audition to become Resident Conductor of the Medellín Philharmonic Orchestra, one of Colombia’s most prestigious ensembles—a position that brought her national acclaim and increased international recognition. She currently serves as Principal Conductor of Estudio Polifónico in Medellín.

Blacks In White Satellite Gallery NOW OPEN
Press Release :: October 6

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum is proud to announce the opening of its newest touchpoint satellite gallery exhibition on September 19, 2025 at The Village at Mondawmin!

The Lewis at Mondawmin is a satellite gallery space created to extend the reach, impact, and presence of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture into the heart of the community. Located inside The Village at Mondawmin—a historic shopping center and civic hub for West Baltimore—this new exhibit space offers an accessible, community-rooted platform for rotating exhibitions and interactive displays that celebrate Maryland’s rich African American history and culture.

Blacks In White: African American Health Professionals highlights the vital contributions of Black healthcare professionals and institutions in Maryland, with a focus on West Baltimore. Spanning the late 19th and 20th centuries, the exhibit features pioneering institutions such as Provident Hospital, the Helene Fuld Nursing School, and Young’s Pharmacy, as well as the leaders behind them, including Dr. Howard E. Young and Dr. Nellie Louis Young. In the face of systemic and medical racism, these professionals provided essential care, trained future generations of nurses, and built institutions that served communities often denied access to quality healthcare. Emerging from a vibrant, resilient West Baltimore, their legacy reflects the power of community, dedication, and the ongoing pursuit of health equity for all.

📍 Location: The Village at Mondawmin, 3201 Tioga Parkway East Entrance, Baltimore, MD 21215

Explore the legacy of African American health professionals through powerful stories, images, and artifacts. Now on view at The Village at Mondawmin—join us in celebrating their strength, resilience, and brilliance!

Does anyone really like Edgar Allan Poe? Or is it just a Baltimore dream?
by Rick Hutzell
Published October 7 in The Baltimore Banner

Excerpt: Reach a certain age, and Edgar Allan Poe is there, ominously waiting for your attention in the pages of a textbook.

Hawoon Lee found him. The South Korean sixth grader waved his arms, conjuring the writer as he stood with happy parents at his literary hero’s second grave in Baltimore.

“He joined the Army in 1827,” Lee recited, “and he died in 1849.”

Poe was an American original. An archetype whose face, swollen with a lifetime of beatdowns, grimaces eternally from his famous black-and-white portrait to launch a thousand memes.

… this story continues. Read the rest at The Baltimore Banner: Does anyone really like Edgar Allan Poe? Or is it just a Baltimore dream?