Where are all the great composers?

Think about the great classical composers … names like Bach, Mozart and Debussy come to mind. And there’s no doubt they were extraordinary, but it sometimes feels like we’re reaching back centuries when looking for “the masters.” To be sure, there are contemporary composers whose names are probably at least familiar to you: John Williams, […]

Odyssey to Present the Barclay Brass In-Person and Live-Stream

On Sunday, October 3, 2021, at 4 p.m., the Howard County Concert Odyssey will present The Barclay Brass at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ellicott City.  The concert will be held in-person and a live-stream option is also available. Established in 2015, the Barclay Brass is an ensemble comprised of some of the Washington, DC […]

Music in Unexpected Places

In case you haven’t heard, last year a new instrument hit the music scene, and it’s huge. In fact, it’s the Golden Gate Bridge. And it has recently been featured in duets with a guitarist from Los Angeles named Nate Mercereau. Yes, it turns out that architecture can actually be pretty darn musical. How, you […]

Feelin’ Brassy

For a strong, bold sound, you can’t go wrong with a brass instrument. But how much do you know about the brass family? Check out these fun facts! Longer than they seem You’ve no doubt noticed that brass instruments tend to bend and coil quite a bit. A French horn would actually be 12 to […]

Marching Onward

Ah, summertime. Between Memorial Day and Independence Day may just be the perfect time of year to enjoy a rousing march! Feel the beat Marches are marked by a strong, regular tempo – usually 120 beats per minute, which matches the pace of soldiers. This style of music is thought to have originated in the […]

Handbell Choir of St. John’s Church

The Howard County Concert Odyssey presented “The Bells of St. John’s,” a program of handbell music by the St. John’s Ringers on Sunday, May 2, 2021. The music ensemble is the handbell choir of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Ellicott City. The performance included classical music from Bach and Mozart, American folk hymns, and bell solos.

Good vibrations: The wonderful world of reed instruments

Ever wonder what the reed in a reed instrument actually does? After all, musicians blow into other instruments to create sound – flutes and brass instruments come to mind first – that don’t use reeds. So what makes reed instruments different? First things first First, if you’re not sure what a reed is, it’s a […]

Odyssey to Present “The Bells of St. John’s” In-Person and Live-Stream

The Howard County Music Odyssey will present “The Bells of St. John’s,” a program of handbell music by the St. John’s Ringers on Sunday, May 2, 2021, at 4 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Ellicott City, 9120 Frederick Road, Ellicott City, Maryland. The music ensemble is the handbell choir of St. John’s Episcopal Church, […]

Live-Stream Concert with Arcadia String Quartet

The Arcadia String Quartet presented works by Mozart and Mendelssohn on April 11, 2021, live-stream from St. John’s Episcopal Church, Ellicott City.  Laura Knutson, violinist, Soojin Chang, violinist, Derek Smith, violist, and MaryAnn Perkel, cellist, make up the Arcadia String Quartet. These musicians are all local to the Baltimore area and have quite impressive resumes.  They performed selections from […]

Four Things You Probably Don’t Know About Stringed Instruments

When it comes to classical music, strings are really the stars of the show. With a wide range of tones and depths, they give orchestral music a richly layered sound. But how much do you really know about these amazing instruments? 1. There are 300+ different stringed instruments. When we think of the string family, […]