January 2020 Newsletter: Happy New Year!
And new decade! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season spent with friends and family. We at Landmarks got to spend some time relaxing and celebrating the end of a successful 2019. 2020 is looking to be a big year for us! This will be our twentieth season of performing free concerts in Boston. We can't wait to see you all this summer!
A Look Back: Landmarks' First Concert
Believe it or not, 2020 marks the Boston Landmarks Orchestra's twentieth season! To commemorate this grand achievement, we'll be looking back at some of Landmarks' "greatest hits" over the years.

Today we return to our very first performance, which took place on July 13, 2001 at Harvard University's Sanders Theatre. In a 2002 article published in the Lowell Sun , then-conductor and Landmarks Orchestra founder Charles Ansbacher is quoted, "We are a new orchestra that gets its name because, in general, we try to perform at landmark locations." Looking at the program from the first Landmarks concert (below) one sees that the orchestra was slated to play at locations across the city, including the Boston Common, Georges Island, and Jamaica Pond. This is a tradition that Landmarks carries on today. In addition to the Hatch Shell, during 2019 Landmarks performed at Christopher Columbus Park, Faneuil Hall, and, just like in 2001, Jamaica Pond. We are excited to see where this summer will take us!
The program from Landmarks' first concert, performed at Harvard University's Sanders Theatre on July 13, 2001.
In Memoriam: Smoki Bacon
It is with a heavy heart that we announce that Smoki Bacon, a true Boston legend and a generous supporter and tireless advocate for Boston Landmarks Orchestra, passed away on Friday, December 27th, 2019 at the age of 91. Smoki and her late husband Dick Concannon were members of our Board of Overseers for many years, and they hosted numerous receptions and events for us in their iconic home across the footbridge from the Hatch Shell. They frequently attended the Orchestra’s concerts at the Hatch Shell together, and loyally supported and represented a long list of other organizations through the years.  

Her obituary in the Boston Globe notes:

"Her causes ranged from eliminating all bigotry — on the basis of gender or race, sexual orientation or socioeconomic background — to her ardent support of the Boston Landmarks Orchestra."

All of us at Landmarks are all proud to have received that ardent support, and to have been endorsed by such a woman with such laudable values. 

You can read more about Smoki’s remarkable life here .
Smoki conducting a group of Landmarks musicians at the 2015 gala.
Keep the music free!
Make a contribution to the Boston Landmarks Orchestra today and you will help us bring the gift of free music to thousands of children and adults next season and for many years to come.
Landmarks Musicians Around Town
When they're not playing at the Hatch Shell over the summer, Landmarks musicians perform all across the greater Boston area. Check out some of their upcoming gigs:

"Seeking Sanctuary: An Intimate Evening Celebrating Black Artistry through Chamber Music"
--Landmarks violist Ashleigh Gordon and pianist Joy Phinney Cline will perform chamber music written by Black composers including Florence Price and George Walker.
-- Friday, January 31, 8:00 PM at Wayland High School's Main Stage (264 Old Connecticut Path, Wayland, MA 01778). Free admission.
Mailing Address
Boston Landmarks Orchestra
545 Concord Avenue, Suite 318
Cambridge, MA 02138
Call Us!
Phone 617-987-2000
Fax 617-945-0536