Strathmore has many ways for you to connect with art comfortably.
THE PATIO STAGE New open-air venue brings back live shows this summer.
BREAKING THE MOLD
Spring Break Camp forges new connections in a virtual environment.
STRATHMORE NEWS
SUMMER
RECONNECT
20 21
VOLUME 34 | ISSUE 2
Margot Schulman
A Note from our President and CEO Dear Friends, Recently I had the pleasure of attending a Zoom conversation with Maestro Gianandrea Noseda, Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra, and our Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras (MCYO) students. More than 220 young musicians tuned in to ask the Maestro questions and hear his insightful advice. We were enthralled by his description of the relationship between conductor and musician and audience: “We [the musicians and I] are telling a story. Together with the audience, we are delighted and heartbroken, passionate, and surprised!” That is precisely what we have missed during the pandemic—the shared energy and emotion of experiencing the arts together. That’s why I am overjoyed to welcome you back to Strathmore! In The Mansion, we have redesigned our exhibitions, shop, and tea musicales to host visitors with comfort and confidence. We have infused existing programs—like the Spring Break Camp described in the pages that follow— with fresh perspectives. We just launched a dynamic new website for improved customer service; and for the first time in more than a year, we invite you to join us on campus for live music at the Patio Stage, a special open-air venue on the Music Center’s Trawick Terrace. Before the Maestro signed off, he implored the MCYO students to “take care of the music making and each other.” Throughout the pandemic, you helped take care of us with your generous support and encouragement. We are grateful for your dedication, and we want to help you return to the arts you love! We care deeply about you and how you experience the arts at Strathmore. Everything we do is motivated by our desire for everyone to access and explore their wonder. We are ready and eager for you to visit. Come, join us! Warmly, 6
Monica Jeffries Hazangeles President and CEO
IN THIS ISSUE
Welcome Back 3 The Patio Stage Offers Concerts Al Fresco 6 Spring Break Camp Expands Perspectives 8 Art Exhibitions in The Mansion 10 Afternoon Tea Schedule 11 11 COVER PHOTO: Wynton Marsalis by Piper Ferguson, Sofia Rei by Shervin Lainez, Lark & Thurber by Lauren Desberg INSIDE COVER PHOTOS L–R: Nella, Buoy by Philip Valencia, Afternoon Tea
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STRATHMORENEWS | Summer 2021
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Margot Schulman
Andrew Propp
Rediscover the shared energy of live performance—comfortably. At times, the past year has felt isolating and heavy for us all, and it’s in those moments that we turned to the arts for connection and inspiration. We logged onto virtual concerts from our individual spaces in search of a semblance of the intimate, beautiful performances we remembered. But, they just aren’t the same. We crave the shared aliveness, focus, and magic of experiencing live music together. We miss the feeling of being totally immersed in a performance without the dishes or the laundry calling from a room away. Without the temptation to navigate away to check an email. Inviting you back to our campus is a thrill, and something our staff has been carefully planning. Our highest priority is keeping our audiences well and comfortable. We have continued to evaluate the most up-to-date protocols and policies from health and government officials as well as industry experts to make sound decisions that can put you at ease.
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT JOINING US IN PERSON THIS SUMMER: OUR SPACES HAVE BEEN REIMAGINED From our spacious new outdoor Patio Stage to our careful reorganization of The Mansion’s flow for gallery tours and art camps, you’ll notice every detail has been considered so all you need to focus on is enjoying yourself.
Surfaces such as door handles and handrails are frequently cleaned and sanitized. We’re also working to reduce the number of contact points by implementing contactless ticket scanners and hand sanitizer stations throughout our venues.
YOU CAN ENGAGE AT YOUR OWN COMFORT LEVEL
THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT
Not ready for a physically distanced concert or inperson browsing at the Shop at Strathmore? Take your time. We have virtual programs and other ways to enjoy art and music! Read on to hear about all we have to offer this summer.
WE’RE PLANNING FOR A BOLD RETURN TO OUR INDOOR VENUES We’ve demonstrated our commitment to increasing the confidence and trust of our audiences and artists by applying for GBAC STAR™ Facility Accreditation. This accreditation, granted by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council™, a Division of the International Sanitary Supply Association, is the gold standard and will certify that Strathmore has established proper cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques, and work practices to combat biohazards and infectious disease.
Mask up. While on our campus, face masks are required for ages 6 and up, and recommended for ages 2–5. Be mindful of the space between yourself and others. Arrive with your entire party and utilize digital concert information to help us minimize contact on campus. Above all—please stay home if you’re not feeling well. Our Ticket Office is happy to help you reschedule your tickets for another time when you’re feeling better. Together, our efforts will create a comfortable and enjoyable environment for all. Stay up to date with the steps we’re taking to welcome you back comfortably! STRATHMORE.ORG/WELCOMEBACK
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AN ABUNDANCE OF We’re committed to providing options for you to engage with Strathmore as you’re ready.
LIVE, IN-PERSON OFFERINGS The Patio Stage
Tickets to shows on the Patio Stage are sold as tables with up to four seats to ensure plenty of space for every guest. Tables are spaced at least six feet apart and ticket buyers can choose to fill all four of the pod’s seats or enjoy additional space.
Margot Schulman
Learn more about the Patio Stage on page 6 and see the schedule at www.strathmore.org/PatioStage.
Katherine Gaines
If you’re eager to log off and lean in, we invite you to meet us at the Patio Stage this summer! Our new, openair venue on the Music Center’s Trawick Terrace offers live performances through September.
Visit The Mansion At The Mansion, you can explore our gallery exhibitions, indulge in Afternoon Tea, stroll through the sculpture gardens, and find special gifts at the Shop at Strathmore. Learn about current exhibitions on page 10 and save the date to savor Afternoon Tea, schedule on page 11. Private appointments are available at The Mansion on Thursdays. If you need a more gradual path, you can still enjoy the intimate arts experiences of The Mansion from home. Order Tea To Go, available for curbside pick-up, or browse our online store at www.shop.strathmore.org. STRATHMORE.ORG/MANSION
The Great Outdoors
Stay tuned for the announcement of Live from the Lawn, our beloved series of free outdoor concerts. Make sure you get our email updates so you’ll be the first to know!
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STRATHMORENEWS | Summer 2021
Cat Thrasher
The rolling hills of our 16-acre campus provide the perfect spot to meet up with a friend for a walk or put on a podcast and get your steps in!
ARTS EXPERIENCES Here are some of the ways we’re welcoming you back this summer.
EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS
VIRTUAL PROGRAMS
Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras
13th Annual [Virtual] UkeFest
This June, small ensembles of MCYO’s advanced high school students come together for immersive study and a culminating live concert of chamber music classics.
Jim Saah
CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL
August 13–17 A virtual format lets UkeFest spread the joy of strumming far and wide! This summer you can strum along from home with UkeFest Artistic Directors Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, instructors Peter Luongo, Diane Nalini, Kevin Carroll, Aline Kelly, and The Hula Honeys.
Jim Saah
As always, UkeFest is full of skill-based instruction, jam sessions, open mics, and more. For those looking for more intensive skill development, UkeFest is the only program of its kind that offers an advanced track.
SUMMER STRINGS CAMP
STRATHMORE.ORG/UKE
Weeks of July 6 & 12; rising grades 3–8 MCYO’s weeklong, in-person camps give students the opportunity to enhance their musicianship through ensemble rehearsals, sectional work, music history, composition, and more. STRATHMORE.ORG/MCYO
Summer Art Camp July & August, rising grades 1–10
This summer kids will connect and create at our in-person Art Camps.
Dig into the Archives Tune in on your own time and enjoy our online archive of virtual performances, including our Live from the Mansion series. Our partners also have virtual concerts to enjoy! Check out BSO OffStage, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s streaming experience or log on to National Philharmonic’s free online concerts which originate from the Music Center and AMP by Strathmore stages. STRATHMORE.ORG/VIRTUAL
STRATHMORE.ORG/ARTCAMP
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THE STAGE IS SET
Strathmore debuts open-air Patio Stage on the Music Center’s Trawick Terrace to welcome the return of live concerts. By Shana Gerber
Strathmore’s new Patio Stage is a covered, open-air venue on the Music Center’s Trawick Terrace.
On May 30, jazz icon Wynton Marsalis will be backstage at Strathmore getting ready to perform. Marsalis has graced the Music Center’s stage many times, but this time is different. Tonight, Marsalis and a septet of musicians from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will perform outside the iconic venue. Strathmore’s new 120-seat Patio Stage is a covered, open-air venue on the Music Center’s Trawick Terrace. And while the audience at this concert will be seated at physically distanced tables, a certain intimacy will remain. “Wynton and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra typically sell out two nights in the Concert Hall,” Strathmore’s Artistic Director Joi Brown explains. “At the Patio Stage, these world class musicians will be playing for just over 100 patrons at once. It’s a very special experience.” The new outdoor venue takes advantage of Strathmore’s lush campus by providing views of the park-like setting and the Music Center’s breathtaking façade as the backdrop for a comfortable, breezy summer season of concerts. The space has a roof overhead to provide protection from the elements and open sides that allow fresh air to circulate. In
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STRATHMORENEWS | Summer 2021
reimagining how to present concerts in the COVID-19 era, “We’ve had to essentially learn how to use our venue inside out,” says Brown. Tickets to shows on the Patio Stage are sold as tables to ensure plenty of space for every guest. Each table comes with four seats, with at least six feet of space between tables. Ticket buyers can choose to fill all four of the table’s seats or enjoy additional space for themselves. The Patio Stage’s lineup is varied and inclusive of the myriad of genres that Strathmore typically presents. In addition to Marsalis, the Patio Stage offers a unique opportunity to see some of music’s brightest names in an exclusive setting. The outstanding trio that is The Lone Bellow graces us with their earthy three-part harmonies on June 17. And Sean and Sara Watkins, the sublimely talented siblings who together with Chris Thile are better known as Nickel Creek, bring their Watkins Family Hour show to the Patio Stage on August 7. Devotees of Strathmore’s long-established Music in the Mansion series can revel in chamber music concerts by the likes of celebrated cellist Matt Haimovitz and the
Grammy-winning Parker Quartet. The brilliant young musicians of Strathmore’s Artist in Residence program will also be featured on the Patio Stage. And fans of Strathmore’s club venue AMP will notice some familiar names on the calendar. Latin Grammy-winner Nella takes the stage on June 30 and jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan channels Jimi Hendrix on July 8.
“For centuries audiences have gathered in shared spaces to enjoy live music,” reflects Brown, “and I take comfort in knowing that what was disrupted was not fragile and young but established and embedded in our history and culture. This pause has ultimately strengthened our understanding of this essential space and shared experience.”
Adam Kissick
While Strathmore has continued to support artists, present music, and keep its fans entertained and inspired during these long months of physical distancing, we’re excited to get back to the communal feeling of enjoying live music. Artist and audience feed off each other’s energy, and the thrill of the moment gets dampened when filtered through our screens. No string of emojis can substitute for the satisfaction of live applause.
Ryan Brandenberg
“We’re fortunate that the capacity of the Patio Stage is close to that of the Mansion’s Music Room and AMP,” says Brown. “This allowed us to honor many previous engagements from before the pandemic. It’s crucial that Strathmore is able to continue to support and employ working artists.”
Dalí Quartet performs at the Patio Stage on July 22.
THE PATIO STAGE WILL BE IN FULL SWING THROUGH SEPTEMBER!
Check out the lineup at To ensure all STRATHMORE.ORG/PATIOSTAGE attendees are comfortable during their visit, the arts center is continuing to prioritize the health and well-being of our patrons, artists, volunteers, staff, and the community. To maintain seating distance and keep an appropriate low capacity, two concerts will be offered for most performances, each 60–70 minutes long and without intermission. Learn more about how Strathmore is managing these events and how you can play your part at www.strathmore.org/welcomeback.
The Lone Bellow bring a special set of their harmony-driven Americana to the Patio Stage on June 17.
Tips for a Great Visit TICKETS FOR YOUR POD
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF & OTHERS
Premium & general tables available with four chairs and plenty of personal space. Prices vary by show.
Your well-being is our top priority. Learn more at www.strathmore.org/welcomeback.
PARKING
C PURW ITH ENCE D I F CON RG
Performances subject to change.
HASE
ST
E.
O
Free parking is available in the GrosvenorStrathmore Metro parking garage. Complete directions and parking information is at www.strathmore.org/yourvisit.
Face coverings required for ages 6 & up, recommended for ages 2–5.
R AT H M O R
Our ticket exchange policy preserves your flexibility so you can purchase with confidence. Should we be unable to hold an event, you’ll be able to exchange your tickets or receive a full refund.
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INNOVATING FOR IMPACT
How Spring Break Camp’s new format inspired deeper—and more diverse—connections in our community and beyond.
By Jamie McCrary
Luna Morena, an experimental puppet workshop from Guadalajara, Mexico, isn’t typically on the US East Coast. But this March, they found themselves performing for an eager Maryland audience. The internationally renowned company participated in Strathmore’s Spring Break Camp, a free annual arts enrichment program for 4th and 5th graders. Luna Morena guided students through the bilingual puppet workshop Ánima, inviting them to explore artistic expression, with body and voice, through the creation and animation of puppetry. For the past decade, Strathmore has convened teaching artists, educators, and students from JoAnn Leleck Elementary School at Broad Acres in Silver Spring for a week-long Spring Break Camp on Strathmore’s campus. The camp was designed to be the culmination of a semester-long collaboration with Leleck, which included classes in puppetry, music, dance, and visual arts. This year, however, the program looked a little different.
Together with Leleck teachers and administrators, Strathmore reimagined Spring Break Camp as virtual. The program would maintain its interactive nature, focused on exploring stories and artistic techniques— but be offered to more students and include new, culturally diverse perspectives. This shift fulfilled an important goal: presenting more artists of color— and ensuring they reflected the backgrounds of participating students. “The changes we made to Spring Break Camp this year allowed us to nourish our students in a more personal way, through language and cultural identity,” said Monica Jeffries Hazangeles, President and CEO of Strathmore. “The strength and quality of our relationships—specifically, our partnership with Leleck—allowed us to do this.”
A HISTORY OF CREATIVE COLLABORATION For Lauren Campbell, Director of Education at Strathmore, collaboration is key. She says this is the “foundation of our partnerships. We prioritize listening to what students need so that, ultimately, camp addresses themes that are important to the community.” In recent years, Leleck teachers and administrators expressed a need for more diverse cultural representation for students. As a school with an 85% Latino student body, students don’t always have the opportunity to work with instructors that share their cultural background.
During Spring Break Camp students enjoyed hands on experiences, like this mask-making project led by members of Borderlands Theater Company.
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STRATHMORENEWS | Summer 2021
Leveraging Strathmore’s network of community partners—and the camp’s expanded flexibility— Campbell recruited Latino puppetry and theater artists, extending her search throughout the country and beyond. This included Compañía Luna Morena from Mexico, as well as Borderlands Theater Company from Tucson, Arizona.
“Pivoting to remote learning allowed us to bring in artists from beyond our region. We wouldn’t have met Luna Morena and Borderlands Theater otherwise, so I take that as a real gift,” Campbell said.
“This was huge because students can identify with these artists and build deeper connections to the program,” said Kristen Reza, a Leleck teacher and Campbell’s camp program partner. “It’s so important that our students can see themselves in their mentors.”
EXPANDING COMMUNITY IMPACT This year also marked another significant milestone for the program. Thanks to its willing partners, Strathmore was able to extend programming to a second community organization—a first in the camp’s history—while keeping the program free of charge for all students. Strathmore partnered with YMCA’s Youth and Family Services, a wraparound service organization for youth affected by adverse childhood experiences, to welcome 20 new spring break campers, also primarily of Hispanic decent. As an organization that’s on-theground with families every day, the YMCA helped fulfill the program’s larger, ongoing goal of forming extensive connections in the community, while truly serving students’ needs. According to Hazangeles, this also supports a larger organizational goal: “We really thrive on bringing people closer to artists, and to each other, and offering programs through many perspectives. In this time of separation and isolation, it was even more critical that we deliver on that promise.” And, as a community arts program, camp also delivered on its promise of creative impact. “As a child psychologist working nearly three decades with Montgomery County Public Schools, I know how essential early exposure to the arts is for the positive development of young children,” said Cal Leonard,
Liz Lynch
Local teaching artists Fran Vielma, a percussionist originally from Venezuela, and Argentinian-American artist Rosana Azar also participated, coaching students in drumming and visual arts. These instructors and specific curriculum extended the camp’s focus on Hispanic culture, giving students the chance to celebrate their heritage—and themselves.
Spring Break Camp is a multidisciplinary program focused on exploring stories and artistic techniques.
whose H. Jeffrey and Carolyn Leonard Fund has made Spring Break Camp possible for the past decade. “I have seen firsthand how this interactive program allows children to expand their creativity and develop their imaginations.”
POST-CAMP AND POST-PANDEMIC Moving forward, Campbell hopes students walked away proud of what they learned and accomplished, with a bigger sense of their own creative capacity. Camp aims to inspire kids to continue exploring their own creativity, she said, and maybe pursue arts training in the future. Campbell is excited to apply lessons learned from virtual camp to a traditional camp setting, and other arts enrichment opportunities for students. She’s collected feedback from students, parents, and teachers that will inform the program moving forward. This is key in ensuring camp remains centered on student needs, she said, because “they are the experts in their experience. It’s essential we listen to their feedback.” This approach allows Strathmore to continue nurturing its relationships—both with its new teaching artists, and long-term partners like Leleck. “Leading with student and community needs ensures we’re not only located in the community,” said Campbell, “but really part of the community.” And that, ultimately, is what Spring Break Camp—and Strathmore—is all about.
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ART EXHIBITIONS Visit the Mansion’s galleries to explore traditional techniques reimagined with modern aesthetics.
CURRENT EXHIBITIONS
Sat, May 29–Sat, July 24
33RD BIENNIAL EXHIBITION OF THE
CREATIVE CRAFTS COUNCIL This biennial event features the finest craft, from the mid-Atlantic region. Handmade jewelry, ceramics, textiles, and woodwork celebrate the traditions and innovation of artisans and the continued love for American craft.
NATURE/ NURTURE
ANDREA SHERRILL EVANS This Baltimore-based artist is influenced by the landscapes of the places she has lived, including the Southwest, New England, and the mid-Atlantic regions of the US. Through intricate drawings, Evans explores new forms of nature that reveal the active and irreversible impact of the human hand.
ART AHEAD
Tue, Sept 7–Sat, Oct 30
TOUCH
THE 30TH ANNUAL STRATHMORE JURIED EXHIBITION In celebration and in sympathy, touch is an expression of care and comfort. Artists explore the physical and emotional sensations of touch in this juried exhibition.
FULL BLOOM
MALATHI JAYAWICKRAMA As a child, Jayawickrama found peace painting tranquil scenes of her native Sri Lanka’s lakes, waterfalls, and oceans. Jayawickrama continues to find brushstrokes therapeutic as she creates botanical and landscape works.
L–R: Portable Plant Study 3 by Andrea Sherrill Evans, The Well of Life by Janet Huddie, Swallowed Up by Hillary L. Steel
VISITING THE MANSION HOURS Wed, Fri & Sat: 12–4pm; Thu: By appointment only; Sun–Tue: Closed To learn about the steps we’re taking to protect our patrons, staff, and volunteers and how you can help, visit www.strathmore.org/welcomeback.
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STRATHMORENEWS | Summer 2021
SUMMER TEAS
Escape the heat with refreshing tea and delightful treats.
SMOOTH JAZZ TEA
CARIBBEAN TEA
Tue & Wed, June 1 & 2 Relax with the soothing sounds of jazz and a cup of Strathmore’s special blend.
Wed, July 7 Escape to paradise with flavors and tropical sounds from the beautiful islands.
STRATHMORE HISTORICAL TEA
PRINCE & PRINCESS TEA
Tue & Wed, June 8 & 9 Travel back to 1899, when the Mansion at Strathmore was first built, and learn the history of this local landmark.
Sat, July 10, 10:30am & 1pm We can be royals! Bring your imaginative little ones, dressed up fancy for a magical day at the Mansion. Ideal for ages 4 and up.
NEW ORLEANS TEA
FRENCH TEA
Tue, June 15 Laissez les bons temps rouler with live music from Junkyard Saints’s Brian Simms.
Tue & Wed, July 13 & 14 Let them eat cake (and scones) at this tea for Francophiles featuring music and joie de vivre.
CELTIC TEA Wed, June 16 Enjoy a little Emerald Isle indulgence with traditional food and Celtic music. Sláinte!
DOWNTON ABBEY TEA Tue & Wed, June 22 & 23 Debutantes and dowagers alike love our elegant Downton Abbey teas.
FOR THE BIRDS TEA Sat, June 26 Enjoy treats and tunes about our feathered friends.
TEDDY BEAR TEA Tue, July 20 Bring Teddy to this tea featuring a childfriendly menu and sing-along. Ideal for ages 4 and up.
GOLDEN OLDIES TEA Wed, July 21 Don your bobby sox for a ’50s flashback set to the tunes of Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, and more. No Teas in August
AFTERNOON TEA IN THE MANSION Tea begins at 1pm Call 301.581.5108 to reserve. For your comfort, seating for tea is physically distanced.
TEA TO GO All teas are available for curbside pick-up. Orders must be placed one week in advance. STRATHMORE.ORG/TEA
AMERICAN TEA Tue & Wed, June 29 & 30 Don’t throw your tea in the harbor—enjoy it at our pre-Independence Day celebration with a patriotic repast and music.
BLOOMS & BOUQUETS TEA Tue, July 6 Take in the fresh scent of florals at this tea full of whimsey and party favors that bloom.
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STRATHMORE NEWS
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 1763 SUBURBAN, MD
Strathmore Hall Foundation, Inc. 5301 Tuckerman Lane North Bethesda, MD 20852-3385
Strathmore is partially funded by operating grants from: Customer Number
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We can’t wait to be with you in the Concert Hall next season.
From Sarah Brightman to Jeff Goldblum, make sure you don’t miss a beat by becoming a Strathmore Star! Plus, feel good knowing your gift brings world-class artists to our community.
JOIN TODAY TO ACCESS: • Insider Information: first to know about new shows • Big Savings: 50% off select last minute tickets • VIP Treatment: members-only presales, discounts, and more!
STRATHMORE.ORG/STARS
L–R: Béla Fleck by Jim McGuire, Gregory Porter by Erik Umphery, Jeff Goldblum by Pari Dukovic, Sarah Brightman by Simon Fowler
