1974
Sharing music has been Live Arts Maryland’s mission for nearly 50 years. Founded in Annapolis, MD, in 1974 as The Annapolis Chorale, this group has evolved from modest beginnings to a multi-faceted performance organization.
1985
Under the artistic leadership of J. Ernest Green since 1985, Live Arts Maryland has grown into one of the region’s largest, most innovative and active arts organizations. The heart of Live Arts Maryland is the Annapolis Chorale, which performs in some of the area’s most loved concerts, including A Celebration of Christmas and the Broadway in Annapolis series. Also frequently taking the stage are the Annapolis Chorale Chamber Chorus and the Annapolis Chamber Orchestra.
1995
Through the Bach+ series, Live Arts Maryland presents chamber concerts, films with live music and gifted guest artists from the region and the world. Live Arts Maryland performs at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, where it is the company in residence, and Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts.
2021
In 2021, Live Arts Maryland opened a brand new performance and rehearsal space – The Studio – in Annapolis’ Westfield Mall. This exciting new space will offer a wide array of events including small concerts, cabarets and chamber music, just to name a few. As the world emerges from the pandemic, Live Arts Maryland is poised and ready to bring back the beauty and joy of live music experiences.
VISION AND MISSION
The Annapolis Chorale, doing business as Live Arts Maryland, is a 36-year-old nonprofit arts organization whose mission is community enhancement through performing and presenting high-quality music.
Each of its performing ensembles offers citizens of all ages the chance to participate in a cultural activity that adds depth and texture to the life of the community while fostering personal growth through music participation.
The organization includes the Chorale, Annapolis Chamber Orchestra, Annapolis Youth Chorus, the St. Anne’s Concert Series and a broad range of educational programs for music students of all ages including the MusicWorks school partnership and an apprentice program for high-school students.
Artistic Director
Ernest Green is the Artistic Director of Live Arts Maryland and the Music Director of the Annapolis Chamber Orchestra and Annapolis Chorale. He served as a Cover Conductor with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where he worked with such artists as Metropolitan Opera star Denyce Graves, Sir James Galway, Pinchas Zuckerman, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, Osmo Vanska among others. He received acclaim for conducting the National Symphony Orchestra for a subscription weekend with a last minute call with less than 20 minutes notice!
As a Pops Conductor, he worked with and conducted for the late Marvin Hamlisch. In January 2013, he conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s tribute to Mr. Hamlisch, featuring Idina Menzel, Robert Klein and Lucie Arnaz, Maria Friedman, Brian D’Arcy James and Klea Blackhurst. In fall 2012, he was the Musical Advisor for the Memorial Concert for Mr. Hamlisch at The Juilliard School where he worked with Mike Nichols, Liza Minnelli, Aretha Franklin, Chris Botti, Kevin Cole, Maria Friedman, Lang Lang, and Barbra Streisand.
Mr. Green recently recently worked with and conducted a new symphony show with “Late Night” Music Director Paul Shaffer and Valerie Simpson (of Ashford and Simpson) with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. He also recorded a live CD, “Play It Again Marvin” – featuring the music of Marvin Hamlisch which was released released in 2018 on Varése Sarabnade.
Recently, Mr. Green was the Musical Supervisor and Conductor for a new production of “Sweet Smell of Success” at the Hudson Theatre on Broadway. In June 2013 he was the Music Director and Conductor for “One Singular Sensation” a Broadway celebration honoring Mr. Hamlisch at the Hudson Theatre featuring, in addition to the artists listed above, Donna McKechnie, Marissa McGowan, Matthew Morrison, John Lloyd Young, Stephanie J. Block, Teal Wicks, Capathia Jenkins, Michael Douglas, Bernadette Peters, and Joel Grey.
Known for his adventurous and creative programming as he pushes the boundaries of the concert hall, Mr. Green has created several “fusion” programs combining standard concert repertoire with popular and contemporary music, which he has lead with orchestras both here and abroad. In addition, he has received acclaim for his concert productions of operas and other stage works, among them Verdi’s “La Traviata,” “Sweeney Todd” and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” He created a new concert production of “Don Giovanni,”.
Ernest Green has appeared with many orchestras including: The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, The Florida Orchestra, The Kalamazoo Symphony, The Tuscia Festival Orchestra (Italy), Annapolis Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Lincoln Symphony, Orquestra Sinfonica Nacional (Santo Domingo), Mesa Symphony, and the Trinity Chamber Orchestra (Cleveland). He has toured with the Ballet Arabesque (Bulgaria) MozartFestival Opera and the Teatro Lirico d’Europa.
Ernest Green is a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory of Music and while there, was a student of, and assistant to, Frederik Prausnitz. In addition to his musical activities, Mr. Green is an avid advocate for the arts. He has served as a music panelist for the Maryland State Arts Council and an advisor on its Strategic Planning Committee. In 2002, he was given the Performing Arts Award by the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County and, in 2012 was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award.
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