Music Director
Mary Woodmansee Green
The Kennett Symphony of Chester County is proud to salute Music Director and Conductor Mary Woodmansee Green. During her tenure, the Kennett Symphony has become a fully professional orchestra, and is proud of its acclaimed Children’s Chorus.
2007-08 is a Season of Anniversaries for Maestra Green. This year she celebrates her 20th season with the Kennett Symphony, her 10th season as Music Director and Conductor of the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, her 22nd with The Mary Green Singers and her 3rd with the Savannah Danse Theatre Orchestra. She also will be preparing the HHSO Chorus for its 2nd season.
Mary possesses the attributes of the best music directors: musical vision, clarity in communication, and the ability to draw the best out of her players. In short, she continually puts on memorable performances. She is also an active and dynamic speaker and advocate for orchestral music and music education.
An accomplished orchestral, ballet, opera and choral conductor, Maestra Green has received raves for her imaginative programming, her commitment to education and community involvement. The Wilmington The News-Journal wrote:
“It's practically incontestable that...Mary Woodmansee Green produced one of the best concerts of any season. Here's a musician of style, grace, and intelligence. Even her concert notes preceding each selection were produced with clarity, brevity and charm. Maestra Green's program was every bit as carefully planned as the rest of her relaxed, well-rehearsed concert...the Orchestra never sounded better... It almost appeared that each succeeding number was designed to supersede the excellence of all that had gone before. The key to the entire afternoon was that elusive commodity - emotion. Conductor [Green]…produced a heralding sound which was both triumphant and ethereal. ...I walked away with a feeling of having been present at a real event.”
This season’s “Dream of America” theme incorporates music of American born and immigrant composers. All of her programs engage, entertain, and feature soloists from the international stage and outstanding members of the Orchestra. The Island Packet wrote:
“At the heart of Green's success is programming of uncommon scope and variety. ...Green's podium style is vigorous, with crystal-clear stick-work and expressive body language. ...Green punctuated the concert with cogent commentary.”
Mary Woodmansee Green grew up in Newark, Delaware. After directing her own madrigal group in high school, she pursued music as a career, beginning at the University of Delaware. Getting a solid liberal arts education along with her piano major, she was also an active thespian and part of a European USO tour. A Master’s degree in conducting at Temple University followed, after which she honed her conducting skills at the Ambler Summer Institute with the Pittsburgh Symphony and at the Aspen Music Institute, along with conductor workshops with several internationally recognized Maestros.
Maestra Green has conducted the Delaware County Symphony, European Symposium for Choral Masterworks with members of the Vienna Philharmonic, members of the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras, the Fairbanks Symphony, Independence Sinfonia, Kingston Symphony Orchestra, Lansdowne Symphony, Newark Symphony, Ocean City Pops, Old York Road Symphony, Orchestre de Ste. Louis en l'Île, Orchestra Society of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Orchestra, Valdosta Symphony, Westfield Symphony Orchestra, West London Sinfonia, Wilmington Orchestra, professional, community and festival orchestras and choruses in Europe, the United Kingdom and the Middle East, at Philadelphia's Academy of Music and Mann Music Center, New York's Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, Washington's Kennedy Center and Wilmington's Grand Opera House. She has worked with such outstanding conductors as Eugene Ormandy, Zubin Mehta, Sergiu Comissiona, William Smith and Peter Nero.
It is with pride and affection that we salute and congratulate Mary Woodmansee Green on her talents and accomplishments, and look forward to many more wonderful years together.
