MEET THE MAESTRA

THE HHSO SALUTES MAESTRA GREEN ON HER 10TH ANNIVERSARY!

The Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra is proud to salute Music Director and Conductor Mary Woodmansee Green in her tenth year with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra. For the past nine years she has taken a group of local musicians with a passion for classical music, to what has been described as “one of the best regional orchestras in the country”, and has garnered much critical praise in the process. She 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, Ms. Green continually puts on memorable performances. In addition to her work from the podium, she enthusiastically participates in League events (initiating and hosting the League’s popular “Musicales”), educational activities (starting the “Symphony Kids” series in Bluffton and HHI), and rarely misses an opportunity to promote the HHSO wherever she goes.

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.

A woman in a traditionally male-dominated field, Mary has never seriously thought about gender prejudice. She loves bringing music to people, and she obviously expresses that love to both the orchestra and audience. It is that quality along with her innovative programming which keeps the public coming back for more, and musicians traveling to Hilton Head to play with the HHSO. In her interesting seasons – “Passport to the World of Music”, “Musical Marriages”, “By the Beautiful Sea”, “At Your Request”, to name a few – she has presented world premiers, featured world-renowned performers and composers, and brought opera, dance and fine art into the concert hall.

In addition to the HHSO, Ms. Green currently gracefully meets the challenges of wearing several musical hats in three states as Music Director and Conductor of the Kennett Symphony of Chester County, Savannah Danse Theatre and the Mary Green Singers, all while bringing the HHSO to a higher-than- imagined level.

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.