The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's 2009 Summer Nights season will continue the trend of recent years and stick to the light and lively. The only serious classical piece on the horizon is the one that keeps coming back -- Beethoven's Ninth. This year it has been assigned to veteran conductor Gunther Herbig. That concert will be July 23 at Strathmore, July 24 at Meyerhoff.

The lineup for those two venues begins with the orchestra providing a live soundtrack to the Hitchcock classic Psycho, conducted by Constatine Kitsopoulos, July 9 at Strathmore, July 10 at Meyerhoff. Steven Reineke will be on the podium for a program of music from Disney products, including The Lion King, Alladin, Mary Poppins and Beauty and the Beast: July 16 Strathmore, July 17 Meyerhoff.

The BSO, conducted by Brent Havens, moves to the Pier Six Pavilion on July 18 to play arrangements of songs by famed rock group Pink Floyd. Vocalist Randy Jackson and a rock band will join the orchestra for this event. And the ensemble travels to Merriweather Post Pavilion on July 11 to play live soundtracks to Bugs Bunny cartoons. 

The outdoor summer series at Oregon Ridge returns with the traditional "Star-Spangled Spectacular" July 3 and 4, conducted by Damon Gupton, and featuring the winner of the second annual "Oh, Say Can You Sing?" contest. Reineke will conduct film music of John Williams July 25 at Oregon Ridge.

One other summer event: a free performance at Meyerhoff as part of Artscape on July 18, conducted by BSO assistant principal violist Christian Colberg (he's been getting his feet wet on the podium recently, adding conducting to his already substantial talent as a photographer -- and violist, of course.)

BALTIMORE SUN FILE PHOTO