The Blue Ash Montgomery Symphony Orchestra will close its 39th season with a free holiday concert on Sunday, Dec. 6, at Sycamore Junior High School.
The Kindel Memorial Holiday Concert, titled "Magical Christmas Orchestra," begins at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Admission is free and open to everyone, according to the city of Montgomery's events calendar.
Michael Chertock, BAMSO's artistic director since 2002, leads the nonprofit orchestra through a program of seasonal favorites. Chertock also serves as principal keyboardist for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and chairs the piano department at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
The concert is the final of six performances in BAMSO's 2026 season. The orchestra, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit jointly sponsored by the cities of Blue Ash and Montgomery since 2003, offers all its concerts at no cost. It was founded in 1987 as the Blue Ash Symphony Orchestra and renamed after Montgomery joined as a co-sponsor, according to the city's FAQ page.
A Montgomery council member column published in July noted that BAMSO has enriched the community through diverse musical programming for 39 years. Board President Mimi Sinclair, a violinist who played with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for 10 years and served as concertmaster of both the Cincinnati Ballet Orchestra and Middletown Symphony Orchestra, has led the BAMSO board since 2024.
The Kindel Memorial concert traditionally falls on the first Sunday in December. A 2013 Blue Ash community newsletter described it as the traditional start to the holiday season for Blue Ash and Montgomery residents.
The concert caps a holiday weekend in Montgomery. Holiday in the Village runs Saturday, Dec. 5, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Heritage District and at Montgomery Quarter.
Residents with questions can contact BAMSO Business Manager Julie Collinsworth at [email protected] or (513) 549-2197. Free tickets are available at bamso.ludus.com.
Upcoming community dates
- Saturday, Dec. 5 — Holiday in the Village, 5–7:30 p.m., Heritage District and Montgomery Quarter
- Sunday, Dec. 6 — BAMSO Kindel Memorial Holiday Concert, 7 p.m. (doors at 6 p.m.), Sycamore Junior High School. Free.
