Mission Statement & History

The Peabody String Sinfonia is a student-led, conductorless string orchestra with a mission to bring live music to people in the Baltimore community who often do not have access, including those going through cancer treatment, incarceration, homelessness, hospitalization, addiction, and hunger.

Since its founding in 2016 by Maria Lambros, Sinfonia has developed and maintained relationships with community partners in order to reach diverse audiences in Baltimore. Sinfonia collaborates with Helping Up Mission, Marian House, the University of Maryland Rehabilitation and Orthopaedic Institute, Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled, the Azure Family Concert Series, Baltimore Early Head Start Program, Hope Lodge, Roland Parkplace, Maryland State Correctional Facility, and Rise Bmore. In the past, Sinfonia has organized annual concerts and a warmth drive in partnership with the Charm City Warmth Drive at Peabody’s Griswold Hall.

The programming for each performance is built with the audience in mind, evolving every semester. In a typical Sinfonia performance, works range from Tchaikovsky to Etta James to the Danish String Quartet. In the past, we have invited Peabody faculty members to perform with us, including Judith Ingolfsson (violin), John Moran (baroque cello), Shodekeh (beatboxer/dance faculty), Alan Stepansky (cello), and Victoria Chiang (viola). Merging these musical forces with Sinfonia’s creative programming and unconventional performance format has allowed for more intimate settings where both performer and audience can connect on an equal and meaningful level before, during and after the concert.

Eligibility and Requirements

Current Peabody Students who play stringed instruments, both performance and non-performance majors, are eligible to apply.

Audition Instructions and Timeline (2025-2026)

Apply by Sunday, September 21st at 11:59pm.

The application consists of a few questions in order to get a sense of why you want to join Sinfonia and what you will add to the group! 

1. Why do you think community outreach is important as a musician?
2. What excites you about joining Sinfonia?
3. What do you think are important qualities of a strong Sinfonia member?

If you have any questions about the application process or Sinfonia in general, please send an email to [email protected].