It’s hard to believe that just a year ago, all of Baltimore waited with anticipation for the exciting inauguration of the festival called Light City. We wondered: What would this “light art” look like? Would the weather cooperate? Would the tourists show up? No one knew for sure, but everyone could feel the energy crackling.

For my part, I was preparing to conduct the world premiere of Light Cathedral(written especially for Light City) with my chamber orchestra Symphony Number One. The festival turned out to be a huge success, and now the second year of the festival is generating serious buzz.

To get you in the mood, we’ve put together a Light City playlist, featuring first-rate acts performing at this year’s edition, other great Baltimore musicians, as well as some terrific, light-themed tracks. I’ve organized the tracks into light-themed categories, and I lay out my thinking below. You can use the list multiple ways: feel free to listen straight through, to stick the tracks that appeal to you, or put this baby on shuffle to trip the light fantastic.

Continue reading at Baltimore Magazine.