SSO Offers ‘Bid on the Baton’ Opportunity at Star Spangled Springfield Concert
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) invites the community to “Bid on the Baton,” an opportunity to conduct the SSO during its Star Spangled Springfield performance on the occasion of America’s 250th birthday on Saturday, July 4 at 7 p.m. at Riverfront Park’s Festival Field.
Click here to bid, with bids starting at $500. Individuals and businesses are invited to bid to conduct one musical selection during the live performance at Riverfront Park, with all proceeds directly supporting the SSO’s free community concerts, music education, and the symphony’s work throughout Greater Springfield. Participants may bid once and are encouraged to submit their highest and best offer. The deadline to bid is Thursday, July 2 at noon.
The full Springfield Symphony Orchestra of 62 musicians will perform at Springfield’s Fourth of July celebration, making it a Star Spangled Symphony for the first time since 1998 in front of an anticipated audience of more than 5,000 people. The performance will begin at approximately 7 p.m., leading up to the fireworks display.
“For a once-in-250-years moment, during one of the largest public gatherings in Western Massachusetts celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra is inviting the community to take the podium,” said Heather Caisse-Roberts, president and CEO of the SSO.
“This is an opportunity to stand in front of the orchestra and thousands of neighbors to conduct a live performance as part of this historic celebration,” she added. “An individual may bid because it’s the experience of a lifetime. A family may bid to celebrate a milestone. A business may bid to demonstrate its commitment to Springfield while receiving recognition during this historic event and throughout the upcoming SSO season. The Springfield Symphony Orchestra belongs to this community. This is a symbolic invitation for the community to step onto the podium and become part of its story.”
The concert will feature a music program that tells a broad American story through music prior to the Fireworks by Grucci display. There will be marches by John Phillip Sousa, Duke Ellington-inspired selections, American orchestral standards by Aaron Copland and Martin Gould, John Williams’ Star Wars theme, and more. Thomas Bergeron, principal trumpet for the SSO, will conduct the concert, and Springfield songstress Vanessa Ford will also perform with the orchestra for several pieces.
This year’s event, as always, remains completely free and accessible, ensuring thousands of residents can experience live orchestral music as part of one of the region’s most beloved civic traditions. The winning bidder will receive recognition throughout the SSO’s 2026-27 season.
The Star Spangled Springfield event is organized by the Spirit of Springfield and sponsored by MassMutual, and is being presented with the support from the Music Performance Trust Fund.
