Origin of the Baltimore Mandolin Orchestra

The Baltimore Mandolin Orchestra was first organized in 1924 by German-born conductor, composer, and music teacher Conrad Gebelein. It held its first concert in 1925.

The orchestra’s early concerts featured more than just mandolins. They included performances by the orchestra’s Banjo Club and Hawaiian Troupe, which played types of music that were very popular with concertgoers at the time. There were also performances by vocalists and solo instrumentalists. Conrad Gebelein himself often played solos on the banjo and Hawaiian guitar. He also composed and arranged many pieces for mandolin orchestra which were premiered by the BMO.

The Baltimore Mandolin Orchestra started out with nineteen members in 1924, and by 1929 that number had almost doubled.

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