In Friday’s (10/11) Tampa Tribune, Kurt Loft previews the coming season at the Florida Orchestra. After praising Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Loft writes, “No wonder it continues to sell at the box office, and no wonder The Florida Orchestra brings it back again, this time to open its 2013-14 season. Joined by the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay this weekend, the orchestra offers three performances of Beethoven’s grand opus, along with Stravinsky’s ‘Symphony of Psalms.’ … By kicking things off with the Ninth, the orchestra hopes to grab listeners early on and hold them. Holding them requires innovative programming. For its 2013-14 season, the orchestra offers a potent balance of war horses and more adventurous fare … it taps the potential for new audiences in its pops and coffee concerts, rock arrangements for orchestra, music from silent films, Saturday family matinees, and—get this—adaptations from popular video games. So, expect to see more young faces at concerts this year, says Florida Orchestra president and CEO Michael Pastreich.… ‘We’ve grown by 27 percent in paid attendance through the recession, and our endowment has grown from $7 million to $16 million. I think what’s happening is that we’ve become a more dynamic organization by focusing on being a strong servant to our community.’ ’’
Posted October 11, 2013
