THE FLORIDA ORCHESTRA | 2017-2018
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18 What’s Inside
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I idn18si We
A History of Excellence | 3
Welcome from the CEO | 4
Gala Committee Welcome | 5
Michael Francis
Music Director | 7
Musicians | 9
Sting | 11
Gala Concert | 15
Community Engagement
Programs | 22
Directors, Advisors, Consultants,
Administrative Staff | 29
Artistic Initiatives | 32
Presenting Sponsors &
Gala Committee | 31
Upcoming Concerts | 35
Ticket Information | 37
A History of
Excellence
The Florida Orchestra’s history is steeped in orchestral
tradition from both sides of Tampa Bay. In 1967, the
Tampa Philharmonic and St. Petersburg Symphony
officially merged as the Florida Gulf Coast Symphony,
which opened its first season on November 14, 1968,
under the baton of Music Director Irwin Hoffman.
Performing as the Florida Gulf Coast Symphony until
changing its name to The Florida Orchestra in 1984, the
orchestra has since been led by music directors Jahja
Ling and Stefan Sanderling. The 2017/18 season marks
Michael Francis’ third season as music director.
Over the years, The Florida Orchestra has had a
series of successes. In 2011, it launched a multi-year
cultural exchange with the Cuban Institute of Music
as well as its Accessibility Initiative, which effectively
reduced ticket prices to all of its Masterworks and
Pops concerts. The orchestra also has taken steps to
be more involved with the Tampa Bay community,
including a collaboration with the Tampa Bay
Lightning to produce the team’s one-time theme
song, and free pop-up concerts in hospitals, malls
and beyond. To showcase its artistic excellence, the
orchestra released a CD featuring music by Floridainfluenced
classical composer Frederick Delius on the
Naxos label in 2012. On the CD, the orchestra is joined
by The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay and baritone
Leon Williams in a performance of Delius’ Sea Drift and
Appalachia. In 2014, the orchestra released another
CD, Holiday Pops Live! on its label TFO Live! In 2017,
the orchestra visited Avon Park, Sebring, Daytona and
Gainesville as part of its state residency program.
The Florida Orchestra is recognized as Tampa Bay’s
leading performing arts institution, one of the leading
professional symphony orchestras in Florida, and one
of the most vibrant orchestras in America. Through
extraordinary musical performances, the orchestra
inspires the people of Tampa Bay and serves as a leader
and beacon for the musical arts throughout the state.