Note: The St. Petersburg Times, now the Tampa Bay Times, has covered The Florida Orchestra from the very beginning. Here’s the full review of the Florida Gulf Coast Symphony’s debut concert, which appeared in the newspaper Nov. 15, 1968. (The name was changed to The Florida Orchestra in 1984.) Reprinted Courtesy of the Tampa Bay Times. All rights reserved. Gulf Coast Symphony Premiere ‘Brilliant’ THE FLORIDA ORCHESTRA | 2017-2018 The First Review November 15, 1968 By Mary Nic Shenk Of The Times Staff TAMPA -- The new 90-piece Florida Gulf Coast Symphony under conductor Irwin Hoffman had a brilliant premiere last night in Tampa’s McKay Auditorium. From the stirring performance of the “Star Spangled Banner” through the brilliant music of Berlioz, Respighi and Shostakovich, performers and listeners were enveloped in a sea of symphonic sound and a deluge of orchestral colors. A special excitement generated by “The Pines of Rome” could be felt throughout the almost 1,600 listeners in the 1,800-seat auditorium. It was an exciting debut of what promises to be the precocious offspring, from a happy union of area resources, both musical and financial, designed to produce the best symphony orchestra in Florida, if not the Southeast. The program will be repeated at 8:30 p.m. today at McKay Auditorium. The orchestra will have its St. Petersburg premiere Saturday at 8:30 p.m. at Bayfront Theatre, also repeating the program of last night. A limited number of tickets will be available at both box offices. 67
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