Welcome! On behalf of the Board, musicians, and staff, we are
delighted that you are joining us for this performance of superb
music by your Florida Orchestra.
This is The Florida Orchestra’s 50th anniversary season, and we are
striving to play more music for more people across Tampa Bay
because we believe that music enriches lives. In addition to our
concerts performed at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, Ruth
Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, and the Straz Center for the Performing
Arts in Tampa, we are committed to playing outside of the concert
halls. In mid-October, we performed for nearly 30,000 people in just
one week, almost all for free. Music Director Michael Francis led our
extraordinary musicians in our annual Pops in the Park concerts,
youth concerts, and side-by-side concerts across the Tampa Bay region.
As a community-supported nonprofit, it is the orchestra’s privilege and responsibility to make a positive
impact on the quality of life in the places we call home. The Florida Orchestra plays a lead role in
developing partnerships with schools, businesses, cultural institutions, libraries, and others to serve
local residents where they live. Music has the power to bring people together to celebrate and mourn,
to learn in new ways, to coalesce neighborhood redevelopment efforts, and to touch the deepest part of
who we are as humans.
All of this is possible because of you. Our greatest strength is the people of Tampa Bay whose support and
interest have driven our success for the past fifty years. We are grateful to concertgoers and donors from
across the region who support The Florida Orchestra, making possible all that the orchestra does in our
communities.
We are thrilled to share our music with you today. Thank you for being a part of our 50th anniversary season.
With your continued support, fifty years is just the beginning.
Best regards,
Thomas H. Farquhar
THE FLORIDA ORCHESTRA | 2017-2018
6
Dear Friends,
As newly elected Chair of The Florida Orchestra’s Board of
Directors, it is an honor to welcome you to this performance.
Whether you have been a subscriber for many years, or this
is your first time joining us for a concert, we are so glad you
are here!
This is The Florida Orchestra’s 50th anniversary season, and
what a season it has been so far! In addition to concerts at the
highest level of artistic quality at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater,
the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, and the Straz Center
for the Performing Arts in Tampa, we performed for 30,000
people in just seven days in October, nearly all for free through
education concerts, Pops in the Parks concerts, and hospital
concerts. In December, The Florida Orchestra performed
with world-renowned artist and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sting to a packed house for our 50th
anniversary gala. The energy was electric, and the evening raised more than $1.5 million to support
our community outreach efforts as well as artistic initiatives. Music has the power to change lives,
and we are committed to sharing our wonderful orchestra with as many as possible both inside and
outside the concert halls.
We have much more in store for our 50th anniversary season including Sing Out! Tampa Bay on January
25, education concerts that will serve more than 25,000 students from Pinellas and Hillsborough
counties, and extraordinary performances ranging from the Music of Star Trek and Star Wars to Verdi’s
Requiem. I hope you will join us again for another incredible concert with your Florida Orchestra.
With the support of our amazing Music Director, Michael Francis, our extraordinary musicians, our
dedicated Board of Directors and wonderful staff, we are building on the momentum of The Florida
Orchestra as we head into the next 50 years. Together we are raising the bar on how this orchestra
serves Tampa Bay.
I am humbled and feel incredibly fortunate to be the Chair of our great orchestra, and look forward
to providing leadership as we look into the future to continue being an amazing resource to the
community. Thank you for cherishing and nurturing your orchestra with your applause and your
generosity. It is the support and interest of this community that drives our success and our ability
to serve. We look forward to sharing more exceptional musical performances with you for many
years to come.
With gratitude,
Janet Paroo
Chair, Board of Directors