Chair’s Reflections
Dear Friends,
Welcome to this evening’s concert! As we usher in a new decade,
I find myself reflecting on the role of The Florida Orchestra in our
community over the past 52 years. Look at the numbers for just
one season: 91,132 people attended our community and education
programs throughout Tampa Bay last year. Our annual Youth
Concerts alone reached more than 27,000 students in one month.
Every season we give away thousands of free tickets to kids and
teens for Masterworks and Coffee concerts. Our musicians also
teach in the schools and give free violin lessons to kids in need.
Add it all up, and it’s mindboggling to think how many people TFO
has reached in 52 years, both in and out of the concert hall. When so
much in the world divides us, we are bringing thousands of people
together through the extraordinary power of music. For a deeper
understanding of our role in education, health and, yes, entertainment, please take a look at our newly
published community report, filled with photos and links to wonderful videos, at FloridaOrchestra.org/
report.
But why rely on a report? Come experience these community events for yourself. Our amazing musicians
will perform unique chamber concerts at the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum as well
as free full-orchestra Happy Hour concerts at Armature Works in Tampa and Pops in the Park concerts in
Tampa and Clearwater.
And please, come back to the concert hall for some of the most magnificent music under the leadership
of Music Director Michael Francis. Don’t miss the maestro as our own secret weapon in the Music of Bond
… James Bond, as well as Tampa Bay Times Masterworks concerts such as Rachmaninoff’s thrilling Piano
Concerto No. 3 and Bach’s St. John Passion. The wonderfully entertaining Stuart Malina will conduct great
Coffee concerts, including All About Tchaikovsky and the Bright Side of Beethoven. Get tickets for all our
concerts at FloridaOrchestra.org.
We take our commitment to educate and inspire seriously, and we know you do, too. Together with our
supporters, we feel proud to play a critical role in strengthening Tampa Bay through music. If you haven’t
done so already, join us. Please consider an annual gift, or if you are already a donor, please consider
increasing your gift to TFO. Our dedicated staff is happy to speak with you about your interests. Please
contact Betsy Walch, Director of Annual Giving, at 727.362.5425.
Thank you so much for your support of The Florida Orchestra. We love what we do, and we are grateful for
your help so we can keep doing it.
Warm regards,
Janet E Paroo
Janet E. Paroo
Chair, Board of Directors
THE FLORIDA ORCHESTRA | 2019-2020
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/report
/FloridaOrchestra.org