Each summer for the past 24 years, the Symphony of the Americas has been touring Florida with some of its best players partnered with an international chamber ensemble or small orchestra.
For Summerfest 2015, selected members of South Florida's Symphony of the Americas are joined by the Arpeggione Chamber Orchestra of Hohenems, Austria. This is the second time Arpeggione Chamber has worked with SOTA having been in South Florida in 2007.
"Each year, we have a different orchestra that comes in for the festival. Whoever it is, they need to be a professional orchestra that's been around for years and well known," says James Brooks-Bruzzese, artistic director and conductor.
Arpeggione Chamber Orchestra of Hohenems, Austria
Symphony of the Americas Summerfest 2015 culminates this weekend with two concerts on Friday at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton and Saturday at Parker Playhouse in Fort Lauderdale.
The combined talents of the Summerfest orchestra perform two programs for its Florida tour. Music selections include the first and last movement Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik ("A Little Night Music"). There's also David Popper's El Fentanze for Cello and String Orchestra, Jules Massenet's Meditation from Thais and Victor Herbert's Serenade for Strings, Op. 12, and that's only in the first half. Works by Vivaldi, Liszt and Strauss are in the second half, and Program One winds up with Jacques Offenbach's kicky Can Can.
The second program adds Tchaikovsky's Elegie from Serenade for Strings and also Nostalgia Mexicana from Latin Grammy award-winning composer Eduardo Magallanes. There's also an arrangement of concertmaster Orlando Forte's of Cole Porter's Just One of Those Things.
Summerfest began on July 16 with a performance in West Palm Beach and subsequent shows in Pembroke Pines, Weston, Sunrise, and Miami Lakes.
Thursday, Aug. 6, the group performs at Christ by the Sea, United Methodist Church in Vero Beach.
Summer with the Symphony 24th annual Summerfest 2015 concerts culminate on Friday, Aug.7 at 8 p.m. at Florida Atlantic University Theater, Boca Raton (Concert Program Two), (800) 564-9539 or www.fauevents.com. Tickets are $18, VIP, $40, which includes post-concert reception, and on Saturday, Aug. 8 at 8 p.m. at Parker Playhouse, Fort Lauderdale, Saturday, Aug. 8 (Concert Program One), (954) 462-0222 or www.parkerplayhouse.com. Tickets are $20, $35, VIP $60, which includes post concert reception. More information at Symphony of the Americas, 954 335-7002 and www.sota.org.
