ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Through a new partnership with WUSF Public Media and Classical WSMR radio, live recordings of select Florida Orchestra Masterworks concerts from the 2017-18 season will be broadcast on WSMR 89.1 & 103.9 FM to celebrate TFO’s 50th anniversary. The first broadcast is this Thursday, featuring the phenomenal opening night performance of Carmina Burana.
There will be 13 broadcasts in all, a combination of Tampa Bay Times Masterworks concerts recorded live this season and archival recordings from TFO’s 50-year history in Tampa Bay. This week WSMR listeners can hear the full Carmina Burana concert with the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, which also includes Tippett’s Ritual Dances from The Midsummer Marriage, at 7 p.m. Thursday (Oct. 19) at 89.1 & 103.9 FM as well as online at wusf.usf.edu.
The segments will be hosted by WSMR Music Director and Host Russell Gant and feature commentary from TFO Music Director Michael Francis and others. Future concerts will air at 7 p.m. on select Thursdays through May.
The concerts will be recorded live at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa and the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg.
The partnership is a natural fit. The Florida Orchestra serves the entire Tampa Bay area with concerts in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater, and WSMR is Tampa Bay’s only classical music radio station.
Special thank you to the Florida Orchestra Musicians Association and to the American Federation of Musicians Local 427-721 for making these broadcasts possible as a special 50th anniversary gift to the community.
The broadcasts also are made possible by support provided by the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay.
The Florida Orchestra opened its 50th anniversary concert season on Oct. 6-8 with Michael Francis conducting Carmina Burana — also featuring the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay — in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater in the Tampa Bay Times Masterworks series. This season embraces old favorites as well as new pieces, ranging from Dvorak’s New World Symphony to Verdi’s massive Requiem. The Raymond James Pops series opened Oct. 13-15 with Swing is the Thing and includes the Music of Star Trek & Star Wars and Rodgers & Hammerstein.
See a full calendar at floridaorchestra.org
Click for more on Music Director Michael Francis.
About The Florida Orchestra
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in the 2017/18 season, The Florida Orchestra is recognized as Tampa Bay’s leading performing arts institution, the largest professional symphony orchestra in Florida, and one of the most vibrant and innovative orchestras in America.Under the leadership of Music Director Michael Francis, it performs more than 130 concerts a season, with series of classical, popular, and morning coffee concerts in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater, as well as free Pops in the Park concerts. Dedicated to bringing music to all people, connecting to the community is a priority, with pre-concert talks, family and youth concerts and other educational activities. Kids and teens get in free to classical Masterworks concerts with Classical Kids tickets. To subscribe or buy tickets: 727.892.3337 or 1.800.662.7286; floridaorchestra.org.
About WUSF Public Media
WUSF Public Media is a comprehensive media organization that provides media services to the community and businesses through public broadcasting and multi-media production services.Licensed to the University of South Florida, WUSF Public Media serves the public interest through programming, educational outreach and community partnerships. For more information, visit www.wusf.org.
