Even as the coronavirus prevents us from sitting side by side in a concert hall, we can still listen to The Florida Orchestra together. You don’t even have to leave your couch. TFO will share live recordings of select Masterworks concerts for free on Classical WSMR 89.1 and 103.9 FM radio and online at WSMR.org, thanks to its partnership with the station.
Thirteen full concerts started airing on Thursdays at 7 p.m. on March 26, with Music Director Michael Francis conducting this season’s Opening Night performance of Gershwin, Grieg, Ravel and more. Continuing through June 11, the broadcasts will be a mix of recordings from this season and TFO’s archives. If you miss a broadcast, you can listen on demand at WSMR.org for one month after the airdate.
Please join in for some of the most powerful moments from our Tampa Bay Times Masterworks series—a gift to our community in conjunction with WUSF Public Media and Classical WSMR radio.
The broadcasts also are made possible by the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay and Jay’s Fabric Center. We’d like to give a special thank you to the Florida Orchestra Musicians Association and to the American Federation of Musicians (call local at 427-721).
This is the third year TFO is offering live recordings, but the sentiment is stronger than ever since its live concerts have been canceled through at least Sunday, April 5 to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus. TFO hopes these performances will lift you up and bring a sense of comfort when you need it most, no matter where you are in the world.
The first broadcast on March 26 included Grieg’s Piano Concerto with Aldo Lopez-Gavilan, Ravel’s Bolero, Gershwin’s Cuban Overture, Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3 and Mason Bates’ Mothership. Full concerts have been recorded live all season long at the Straz Center in Tampa, the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg and Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. Look for a full schedule at FloridaOrchestra.org.
As you listen to the music, please remember that in these challenging times, The Florida Orchestra needs your support more than ever. Ticket sales provide about 40 percent of its operating budget, so each week that TFO cannot perform significantly impacts your orchestra and its ability to perform future concerts for you and our community.
For more information, visit FloridaOrchestra.org.
