Free Florida Blue Concert Series Launches Tonight at the Dr. Phillips Center

The Dr. Phillips Center in partnership with Florida Blue Foundation, presents the free Florida Blue Concert Series. The concert series takes place on the outdoor Seneff Arts Plaza that accommodates up to 3,000 guests. This season the Florida Blue Concert Series will take place on select 3rd Thursdays, coinciding with the Downtown Arts Districts 3RD Thursday events (http://3rdthu.com/). Florida Blue Concerts begin at 5 p.m. on the Seneff Arts Plaza.

A leader in Florida's healthcare industry, Florida Blue's mission is to help people and their communities achieve better health. By partnering with the Dr. Phillips Center that mission has expanded to improving the quality of life in Central Florida.

Thursday, October 15, 2015 at 5:00 p.m.

The first Florida Blue Concert features the Orlando Concert Band, a 65-member wind ensemble, organized and operated as a not-for-profit Florida corporation. Founded in 1989, the band performs throughout Central Florida for concerts, ceremonies, and other special events. The October 15 event features a mix of patriotic, film, and Broadway with some Latin pieces: Maeguena, Fantasia Espanol, Sol Y Sombra. The Broadway section will include a salute to the Sound of Music part of the Fairwinds Broadway 2015 -2016 season at the Dr. Phillips Center.

Thursday, November 19, 2015 at 5:00 p.m.

The Rico Monaco Band takes the stage for the second in the Florida Blue Concert Series, playing their signature Latin Rock both original music and classic rock covers. Rico Monaco is an Award-Winning guitarist, bandleader, and guitar instructor. Monaco has been playing guitar for over 30 years, and in that time has released several albums, toured the world, and taught hundreds of students. Among the band's awards are Musician, Band, CD, and Song of the Year, as well as the National Battle of the Bands sponsored by Hard Rock Cafe and Cabo Wabo Tequila. He has played on stage with the likes of Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony.

Thursday, December 17, 2015 at 5:00 p.m.

A holiday concert performed by Central Florida Community Arts closes the year with the third in the free series. Noel: The Carols of Christmas takes the beloved traditional Christmas classics, arranged by Derric Johnson, and combines them with spirit-lifting narration to tell the story of the birth of Jesus. Central Florida Community Arts is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Musical Arts organization that believes every artist of every age should have a cultural platform to connect, serve, & perform. Programs include choir, orchestra, and child and youth programs.

The Florida Blue Concert series continues in the spring with a new line-up of free concerts. Tentative dates include Thursday, April 21, 2016 and Thursday, May 19, 2016. For more information, visit drphillipscenter.org.

The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization operating the new state-of-the-art performing arts center in downtown Orlando, Florida. With its opening in November 2014, the performing arts center launched its vision of Arts For Every Life by being a gathering place for creativity and discovery; a vibrant urban destination where artists, audiences and students come to experience, explore and learn. The two-block community destination features the 2,700-seat Walt Disney Theater, 300-seat Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater, Seneff Arts Plaza, Dr. Phillips Center Florida Hospital School of Arts, the DeVos Family Room, and other event rental spaces. Future expansion plans include Steinmetz Hall, a 1,700-seat Acoustical Theater, rehearsal room and commercial development spaces. The Dr. Phillips Center is a public-private collaboration with the City of Orlando, Orange County, the State of Florida and generous donors.