Sarasota Orchestra Receives Grant From Community Foundation Of Sarasota County

Sarasota Orchestra has received a $70,000 Strategic Partnership Grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, which comes from the Martha Leiter and Nancy Streetman Fund II. In addition to being the Foundation Title Sponsor for Sarasota Orchestra's 2023-2024 Dinner Series, the Community Foundation's grant funding will support Celebrate 75, the Orchestra's Special Concert & Gala event, and the return of the family concert, Peter and the Wolf.

As the Orchestra continues its search for a Music Director, six of the world's most compelling conductors are coming to be part of Sarasota Orchestra's 75th Anniversary season celebration. With funding from the Community Foundation, the Dinner Series offers an opportunity to meet these renowned maestros and dine with them at Sarasota's most distinguished venues. Each unique dinner features a short performance by select Sarasota Orchestra musicians and a moderated conversation with the featured guest conductor. Hear them share their perspective and approach to making music, as well as the stories behind their passion for the classics.

“Sarasota Orchestra is grateful for the continued support from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County,” said Sarasota Orchestra President and CEO Joseph McKenna. “Our partnership with the Community Foundation is an indispensable component of the Orchestra's success. The arts are needed now more than ever and this grant helps us continue to share world-class music and music education with our community.”

By funding the Dinner Series, this generous grant from the Community Foundation also provides essential support for Sarasota Orchestra's full artistic season, which began this month and runs through May 2024. Sarasota Orchestra's season of programming includes performances in a variety of venues and formats and is comprised of concerts in five different series: Masterworks, Discoveries, Chamber Soirées, Pops and Great Escapes. The season concludes with the ever-popular Outdoor Pops concerts at Ed Smith Stadium.

Following the success of the program last season, and with the backing of the Community Foundation, Sarasota Orchestra is thrilled to offer two performances of Peter and the Wolf this season, one in English and one in Spanish. Both performances will take place on Sunday, March 24, 2024 at Holley Hall in the Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center. Additionally, before and after each concert, children will get the chance to make some joyful noise in our musical "petting zoo," where they will be able to touch and interact with real instruments, meet Sarasota Orchestra musicians, and create their own music-themed arts and crafts! To serve all of our attendees and guests, Sarasota Orchestra will be doing a “petting zoo” in both English and Spanish.

“For 75 years, Sarasota Orchestra has been a sustainable and creative source of joy and unity in our community,” said Roxie Jerde, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. “We are delighted and proud to support the rich, diverse programming that Sarasota Orchestra provides that enhances our community in many ways.”

To learn more about Sarasota Orchestra's 2023-2024 season and programs, visit www.SarasotaOrchestra.org.

Sarasota Orchestra is celebrating 75 years of performances that move, delight, and inspire music-lovers across the region and visitors from around the world. Each year, the 76-member Orchestra performs more than 100 classical, pops, chamber music, and community outreach concerts. Sarasota Orchestra's mission also extends to music education, including its acclaimed Sarasota Youth Orchestra programs and the world-renowned Sarasota Music Festival. For further information, please visit www.SarasotaOrchestra.org.

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is a public charity founded in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council as a resource for caring individuals and the causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community. With assets of $460 million in more than 1,570 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $45.3 million dollars last year in the areas of education, the arts, health and human services, civic engagement, animal welfare and the environment. Since its founding, the Community Foundation has been able to grant more than $395 million to area nonprofit organizations to our community thanks to the generosity of charitable individuals, families, and businesses. For more information, visit CFSarasota.org or call (941) 955-3000. 

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