Grammy-Award Winning Conductor Featured at Garden Theatre Gala on Today

The Garden Theatre (160 West Plant Street) is pleased to announce its signature fundraising gala, Garden Encore! presented by Orlando Health, March 4, 2017. The event's Orchestra Sponsor is Dr. Phillips Charities. Garden Encore! features an evening of celebration and entertainment, welcoming Grammy-Award winning conductor Matt Catingub to the stage, with vocalist Michelle Amato and entertainer and comedian Tim Wilkins as host.

Garden Encore! serves a dual purpose as the annual fundraiser for the Garden Theatre, as well as an opportunity to reveal the upcoming 10th Anniversary Season. Guests will begin the evening with a red carpet welcome and a rooftop champagne reception with divine food experiences, followed by incredible music by top symphonic musicians and vocalists, including Michelle Amato, as they present a tribute to America's Rock Band, Chicago. The concert will be under the direction of renowned conductor and musician, Matt Catingub, and will be hosted by comedian and entertainer Tim Wilkins in the intimacy of the 299-seat Garden Theatre. Guests will then be treated to decadent desserts under the stars and an after-party at Pilars Martini.

Tickets are $125 per guest and may be purchased by calling the Garden Theatre Box Office at 407-877-GRDN (4736) x0 or online at gardentheatre.org/encore.

About Matt Catingub
Multi-talented Matt Catingub is a Grammy Award-winning composer, arranger, conductor, vocalist, saxophonist, woodwind artist and pianist who has traveled the world, working with and arranging music for artists such as Diana Krall, Kenny Loggins, Rosemary Clooney, Michael Feinstein, Michael McDonald, and numerous others. He has guest conducted for some of the most significant symphony orchestras in the country and throughout Canada and Japan. Mr. Catingub has served as the Artistic Director and Founder of Pops orchestras in Honolulu, HI, Macon, GA and Los Angeles, CA, and as a guest artist at festivals and clubs throughout the country. He wrote and performed the music for the George Clooney film, Good Night, and Good Luck, which won a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Today, Mr. Catingub is at the forefront of a new and innovative movement to reinvent Pops into a more fun, accessible and contemporary format.

About Tim Wilkins
Tim Wilkins is a 20-year veteran stand-up comedian, TV and radio personality, speaker and writer who has performed on stages around the world, ranging from Radio City Music Hall to chow halls in Afghanistan as part of the Comics on Duty world tour. Since his first time opening for the legendary Earth Wind & Fire, and a 6-year run with international superstar Julio Iglesias, he has opened for entertainment legends such as Aretha Franklin, The Righteous Brothers, Styx, Wynonna Judd and many others. He is a sought-after performer for corporate events, an award-winning healthy TV chef, and has been seen on national TV on HBO, ESPN2, Fox Sports, TLC, CW, WE Network, MOR TV in Tampa, LifeTime, The Daily Buzz, BetterTV, Daytime, and CMT's Next Big Comic. He has also been a fitness and nutrition writer for Muscle and Fitness, Natural Muscle, BodyCheck.com, Shape.com and a keynote speaker for corporations, colleges, and events. His book, Laugh Your Abs Off!, was released in 2013.

About Michelle Amato
Michelle Amato is a dynamic vocalist who has performed and recorded with a diverse array of artists, including Liza Minelli, Al Green, Sandi Patty, Jon Secada, Donna Summer, Michael McDonald, Ira Sullivan, world-renowned composer Yanni, and many others. Her solo work can be heard on Yanni's Ethnicity CD and Yanni Live DVD. Michelle is currently the on-call vocal soloist for Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba in Orlando, FL. She is also the featured female soloist with The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, recently performing with that exciting group in New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, and across the Atlantic on Crystal Cruise Line. Michelle performs regularly at Eddie V's and Pilars in Central Florida, as well as music and jazz festivals around the country. She continues to love her orchestral work, and has been a featured soloist with The Orlando Philharmonic, The Memphis Symphony, The Sunrise Pops Orchestra, The Charlotte Symphony, The Baton Rouge and Macon Pops. Michelle's Master's Degree from the prestigious University of Miami School of Music has also created great demand for her expertise as an educator and clinician.

About the Garden Theatre
Located in the heart of historic downtown Winter Garden on Plant Street, the Garden Theatre is a nonprofit organization committed to enriching, engaging and entertaining through creative experiences. The 299-seat theatre, which re-opened in 2008, is a historic, atmospheric, professional performing arts venue in a Mediterranean Revival style. The Garden Theatre hosts live plays, concerts, movies and more to the residents of and visitors to the city of Winter Garden. For tickets or additional information, contact the Garden Theatre Box Office at 407-877-GRDN (4736) or visit the Garden Theatre website at gardentheatre.org.

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