Courtney Lewis, Music Director of the Jacksonville Symphony, Haskell Endowed Chair On April 28 and 30, the Jacksonville Symphony will present one of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s most beloved and famous operas, “The Magic Flute.” The two performances will be the culmination of several years of planning and preparation, and the Symphony’s largest production of the season. This is the story … Read More
Reflections on Success: A Shining Season at the Jacksonville Symphony
Steven B. Libman, President and CEO of the Jacksonville Symphony As we approach the end of 2022, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the successes and triumphs the Jacksonville Symphony has achieved over the last twelve months. Before I begin the journey of describing these important milestones, it’s crucial to recognize upfront that these accomplishments were only possible because … Read More
Arts Organizations Are A Good Community Investment
We are still in the midst of a global pandemic and the sheer magnitude of the lives affected by COVID-19 is hard to fathom. As we all know, great news has arrived with the approval of several vaccines and thus we know there is light at the end of the tunnel, provided that enough people receive both doses of the … Read More
Symphony Building Strong Ties With Student Musicians
Deanna Tham of the Jacksonville Symphony shines a light on the symphony’s work with Communities in Schools to bring classical music to students who might never otherwise experience it. The on-stage performance of a symphony orchestra is just the tip of the iceberg. There is the rehearsal, stage, library and personnel that must come together. Beyond that, there are hours … Read More
Music Is Made For Hard Times Like These
Steven Libman says the Jacksonville Symphony is doing what needs to be done to survive the quarantine. As I write this it’s almost incomprehensible that I started a new job on Feb. 1, 2020, as president and CEO for the Jacksonville Symphony. Less than 30 days later, the world changed as the COVID-19 crisis fell upon us. We have had … Read More
Kids Learn More Than Music In Youth Orchestras
Deanna Tham, principal conductor of the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras, says her favorite part of the job is watching kids learn to work together to create something bigger than themselves. There is a special moment in every musical performance, right before the sound starts. The conductor takes in a breath and absorbs the profundity of the entire work that is … Read More
Holiday Pops features a piece with lyrics written by lyricist with Jacksonville roots
“Jacksonville has always felt like my true home…” — Lee Perry For many of us, the holidays are a time to celebrate family, friends and the joy the holiday spirit brings. I am no different! In fact, I am brushing off the holiday playlists at the beginning of November; judge as you will. For me, and I’m sure many others, … Read More
Why is That Trombone So Small?
When the Jacksonville Symphony plays music from the Classical and Early Romantic periods the trombone section often scales our instruments down to better blend with a smaller orchestra. As opposed to what we usually play – two large tenor trombones with valves and a large bass trombone with two valves – we use an alto trombone, a “straight,” or, valve-less … Read More