Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra 2013-2014 Season - Tickets on Sale NOW!

The Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra's 2013-2014 season just about has it all: traditional classics, young and talented guest soloists from around the world, popular holiday pops music, a touch of bluegrass, and even a direct-from-Las Vegas special event - "The Rat Pack is Back."
 

Music director and conductor Jeffrey Rink will lead the prestigious professional orchestra for his seventh season and the NFSO’s 27th year of musical fare since the orchestra was established in 1987 under the auspices of the Northwest Florida State College. Highlights of the season include virtuoso guest performances by pianist Asiya Korepanova of Russia and Alexander Krichel of Germany, as well as a wonderful new mandolin concerto by Jeff Midkiff.
 

The season opens September 28 with unlikely dance partners, as the orchestra plays dance-inspired music of the Waltz King, Johann Strauss, Jr., Overture to Die Fledermaus, followed by a suite of Hungarian dances arranged by Zoltan Kodaly. The “Austro-Hungarian Journey” concert concludes with acclaimed Wideman International Competition Gold Medal winner Asiya Korepanova performing Johannes Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2.
 

On November 16, the “American Impressions” concert features sounds of both American and European composers. Guest artist Jeff Midkiff of Virginia will perform the regional premiere of his acclaimed, folk-inspired Concerto for Mandolin “From the Blue Ridge” – a fascinating reflection of bluegrass-based themes that combine with sophisticated orchestral sounds, a touch of swing and jazz and some foot-stomping, toe-tapping rhythms that are just great fun to hear.
 

A mandolinist and fiddler raised on bluegrass and a professional clarinetist, Midkiff has been a member of top bluegrass groups such as the New Grass Revue and the Lonesome River Band, and has also appeared with professional symphonies across the nation.
 

Another delight at the November concert will be the NFSO performing Charles Ives’ "Central Park in the Dark," a kaleidoscope of sounds heard while on an evening stroll in 1906 New York City, and Antonin Dvorák’s famous "New World Symphony."
 

The ever-popular annual “Holiday Pops” concert, an NFSO tradition, promises to be an inspired and entertaining evening on December 13. The annual “Stars of Tomorrow” performance on February 7, 2014, will highlight some of the most talented young musicians in our region - winners of the annual Northwest Florida Symphony Guild Concerto Competition - and will also include the rare opportunity to hear George Frideric Handel’s most popular instrumental work, "Water Music," performed live.
 

On March 8, 2014 the NFSO hosts a special fundraiser and highlight of the season - "The Rat Pack is Back!" This smash-hit show, now in its 14th year in Las Vegas, has crisscrossed the country, recreating the music that shaped an era. Relive the great songs and terrific voices of the original Rat Pack – Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Joey Bishop – as this tribute show is performed by some of the world’s most talented impressionist entertainers joined by the NFSO in “big band” mode. Simply put, "The Rat Pack is Back!" is sure to be a “Cream of the Crop, A-Number One, King of the Hill” experience. Tickets are $37 each, and may be added to the regular five-concert season package or purchased separately.
 

The NFSO will close the 2013-2014 season on April 12, 2014, with a “German Spring Celebration,” beginning with a performance of Robert Schumann’s “Spring” symphony, as well as "Overture to the Beautiful Melusine," Mendelssohn’s musical depiction of the story of the Little Mermaid. The stage will be filled to capacity as the NFSO concludes the evening with Beethoven’s majestic "Choral Fantasy," featuring virtuoso German pianist Alexander Krichel, the Northwest Florida Symphony Chorale and six guest vocal soloists.
 

Both season subscriptions and individual tickets for all concerts of the NFSO’s 2013-2014 season are on sale now from the Mattie Kelly Arts Center Box Office. The season package is $115, a price that includes the five regular season concerts at a discounted rate plus Box Office processing fees.
 

Individual NFSO concert tickets are also now on sale for $22.50 each for adults and $16 each for youth age 18 and younger or active duty military. Tickets for "The Rat Pack is Back!" are $37 each. 

For more information visit the NFSO website at www.nfsymphony.org or call the Box Office at 850-729-6000. To purchase tickets click this link: http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?orgid=21891

The NFSO is operated by Northwest Florida State College as a non-profit organization and relies on tax-deductible donations and corporate underwriting to continue the musical excellence and the symphony’s numerous educational endeavors for youth. The NFSO performs in residence at the college’s magnificent Mattie Kelly Fine and Performing Arts Center in Niceville, where a custom orchestral shell provides an optimum acoustical experience for symphony patrons.
 

Memberships in the NFSO’s Conductor’s Circle are available for a tax-deductible gift of at least $250 to the NFSO over the cost of a season subscription. Conductor’s Circle members receive reserved parking, complimentary intermission beverage and other benefits. For information on making a donation to the NFSO or corporate underwriting, contact the NWFSC Foundation at 729-5357.