The Punta Gorda Symphony returns to the stage at Florida SouthWestern State College Charlotte Campus this August with a set of new indoor chamber music concerts.
The organization’s 2020-21 outdoor chamber series proved so popular it added performances at the last minute to accommodate demand. “We find that our year-round audiences are still clamoring for quality in-person performances during the summer,” explains executive director Craig Badinger. “We’re proud to be expanding our programming now to keep everyone excited in the off-season.”
On Aug. 7, the first in the series will feature a Punta Gorda Symphony String Quartet with violinists David Qi and Cindi Qi, violist Rafael Ramírez and cellist Shea Kole. Works on the program by classical music masters will combine to illustrate the endless and delightful diversity of chamber music.
From one of the greatest classical composers W.A. Mozart one will hear two sublime quartets; from Johann Strauss the Emperor Waltz; and from celebrated opera composers Puccini and Verdi, Madame Butterfly and La Traviata.
The second concert of the series on Aug. 28 will highlight Punta Gorda Symphony Percussion Ensemble – a section that rarely gets to take center stage during orchestral performances. Percussionists Dean Anderson, Scott Crawford, Isaac Fernández Hernández and Tihda Vongkoth will come front and center to showcase the most riveting array of instruments and music seldom heard in live concert settings.
The full program will be announced soon at www.PGSymphony.org.
Adult tickets are $30. Patrons can save 20% by selecting the summer series package online or by calling the symphony office at 941-205-5996. The concerts will be held in the Rush Auditorium (Building O) at Florida SouthWestern State College Charlotte Campus.
Soon after the success of a pilot concert in June presenting the organization’s wind quintet, the college eased COVID-19 restrictions and now allows full audience capacity without social distancing or face coverings. Punta Gorda Symphony will continue to provide optional face masks and hand-sanitizing stations to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
For more information, updates and tickets, visit www.PGSymphony.org, or call 941-205-5996.
