Symphonic Serenades
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Pensacola Symphony Orchestra Returns with Packed Season by Dakota Parks
f
or attendees, a night at the symphony is about more than a love of music.
It’s also the anticipation of the performance
over dinner, dressing up in your favorite clothes,
greeting the ushers to help find your seats, mingling with your neighbors and reveling in the sheer magic and communal awe of 60 to 80 musicians playing in harmony to pieces that range from hundreds of years old to contemporary compositions. Behind the scenes, the work that goes into producing an evening of music includes the careful selection of pieces, dozens of hours of rehearsal, the lifetime of work and skill of the orchestra and conductor and a full year’s worth of work in hiring staff, gathering equipment and selling tickets. The Pensacola Symphony Orchestra kicked off its 2021-2022 season at opening night on October 16 at the historic Pensacola Saenger Theatre in downtown Pensacola. This season marks the symphony’s return to a full calendar and first indoor full-capacity concerts since February 2020. 16 | DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM
Pensacola Symphony Orchestra Executive Director Bret Barrow explained that the symphony is still closely monitoring public health and safety and actively encouraging masks to be worn inside the Saenger Theatre as well as offering six concerts via live stream for those that prefer to watch from home. The fiveconcert Masterworks Series and Russian Spectacular can be enjoyed in-person or virtually. “I’m most excited about the orchestra being able to perform for more people and with more concerts than we were able to last year,” Barrow said. “The energy from an enthusiastic, live audience is really powerful fuel for us. These past 18 months or so have really made me appreciate the moments of music and the community experiences that make Pensacola such a great place to live. I don’t think I took performances for granted in the past, but I certainly cherish them more than ever these days. Making music with great colleagues and sharing that with
First Violin Burcu Goker Photo by Guy Stevens your friends, family and community is truly a privilege.” This community focus is at the heart of what the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra strives to do both on and off stage. Through the “Beyond the Stage” programs, the symphony utilizes community engage- small ensemble of musicians ment programs to bring musi- in different parks and outdoor cal education, performances venues. These free concerts and mentorships to individu- will continue this season and als in schools, hospitals and are scheduled for April 3 and neighborhoods. Throughout May 8, 2022. the pandemic, the symphony also relied on technology and “Our mission is to foster its program “Virtually Together” the musical culture of this to broadcast music on YouTube community,” Barrow explained. for the community. One of the “We want to eliminate barriers other innovations born out of to participation and we also the pandemic are the commu- want an authentic experience nity concerts called “PSO in that speaks to young people, the Park,” which feature a and to older people. Orchestral
