SYMPHONIC SERENADES
Pensacola Symphony Orchestra Returns with Packed Season by Dakota Parks 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
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 five-concert Masterworks Series and Russian Spectacular are available and can be enjoyed in-person or virtually.
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.
“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 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
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