THE FLORIDA ORCHESTRA’S NEW SEASON CELEBRATES MUSIC OF

The Florida Orchestra (TFO) will celebrate the unique musical language of America in its new 2023-24 season this fall. Inspired by the 100th anniversary of Gershwin’s groundbreaking Rhapsody in Blue, music director Michael Francis is featuring a wide range of American composers from Aaron Copland to Wynton Marsalis alongside global masterpieces by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Dvorak and more. In September, he launches the premier Hough Family Foundation Masterworks series with a bang: Holst’s The Planets paired with the thrilling Percussion Collective. In the Raymond James Pops series, the circus meets the symphony in Cirque Dances with Troupe Vertigo, in addition to Twist & Shout, a tribute to 60 years of The Beatles in America; a supersonic SciFi Spectacular of space-themed movies and TV music; and the very merry tradition of Holiday Pops.

“This season, we’ll take audiences on a journey across America’s musical landscape as we explore our musical roots and where we are today. Alongside the story of American music, we will delight our Tampa Bay community with beloved classics from around the world,” said Francis. “New this season will be secret ‘mystery pieces’ — moments of discovery and fun that won’t be listed in the program. We remain passionate about reflecting the diferent cultures that make up Tampa Bay and beyond.”

At the heart of TFO’s 56th season, Maestro Francis will conduct featured soloist

Stewart Goodyear in Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue (February 1718, 2024). This masterpiece combined jazz and classical to change music forever when it premiered 100 years ago in 1924.

The concert will spotlight works by three more American composers: Marsalis’ Herald, Holler & Hallelujah; Mason Bates’ Alternative Energy; and Leonard Bernstein’s Three Dance Episodes from On the Town

For the first time ever, all 13 Hough Family Foundation Masterworks concerts will include a surprise, unlisted ‘mystery piece’ personally chosen by Francis.

This October brings another important American masterpiece, Copland’s Appalachian Spring (Saturday and Sunday, October 21-22), showcasing the beauty of the distinctly American sound. The program also features Grammy-nominated baritone Jubilant Sykes performing American spirituals that highlight our African American heritage.

For 2024, more big moments in TFO’s core classical series include Dvorak’s New World Symphony (April 12-14), Beethoven’s heroic Eroica Symphony (April 5-7, 2024), Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 (January 19-20) and Elgar’s Enigma Variations (May 17-19). The series wraps up with Mahler’s epic Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection” (May 25-26), which features the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay.

For more information and season tickets, visit https://floridaorchestra.org/.

Downtown Murals Create Outdoor Art Museum

What do Tom Brady, Tweety Bird and Freddy Mercury all have in common? They are all subjects of murals located in beautiful downtown Tampa.

Whether you drive, bike or scooter, find a beautiful day and trek to the city for a fun and adventurous mural tour.

From Ybor City to the Channelside District to Ashley Street, there is an eclectic collection of art, much of which was commissioned by the City of Tampa. For an interesting and in-depth compilation, you can visit www.tampasdowntown.com or Google Tampa’s Downtown Mural Tour.

To highlight a small, yet dense, sampling of the mural art in Tampa, we start at Cass Street, west of Nebraska Avenue, where you will find the Tampa Firefighters Museum on your left with a beautifully painted flag covering the entire north side of the building. On the right, see one of Tampa’s largest murals on the Navara Apartments, featuring legendary musicians Elton John, Freddie Mercury and Jimi Hendrix.

Head north on to Florida Avenue and discover a plethora of interesting murals,

By Kerrie Hoening

including a few pictures of Tom Brady and the famous Florida Avenue Mural, also known as the ‘Tampa Postcard,’ depicting images of Tampa’s past and present. Head further north, crossing under the I-275 corridor, and you suddenly happen upon a whole new world of wall art on every building. On neighboring Franklin Street, many of the murals cover entire buildings. If driving, you’ll probably need to park and then enjoy a leisurely stroll around the whole block.

After a brief respite at Armature Works, you’ll head south on Tampa Street, driving back toward the city. Here, at 1715 N Tampa St., you will find the poignant Kobe and Gianna Bryant mural, lovingly titled Daddy’s Little Girl. A little further down, you’ll also notice a couple of Tweety Bird murals, freshly painted to celebrate the 80th birthday of Tweety Bird. As you cross back under the interstate, Tampa’s newest mural, only weeks old, can be found on the right, stating the obvious for all who live in our great city, “We Love Downtown.”