The Sarasota Orchestra is teaming up with some of Sarasota and Manatee County's beauty spots to present a series of outdoor concerts. They're calling it: On the Road with the SO: Parks & Partners.
Those partners include: Nathan Benderson Park, The Ringling Museum, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, G.T. Bray Park and Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast/Bay Preserve at Osprey.
Sarasota Orchestra COO Gordon Greenfield said "We reached out to each of those as we called around, they were all enthusiastic and excited. I will say Selby reached out to us before we could even get to them. Which, kudos to Selby, they asked us if we would be interested in performing there because they knew that there were limitations to performing indoors."
The coronavirus pandemic has made indoor music-making really difficult. The Sarasota Orchestra "reimagined" its 2020-2021 season with fewer concerts and health and safety a priority. Part of that plan restricts the wind and brass sections.
"We aren't currently having them perform indoors, because they blow into their instruments, and we consider that a safety concern in the current pandemic. But this is a great way for them-outdoors-to share their art, share their music."
Greenfield said the venues are insisting on limiting access and physical distancing. The interest is so high that the first concert, December 6th at Nathan Benderson Park is already at capacity. You can register for the free events online at the Sarasota Orchestra website under the heading "parks and partners." Registration opens one month before each scheduled concert.
The Community Foundation of Sarasota County and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation are sponsoring the outdoor concert series.
The outdoor concert schedule:
Nathan Benderson Park
Sunday, December 6, 2020 at 2:30 pm
Sunday, January 10, 2021 at 2:30 pm
Sunday, March 21, 2021 at 2:30 pm
Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast/Bay Preserve at Osprey
Sunday, January 10, 2021 at 2:30 pm
Sunday, February 21, 2021 at 2:30 pm
Sunday, April 25, 2021 at 2:30 pm
G.T. Bray Park
Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 2:30 pm
Sunday, March 21, 2021 at 2:30 pm
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 2:30 pm
Sunday, February 7, 2021 at 2:30 pm
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
Sunday, February 21, 2021 at 2:30 pm
