The orchestra will feature nine guest conductors and celebrate the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth.
Sarasota Orchestra is undergoing several changes the next few years, but one thing remains the same: the concert lineup is packed with both beloved classics and pieces that will be new to devoted audiences.
As the search for a new music director continues, nine guest conductors will lead the orchestra in a season of classical programs that coincide with the 250-year celebration of Beethoven’s birth.
The 2019 – 2020 Season
Masterworks Series
“Classical Romance”
Nov. 8, 9, 10
Guest Conductor: Gerard Schwarz, Conductor Laureate, Seattle Symphony
Lise de la Salle, piano
R. Strauss - Don Juan
Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 20
Dvořák - Symphony No. 6
“Roman Festivals”
Dec. 6, 7, 8
Guest Conductor: JoAnn Falletta, Music Director, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Alexi Kenney, violin
Elgar - “In the South”
Bruch - Violin Concerto No. 1
Respighi - “Fontane di Roma” (Fountains of Rome)
Respighi - “Feste Romane” (Roman Festivals)
“Mozart and Mahler”
Jan. 17, 18, 19
Guest Conductor: Steven Sloane, Music Director, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra
Shai Wosner, piano
Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 21
Mahler - Symphony No. 1 (“The Titan”)
“Chang Plays Dvořák”
Jan. 30, 31, Feb. 1, 2
Guest Conductor: Ludovic Morlot, Music Director, Seattle Symphony
Sarah Chang, violin
Janáček - “The Cunning Little Vixen Suite”
Debussy - “Iberia,” No. 2 from “Images”
Dvořák - “Legends”
Dvořák - Violin Concerto
“Sounds of Nobility”
Feb. 21, 22, 23
Guest Conductor: Bramwell Tovey, Principal Conductor, BBC Concert Orchestra
Joshua Roman, cello; Simone Porter, violin
Berlioz - “Rob Roy” Overture
Brahms - Concerto for Violin & Cello
Walton - Symphony No. 1
“Beethoven and Bartók”
March 12, 13, 14, 15
Guest Conductor: Keith Lockhart, Conductor, Boston Pops Orchestra
Jeremy Denk, piano
Kodály - “Dances of Galanta”
Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 4
Bartók - Concerto for Orchestra
“American Impressions”
April 3, 4, 5
Guest Conductor: Teddy Abrams, Music Director, Louisville Orchestra
Blake Pouliot, violin
Abrams - “Overture in Sonata Form” (2014)
Prokofiev - Violin Concerto No. 2
Copland - Symphony No. 3
Pops Series
“Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II”
Jan. 3, 4
Guest Conductor: George Daugherty
“My Favorite Things”
March 6, 7
Conductor: Andrew Lane, Principal Pops Conductor
Maria Wirries, vocalist
“American Playlist”
April 17, 18
Guest Conductor: Sean O’Loughlin
Storm Large, vocalist
Branford Marsalis, saxophone
Chamber Series
"Musical Mélange"
Sept.12
Ewald – Brass Quintet No. 1
Poulenc – Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano
Aguila – “Submerged”
Beethoven – Horn Sextet
“Mozart and More”
Sept. 22
Casella – “Serenata”
Gryc – Fantasy Variations on a Theme of Béla Bartók
Mozart – String Quintet in C Major
“Titans of Two Centuries”
Oct. 10
Prokofiev – Sonata in C Major for Two Violins
Beethoven – Septet in E-flat Major
“Haas and Brahms”
Oct. 13
Haas – Wind Quintet
Brahms – Piano Quartet No. 1
“Beethoven’s Ghost”
Oct. 31
Zemlinsky - Humoreske
Schoenberg – Verklärte nacht (“Transfigured Night”)
Beethoven – Piano Trio No. 5 in D Major (“Ghost Trio”)
“Sarasota String Quartet”
Jan. 5
Haydn – String Quartet in D minor No. 2 (“Fifths”)
Webern – String Quartet
Beethoven – String Quartet
“Symphony to Serenade”
Feb. 27
Koetsier – Brass Symphony
Ibert – Trio for Violin, Cello and Harp
Dvořák – Serenade for Strings in E Major
“Guiding Principals”
April 19
Jim Parker – “Mississippi Five”
Golijov – “Mariel”
Dvořák – String Quintet in G Major
Great Escapes Series
“Salute to Arthur Fiedler”
Oct.16 - 19
Guest Conductor: Steven Jarvi
“Sounds of the Season”
Dec.11 - 15
Guest Conductor: Michelle Merrill
“European Grooves”
Jan. 8 - 12
Guest Conductor: Jacomo Bairos
“Space and Beyond”
Jan. 22 - 26
Guest Conductor: Enrico Lopez-Yañez
“Heart and Soul”
Feb. 12 - 16
Guest Conductor: Christopher Confessore
“Latin Beats”
March 18 - 21
Guest Conductor: Jacomo Bairos
Discover Beethoven Series
“Discover Beethoven’s Fifth”
Sept. 28, 29
Guest Conductor: Marcelo Lehninger, Music Director, Grand Rapids Symphony
Drew Petersen, piano
Rossini - Overture to “L’Italiana in Algeri”
Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 3
Beethoven - Symphony No. 5
“Discover Beethoven’s Seventh”
May 2, 3
Guest Conductor: David Danzmayr, Music Director, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra
Alexandra Soumm, violin
Vivaldi / Richter - “The Four Seasons Recomposed”
Beethoven - Symphony No. 7
“Beethoven’s Eroica”
Feb. 6
Beethoven – Symphony No. 3 (“Eroica”)
New subscriptions go on sale April 10. Call the box office at 953-3434. Single concert tickets for the 2019 – 2020 season go on sale to the public in September. Flex Pass subscriptions go on sale in August.

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