Sarasota Orchestra Gala celebrates 70 years and legacy of Anu Tali

Sarasota Orchestra had much to celebrate Feb. 22.

The 70th Anniversary Gala at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota honored not only seven decades of providing classical music to the people of Sarasota, but the legacy of Music Director Anu Tali, whose time with the organization comes to a close at the end of this season.

Festivities began outside the ballroom with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres before guests adjourned to the purple and pink-lit ballroom for a concert by the Sarasota Orchestra.

After guests took their seats for the pre-dinner program, President and CEO Joseph McKenna and Board Chairman David Steves welcomed guests and shared several milestones from the orchestra’s past 70 years. McKenna also asked guests to bow their heads and share a moment of silence for the late Gerri Aaron, who he said had signed on right away to be a co-chairwoman of the event. She was also the individual title sponsor.

“From their first meeting, Gerri saw in Anu a spirited, smart leader who she wanted to support,” he said of the philanthropist’s relationship to Tali.

Tali’s legacy was celebrated in between pieces performed by the orchestra when several musicians shared the impact the maestro has left on them.

After dinner, guests toasted to Tali and the 70th anniversary before the gala ended with dessert and a final performance by the orchestra’s principal harpist Katherine Siochi.

Tali’s final concert as music director of the orchestra will be Masterworks 7 “Peace and Joy” April 5-7 at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.