- December 5, 2024
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Sarasota piano teacher Ruth Cotton Butler had a dream to enrich our area with an active and vibrant community orchestra, and thanks to her endeavors the Florida West Coast Symphony was established in 1948.
Rebranding in 2008 with new programs designed to engage more audiences, and with a name change, the Sarasota Orchestra is the longest continually running symphony in Florida. It celebrated its 75th birthday with a special concert and gala Feb. 15 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.
The elegant, blue-themed event began with a cocktail hour as the sun set over Sarasota Bay. More than 300 guests were then moved into the concert hall, where the orchestra played pieces by composers Aaron Copland, Joan Tower, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and George Gershwin, led by conductor Peter Oundjian, and with famed pianist Garrick Ohlsson.
Gala guests enjoyed dinner after the concert, but the marvel and most talked-about item on the table was dessert: chocolate grand pianos filled with fresh berries, and tiny piano boxes were provided for guests who wanted to take them home.