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.
Kim Wheeler, Jane Summerville and Bev Fisher
Photo by Janet Combs
Ted and Judy Beilman
Photo by Janet Combs
Jocelyn Udell, Geri Yonover, Brian Lipton and Joseph Gianguzzo
Photo by Janet Combs
Barbara Pekow, Peter Folstar, Brian André, Lois Stulberg and Paula Rouse
Photo by Janet Combs
Sheila Wynne, Larry Haspel, Merrill Wynne and Debbie Haspel
Photo by Janet Combs
Joan Mathews, Richard Farley, Bob Dove, Jim Cliff and Janice Landauer
Photo by Janet Combs
Phillip Lanham with Van and Joyce Carlisle
Photo by Janet Combs
Arthur and Judy Marks, Melody and Peter Kretzmer, and Barry and Sandra Latzer
Photo by Janet Combs
Ann Syring, Julie Plank, Chuck Albers, Wendy Babb, Gerald Fickenscher and Molly Maginn
Photo by Janet Combs
Chandler Pennington, Kat and Gary Heard, and Jerry C. Lazar
Photo by Janet Combs
Pauline Parrish, Cathy Wilson, Kacie and Juan Escobar, and Gordon Greenfield
Photo by Janet Combs
Fran Lambert, Sy Ziegelman, Marie Monsky and Marvin Kadesh toast the Sarasota Orchestra
Photo by Janet Combs
Trish and Paul Galioto
Photo by Janet Combs
Jake Zeigler and Cheryl Gorelick
Photo by Janet Combs
Lauren Hall with Mary Hoffman
Photo by Janet Combs
Brought together for the first time are Asolo Repertory's Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein and Sarasota Art Museum co-founder, Wendy Surkis
Photo by Janet Combs
The Sarasota Orchestra celebrates 75 years with a special concert and gala at the Van Wezel on Feb. 15.
Photo by Janet Combs
Sarasota Orchestra chose this amazing creation for dessert: chocolate pianos filled with fresh berries and topped off with an edible design/logo celebrating its 75th anniversary.
Photo by Janet Combs
The Van Wezel event area was transformed into a magical garden of blue with complimenting centerpieces from Suncoast Flowers
Photo by Janet Combs
Michael's on East Catering Queen Tracey McCammack is photographed with crew members Douglas Noppe, Courtney Hershman and Andrew St. Martin
