Tuning into the Musical Vibrancy of Sarasota County
Within its borders, Sarasota County offers a rich array of music organizations that provide residents and visitors with a diverse and immersive experience of the world of concert music. This season, a melodious journey awaits through the notable organizations that make Sarasota County's cultural scene resonate with a symphony of sounds and rhythms.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in style, The Venice Symphony is well underway in presenting a seven-concert season at the Venice Performing Arts Center. Photo Courtesy.
Founded in 1974, The Venice Symphony has become the pride of South Sarasota County by providing cultural enrichment through music for residents and visitors. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in style, The Venice Symphony is well underway in presenting a seven-concert season at the Venice Performing Arts Center. This milestone is a testament to the enduring love for music in Sarasota County. The Venice Symphony continues to inspire, delight, and resonate with the community, making it a cultural cornerstone of the region.
This season, under the direction of Music Director Troy Quinn, the orchestra has performed with esteemed guest artists like Andrew Bain, Dashon Burton, and Deanna Breiwick. In February, the Symphony will welcome 5-time Grammy Nominee Michael Feinstein for a concert of the greatest film music of our time. Musical highlights of Hooray for Hollywood on February 9-10 at the Venice Performing Arts Center include “New York, New York,” “The Way You Look Tonight,” “Singin’ in the Rain,” and much more, backed by the full Venice Symphony. For more information about The Venice Symphony and to purchase tickets, visit: www.thevenicesymphony.org.
The Venice Symphony will welcome 5-time Grammy Nominee Michael Feinstein in February for a concert of the greatest film music of our time. Photo Courtesy.
In Sarasota County, music isn't just a pastime; it's a way of life. With a thriving community of music organizations, there's something for every musical palate. From free matinees to intimate jazz cabarets, stirring opera and orchestra performances, and a half-century of symphonic excellence, Sarasota County is a harmonious haven for music lovers.
Explore more of what our music concert community has to offer this season:
Artist Series Concerts season continues with genre-hopping trio “Empire Wild", performing on February 21 at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Photo Courtesy.
Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota
Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota was formed in 1996 as Artist Series of Sarasota. The non-profit organization promotes excellence in live musical performance by featuring acknowledged stars of the next generation. Our 28th season showcases 26 exciting performances in a diverse range of genres including classical, jazz, pops, and Broadway. Our wide variety of musical offerings includes classical recitals, pops, jazz, chamber soirees, luncheon concerts, and dinner concerts in a variety of dynamic venues including the Historic Asolo Theater, Sarasota Yacht Club, Plantation Golf & Country Club, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, First Presbyterian Church, and the music room of the one-of-a-kind Fischer-Weisenborne residence.
Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota presents three concerts in February, all featuring emerging artists. Chelsea Guo, piano and soprano, performs with Joseph Holt, piano, on February 1 at the Sarasota Yacht Club. Genre-hopping trio Empire Wild perform on February 21 at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Prizewinning pianist Lin Ye returns to Sarasota on February 24 for a concert at Church of the Palms.
The 2024 Sarasota Jazz Festival will take the stage March 17 - 23 at various venues throughout downtown Sarasota. Photo Courtesy.
Since 1980, the Jazz Club of Sarasota has celebrated classic and modern jazz forms in the greater Sarasota area by bringing together and developing a community of jazz enthusiasts. The club supports and directly provides jazz education, and promotes the importance of jazz and musical arts education in our schools and other community organizations through advocacy, education programming, mentoring, student performance, and scholarships. They produce and support year-round live jazz performances by local, national, and international jazz artists, including their annual signature event, the Sarasota Jazz Festival.
The 2024 Sarasota Jazz Festival is set for March 17 - 23 at various venues throughout downtown Sarasota. Some of the most popular events include Jazz in the Park which will be held at the Civic Green at The Bay Park and of course, the four Main Stage Concerts that will be held indoors at the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium. Headliners include Dee Dee Bridgewater, Wycliffe Gordon Quintet, Vallerie Gillespie, Houston Person Quintet, and many more. For the full lineup and to purchase tickets, visit: www.sarasotajazzfestival.com.
The Sarasota Concert Association (SCA) is a beacon of musical excellence in the region, drawing leading names from around the world to perform. However, the SCA also ensures that local and regional talent shines, offering a series of musical matinees at the First Presbyterian Church on Oak Street. These delightful performances take place from January through April each year, showcasing a wide range of musical genres and styles. From classical symphonies to contemporary pieces, there's something for everyone.
What makes SCA Music Matinees even more exceptional is that these daytime musical interludes are free to attend. It's a wonderful opportunity for Sarasota residents and visitors to experience world-class music without breaking the bank. However, pre-registration is required to secure your spot for these captivating events, so be sure to visit scasarasota.org to reserve your place.
Opera aficionados have a special place in Sarasota, and that place is the historic Sarasota Opera House right in the heart of downtown Sarasota. The Sarasota Opera produces impassioned opera performances true to the vision of the composer, to entertain, enrich, educate, and inspire a lifelong love of opera in our diverse and growing communities. Upcoming productions, like Carmen, Lucia di Lammermoor, Luisa Miller, and Deceit Outwitted, offer a wide range of opera experiences. Whether you're new to opera or a seasoned enthusiast, the Sarasota Opera's lineup will leave you awe-inspired.
Kicking off the 2024 Winter Opera Festival is Carmen, from February 17 through March 22. Opera-lovers and newcomers alike will bask in some of opera's most recognizable music.
Carmen, the seductive and enigmatic heroine of Bizet's opera, has enticed Corporal Don José who upends his life to be with her. When her interest turns to the charismatic bullfighter Escamillo, José's enraged jealousy leads to catastrophe. Carmen is an opera in four acts with music by Georges Bizet and l ibretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy.
Creative Partner Peter Oundjian will lead the Sarasota Orchestra on February 15, 2024, in an evening that captures the euphoria of its 75th anniversary. Photo Courtesy.
In February, Sarasota Orchestra continues its 75th Anniversary season in thrilling fashion, featuring performances that highlight its impact, artistry, and community. Creative Partner Peter Oundjian will lead a special anniversary concert entitled “Celebrate 75” with pianist Garrick Ohlsson performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3. In a nod to the organization’s long-standing and highly regarded education programs, the Orchestra will feature an alumna of the Sarasota Music Festival, violinist Stella Chen, in Masterworks: Smoke and Fire. Students of the Youth Philharmonic will also take the stage with professional musicians of Sarasota Orchestra for its annual side-by-side performance that has inspired many youth orchestra alumni to pursue careers in music.
Recently, Sarasota Orchestra shared the first of several videos about the Orchestra’s vision for a Music Center that will expand the region’s cultural capacity with the Gulf Coast’s first purpose-built concert hall for acoustic music. In this first video, A Transformational Instrument, viewers will learn about the unique traits of a concert hall and get a peek at some of Sarasota Orchestra’s favorite halls around the world. To learn more about the Music Center, visit: sarasotaorchestra.org/musiccenter.
About the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County
The Arts and Cultural Alliance is the leading advocate for arts and culture in Sarasota County, Florida’s Cultural Coast. Our primary goals include bolstering our arts-powered economy, promoting health and wellness to nurture our artists and audiences, and advancing arts education and community engagement to ensure accessibility to arts and culture for all. To learn more about the Alliance and our membership opportunities, please visit: sarasotaarts.org.