arts & entertainment

As the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra concludes their 15th Anniversary Season, they are making plans to end it in a big way: On Sunday, May 26 at 3:00 PM, the group will assemble 130 musicians onstage for their 15th Anniversary Celebration concert. 

The powerful program at the Vero Beach Performing Arts Center, 1707 16th Street, will feature celebratory works by Tchaikovsky, Marquez and Marshall, along with a world premiere of a work from composer Kevin Wilt. The concert opens with Christopher Marshall’s Samoa-inspired “Aue!,” originally commissioned for the orchestra’s 10th Anniversary. The audience will also hear Marquez’s “Conga del Fuego,” a short work of fiery musical color. The orchestra’s commitment to new music is evident in the world premiere of Kevin Wilt’s “Imagined Adventures: March at the West River,” a short work with cinematic flair, based on childhood fantasies. A prolific composer of film and orchestral music, Wilt is Associate Professor of Music, Composer-in-Residence, and Chair of the Florida Atlantic University Department of Music in Boca Raton. The program centerpiece is the monumental masterwork by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Russia’s most famous Romantic-era composer. Tchaikovsky’s power-infused Symphony No. 5 is a four-movement exploration of fate. For this final program of the anniversary season, select youth musicians will perform side-by-side with their professional SCSO counterparts. Composers Christopher Marshall and Kevin Wilt will be in attendance. $30 tickets for the 15th Anniversary Celebration concert are available through the orchestra website at www.SpaceCoastSymphony.org or at Marine Bank & Trust, beachside and mainland branches. Tickets at the door are $35. Concertgoers aged 18 and under or with a college ID are admitted free to every SCSO concert. For more information about 15th Anniversary Celebration, call toll free to 855-252-7276 or visit www.SpaceCoastSymphony.org. 

Space Coast Symphony Orchestra Conductor and Artistic Director, Aaron T. Collins is happily exhausted, as the milestone season culminates in the 15th Anniversary Celebration concert.

“This has been a whirlwind season for us,” said Collins. “We have a terrific anniversary concert planned, although 130 musicians playing Tchaikovsky might just raise the roof. After a few weeks’ rest, we will launch right into season 16!”  

The Space Coast Symphony Orchestra is one of only a handful of U.S. orchestras to perform year-round. Concertgoers aged 18 and under or with a college ID are admitted free to every SCSO concert. For more information about the Space Coast Symphony 2023-24 season or the Symphony for Everyone ticket program, visit SpaceCoastSymphony.org or call toll-free (855) 252-7276.

ABOUT THE SPACE COAST SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA— The SCSO is a lively and passionate Central Florida orchestra comprised of professional musicians, music educators and mentored amateurs of exceptional ability. The Orchestra was formed by Conductor and Artistic Director Aaron T. Collins with a two-fold mission: to provide mentoring and performance opportunities for Florida’s finest young musicians as well as to provide professional concerts at genuinely affordable prices. The ultimate goal of the organization is to help ensure the symphonic tradition for the enjoyment of future generations.

Aaron T. Collins is garnering recognition for his achievements.  LEAD Brevard named the ambitious Collins one of their “4 under 40” Young Professionals, the youngest-ever recipient of the honor.  Space Coast Business magazine listed him as one of Brevard’s “100 Most Admired Businesspeople.” Collins is a past recipient of the Richard A. Stark Award for cultural leadership from the Cultural Council of Indian River County. Through his personal involvement with more than a dozen performing arts groups, pioneering reciprocal ad program and social media cross promotions, Collins has gained a reputation for generosity; championing other arts organizations throughout Central Florida for the cultural enrichment of the community. 

School-aged children 18 years and under are admitted free of charge, as are college students with a valid ID.  In keeping with their mission, the symphony provides a unique Symphony for Everyone ticketing program, a “pay-what-you-can” option designed to provide substantially discounted admission to any Space Coast Symphony concert. Relying on a non-traditional orchestra model and a slim budget, the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra is one of only a handful of U.S. orchestras to perform year-round. The nonprofit organization also maintains the Space Coast Symphony JAZZ Orchestra and the Space Coast Symphony Wind Orchestra, with several free performances each year. More information about the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming concerts, ticket sales, venues, directions and sponsorship opportunities is available at SpaceCoastSymphony.org by calling toll free (855) 252-7276.