arts & entertainment

After several rounds of voting by 1,049 people, the results are tallied and the date is set: The Space Coast Symphony Orchestra will present Audience Choice, a program of music chosen by patrons, on Sunday, January 18 at 3:00 PM, at the Community Church of Vero Beach, 1901 23rd Street in Vero Beach, 32960.

The music with the most votes by concertgoers includes the Overture to Aida by Verdi, Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, the “Ride of the Valkyries” by Wagner, and selections from Carmen Suites Nos. 1 & 2 by Bizet.

As part of the SCSO’s commitment to performing new music, the program will also feature the world premiere of works by composers Steven Landis and Christopher Marshall. Both composers will be in attendance to experience the first-ever performance of their music. The Marshall piece, Solace, will feature Jennifer Royals, Vero Beach resident and principal clarinetist for the SCSO in a work for clarinet and strings.

$35 tickets for the 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 $40. Concertgoers aged 18 and under or with a college ID are admitted free to every SCSO concert. For more information about Audience Choice, call 855-252-7276 or visit SpaceCoastSymphony.org. 

The Space Coast Symphony Orchestra Conductor and Artistic Director, Aaron T. Collins was bowled over by the level of participation for Audience Choice.

“We had over a thousand people cast votes for their favorite music, which was a win in itself,” said Collins. “It will be an exciting concert, with masterworks from some of the greats. And on the first half of the program, we’re also presenting the world premiere of music by two of our favorite composers. Today’s new music could be the ‘audience choice’ of the future.”    

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 2025-26 season or the Symphony for Everyone ticket program, visit SpaceCoastSymphony.org or call (855) 252-7276.