arts & entertainment

Experience the sweeping melodies and lyrical folk-inspired themes of Czech composer, Antonín Dvořák, when the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra celebrates Dvorak’s Sunny Bohemia on Sunday, April 26 in Vero Beach. The 3:00 PM concert will transport listeners to the heart of Romantic-era Europe, in a performance at the Vero Beach High School Performing Arts Center, 1707 16th Street in Vero Beach, 32960.

The audience can look forward to hearing Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8, renowned for its folksy charm and melodic invention. The work is sometimes likened to a “Bohemian Pastoral,” because of its bucolic, optimistic tone. Principal Cellist, David Calhoun will be featured during Dvorak’s famous Cello Concerto in B minor, considered the pinnacle of the cello repertoire. Praised by Brahms for its brilliance, the work combines poignant, personal longing with virtuosic, Bohemian-flavor. Also on the program is the Southeastern U.S. Premiere of a new work by contemporary composer, Dan Perttu. Inspired by Arthurian legends and a fairy-like enchantress, his tone poem, Nimue and Her Fairies, invites listeners into a world of magic and myth. Mr. Perttu will be on hand to hear his composition come to life under the capable baton of SCSO conductor, Aaron T. Collins. The $35 tickets for the concert are available through the orchestra website at www.SpaceCoastSymphony.org or at Marine Bank & Trust in Suntree. 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 Dvorak’s Sunny Bohemia, call 855-252-7276 or visit SpaceCoastSymphony.org. 

The Space Coast Symphony Orchestra Conductor and Artistic Director, Aaron T. Collins is a fan of Dvorak and also a champion of new orchestral music. Dvorak’s Sunny Bohemia includes the best of both, with an added treat by a world class cellist.

“Every time I raise the baton for Dvorak, I feel as though the orchestra is handed a palette of sunlight and earth,” said Collins. “This will be a simply beautiful concert, filled with folk-inspired richness and emotional depth.”

At the center of the evening is the beloved Dvorak Cello Concerto in B minor, a revered work in the cello repertoire, performed by cellist David Calhoun. The talented Calhoun is the principal cellist for the SCSO and several other Florida orchestras.

“We count ourselves fortunate to have David Calhoun as our Principal Cellist,” Collins continued. “His career is staggering—private concerts for the Vatican in Rome, solo at Carnegie Hall with Liza Minnelli, and hand-picked by Philip Glass to record his cello concerto. This is a rare chance to hear a truly world class musician perform one of the most beautiful concertos in the repertoire.”

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.

ABOUT DAVID CALHOUN – David Calhoun is a distinguished principal cellist in Florida, appointed to the Space Coast Symphony in 2025 and holding similar positions with the Brevard Symphony, Villages Philharmonic, and South Florida Symphony. He has a vast repertoire, including performances with the American Symphony, Metropolitan Opera, and a 15-year residency with the Orion Music Piano Quartet at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Key Career Highlights

• Orchestral Leadership: Principal cellist for multiple Florida orchestras, including the Space Coast Symphony, Brevard Symphony, and South Florida Symphony.
• Renowned Performances: Appeared as principal cellist with the American Symphony at Lincoln Center, American Ballet Theater, Brooklyn Philharmonic, and toured with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
• Solo Work & Recordings: Recorded the first solo cello concerto for Philip Glass’s Naqoyqatsi at Looking Glass Studios. Frequently performs on live radio broadcasts for WQXR and WNYC.
• Chamber & Diverse Performances: Performed with the Orion Music Piano Quartet for 15 years, and played with artists such as Ani Kavafian and Menahem Pressler. Collaborated with Liza Minnelli, Rod Stewart, and played in Broadway shows like Showboat.
• Education: Held teaching positions at the State University of New York, Ouachita Baptist University, and the Waterloo Music Festival. 

ABOUT ANTONIN DVORAK – Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904) was one of the most influential composers of the late Romantic era, celebrated for weaving the folk traditions of his native Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic) into classical symphonic and chamber music. Born in the village of Nelahozeves, he showed musical talent early but worked as a butcher’s apprentice before pursuing formal study in Prague. His career gained international momentum after support from Johannes Brahms, who admired Dvořák’s originality and helped connect him with publishers. Dvořák’s music is known for its melodic warmth, rhythmic vitality, and incorporation of Slavic dance forms such as the furiant and dumka. His compositions span symphonies, concertos, operas, choral works, and chamber pieces, many of which remain staples of the concert repertoire.

Dvořák’s international reputation peaked during his time in the United States, where he served as director of the National Conservatory of Music of America in New York City from 1892 to 1895. While there, he composed his most famous work, the Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”, inspired by African American spirituals and Native American musical elements. He also wrote the beloved Cello Concerto in B minor and the chamber piece American String Quartet during this period. After returning to Bohemia, he focused more on opera and orchestral works until his death in 1904. Today, Dvořák is remembered for bridging national folk traditions with classical forms, helping shape a distinctively national voice in European music while also influencing American musical identity.

ABOUT THE SPACE COAST SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA— The SCSO is a lively and passionate Central Florida orchestra comprised fully of professional musicians and music educators from throughout the Sunshine State. Many of its musicians also perform with other prestigious orchestras in Florida and the United States. Each season, select students are invited to participate in the SCSO’s Mentorship program, giving them the unique opportunity to perform alongside their professional counterparts on designated concerts. The Orchestra was formed by Conductor and Artistic Director Aaron T. Collins with a simple mission: to provide year-round 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.

The SCSO is dedicated to supporting the work of living composers and shining a light on new music. By performing and commissioning today’s brightest composers, the SCSO brings fresh, exhilarating sounds to life in the concert hall. Roughly thirty percent of all SCSO performances include a work by living composers, many of whom call Florida home. The SCSO actively promotes diversity by programming works by composers who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Since 2009, the SCSO has presented dozens of World Premieres and Southeastern U.S. Premieres.  

Aaron T. Collins continues to garner 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 (855) 252-7276.