South Florida Symphony Orchestra Launches 2024-25 Season with GERSHWIN Celebration

South Florida Symphony Orchestra (SFSO), led by the award-winning Sebrina María Alfonso, will launch its riveting 2024-25 Icons & Rebels Masterworks season with “100 Years of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue,” an anniversary tribute to one of popular culture's most beloved masterpieces, featuring acclaimed pianist Benjamin Hochman, the orchestra premiere of Prokofiev's The Love for Three Oranges Suite and Elgar's Symphony No. 1. The programs will take place on Wednesday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m. at The Parker (707 NE 8th St., Fort Lauderdale) and on Saturday, November 16, at 7:30 p.m., at New World Center (500 17th St., Miami Beach).

"Opening with Rhapsody in Blue, one of the most consequential works by an American composer ever, performed with Hochman's sparkling virtuosity, is sure to energize audiences. Coupled with the premiere of Prokofiev's whimsical and bold Love for Three Oranges Suite and Elgar's majestic First Symphony, we are setting the tone for an unforgettable season," says Maestra Alfonso. "I'm especially thrilled that, for the first time, we will perform all five of our Masterworks concerts at Miami Beach's spectacular New World Center as well as return to our beloved theaters, The Parker and Broward Center's Au-Rene Theater. The musicians and I are positively buzzing with excitement as we kick off our 27th season and can't wait to greet new and familiar faces.”

Celebrating 100 years of Rhapsody in Blue, George Gershwin shocked critics who did not know how to process the unconventional work when it debuted in 1924. Gershwin's melding of American jazz and classical music broke boundaries and shattered norms. Today, he is revered as one of the greatest American composers of all time. Acclaimed pianist Benjamin Hochman lends his talents to the masterpiece.

In all roles, from orchestral soloist, recitalist and chamber musician to conductor, Benjamin Hochman regards music as vital and essential. At 24, he debuted as a soloist with the Israel Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall conducted by Pinchas Zukerman. Orchestral appearances with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago and Pittsburgh Symphonies, and Prague Philharmonia soon followed. A winner of Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Career Grant, Hochman has performed at venues and festivals across the globe, including the Philharmonie in Berlin, Vienna Konzerthaus, the Kennedy Center in Washington, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Germany's Klavierfestival Ruhr, and Lucerne and Verbier festivals in Switzerland. Despite a medical setback in 2015 affecting his left hand, he pursued a conductor's role, studying with Alan Gilbert at Juilliard where he received the Bruno Walter Scholarship and the Charles Schiff Award. He created the Roosevelt Island Orchestra, consisting of some of New York's finest orchestral and chamber musicians alongside promising young talent from top conservatories. In 2018, fully recovered, he returned to the piano. Hochman's recent highlights include conducting the Szeged Philharmonic in Hungary and the Orlando Philharmonic in Florida. He also appeared as a piano soloist in Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Rheinische Staatsphilharmonie conducted by Benjamin Shwartz in Germany. His chamber music collaborations have taken him to Berlin, Budapest, Vancouver, Boston, Seattle, Dallas, Charlottesville, The Clark in Massachusetts, and Brown University. He curates the Kurtág Festival at Bard College New York. His new classical album, Resonance, will be released by Avie Records on Nov. 1.

Hochman adds, “I am excited to perform George Gershwin's Rhapsody with Maestra Alfonso and the talented musicians of South Florida Symphony Orchestra. It's an iconic work by a great American genius of the 20th Century who bridged the gap between classical music, popular music and jazz. Everyone knows this piece and for good reason. I love playing it and can't wait to share it with you all.”

Sergei Prokofiev, unorthodox and inventive, is known for his neo-classical, modernist approach. His The Love for Three Oranges Suite, taken from his comedic opera, is a whimsical musical jaunt about a cursed prince who is forced to journey to distant lands in search of three rather large oranges, each containing a princess. Will the affable prince break the curse and find his ‘main squeeze' or run out of juice along the way?

A symphony in A-flat major? Quite rare indeed. Sir Edward Elgar's Symphony No. 1 stands out as a remarkable exception in this regard. As a violinist, Elgar understood the challenges of playing in A-flat, yet that's what he boldly composed in his first symphony, which beautifully explores the universal human experiences of love and hope.

Now in its 27th season, SFSO invites audiences to a tantalizing season featuring upcoming works by Mozart, Strauss and Berlioz, plus a glorious Handel's Messiah performance and an  eagerly anticipated orchestra premiere of Bernstein's satirical masterpiece Candide. The concerts will take place in Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Key West.

From sold-out masterworks performances to accompanying today's musicians such as Natalie Merchant and performing modern musical scores, South Florida's largest symphonic orchestra is continuing its journey of excellence inspiring audiences of all ages and musical genres. This season's popular collaborations include performances of ARRIVAL From Sweden: The Music of ABBA and Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, featuring the iconic film screened live with audio and musical accompaniment on October 26 at Broward Center for the Performing Arts.

Tickets are on sale now beginning at $25. For November 13 concert, buy tickets online at southfloridasymphony.org or ParkerPlayhouse.com; by phone at (954) 462-0222; and in person at the Broward Center's AutoNation Box Office. For November 16 concert, buy tickets online at southfloridasymphony.org; by phone at (305) 673-3331; and in person at the New World Center Box Office. Discounted season subscriptions, saving 20% off single ticket prices, may be purchased by visiting southfloridasymphony.org/2024-25-season or by phone at (954) 522-8445 (for Miami Season Subscriptions); (954) 462-0222, option 1 (for Broward Season Subscriptions) and (305) 295-7676 (for Key West Season Subscriptions). Five-concert packages in Fort Lauderdale are available from $152*; five-concert packages from $112* in Miami; and three-concert packages in Key West from $92* (*plus ticketing fees). 

For additional information, visit southfloridasymphony.org, call (954) 522-8445 or email info@southfloridasymphony.org.

About South Florida Symphony Orchestra (SFSO)

Founded in 1997 in Key West by Music Director Maestra Sebrina María Alfonso, the now Fort Lauderdale based South Florida Symphony Orchestra (SFSO) is celebrating its 27th season. SFSO is dedicated to providing enriching cultural music experiences to residents and visitors in Monroe, Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. Guided by the belief that music is pivotal to thriving communities, SFSO brings vibrancy and engagement with the arts via innovative programming and transformative educational initiatives. A pioneer in its commitment to symphonic music for underserved communities, its Symphony in the Schools program has touched the lives of over 125,000 students since its inception in 1997. SFSO has been recognized by the Broward County Cultural Division as a “Major Cultural Institution,” one of only a handful of organizations to be so honored. For a performance schedule and season tickets, visit southfloridasymphony.org, call (954) 522-8445 or email info@southfloridasymphony.org.

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