In Saturday’s (3/13) Buffalo News, Tom Buckham writes, “They are no accidental tourists, this instrument-toting contingent set to perform in the shade of Florida’s coastal palms over the coming week. Far from it. The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s five-concert engagement that began Friday in Fort Lauderdale, which even before the first note sounds has exceeded its fundraising goal, was the product of connections cultivated over time and distance. The odyssey was sparked by a 2007 telephone conversation between Music Director JoAnn Falletta and a friend from Norfolk, Va., who had relocated to Florida and was now on the board of the Daytona Beach Symphony. … ‘She extended an open invitation to bring the BPO to Florida,’ Falletta recalled. But more concerts would be needed to justify the expense. ‘We knew one date would not be enough,’ Falletta said. That’s where the Philharmonic’s Florida fan base, made up of orchestra board members and subscribers who retired to the Sunshine State or spend winters there, stepped to the plate. … ‘Many of our most loyal subscribers and patrons spend time in Florida, and they like to talk about their new orchestras there. I was getting a little jealous, frankly,’ she said. Falletta wanted to offer them a chance to reconnect with the BPO, ‘to still feel part of our family.’ ”
Posted March 15, 2010
