“They’d been talking about changing the name for years. Finally, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra announced the big news last week,” writes Charles Runnells in Thursday’s (10/24) News-Press (Fort Myers, FL). This weekend, “The Charlotte County orchestra will officially adopt a brand-new name: Punta Gorda Symphony. The move, leaders say, will help brand the professional orchestra and prevent confusion between the Punta Gorda orchestra and another one in Charlotte, N.C., called Charlotte Symphony. That confusion’s been happening for years, music director Raffaele Ponti says. It even stumped guest musicians and others in the symphony business. ‘It was just a headache,’ Ponti says…. Orchestra leaders considered other names, such as the Peace River Symphony, but they kept coming back to Punta Gorda Symphony. ‘It’s hyper-specific, and it’s a geographic identifier,’ [Executive Director Craig] Badinger says. ‘And it’s where we originally formed in 1978 as a small chamber orchestra, and where our home has been.’ … Most orchestra patrons have been supportive and understanding of the need for a better, less confusing brand name. The orchestra’s board of directors … announced the change Oct. 14. The musicians begin performing under their new name after Sunday’s shows at Charlotte Performing Arts Center in Punta Gorda.”
Posted October 25, 2019
