Contact:Gretchen Miller Basso
Public Relations Director
The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra
Phone: 407/896-6700 x 223
Fax: 407/896-5512
gmiller@orlandophil.org
www.orlandophil.org
(Orlando, FL – September 2, 2010) – The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra presents an incredible gala evening of dining, dancing and entertainment on Saturday, November 20, 2010 at its second annual Symphony Swings at the Waldorf. The event begins at 6:30 PM at the beautiful Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Orlando’s Bonnet Creek. Proceeds benefit the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra.
Bring your dancing shoes and get ready for an evening of elegance and excitement as the Philharmonic takes you LIVE from the Waldorf Ballroom with an evening of music that will have audiences up on their feet! Orlando’s greatest band leader Michael Andrew and one of his favorite female vocalists, Michelle Mailhot, join the Philharmonic to serenade guests with the dancing hits of America’s Golden Age. Guests will enjoy many classic dance favorites from the Great American Songbook including As Time Goes By, Sway, That Old Black Magic, Zing with the Strings of My Heart, along with many hits of Dean Martin, Johnny Mercer, Frank Sinatra and crooners and writers of the Golden era. Mailhot, whose winning stage presence has made her one of Orlando’s most sought after jazz artists, also performs with the Drama Desk Award winning group Toxic Audio.
Maestro Christopher Wilkins describes the event, “Last year’s dinner-dance featuring Michael Andrew and the Philharmonic was a perfect night. It seems our guests and Waldorf hosts all agreed, and so we immediately began planning this sequel. It will be similar but different, with new songs, new arrangements, and introducing special guest, the brilliant and versatile Michelle Mailhot.”
Wilkins continues, “Few performers combine the charisma and musicianship of Michael Andrew. He is forever exploring and expanding the classic era of the Big Bands. Plus, with all those years as headliner at the Rainbow Room in New York, he knows how to convince a crowd of happy diners to put down their forks, grab a partner, and start swaying to the music.”
Michael Andrew shares his enthusiasm about the Waldorf gala, saying, “Swing, class, and elegance are alive and well. . . and they’re all staying at the Waldorf on November 20. The Waldorf is a fabulous venue with the elegance and exclusivity of the Swing Era. It’s the perfect venue to host the fabulous Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and SWINGERHEAD. Last year’s Waldorf Event with the Orlando Philharmonic was exquisite; this year we hope to have the same kind of elegance and fun plus a lot of new twists with the fabulous Orlando Philharmonic and the energetic swinging SWINGERHEAD. This year, we have a few new surprises that will make the night even more spectacular. I can’t wait!”
The first newly-built Waldorf Astoria since the legendary original in New York City, Orlando’s beautiful Waldorf Astoria Hotel opened on October 1, 2009, and last year’s Symphony Swings at the Waldorf was the hotel’s first gala event. Symphony Swings at the Waldorf: Live at the Waldorf Ballroom begins in the Waldorf’s famous “Peacock Alley” with music and cocktails, and culminates in the luxurious Grand Ballroom with guests dining and dancing at this full orchestra gala ball. The evening also boasts live and silent auctions, featuring an array of exclusive items including travel opportunities and unique experiences.
Andrew continues, “If we have as much fun with the audience as we had last year, I will be in heaven, but with the new stuff that Chris and I have planned, I think we will blow the roof off that joint!!! Seriously, this will be a fabulous event; I’m really looking forward to another exquisite event at the Waldorf!”
Tickets to Symphony Swings at the Waldorf are $225 per person. Sponsor tables are available at levels beginning at $2,500. Sponsors receive a variety of benefits. To purchase tickets and sponsor tables, phone the Orlando Philharmonic at 407-896-6700 x 225.
The Waldorf Astoria offers Symphony Swings guests a special room rate of $169 for the evening of November 20. To reserve a room at the Waldorf Astoria (14200 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, Orlando, FL 32831), phone 888-353-2009. The Hilton Bonnet Creek also offers a special rate for Symphony Swings guests of $139 for the evening of November 20. To reserve a room at the Hilton Bonnet Creek (14100 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, Orlando, FL 32831), phone 888-353-2013.
For more information on Symphony Swings at the Waldorf: Live from the Waldorf Ballroom, phone 407-896-6700 or visit www.OrlandoPhil.org.
