The opening work on this program immerses us in Ives’ haunting mini-philosophy-lesson about the universe and man’s eternal search for meaning in it. Three groups of players (a string orchestra, a solo trumpet, and a group of flutes) make their arguments with the inevitable conclusion. The Westerlies, an “arty quartet … mixing ideas from jazz, new classical, and Appalachian folk” (~ The New York Times) with a ferociously unique vision of brass—and yes, named for the prevailing west to east winds—blow in to play Conrad Tao’s Concerto for Westerlies. And in a classy-brassy pivot, an ear-stretching take on Dvořák’s exuberant string quartet, especially arranged for the OPO and The Westerlies, is bound to please!
Please note: When purchasing tickets online the only option will be to “Hold at Box Office”. There is no need to pick anything up, but instead you will be checked off a master list upon entry. The Focus Series has been relocated to a new venue due to ongoing construction at The Plaza Live. These 5 concerts will now be held at First United Methodist Church Orlando (FUMCO) in the 2nd Floor CWC Room. This performance space offers plush seating with individual chairs and plenty of space for our musicians and guest artists. There is not bag policy at FUMCO. However, the OPO has a strict prohibited items policy you can find here for all concerts and events. Tickets for these concerts will be extremely limited and seating for single ticket holders will be General Admission on a first-come, first-served basis. The front few rows will be reserved seating for our Focus Series Subscribers. For additional information on directions, parking, and more please visit our Know Before You Go page here.