Concert Planner
Venice Symphony Announces 2018-2019 Season
For its 45th annual season, the symphony will present seven concerts.
In a few weeks, the Venice Symphony will be announcing its next musical leader, the culmination of three-year search process. In the meantime, Leif Bjaland, the former artistic director of the Sarasota Orchestra, worked with the symphony to plan its 2018-2019 season—the organization’s 45th. Executive director Christine Kasten says Bjaland’s extensive experience with the region’s musicians and audiences has resulted in a “dynamic and exciting season.”
The season, which runs from November through April, will feature seven concerts, ranging from masterworks by Beethoven, Mozart and Mahler to a concert of George Gershwin music, a season finale of great American composers, and featuring several Venice Symphony musicians as concert soloists.
Season subscriptions start at $156 and online sales begin Sept. 1. Info: (941) 207-8822; thevenicesymphony.org
The 2018-19 Season
Fri, Nov. 16, 2018 at 7:30 pm and Sat., Nov. 17 at 3:30 pm
Festa Italia!
Festive Overture, op.96, Dimitri Shostakovich - Fountains of Rome and Pines of Rome, Ottorino Respighi
Carnival of Venice – Soloist Aaron Romm, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, op. 28., Camille Saint-Saëns – Soloist Marcus Ratzenboeck
Fri, Dec. 14 at 7:30 pm, Sat, Dec. 15 at 3:30 and 7:30 pm
Holiday Pops
Brazilian Sleigh Bells, Feliz Navidad, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, The Festive Sounds of Hanukah, music from The Nutcracker, barbershop quartet, traditional sing-a-long and more.
Fri, Jan. 11 at 7:30 pm and Sat., Jan. 12 at 3:30 pm
Strauss, Schumann and Mendelssohn
Nocturne, Wedding March from a Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, Felix Mendelssohn - Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, Richard Strauss - Piano Concerto, Op. 54, Robert Schumann – Guest soloist, Andrew Tyson
Fri, Feb. 1 at 7:30 pm and Sat, Feb. 2 at 3:30 and 7:30 pm
Rhapsody in Blue
The music of George Gershwin, including Cuban Overture, An American in Paris, I’ve Got Rhythm and Rhapsody in Blue.
Guest Soloist – Dr. Joseph Holt
Fri, Feb. 22 at 7:30 pm and Sat, Feb 23 at 3:30 pm
European Masters
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 - Overture to L’Italiana in Algeri, Gioacchino Rossini - Concerto for Cello No. 1., op. 33, Camille Saint-Saëns – Soloist Scott Crowley
Fri, March 22 at 7:30 pm and Sat, March 23 at 3:30 pm

The Venice Symphony.
Image: Courtesy Photo
Mozart and Mahler
Mozart’s Symphony no. 41, (Jupiter) and Gustav Mahler’s Symphony no. 1, D Major (Titan)
Fri, April 26 at 7:30 pm and Sat, April 27 at 3:30 pm
American Roots
Music of Duke Ellington, Aaron Copland, John Williams, John Philip Sousa and many others.
Ashokan Farewell and Sweet Georgia Brown – Soloist Marcus Ratzenboeck