Upcoming Events

One of the ways by which the Friends raise money for the Orchestra is to host events throughout the year. The events include Galas and Parties, up close and personal gatherings with OPO guest artists, and the Friends Musical Insights Series. Events are open to all and all proceeds benefit the Orchestra.

We are currently busy planning our events for the coming 2023-2024 season. Information concerning all of our events planned for the coming season will be added as they are finalized.

You may, however, already register for our first event listed below.

You can make reservations for Friends' events in two ways:

Order and Pay On-line - Click the appropriate "Friends" or "Non-Friends" button to add your choice to your shopping cart. Once you are done adding items to your shopping cart click the "Go to Payments" button on the shopping cart page to be directed to the PayPal site where you can either use a PayPal account or any valid credit card for payment. You can access your shopping cart at any time by clicking the "Review Cart" button on the right side of this page.
Order and Pay By Mail - Use your browser's File, Print menu command to print this page. It will result in a simple order form you can fill out and mail with your check or credit card information to: Friends of the Orlando Philharmonic, c/o Diane White, 102 S Interlachen, Apt 509, Winter Park, FL 32789. Please note that your order and payment must be received at least 5 days before the event.

Call our treasurer, Duncan DeWahl, if you must cancel your attendance to an event. Please note that since guest counts are guaranteed to the caterer 5 days prior to the event, cancellations made 5 days or less prior to the event cannot be refunded.

Can't Make the Event?

If you can't make an event but would like make a tax deductible cash contribution to the Friends then click here.

Events Mail-In Order Form

Fill in the number of attendees for the desired events, calculate your total payment and send this form along with your check or credit card information to:

   Friends of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra
   c/o Robert Smedley
   5261 Chiswick Cir
   Orlando, FL 32812

_____ Check enclosed

_____ Please charge my credit card:

VISA | MC | Discover | AmEx

Name on Card: _________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________

City: ______________________________ State: _____ ZIP: _______

Card No.: _____________________________________________________

CCV: ____________________ Expiration Date: ______ / ______

Signature: ____________________________________________________

	Dreaming of A White Christmas Home of Barry & Becky Watson December 6, 2023: 6PM Barry and Becky Watson are hosts for this elegant event in their lovely Lake Ivanhoe residence. Let's all gather to celebrate with food, drink, and Best in Brass performing jazzy, brassy music of the season, featuring OPO trombonist Joey Vascik. Even though in Florida it snows "only in your dreams," we can still dream of a White Christmas. The lake will not be frozen, so leave your ice skates at home! $115 for Friends; $125 for others. _____ Friends Members @ $115/person = $ _______ _____ Non-Members @ $125/person = $ _______ Total = $ _______
	Friends Musical Insights 2024 The Plaza Live January 23; February 20; March 19; and April 30, 2024 A National Award-Winning, Four-Part Music Awareness Series Presented by The Friends of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, featuring the Friends’ traditional hospitality in an intimate setting. A great holiday gift for the music-lover in your life or treat yourself! New! Single tickets now available to celebrate the renovation of the Plaza Live. The location of all sessions will be announced in the future CHELSEA GALLO: OPO’S MULTI-FACETED PRINCIPAL GUEST CONDUCTOR • JAN 23, 2024 – 5:00 P.M. A rising star in the conducting world, Chelsea Gallo is also the Assistant Conductor of The Florida Orchestra and Cover Conductor for the New York Philharmonic. She describes her conducting pursuits as “a devotion to sharing the relevancy and humanity within classical music.” Collaborations in the worlds of music and science have led her to work with, among others, NASA and the European Space Agency. She also has a passion for baseball and played professional fastpitch for the Vienna Wanderers! She studied conducting in Vienna, Prague and Slovakia, and holds a doctorate in musical arts from the University of Michigan. JAMES LEE III: AMERICAN COMPOSER EXTRAORDINAIRE! • FEBRUARY 20, 2024 – 5:00 P.M. With close to 90 orchestral, instrumental, choral and other works performed by the nation’s top orchestras and musicians, James Lee III is an exceptionally gifted composer. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to experience a composer’s inside view of the birth of a composition, including the interaction between composer and Artistic Director, and how an idea develops into a finished work and is performed for the first time. His new piano concerto, “Shades of Unbroken Dreams”, will be premiered by the Orlando Philharmonic and pianist Alexandra Dariescu on February 24 and 25. THE TROMBONE – POWERHOUSE OF THE ORCHESTRA • MARCH 19, 2024 – 5:00 P.M. OPO's Principal Trombone Jeff Thomas will entertain and delight you with an in-depth look at this fascinating, and unique instrument. From its beginning as the lowly sackbut dating back to the Renaissance to its development as a staple in both jazz bands and symphony orchestras, Jeff will demonstrate its many tonal capabilities. Imagine what it is like to play an instrument with a slide that stretches six feet! You will be captivated by the trombone's versatility, glorious sound, and very special (and entertaining) techniques. A COLLABORATION OF CHOIRS AND ORCHESTRAS: A JOURNEY OF JOY • APRIL 30, 2024 – 5:00 P.M. Dr. Timothy Peter, Director of the Stetson Concert Choir and Dr. Jeffery Redding, Director of Choral Activities at UCF and GRAMMY Music Educator Award recipient, will share insights and reflections on the magnificent Choral Orchestral repertoire. They will discuss musical details and nuances of the inspiring “Resurrection Symphony” (Symphony No. 2) by Gustav Mahler, to be performed by the Orlando Philharmonic and Eric Jacobsen on May 11 and 12, joined by the combined choirs from Stetson and UCF. Prior reservations are required for all sessions. Reservations can be made as follows: Full Series - entrance to all sessions - $175 per person • $135 for Friends members Mini-Series - entrance to 3 sessions of your choice - $155 per person • $115 for Friends members Individual - entrance to any one session of your choice - $55 per person.
	The Tango Experience Location TBA February 9, 2024: 7PM Guest artists from QuinTango are joined by members of the OPO for an evening of chamber tango at a spectacular Spanish-style residence on Lake Virginia. Their distinctive “chamber tango” style blends intimacy and bravado with passion and precision. Post-concert, enjoy a pool side tango demonstration with dancers from Buenos Aires! Celebrating their 25th anniversary, QuinTango’s past performances include the White House for the President of Argentina, 11 years at Piccolo Spoleto, international tours of France, Italy, Argentina, Uruguay, Costa Rica and Mexico. $175 for Friends; $185 per others. _____ Friends Members @ $175/person = $ _______ _____ Non-Members @ $185/person = $ _______ Total = $ _______
	Out of This World with Chelsea Gallo Home of Jeanne Atkinson March 21, 2024: 6:30PM Enjoy a fascinating evening with rising star within the conducting world, science lover Chelsea Gallo, who has led projects uniting the worlds of music and science. Working with NASA, she led recording projects for the Orion ETF-1 Mission, launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The recording and ensemble became the official Artistic Ensemble for the Hubble Space Telescope 25th Anniversary Celebrations. Chelsea will enthrall us with tales of her experiences with NASA and the space program. Hosted by Jeanne Atkinson in her fabulous North Park Avenue residence. $95 for Friends; $125 for others. _____ Friends Members @ $95/person = $ _______ _____ Non-Members @ $125/person = $ _______ Total = $ _______

Earlier Events This Season

In addition to the events listed above we also sponsored a number of other events earlier this season. We hope that you were able to join us for our earlier fabulous fundraisers which are shown below. The money raised at these, and all of our events, go to the operation of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and the Friends of the Orlando Philharmonic.

You can see photographs taken at many of our events on our Photo Albums page.

An Evening with Bella
Russell's at Lake Ivanhoe
Tuesday, September 26, 2023: 7PM

The new season is here.Revel in an intimate, private performance by OPO season-opener soloist Bulgarian-American violinist Bella Hristova, internationally known for her “expressive nuance and rich tone” (New York Times) and “impressive power and control…she brought the audience to its feet” (Washington Post). Enjoy panoramic views of the sunset from Russell’s beautifully remodeled dining room, with pre-dinner drinks and hors d’oeuvres in the lounge followed by dinner with a choice of entrees. Mauricio Cespedes Rivero will introduce the OPO’s new season, and lead us in a champagne toast! Cocktail attire please. $185 per person; or $1,500 for a table for 6 next to the windows.