Sarasota Concert Association Announces “Musically Speaking”

January 29, 2021 – Sarasota

The Sarasota Concert Association (SCA) today announced “Musically Speaking,” a free, three-concert virtual series featuring preeminent classical musicians in unique performances, highlighted by informal conversations with the artists. World-acclaimed pianists Garrick Ohlsson and Kirill Gerstein launch the series with a duo piano performance and conversation on Thursday, February 25, at 7 p.m. Violinist Samantha Bennett and percussionist George Nickson will share their unique artistry on Thursday, March 11, at 7 p.m. The world-renowned chamber orchestra, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, concludes the series on Thursday, March 25, at 7 p.m. Conducting the conversations with the artists is Charles Turon, a musician, educator, and SCA board member. The series is free, but registration is required. Each link will be viewable for seven days. For more information and to register for the “Musically Speaking” program, visit www.SCAsarasota.org.

Before the full scope of the pandemic was known, SCA’s 2021 Great Performers Series season featured six concerts.  As a result of the pandemic, the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, and Bach Collegium Japan concerts were cancelled in November. Sarasota Concert Association recently made the decision to also cancel the remaining three concerts of the season, including the Takács Quartet with pianist Joyce Yang; violinist Benjamin Beilman with pianist Yekwon Sunwoo; and pianist Emanuel Ax. 

Linda Moxley, SCA’s newly appointed executive director, said, “We are certainly disappointed that we had to cancel our 2021 concert season, but it was the decision we needed to make as we considered the health and safety of our audiences.”  Moxley continued, “We are pleased to offer this exciting, free, new virtual series, ‘Musically Speaking’, as a thank you to those who continue to support great music in our region.”  She adds that each of the concerts in this series can be enjoyed at home and will be available for seven days after the initial broadcast date.

Thursday, February 25, 2021, at 7 p.m.
Pianists Garrick Ohlsson and Kirill Gerstein

These internationally renowned pianists team up to perform two-piano arrangements of beloved orchestral works, including Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, and Ravel’s La Valse.

Thursday, March 11, 2021, at 7 p.m.
Violinist Samantha Bennett and Percussionist George Nickson

Samantha Bennett, principal second violin with the Sarasota Orchestra, and George Nickson, principal percussion with the Dallas Symphony (also co-directors of ensembleNEWSRQ), present a program of wide-ranging works that showcases their versatile approach to contemporary music.   

Thursday, March 25, 2021, at 7 p.m.
Academy of St Martin in the Fields

This world-renowned chamber orchestra presents “Overcoming Distance,” a program highlighting soloists from within the orchestra in works by Bach, Messiaen, and MacMillan, as well as the entire ensemble performing Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 4, and Mozart’s Symphony No. 29. 

The series is free, but registration is required. Each link will be viewable for seven days. For more information and to register for the “Musically Speaking” program, visit www.SCAsarasota.org/MusicallySpeaking.