Happy 15!

The Gulf Coast Symphony, a community orchestra, has been entertaining crowds for 15 years. COURTESY PHOTOS Andrew Kurtz started the Gulf Coast Symphony in 1996 with a two things: a vision for an orchestra for the community and $5,000 of his own money.

The symphony performed its first classical concert in May of that year, for an audience of 300. Today, the symphony reaches more than 10,000 people annually and has a budget of $365,000, making it by budget size, the third-largest nonprofit performing arts organization in Lee County, according to Maestro Kurtz.

“I started the orchestra so there would be an opportunity for non-professional musicians to perform,” he says.

When he came to Southwest Florida 18 years ago, he was the conductor and education director of the Southwest Florida Symphony. While doing outreach in the community, he kept running into musicians who loved to play but didn’t have the time to play professionally. Because of work or other obligations, they couldn’t handle a professional schedule of multiple rehearsals during a week, including some daytime rehearsals.

Andrew Kurtz, founder and maestro, conducts the Gulf Coast Symphony. “I started the organization to fill a need in the community and to grow an organization and conduct. But from the very beginning, it was all about community,” he says.

The orchestra celebrates its 15th anniversary this year with some special concerts. On Jan. 17, the symphony presents “Classics of Broadway,” with Tony Award winners Debbie Gravitte and Doug LaBrecque as special guests. They’ll perform the greatest hits from classic Broadway shows such as “Chicago,” “West Side Story,” “A Chorus Line,” “Les Miserables,” “My Fair Lady” and “Kiss Me Kate.”

Dr. Jacob Goldberger Bass clarinet On Feb. 13, it presents “A Symphonic Valentine: Mancini & Moonlight,” with special guests Teri Dale Hansen and Nat Chandler. The romantic concert includes lush arrangements of “Moon River,” “The Days of Wine and Roses,” “Dear Heart” and “Charade” as well as orchestral features such as “The Baby Elephant Walk,” “Peter Gun,” “The Pink Panther” and “Victor Victoria.”

And on March 14, it will perform a musical tribute in honor of veterans, to mark the 65th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima. The program features Chris Brubeck, and his “Quiet Heroes” composition, a narrated symphonic suite based on the book “Flag of Our Fathers.” Wilford Brimley narrates.

But despite such pop offerings, the Gulf Coast Symphony has tackled difficult compositions such as Mahler’ Symphony No. 5 and Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8 in C Minor. Last season it performed jazz with the Brubeck Brothers. Maestro Kurtz is always pushing the musical boundaries with his volunteer musicians.

Florence Ohlberg Assistant principal viola “Our programming is some of the most difficult repertoire for an orchestra,” he says. “And in terms of the scope of our programs, we’re doing 13 or 14 performances a year, in many different area of our community. We do everything from classic symphonic to outdoor concerts. Most community orchestras do three, maybe four concerts a year.”

He sees the symphony as using music to bring the community together.

“Of our budget, 93 percent is reinvested back into the community,” he says. “We grew 238 percent in our budget over the past five years, in this economy. That gives you an idea of the strength of our organization, the planning that we’re doing.

Dave Harler Principal trumpet “Our focus on community, our involvement with the community, and the people who are working with us, are (the) reasons for our success.”

Here’s a look at some of the faces in the Gulf Coast Symphony:
Dr. Jacob Goldberger
Bass clarinet

>> Dr. Jacob Goldberger’s been playing the clarinet since he was a young boy.

“I would play, not play, play, not play for a while,” he says.

When he moved to Southwest Florida in 1982, he played with the Southwest Florida Symphony for a couple years. But his surgical practice was very demanding, and he couldn’t keep up with the schedule.

“But after 20 years or so, my practice settled down, and I have lots of partners, and I had more time to devote to music,” he says.

He joined the Gulf Coast Symphony, and has been playing with it for almost 10 years now.

“It’s semi-professional; the level of playing is pretty close to a professional orchestra,” he says. “At this point, to survive it, I need professional help, lessons.”

To prepare for a concert, he may call upon his music teacher for help, and spend hours practicing.

The level of the music they’re expected to perform is, at first introduction, “impossible to comprehend,” he says. “Most players like to repeat that same thing,” he says, but in the symphony, they’re continually pushed to perform new works with increasing levels of complexity.

“At the end of a concert, most of us walk around, shell-shocked, asking, ‘Did we really do this?’ The experience is almost draining, with joy. And magical. A lot of my friends are musical experts, musicians, pianists, who come to our concerts. Afterwards, they come backstage and say, ‘How did you do that?’”

He points out with pride that the symphony performed Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, and performed Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8 last year.

“It’s a most humbling experience to be able to do it, and we couldn’t have done it with anyone else but Andrew. He puts us in a position where we go home, and we come back, and we make it work.”

Dr. Goldberger, a former board member, believes in the symphony so much that he holds fundraisers at his home. Most recently, in December, he invited 100 people to a fundraiser at his home, and raised $10,000 for the Gulf Coast Symphony.

“The amazing part is, it’s the only venue for non-professional musicians with high standards and requirements,” he says. “Without this, we wouldn’t have a place to play this music. It’s a great opportunity and a gift. We’re very grateful to have it. It’s a gratifying experience.”
Florence Ohlberg
Assistant principal viola

>> Florence Ohlberg has devoted her life to music. Before moving to Fort Myers, she had a thriving career as a professional musician.

She played in numerous orchestras in the Pittsburgh area, and was principal violist for the Pittsburgh Ballet and Pittsburgh Opera.

When she moved to Fort Myers, she thought she was done with her professional career.

After enjoying the myriad cultural opportunities of Pittsburgh, “it was quite a culture shock to come here,” she says.

The first time she learned about the Gulf Coast Symphony was six years ago, when she had an appointment with a surgeon for her hernia. The surgeon turned out to be Dr. Jacob Goldberger. When Ms. Ohlberg mentioned she was a musician, his face lit up.

“The rest of the visit, he was conning me into coming to play for the orchestra,” she says. “It was strange. The conversation went back and forth from the hernia to the orchestra, the orchestra to the hernia. I looked at him, I said, ‘What does it pay?’ And he puts his index finger and thumb together and forms a zero.

“I said, ‘I don’t know about this.’ I couldn’t visualize what this thing was.”

But she realized she didn’t know many people in the area.

“I thought, ‘Well, it’s musicians, let me go check it out.’”

She did, and wound up staying. The symphony was thrilled to have someone with such musical expertise and experience, and Ms. Ohlberg was glad to be playing again with other musicians.

“I’m probably, to the best of my knowledge, the only one who has played professionally for my whole career,” she says. “It was my profession.”

At 80, she is also the oldest musician in the Gulf Coast Symphony.

“Andrew calls me his rock,” she says. “He was all excited. It’s worked out very well for them, and it’s reciprocal. It’s a very nice group of people.”

As to the selections they play, Maestro Kurtz “takes them out of the box,” she says. “The Mahler he pulled off was pretty unbelievable…

“Andrew did an incredible job on the Mahler. He pulled the orchestra through that night, (conducting) without a score yet. That’s very impressive. He’s very gifted.”

Performing in the orchestra is a labor of love.

“What was I going to do down here?” she asks. “My whole life was music. I can’t sit around and knit and do crossword puzzles. I’m a musician, and I’m still a musician.”
Dave Harler
Principal trumpet

>> For an amateur player, says Dave Harler, the Gulf Coast Symphony is wonderful.

“It gives you an opportunity to play music you’d never play anywhere else,” he says. “There are very few places that play this kind of music, unless it’s a professional symphony.”

For example as the principal trumpet of the orchestra, he was thrilled to play Mahler’s Symphony No. 5.

“For a trumpet player, it’s one of the major pieces,” he explains. “It has a big trumpet solo in the beginning. Where would I have had the opportunity to play that? You can play with neighborhood players and bands, and social groups, and never have the opportunity to play that type of music.”

Mr. Harler, who owns “seven or eight” horns, says that the Gulf Coast Symphony “means that I get to continue my music experience in my life. If not for this, it would’ve been over with a long time ago.”

When he was younger, he played in his high school, and then in the Army band, playing in the military for three years. He was then in a rock ‘n’ roll band in Atlanta for five years. They were called The Seventh Circle, and played a lot of Chicago and Blood, Sweat and Tears.

But he put away his horns when he was 28.

He didn’t pick them back up until 2000.

“It felt like starting over,” he says. “I took some serious lessons with some serious players. And because I found the symphony, it gave me an outlet to continue to play.”

He’s celebrating his fifth season with the symphony. 

if you go

>> The following concerts will be held at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 8099 College Pkwy., Fort Myers. Tickets are $51, $40, $35 and $29 and can be ordered by calling 481-4849 or visiting www.gulfcoastsymphony. org.

Sunday, Jan. 17 7:30 p.m.

“Classics of Broadway,” featuring Tony Award winners Debbie Gravitte and Doug LaBrecque The concert will feature hits from classic Broadway shows, including “Chicago,” “West Side Story,” “A Chorus Line,” “Les Miserables,” “My Fair Lady” and “Kiss Me Kate.”

Saturday, Feb. 13 7:30 p.m. “A Symphonic Valentine: Mancini & Moonlight,” featuring Teri Dale Hansen and Nat Chandler This concert includes lush arrangements of “Moon River,” “The Days of Wine and Roses,” “Dear Heart” and “Charade” and orchestral features such as “The Baby Elephant Walk,” “Peter Gun,” The Pink Panther” and “Victor/Victoria.”

Sunday, March 14 7:30 p.m. “Quiet Heroes: A Salute to the Heroes of Iwo Jima,” featuring Chris Brubeck and Wilford Brimley A musical tribute to veterans, marking the 65th anniversary of the battle of Iwo Jima. The program features Chris Brubeck’s “Quiet Heroes,” which is a narrated symphonic suite based on the book “Flag of Our Fathers,” as well as music from “Victory at Sea,” and a salute to the Armed Forces. A Black Tie Gala celebrating the Gulf Coast Symphony’s 15th year will be held prior to this concert, at 5:30 p.m., with a full gourmet dinner and entertainment. For more information and cost, contact Gulf Coast Symphony at 277-1700.