An arrangement of Coldplay and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 will be played May 4.
Imagine Coldplay and Beethoven performing music together, melding new musical concepts with classical composition.
On May 4, YouTube sensation Maestro Steve Hackman leads the Southwest Florida Symphony in a performance of his arrangements at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers that fuse Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 and the music of the British rock band, Coldplay.
In addition to the concert, the symphony offers a VIP experience on May 2 from 7-10 p.m. The symphony will hold a bourbon-tasting event, A Fifth of Beethoven, featuring aged Hudson bourbon. This event takes place at a private home in downtown Fort Myers. The location for A Fifth of Beethoven will be disclosed to ticketholders upon purchase. Two barrels of bourbon will be exposed to the sonic effect of the music of Beethoven and Coldplay, sonically aging each barrel to different soundwaves. Breakthru Beverage Group Distributors has been experimenting with sonic spirit aging with spirits and musical genres that have produced interesting results, promoters said. The public has narrow access to sonically aged spirits, so this is a rare opportunity to sample sonically aged spirits.
SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTOS
In conjunction with the bourbon tasting, this event offers cocktails courtesy of Nice Guys Pizza in Cape Coral, light fare and a meet-and-greet and entertainment provided by Mr. Hackman on piano. Limited tickets to the symphony’s bourbon tasting are available for purchase for $100 each by visiting WWW.SWFLSO.ORG or by calling 418- 1500.
Each year, the Southwest Florida Symphony presents a series of five Masterworks Concerts featuring symphonic repertoire from the annals of history through the 21st century and a series of three Pops Concerts that features a variety of musical genres, though this program blends the two.
“This entire Brave New Music initiative is so we can meet our audiences where they are,” said Amy Ginsburg, symphony executive director, “while honoring our mission to present outstanding symphonic music to the broadest possible public.”
The Southwest Florida Symphony with YouTube sensation Maestro Steve Hackman. COURTESY PHOTO
A departure from the standard classical music the symphony brings to the local community for 58 years, Ms. Ginsburg said the addition of a bourbon tasting party would be a “fun and interesting way to learn about how music not only affects people, but the potential enhancing effect it has on other things – like spirits!”
Tickets range from $25-$105 for the 7:30 p.m. performance and can be purchased at www.swflso.org or at www.bbmannpah.com, by calling the symphony box office at 418-1500 or Mann Hall at 481-4849.
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