BY MICHELE MILLER
What’s What New Port Richey
Halloween is in the books. Now is the time to take a look at what comes next on the local arts calendar in what feels like a “business as usual” offering that comes this time of year – with a few caveats.
After hosting an abbreviated season, which involved working around COVID-19 to rehearse and play five concerts held outdoors at Hudson First United Methodist Church in Hudson, the Richey Community Orchestra is back to rolling out a new lineup at their traditional venues. This season features six shows with three concerts held at the Center for the Arts at River Ridge and three dinner shows at Spartan Manor event center, both in New Port Richey.
(Word to the wise – tickets are already going fast for the annual holiday dinner show, Christmas at the Movies)
The 2021-2022 season opens on Nov. 14 with Jukebox Hits, featuring a selection of pop hits from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s with a nod to the likes of Neil Diamond, Elvis and Barry Manilow. It wraps up with the Mother’s Day Pops Bouquet dinner concert on May 8, 2022, with the orchestra playing George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Duke Ellington, and many more.
Sandwiched in between is some good stuff, according to RCO conductor Stephen P. Brown and RCO president, executive director, and principal clarinet player Denise Isaacson.
“What I love this year is the variety of genres,” Brown said, promising that the (Feb. 2022) ‘Shades of Blue‘ concert featuring guest trumpeter Charly Raymond and pianist Jeffrey Chodil will be something special.
For that concert, Isaacson was delighted to locate and rent the original arrangement of Three Shades of Blue, by American composer Ferde Grofé from a lending library in Vancouver.
“I’m hoping we can do all three movements,” said Isaacson who is entering her 49th consecutive year with the RCO. “I’m pretty excited about that and the chance to play such wonderful music like this.”
Also of note – Lerner & Loewe, (April 2022) which features tunes from the musical team’s Broadway shows, including Paint Your Wagon, My Fair Lady, Gigi, Camelot and Brigadoon.
That show will feature guest soloist John D. Smitherman, one of the original Three American Tenors and a published playwright.
“He’s appeared with us a couple of times through the years and has had at least one of his plays at the Richey Suncoast Theatre,” Isaacson said. “I’m excited for him to be back with us. He has a beautiful voice and people will love hearing him and the chorus.”
A dinner show in March, Thanks for the Memories, features guest artists, Michele James and David Pruyn performing some old-time tunes such as Crazy, Our Love is Here to Stay, and Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.
So it’s good to have a full slate once again, and it’s good to be moving back indoors after a season of outdoor concerts.
“It is good to experience music indoors in the environment it is supposed to be experienced in,” said Brown who, in addition to conducting the RCO, oversees the Dunedin Concert Band, the Pinellas Community Players, the Florida Symphonic Winds and serves on the board of the Pinellas Park Civic Orchestra.
The RCO, made up of 45-50 volunteer musicians and about 30 chorus members, is the last of his musical groups to move concerts back indoors.
2020 File Photo | Michele Miller
Since March of 2020, when the realization of the COVID-19 pandemic hit hard, it’s been a carefully orchestrated hodgepodge of solutions to keep going while engaging an audience and musicians.
“I’m pleased that we did the outdoor concerts last year because it kept people connected to music in some ways,” Isaacson said. “With music being the language of emotions, it’s good that we kept people from being isolated from each other. And we had a good time.”
“We have some new musicians and we’ve had some string players join us and they do sound very good,” Isaacson said. “The chorus is up and running and though we are fewer in numbers, we have good, strong singers, and they sound terrific!”
After a few rehearsals the orchestra was playing really well, Brown said, noting that well-attended intensive workshops, held over the summer months, helped better prepare RCO musicians in ensemble performance.
“It’s going to be a great year, Isaacson said. “Ticket orders are pouring in. We’ve already sold a lot for our dinner show in December.”
For those still cautious about coming out into public venues – Isaacson notes that the Center for the Arts at River Ridge has open seating.
“People can distance themselves and can wear masks if they want to, which is something I would advise,” she said. For the dinner shows, think about getting together with a group of people you feel safe with.”
“The concerts are all held on a Sunday afternoon so you don’t have to worry about driving at night,” she added. “So just come on out and have some fun.”
If you go: Tickets are $18 for concerts held at the Center for the Arts at River Ridge, 11646 Town Center Road in New Port Richey, and $45 for dinner shows held at Spartan Manor Wedding Venue and Event Center, 2131 Massachusetts Ave., New Port Richey. Purchase tickets online here. For more information, go to richeycommunityorchestra.com, call the box office at (727) 919-3866, or email richeycommunityorchestra@gmail.com.
A passionate musician leads Richey Community Orchestra, Tampa Bay Times
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