Ars Flores Symphony Orchestra

2008-2009 Season - A Look Back

For its Ninth Season, Ars Flores Symphony Orchestra began with concerts in Miami Dade and Broward Counties featuring Norwegian duo, Julie Coucheron, performing Grieg’s Piano Concerto and her brother, David, performing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. In addition, the orchestra opened the evening’s concert with Bernstein’s Overture to Candide. Prior to the concert was a pre-concert lecture given by Dr. William Adams, featuring ‘What to listen for’ tips, making the concert more understandable. David Coucheron gave a free public master class for regional teachers and students at Nova Southeastern University.

Ars Flores’s concerts for the young included as many as 900 South Florida public and home school children participating in a reading program and coloring activities through BECON in which they learned about the music they were about to hear in the next concert. These very popular Music for Munchkins concert series (30-minute, free concerts geared for teaching children about the instruments and music) drew repeat families from all over South Florida. The Music for Munchkins concert featured our Norwegian guest artists in a duet.

Last Fall, Ars Flores held its 8^th annual Young Artists Concerto Competition.  Six winners performed with the orchestra in January, 2009. Winners and applicants were from all over Florida, and from as far away as New York, Canada, and California. The Music for Munchkins concert featured two of the solo winners.

In March, Ars Flores featured Brazilian Guest Artists in a cultural exchange. The first half of the program featured Brazilian University professor, Zelia Chueke, performing works representing some of Brazil’s Classical history. The orchestra and Dr. Chueke were conducted by her husband, guest conductor, Isaac Chueke. The second half of the program presented the popular side of Brazilian music (Bose Nova and Samba). Soloists were Brazilian Jazz singer, Carol Saboya, alongside her father, Antonio Adolfo, on piano. In addition to the concerts, Zelia Chueke presented a free Lecture/Recital at NSU’s Davie campus. 

The season ended in April with two chamber groups made up of Ars Flores Professionals. Both a woodwind quintet and a string quartet performed concerts for children and adults. This was a first for Ars Flores!