The music of 18th-century prodigy Felix Mendelssohn is paired with that of 20th-century master David Maslanka in this moving program. Mendelssohn’s String Quartet No. 6 was his last completed work, finished only six months before his death. Maslanka’s four wind quintets are landmarks of the repertoire. He composed his Wind Quintet No. 4 for our very own Sarasota Wind Quintet in 2008. The program opens with Eric Ewazen’s celebratory Frost Fire for brass quintet.

Sarasota Orchestra closes its season with a program of works that left the door open for more. No one is certain why Schubert never finished his Eighth Symphony, but the two movements that he did compose remain among his most beloved. Julia Perry’s Short Piece for Orchestra was the first work by a woman of color to be performed by the New York Philharmonic; Perry’s life and career were cut short at age 55. In his Symphony No. 45, Haydn sent a not-so subtle message to his employer that the orchestra was ready for a break. This symphony has delighted audiences for over 250 years and concludes our 76th season with a chuckle as each musician exits the stage in a dramatic send-off.

Sarasota Orchestra musicians open the chamber music season with a concert featuring full chamber orchestra, without conductor. Woodwinds and horns begin the program with Richard Strauss’ gorgeous Serenade for Winds, written when the composer was only 17. The strings take their turn in the spotlight with Dvořák’s Serenade for Strings, showcasing the composer's extraordinary gift for melody. Then the entire chamber orchestra gathers to present Mozart’s Symphony No. 25.

Pulitzer Prize and three-time GRAMMY®-winning composer Jennifer Higdon is one of America’s most acclaimed and frequently performed composers. Her 2022 Book of Brass comprises four “chapters,” spanning moods from meditative to funky and celebrating the flexibility and virtuosity of brass instruments. Richard Strauss composed his Piano Quartet at age 20. The work combines the drama and rich harmonies of Strauss’ hero, Brahms, with the high energy of a young Strauss at the beginning of his career.