The Florida Philharmonic has received a $2.4 million gift from the Harcourt M. & Virginia W. Sylvester Foundation of Boca Raton to launch the Orchestra’s S10 Million "Galloping Challenge" to the community. This money, the largest single contribution to the orchestra to date and for which the Orchestra hopes to secure matching contributions, will be used for the endowment fund.
The orchestra will perform at the Montpellier Festival in France as the culmination of their second annual Beethoven by the Beach Festival in Ft. Lauderdale. This summer’s festival will also include works of composers other than Beethoven and will take place June 24-July 15.
We were successful in obtaining an amnesty ruling from the International Executive Board for all involved musicians, both past and present members, who were charged while the Miami City Ballet was on the International Unfair List. Thanks go to the International Executive Board for their insight in recognizing the need to support the restructuring of Local 655 and to Richard Gabriel for his persistence in this difficult endeavor!