By John Fleming, Times Performing Arts Critic. Posted: May 31, 2011 06:03 PM. ST. PETERSBURG The Florida Orchestra has announced a multi-year cultural exchange with Cuba. It is scheduled to begin Sept. 26-29, when a wind quintet made up of principal players from the orchestra will perform a concert and give master classes in Havana. This will be the first in a series of exchanges between the Florida Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba, with the ultimate goal of the full orchestra performing in Cuba as early as the 2012-13 season. It would be the first visit by a U.S. orchestra to Cuba since 1999, when the Milwaukee Symphony played there.">By John Fleming, Times Performing Arts Critic. Posted: May 31, 2011 06:03 PM. ST. PETERSBURG The Florida Orchestra has announced a multi-year cultural exchange with Cuba. It is scheduled to begin Sept. 26-29, when a wind quintet made up of principal players from the orchestra will perform a concert and give master classes in Havana. This will be the first in a series of exchanges between the Florida Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba, with the ultimate goal of the full orchestra performing in Cuba as early as the 2012-13 season. It would be the first visit by a U.S. orchestra to Cuba since 1999, when the Milwaukee Symphony played there.">

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Florida Orchestra announces cultural exchange program with Cuba

By John Fleming, Times Performing Arts Critic. Posted: May 31, 2011 06:03 PM. ST. PETERSBURG — The Florida Orchestra has announced a multi-year cultural exchange with Cuba.

It is scheduled to begin Sept. 26-29, when a wind quintet made up of principal players from the orchestra will perform a concert and give master classes in Havana.

This will be the first in a series of exchanges between the Florida Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba, with the ultimate goal of the full orchestra performing in Cuba as early as the 2012-13 season. It would be the first visit by a U.S. orchestra to Cuba since 1999, when the Milwaukee Symphony played there.

The orchestra got permission to travel to the island on Tuesday, when it was granted a license from the Office of Financial Asset Control in the U.S. Treasury Department, which oversees trade with Cuba.

The timing appears to have been fortuitous.

In January, the Obama administration announced that it was loosening travel restrictions to Cuba. Tampa International Airport was added to the list of airports that could originate flights to the island, though they have not yet started.

"We had no idea these restrictions were going to be changing," said Michael Pastreich, president of the orchestra, adding that planning for the Cuba exchange had been going on at least a year. "So I think it's a case of being at the right place at the right time."

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, who helped the orchestra in getting permission to travel to Cuba, doesn't anticipate big political problems over the project. "I think there remains great bitterness toward the political leadership of Cuba," said Castor, a Tampa Democrat. "But I do not believe that extends to the people of Cuba or a cultural exchange like this. I would be very surprised if there is anyone that will protest this type of meaningful people-to-people exchange."

In early 2012, music director Stefan Sanderling has been invited to conduct the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba. Enrique Perez Mesa, music director of the Cuban orchestra, is scheduled to conduct the Florida Orchestra May 11-13.

The woodwind quintet that will perform in September includes principal flute Clay Ellerbroek, principal oboe Katherine Young, principal clarient Brian Moorhead, principal bassoon Anthony Georgeson and principal French horn Robert Rearden. Over the summer, the orchestra plans to conduct an instrument and accessory drive to aid students at the Amadeo Roldan Conservatory in Havana.

Source: sptimes.com

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