14th June 2021, Christian Hertzog, The San Diego Union-Tribune
“…these performances deeply moved me in a rare way for these old warhorses. Both works seemed new. Playing was uncluttered yet expressive. Tempos were faster than usual, but the ensemble work was precise and the intonation impressive, considering the humidity and falling temperature as the night […]
Maggie Duffy, Tampa Bay Times, 19th May 2021
As the Florida Orchestra wraps up its revised 2020-21 season, it announces its 2021-22 season beginning in the fall. While the past season saw fewer musicians on stage, reduced audience size and shows at just one venue, the new season brings back a full symphony with full […]
Bill DeYoung, St Pete Cataylst, 19th May 2021
Michael Francis is on the phone, talking about The Florida Orchestra’s most recent big score: Eighty concerts since October, for 80 live audiences, in a safe and socially-distanced environment.
“Obviously, nobody wanted this terrible pandemic, but once it happened all we could do was make the best of […]
PBS-WEDU, Aired 31st December 2020
A special broadcast recorded live at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg. Music Director Michael Francis will be your guide before a performance of the full symphony in honor of the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth.
George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27th December 2020
“Mainly Mozart paved the way for drive-in classical music concerts, presenting 19 of them (and one jazz performance by sax great Charles McPherson) at the Del Mar Fairgrounds between July and October. The culminating October concerts featured the 34-piece Mainly Mozart Festival Orchestra…
Five favorite 2020 classical concerts
1. […]
Jim Farber, San Francisco Classical Voice, 20th October 2020
“It was an emotional moment reminiscent of the final scene in Field of Dreams, when Saturday night a seemingly endless line of cars snaked its way toward the vibrantly glowing stage in front of the Del Mar Racetrack Arena — all for a chance to enjoy […]
Markus Pacher, Die Rheinpfalz, 26th September 2020
“It remains a mystery how the State Philharmonic repeatedly manages to prove its reputation as an orchestral precision element despite these difficult times. “
Maggie Duffy, Tampa Bay Times, 23rd September 2020
After a long spring and summer of empty stages and virtual performances due to the pandemic, the return of live Florida Orchestra concerts is music to audiences’ ears.
The orchestra announced its revised fall 2020-21 season on Tuesday. It opens Oct. 31 with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 at […]
Frank Pommer, Die Rheinpfalz, 14th September 2020
“Chief conductor Michael Francis and artistic director Beat Fehlmann were able to come up with a very appealing, COVID-19-compliant replacement program, which let all wind (and double bass) musicians play first and then it was the string players’ turn. We have not seen this many musicians on a […]
Gabor Halasz, Die Rheinpfalz, 27th June 2020
“The joy of music is unwavering, and so is the quality of music performance. This was illustrated once again by the German State Philharmonic of Rhineland-Palatinate, whose chamber music ensemble played in the Ludwigshafen Palatinate Building. The performance of its principal conductor Michael Francis also justified its place […]
