Venice, Florida, December 8, 2014 – With our well tested and perfected Holiday Selections play list in hand, VCO members performed at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church for Interfaith Outreach’s very special holiday dinner.

With over 100 diners and 30+ volunteers in attendance, the VCO members played many recognizable holiday favorites. In fact, the tunes were so well known that an impromptu “sing-along” broke out!

What a Joyous way for us to enjoy the holidays and give back to our Venice community!

Sarasota, Florida, December 6, 2014 – With the Holiday Season in full swing, what better way to get in the spirit than to play our Holiday Selections for folks on the go? So, that’s just what we did! On Saturday mid-day at the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport (SRQ), VCO members played for busy travelers coming & going AND family members awaiting the arrival of loved ones.

During the holidays, SRQ has several school orchestras and bands that play for travelers during the week. But, none on the weekends, the busiest travel days of the season. VCO was the first ensemble group to offer AND the only group of adults to every offer.

Pam Allen, SRQ’s Director of Volunteer Programs, said: “I was thrilled when VCO offered to play and very the expressions on the faces of our busy travelers and families said it all. Thank you very much for sharing the gift of music with us all.”

In recognition of VCO gesture, Pam, on behalf of SRQ, presented VCO members with a Certificate of Appreciation (and free Starbucks!).

Venice, Florida, November 27, 2014 – Every year, The Salvation Army (Venice) provides hundreds of Thanksgiving Day meals for less fortunate families and individuals in our community. This year, VCO members help make The Salvation Army’s luncheon just a little more festive.

Laurie Vodnoy-Wright, our beloved conductor & coach, helped us put together a play list of almost 25 traditional holiday selections including; “Jolly Old St. Nicholas”, the “Dreidl Song”, “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” and “Jingle Bells”, to name just a few.

With diners enjoying turkey dinner and all the trimmings, VCO members got everyone in the holiday spirit!

Lt. Andrea Hoover of The Salvation Army (Venice), sent us a note of thanks for “taking time away from our families on Thanksgiving to share our gift of music with those in need and making this year’s lunch a very special one.”

What a wonderful way to start the holidays!

Venice, Florida, September 20, 2014 – A few of us stretching during a well deserved break!

Venice, Florida, June 15, 2014 — The Venice Community Orchestra, under the musical direction of Professor Todd Craven, concluded its 2013-2014 season with a master class conducted by internationally renowned violinist Andrea Segar.

In residence at the State College of Florida Venice Campus, the VCO enjoyed a three-semester season of performance instruction, coaching and ensemble training by Professor Craven, formerly principal trumpet of the Sarasota Orchestra. The class benefitted greatly from his depth of orchestral and chamber music experience, as both a musician and conductor. “He is a gifted teacher who gave us the freedom and knowledge to understand what we needed to do in a most enjoyable way,” said VCO cellist and founder John Mabardi, who also expressed his thanks to SCF for making such a “rich experience available to amateur players in the Venice area.”

Professor Craven will be departing this summer to pursue advanced study in conducting at the University of Michigan.

Laurie Vodnoy-Wright, accomplished and renowned professional violinist and teacher, will lead and coach the orchestra for the 2014-2015 season at the Venice Campus of SCF. Maestra Vodnoy-Wright, a member of the SCF Music Faculty, has performed with the Florida Orchestra, Sarasota Opera, and Venice Symphony, among many other ensembles. She is actively engaged in music education and enjoys coaching players of all ages and playing levels who enjoy making music together. Her two-hour performance classes will take place on Saturdays from 9 am to 11 am beginning on Sept 13, 2014. They are open without audition to string players of all levels who can read music. Registration is required through the SCF Corporate and Community Development Dept. Tuition is $75 for the fall 13-week semester.

To register or to get more information, visit www.VeniceCommunityOrchestra.com or call Roresu Chandler, Director of Continuing & Community Education, at 941-752-5290, or visit scf.augusoft.net/CCD.

Press contact: John Mabardi at VCOinformation@comcast.net.

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The State College of Florida and The Venice Community Orchestra OFFER A

“Community String Ensemble PROGRAM”

If you’d like to play a string instrument (Violin, viola, cello or bass) with a group of people of all ages in a very friendly environment, consider joining this joint program offered at the SCF Venice Campus as part of SCF Corporate and Community Development (CCD) courses.

The program consists of two terms (fall and spring) of 13 sessions each. It is open to anyone who can read music and enjoys playing classical symphonic and traditional repertoire. It is a multigenerational program. The sessions are tailored to players who learned how to play during their early school days then stopped, and later in life decided to get back into music, as well as to advancing beginners, SCF students, amateurs and retired professional musicians wanting to remain musically active. You are not required to audition to be part of this program.

Two sessions of 13 classes each

• 13 Saturdays, Sept 21 – Dec 14, including 1 Performance.
• 13 Saturdays, Jan 4 – Mar 29, including 1 Performance.

Time: 10 am to 12 pm

Location: SCF Venice campus at 8000 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice, FL 34293.

Instructor: Todd Craven, Adjunct Music Professor at SCF Music Department

Fee/term of 13 sessions: $85

• Snowbirds are welcome to join any time before mid session on a prorated fee.
• Participants will need to bring their own musical instrument and stand.
• Music will be handed out during the first session.

Registration

Sign up through the SCF Corporate and Community Development Office (CCD) at https://scf.augusoft.net or in person at any of the campuses.

Information on the VCO can be obtained by emailing VCOinformation@comcast.net and/or visiting www.VeniceCommunityOrchestra.com.

At the Town Center Mall in Pt Charlotte (1441 Tamiami Trail at intersection of Rt 776) next to the entrance of Ally Gator’s restaurant at 1 pm, Saturday, March 30.

We will bring our instrument ready to go, outside of its case along with the music for Dona Nobis Pacem. No stands are needed, as they will be set up ahead of time. We will wear plain clothes, no uniform.

Our coach’s beginning string students will be playing DNP on open strings. The cellos will drift in and join them for the first 4 measures. Then the violas will drift in and play their part first 4 measures. Then the 3rd violin, then the 2nd and finally the 1st violins, so depending on one’s part we may play the first 4 measures up to 5 times. After all instruments have played the first 4 measures, the chorus comes in for 8 measures then we all finish the song, get up and leave.

We will meet at 1 and start playing at 1:30, all done by 2.