Blog – Venice Community Orchestra

2023 Holiday Performances

Venice, FL – FALL 2023 – The Venice Community Orchestra is pleased to share some upcoming holiday music performances to close out our Fall season.

Thursday, 11/23 – We will be continuing our 10+ year tradition of performing at the Venice Salvation Army’s Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon, beginning at 12pm.
Saturday, 12/2 – We will be performing for the residents, family & friends of Seaside Springs Community Living beginning at 6:30pm.
Saturday, 12/16 – And finally, a handful of us will be playing ‘background’ holiday music at West Blaylock Park Gazebo during the VABI Holiday Tree Celebration, entertaining the folks strolling through the park enjoying all the decorated trees and bushes. We expect to begin at ~6:30pm.

If you miss us, we will be back rehearsing in January for our Spring benefit concert. Until then…the members of the Venice Community Orchestra wish you a Joyous & Safe Holiday Season!

2023 Holiday PerformancesVCOsuperadmin2023-11-15T19:31:36+00:00

Venice, FL – Thursday, September 7, 2023 – On Saturday, September 23rd, after enjoying a relaxing Summer break, the Venice Community Orchestra will begin rehearsing for our 2023/24 season. VCO’s Fall rehearsals will be held at Venice’s William H. Jervey, Jr. Library, located at 300 Nokomis Ave S, Venice FL 34285. Each rehearsal will begin at 10:00am (new starting time) and continue until 12:00pm with a break halfway through.

This season’s selection will include pieces from; Mozart, Bizet, Saint-Saens, Vivaldi, Holst, Ellington, McCartney, and more.

As always, all violin, viola, cello and bass players are welcome to join us, and our rehearsals will be focused on preparing for holiday performances and VCO’s annual Spring benefit concert.

Fall 2023VCOsuperadmin2023-09-07T21:12:04+00:00

Spring 2023 Benefit Concert

Venice, FL – Thursday, September 7, 2023 – On the evening of May 5th, the VCO held another very successful Spring benefit concert at the gazebo in downtown Venice’s Centennial Park. Over 150 attendees, donated $918 to support the South County Food Pantry, relaxed in their lawn chairs, enjoyed a cool breeze, and were treated to wonderful music in support of our community.

Musical selections included pieces by Strauss, Elgar, Handy, Boccherini, Sondheim, Rogers and Williams. The concert featured a duet by violinists George Tapia and Michaeline Spencer (who also doubles as VCO’s conductor) and a solo piece by VCO’s pianist, Mike Falivena.

What a superb way to bring VCO’s 2022/23 season to a close, bring our Venice community together to enjoy an evening of music and support a very active & worthy charity.

Spring 2023 Benefit ConcertVCOsuperadmin2023-09-07T21:10:12+00:00

Spring 2023 Updates

Venice, FL – Wednesday, March 22, 2023 – Spring Concerts…The VCO cordially invites you to join us for one of our upcoming Spring concerts;

Our first will be held at the Seaside Springs Resort Community (1251 S. Tamiami Trail, Osprey, FL), Saturday, April 29th, beginning at 6:30pm in the community’s wonderful theater.

Our second concert will be held Friday, May 5th beginning at 7:00pm at Venice’s downtown Centennial Park gazebo. This year’s concert will be benefiting the South County Food Pantry.

Both concerts will feature classical pieces by Strauss, Elgar, Boccherini, and Grieg. In addition, the programs will include several more contemporary pieces by Williams, Sondheim, Rodgers, Enya and Parton.

Please consider joining us for one of these musical evenings, where musicians from our community will enjoy playing for our community!

Spring 2023 UpdatesVCOsuperadmin2023-09-07T21:06:09+00:00

2022 Holiday Concerts

Venice, FL – FALL 2022 – As our Fall rehearsal & performance schedule comes to a close, we are preparing for two Holiday ‘concerts’. On Thanksgiving day, we will be performing at the Venice Salvation Army’s annual Thanksgiving luncheon. This has been an annual tradition for the VCO since 2014!

On Saturday evening, December 10th, we will be performing in the Seaside Springs Retirement Community (SSRC) theater. Performing for SSRC’s residents, family & friends, and staff.

Both performances will include VCO’s traditional Holiday & Hanukkah Favorites and a number of other pieces including; Three Minute Nutcracker, Yorkshire Ballad, Messiah (Hallelujah section), Still Still Still, and a special Mannheim Steamroller arrangement of O Come O Come Emmanuel.

After these performances, we will take a usual holiday break and restart rehearsals in mid-January. The Spring rehearsals will focus on pieces in preparation for our annual Spring benefit concert for a local charitable organization. Date TBD.

2022 Holiday ConcertsVCOsuperadmin2022-11-23T13:08:45+00:00

Fall 2022 Update

Venice, FL – FALL 2022 – VCO’s 2022/2023 season begins with our first rehearsal on Saturday, 9/24 at Seaside Springs Resort Community theater. In addition to VCO’s usual Holiday performances at Thanksgiving & in December, our Spring benefit concert performance will include; I Dream the Dream (from Les Miserables), Only Time (by Enya), Barcolle (by Offenbach), Theme from the Games of Thrones, Send in the Clowns (from A Little Night Music), Nimrod (by Elgar), Blue Danube Waltz (by Strauss), and several more.

This Fall’s rehearsals & performances will be led by our Concert Mistress, Michaeline (Mikey) Spencer. The Venice Community Orchestra is open to all orchestral string instruments (violin, viola, cello & bass) and is always welcome to new members interested in learning, playing and performing music for the benefit of our community.

Fall 2022 UpdateVCOsuperadmin2022-09-14T21:41:03+00:00

More Spring 2022 Updates

Venice, FL – SPRING 2022 – This year’s Spring benefit concert, in support of the South County Food Pantry (SCFP), took place Friday evening April 29th, at Venice’s downtown Centennial Park gazebo. It turned out to be a wonderful outdoor event attended by many supporters of SCFP and the Venice Community Orchestra.

That support, in the form of financial donations, was overwhelming. A check for $853 was presented to Linda Fraser, SCFP Donations Coordinator, on Wednesday, May 4th. Linda expressed SCFP’s appreciation…”SCFP regularly receives food donations and the orchestra’s monetary donation allows SCFP to purchase specific nutritionally beneficial foods that they don’t normally receive.”

As we head into the Summer ‘break’, we look back on the opportunity to play music together, for the benefit of our community, with great appreciation and full hearts.

Look for updates regarding our Fall plans, during the Summer months.

More Spring 2022 UpdatesVCOsuperadmin2022-05-16T18:52:31+00:00

Spring 2022 Updates

Venice, FL – Monday, January 24, 2022 – What a Wonderful Holiday performance season! VCO played at the St. Mark’s Episcopal Community dinner, both Sr. Friendship Centers in Sarasota & Venice, and finished by entertaining Venice residents and visiting families as they enjoyed the festively lite memorial trees & bushes at West Blaylock Park on Venice island.

Spring rehearsal began Saturday, 1/15 and will continue every Saturday in preparation for VCO’s Spring Benefit Concert scheduled for Friday evening, April 29th at Centennial Park Gazebo, downtown Venice.

Our Spring repertoire includes pieces by; Bezit, Mendelssohn, Stravinsky, John Williams, AND The Beatles & Rolling Stones!

Spring 2022 UpdatesVCOsuperadmin2022-01-24T19:09:57+00:00

Latest Fall 2021 Updates

Venice, FL – Monday, July 26, 2021 – The VCO is pleased to provide our latest Fall 2021 updates;

FALL REHEARSALS:
– Begin Saturday, Aug 21st, SCF Venice Campus, 9:30-11:30am. Bldg 800 (large bldg at South end of large parking lot).
– All string players (violin, viola, cello & bass) are welcome to join us!

FALL MUSICAL SELECTIONS:
Our director/conductor, Dave O’Fallon, has chosen some pieces composed by historically significant ‘string’ composers;

Bach Brandenburg #3
Mozart Allegro from Serenade No. 1
Mendelssohn Fingal’s Cave
Bizet’s Farandole
Two Piazzolla pieces; Oblivion & Libertango (in observance of his centennial this year)
Vivaldi’s “Winter”
Highlights from the Messiah
Away in a Manger (Wonderful holiday arrangement)
O Come O Come Emmanuel (another Wonderful holiday arrangement)
Season of Carols (several traditional selections for our holiday performances!)

PERFORMANCES (SO FAR):

Salvation Army Thanksgiving Luncheon – Barring any unforeseen COVID related circumstances, VCO will be continuing our longstanding performance tradition.
St. Mark’s Community Holiday Dinner – The VCO will be continuing another tradition, playing for their December Holiday themed dinner.
Good Shepherd Episcopal Winter/Spring Concert Series – Once again, VCO is planning on performing for their Spring concert series (probably late Feb or Mar).
Large Holiday Concert – TBD. We’re speaking to 1-2 organizations and welcome your help in finding the right opportunity.
Spring Concert – Again, TBD. Pretty early and already starting to plan!!!

Latest Fall 2021 UpdatesVCOsuperadmin2021-07-29T20:55:16+00:00

Fall 2021 Update

Venice, FL – Monday, April 26, 2021 – Beginning this September, we will be re-affiliating VCO with State College of Florida (SCF), under a new conductor/director, and returning to Saturday morning ‘classes’ (rehearsals) at SCF’s Venice Campus.

Dave O’Fallon, professional music educator/musician, arranger, and former VCO member (viola), will be our conductor/director.

Please stay tuned for updates throughout the Summer. Until then, stay Safe & Healthy!

Fall 2021 UpdateVCOsuperadmin2021-04-26T15:48:18+00:00