Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra

And the new 2015 – 2016 season begins with a free community concert… Beethoven’s symphony #7. I’m so looking forward to the many concerts directed by conductor Courtney Lewis, Michael Krajewski and two others. Let the Season of succulents begin!

Every time I hear the Jax Symphony Orchestra I wish I would’ve devoted 3 hours daily to my violin rather than the measly 30 minutes I practiced. Ah the folly and shortsightedness of youth. Fortunately, the members of the orchestra did not share my apathy.
The talent & devotion of the musicians, and the acoustics of the TU Jacoby Hall make for a pretty spectacular sound.
We went to a tribute show to Marvin Hamlisch. (Michael Berkowitz, conductor Cady Huffman and Karen Mason, guest vocalists). Program described him as «Truly a singular sensation, Marvin Hamlisch left an unparalleled musical legacy that garnered him virtually every major award and generations of fans that will never forget him.» I remember many of his songs from my childhood growing up in the 1970’s when Barbara Streisand was on top of her game. Always poignant, ever memorable, these songs are instantly recognizable and were sung so beautifully tonight by the two guest vocalists. For me, it was nostalgia of the best kind («misty water colored mem’ries of the way we were»).
Hearing music live, experiencing a concert with all five senses is incomparable – especially when the musicians are top notch. Jacksonville is fortunate to have this orchestra. I was lucky to have this experience. This concert made for a lovely evening and one I hope to repeat often.

My awesome boyfriend brought me to the opening show on my birthday, and I had an amazing time. This was my first time seeing the Jacksonville Symphony. The music was beautiful and the new conductor was great. I plan on attending many more of their performances. Definitely a must see!

This is one of my favorite pastimes, and worth the money!

Just typing «symphony» makes me feel all cultured and sophisticated. In my perpetual effort to see and do everything in Jax as a recent transplant, I can now add JSO to my list of experiences. At the urging/​mandate of a fellow Jaxonian (Is that a word? It is now!), we attended a performance with guest pianist Joanna Yang. Having concerns about trusting the on-​line seating map, I called the Box Office and the super friendly staff helped me select the best seats that were available. This venue has «boxes» that are not really boxes along the walls that offer a great view of the performers and you can listen to the performance without worrying about where speakers are located. I thought it was so cool to watch the performers that close – maybe a little creepy for them though. I found it amusing I could see when the horn players emptied out the spit collection devices.
There are lots of parking options and closest food is the Omni hotel. Walk a little further and you also have the Landing. Adult drinks inside the venue are a little pricey and they do sell roasted nuts which smell SO delicious.
With the right company (and preferably not having to go to school/​work the next day), a evening at the JSO is great way to experience the diversity of activities available in my new home.

I have seen the symphony a handful of times and I love how different the experience is every time. The Christmas show is a must see. There are always different programs (special guests, kids/​family shows, programs highlighting movies of popular music, etc). Tickets can be very affordable (I don’t remember the exact details but I believe they even have specials for college students). A real hidden gem.

This is a great way to enjoy beautiful music with family!

The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra gets five stars for putting on a fantastic Valentine’s Day concert with guest cellist Antonio Meneses.
I’m no expert on classical music, but I enjoy it and have been to a number of concerts in other cities over the years. This was my first trip to see the JSO. The pieces performed were:
FAURE: Pelleas et Melisande: Suite
SAINT-​SAENS: Cello Concerto No. 1*
TCHAIKOVSKY: Rococo Variations*
TCHAIKOVSKY: Romeo and Juliet
(* with Meneses on cello)
I regret that it took me this long to see the JSO perform. But honestly, this season’s calendar had a lot of shows, like the music of The Rolling Stones & The Who, or James Bond, that just aren’t my style.
How much of that falls on musical director and conductor Fabio Mechetti, and how much of that is due to market forces and trying to generate local interest in this often-​neglected art form? I can’t say for sure, but I fully understand what symphonies must do to survive — particularly in a recession — and I don’t fault JSO for experimenting.
In any case, the orchestra performed beautifully and Meneses, with his intensity, could have started a fire during the cello concerto in A minor. Frankly, they rocked the house.
Another plus: Meneses and Mechetti stayed after the show to chat with the audience at the «TalkBack» session. This is a great way to bring musicians and fans together and I hope JSO will continue to do this and more things like it to keep drawing crowds (and less of the music of Styx, for instance).
The JSO actually has a lot of cool things going on, if you dig around the website, and can always use more support. So if you’ve thought about checking out a show, try not to wait as long as I did. Highly recommended.