Venice Symphony returns to live performances with Brahms and the Beach Boys

Jay Handelman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
·2 min read
Troy Quinn returns for another season as music director of the Venice Symphony.
Troy Quinn returns for another season as music director of the Venice Symphony.

After a lengthy break caused by the pandemic, the Venice Symphony is back for another season with its opening program “Brahms and the Boys” Nov. 19-20 at the Venice Performing Arts Center.

Music director Troy Quinn will conduct the concert highlighting guest soloist Thomas Hooten, the principal trumpet of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. He will perform Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto in E-Flat Major.

The concert also marks the Venice Symphony debut of new associate concertmaster Jessica Hung, who had previously served as concertmaster of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra in Ohio since 2008. While performing with orchestras in Florida and around the country, she set up her home base in Orlando. She joins longtime concertmaster Marcus Ratzenboeck as a leader of the ensemble.

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To open the season, Quinn will lead the orchestra in Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 in E minor, which has been described as “the deepest music in the 19th century.” It was ranked sixth among all classic symphonies by the BBC.

It also will include the overture to Biedrich Smetana’s “The Bartered Bride” and the Beach Boys classic “God Only Knows.”

Thomas Hooten, principal trumpet of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, is a guest soloist with the Venice Symphony.
Thomas Hooten, principal trumpet of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, is a guest soloist with the Venice Symphony.

In a statement, Quinn described Hooten as one of the “leading orchestral trumpet players of our day. His special relationship with living composers such as John Williams, combined with his gorgeous tone and impeccable technique, make him a gifted artist one has to see live and in person.”

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The concert marks the first time audiences have been able to watch the full Venice Symphony live and in person since the pandemic shut down performances in March 2020. At the time, the orchestra under Quinn’s leadership had been regularly selling out its concert programs at the Venice Performing Arts Center.

“We are beyond thrilled to be back performing live,” said Christine Kasten, the organization’s president and CEO.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Venice Performing Arts Center, 100 Indian Ave., Venice. Tickets start at $31. For more information: 941-207-8822; thevenicesymphony.org

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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Venice Symphony returns to live performances after a year