Southwest Florida Symphony hosts “Leonard Bernstein: Citizen Artist” on Nov. 1

Tickets on sale now

FORT MYERS, Fla. (July 27, 2023) – The Southwest Florida Symphony, the only professional orchestra in Lee County and fourth oldest in the state, is excited to host “Leonard Bernstein: Citizen Artist” on Wednesday, Nov. 1. The event begins at 7 p.m. at Temple Beth El, 16225 Winkler Rd. in Fort Myers. Proceeds support the Southwest Florida Symphony.

The program features author, narrator and filmmaker Jamie Bernstein, daughter of acclaimed composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein. The presentation explores her father’s life and legacy through four categories – conductor, composer, educator and activist-humanitarian – highlighting audio and video clips, as well as images culled from Leonard Bernstein’s vast archive at The Library of Congress.

The program also includes several Bernstein favorites performed by local soprano Heather Ivy and accompanied by piano. The evening concludes with a Q&A session with Jamie Bernstein.

Leonard Bernstein was a forerunner of today’s “citizen artists.” His life, and the choices he made throughout, provide a meaningful, hope-inspiring example of how much a musician can contribute to the world.

Sponsors for the event include Ted Epstein as title sponsor and The Jewish Federation of Lee & Charlotte Counties as media sponsor.

Tickets cost $40-$100.

To reserve tickets, visit swflso.org or call 239-418-1500.

About Southwest Florida Symphony

The Southwest Florida Symphony made its debut as a community orchestra on April 15, 1961, playing in schools and community centers, with a roster of only 24 volunteer musicians. Today, the symphony boasts a roster of 70 world-class musicians, and is Lee County’s only fully professional orchestra and the fourth oldest in the state of Florida. The Southwest Florida Symphony’s Music Director Maestro Radu Paponiu, the sixth music director in the organization’s history, also serves as the associate conductor and youth orchestra director for the Naples Philharmonic in addition to guest-conducting with orchestras throughout the United States and Europe. Learn more at swflso.org.

About Jamie Bernstein

Jamie Bernstein is an author, speaker and filmmaker. In addition to writing many articles and concert narrations, she has traveled extensively, speaking about music and her father, Leonard Bernstein. Jamie’s film documentary, “Crescendo: The Power of Music” has won numerous prizes and her memoir, “Famous Father Girl,” was published by HarperCollins in 2018. To learn more about Jamie’s multifaceted life, visit jamiebernstein.net.

Contacts:
Amy Ginsburg, Southwest Florida Symphony, 239-418-0996, [email protected]
Angela Bell, Gravina, Smith, Matte & Arnold Marketing and PR, 239-275-5758, [email protected]