FunFonia and the Future: Why Sinfonia Still Matters
Our special anniversary series Behind the Baton: Looking Back on 20 Years of Memories, Milestones and Magical Moments continues. Enjoy!
By Zandra Wolfgram
Q: What does it mean to you to be celebrating 20 years?
DF: Relevance! It’s a testimony to the overall picture, the orchestra, education outreach, the social events … all managed with support from our board, our staff, and volunteers. It means continued support from an incredibly resilient community that has shown their support and desire for what Sinfonia produces. It all melds and works together.
Q: You have weathered storms, oil spills, economic recessions and a global pandemic. What are you doing as a leader to ensure Sinfonia not only survives, but thrives during tough times?
DF: Overall, we continue to create a product that our audience finds relevant, and we try to be the big thinker in the arts community.
Q: What have you learned?
DF: Patience, which is not my strong point. That the word no doesn’t mean no forever; it means just not right now. Good things come to those who wait.
Q. Why does support for the local arts matter?
DF: The arts matter, period. You cannot have a successful destination with any sort of pulse without arts and culture.
Q: Why has Sinfonia captured the imagination and interest of the community?
DF: We call it FunFonia. That is the biggest key. We pay our musicians well and treat them with respect. They know they are important and valued. We try to make our concerts fun for everyone. We have great energy, and it makes a difference. Our venues are known for cosmos not cough drops.
Milestones and Magic: From ArtStrings to Legendary Performances
Our special anniversary series Behind the Baton: Looking Back on 20 Years of Memories, Milestones and Magical Moments continues. Enjoy!
By Zandra Wolfgram
Q: What milestone moments come to mind as you celebrate 20 years?
DF: For our 5th anniversary, we launched the amazing ArtStrings violin exhibit. That was the first real ‘aha’ moment on a large scale, because of the compilation of everything it took to get to that point. When the community came together, it was a great melding of art, music and continuity of support. It took us to the next level. There are so many more: Roberta Flack, Mary Wilson of the Supremes, Patti LaBelle, Vanessa Williams, Patti LuPone, Kristin Chenoweth have graced the Sinfonia stage. Our most important work, however, lives in the classrooms and with our after-school string programs and Sinfonia Youth Orchestra.
Q: You’ve experimented with creating novel experiences.
DF: Yes. Mary Wilson of the Supremes was the first Seagar’s cabaret event. We were trying for a Carlyle Café vibe, and it worked. That set the stage for the Seagar’s Cabaret series. I think everybody was blown away. Not everything has been incredible, but what we’ve done well is tailored our programming to our audience.
Q: What are some of your personal standout performance moments?
DF: Artistically, Kristin Chenoweth was a huge success any which way you slice it. But, to this day, my favorite concert gala was Roberta Flack in 2008. She was extraordinary. She remains the most standout gala musician. She didn’t miss a beat, literally; she was on it.
Q: You surely have a lot of ‘backstage’ stories.
DF: Most people have no idea what happens behind the scenes. The first season, we were presenting a gospel choir as part of our holiday concert called Too Hot to Handel. We had to find a B-3 Hammond organ; the closest one we could find was in Tampa. We had to drive a rented U-Haul to Tampa to pick it up. The night of the show, the gospel choir was MIA! They took a wrong turn somewhere, and two tires on the bus exploded. They arrived one minute before the performance started.
Raising the Curtain: A-List Artists and Defining Moments
Our special anniversary series Behind the Baton: Looking Back on 20 Years of
Memories, Milestones and Magical Moments continues. Enjoy!
By Zandra Wolfgram
Q: How did you attract the A-list you have?
DF: I was able to travel the world and guest conduct and meet many artists and agents/
managers. I went to the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (CCM), one of the top five music
schools in the USA. Many of the artists who sit in the orchestra were classmates of mine or
attended CCM. Many successful artists on the scene today are CCM grads. I think awareness
is a critical thing. I didn’t know Bernadette Peters, (Sinfonia’s first celebrity guest artist in
2006), but was aware of her. Kristin Chenoweth (performed for Sinfonia’s 10th anniversary
gala) has become a friend. Morgan James was a last-minute replacement when Broadway
star Christiane Noll fell ill, and she has become one of my best friends. Surrounding
yourself with that caliber of talent who respect and agree with your vision and can assist
your mission is a recipe for success.
Q: How did Bernadette Peters, the first celebrity guest artist, come about?
DF: I called her agent. Carol Gagliardi (founding board member) was a huge fan of
Bernadette Peters and her role in Into the Woods. I figured if I could get Bernadette, it
would solidify that we are breaking on to this scene and we mean business. Bringing
Bernadette back to start our 20th season is a full-circle moment.
No Isn’t Forever: Grit, Confidence, and Early Challenges
Our special anniversary series Behind the Baton: Looking Back on 20 Years of
Memories, Milestones and Magical Moments continues. Enjoy!
By Zandra Wolfgram
Q: Were the early days a struggle?
DF: I never thought of it as a struggle. It was something we just had to do. I was not alone.
We still have an engaged board of at least a dozen members, and there are well over 100
names on our volunteer roster. With our founding partners and board of directors, we laid
out a great plan. The first three seasons were a little tough financially. We always had
incredible patrons and support. Starting during an economic downturn catapulted the
urgency to create a solid, capable organization. A big reason for our success is that,
administratively, we organized a strong ensemble of people running things behind the
scenes, and we have that to this day.
Q: Did you ever have doubts?
DF: I was always very confident. Ego and confidence are two different things. I never paid
attention to what people said, I just did it. I said, ‘Yes, you can and watch us.’ You figure out
ways to turn a no into a positive, and therein lies the magic.
Q: What is your secret to success?
DF: There is no secret other than hard work and tenacity. I always joke that talent factors in
there somewhere, but that is not the leading force. I surround myself with amazing
sponsors, artists, and staff members who first believe in Sinfonia Gulf Coast, and
were—and still are—capable of following through on the quality level Sinfonia is known
for.
