By Charles Baran
To say SOTA’s upcoming 2025 / 2026 season will be a thrilling one, is a bit of an understatement for sure. SOTA’s newly installed Artistic and Music Director Luke Frazier, wasted no time in leaving his mark on his new home. In fact, there’s so much greatness being offered, it’s hard to decide where to start. Here goes.
For openers, the September 28 and 30 concerts at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, titled Getting to Know You, promises to do just that. For Frazier’s initial program at the helm of the 38-year-old symphony, the Maestro has selected pieces he considers his favorites, pieces “that have shaped my musical journey.” SPHINX award winning clarinetist Juan Esteban Martinez joins the program for Weber’s magnificent Concertino for Clarinet. Also on the program are Metropolitan Opera Mezzo Soprano Tesia Kwarteng singing Roger Quilter’s exquisite art songs and Violinist Regino Madrid of the National Symphony Orchestra performing Vaughn Williams’ Serenade to Music. It’s a splendid season opener not to be missed.
The November 9 and 11 concerts bring an evening of Bach, Beethoven and Brahms focusing on the lesser-heard works from these musical masters. Frazier will take to the harpsichord alongside the orchestra for Mahler’s iconic Bach Suite, including the Air on the G String, one of the most famous pieces in music history, Steinway Artist Mary Anne Huntsman will be featured on Beethoven’s invigorating and rarely performed Rondo for Piano and Orchestra and the concert will finish with the full-orchestra version of Brahms’ Piano Quartet. An extraordinary evening of music.
Another fabulous Metropolitan Opera vocalist, Soprano Maureen McKay, joins the SOTA orchestra for the March 22 and 24 performances of Haydn’s The Creation. This musical masterpiece will also feature Italian American award-winning Tenor, Jordan Costa, celebrated Bass-Baritone, Peter Barber and a full chorus. To add to the already high level of excitement, AI-generated projections will accompany the entire performance creating an unbelievable visual experience, transporting you to a magical world as the music and voices soar.
A season planned by Luke Frazier is bound to include some wonderful Broadway music and on May 10 and 12, Frazier serves up the best. Two of the brightest stars on Broadway, Lindsay Mendez and Jesse Mueller join the SOTA orchestra for an evening titled It Takes Two. An extra-special evening where Lindsay and Jesse will share personal milestones of their remarkable careers through song and story, this is a chance to experience these amazing performers, reunited after their success in the Broadway revival of Carousel, in an intimate and exciting way.
If it’s something different you are looking for and are willing to “step out of the box,” Maestro Frazier has partnered with the NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale for a series of concerts at the museum’s Horvitz Auditorium called Up Close. The October 9 and 10 concerts bring the legendary Carole King album Tapestry to life in an exciting new way featuring Billboard chart-topping singer and songwriter MORGXN on vocals and Luke Frazier on piano. Returning to the Horvitz Auditorium on February 12 and 13, the Up Close series will celebrate female composers throughout the history of classical music, from the 18th century to today. Titled She Did it Her Way, the concert will feature American Traditions Vocal Competition Winner Liz Baldwin.
And for a completely unique one-of-a-kind experience, Frazier will team up with renowned yoga instructor Dan Carter on Wednesday evening, October 8, at the stunning Rooftop Pool Deck of the Flow Hotel in Fort Lauderdale for an hour of yoga with live musical accompaniment. Being an advocate of exercise and healthy living, this exceptional event immediately went on my fall schedule.
These are just some of the highlights of SOTA’s amazing season. There’s so much more. It’s a season packed full of spectacular music and performances. For a complete program schedule, visit the SOTA website at www.sota.org.
