Dear Family, Friends, Colleagues, and Patrons:
I'm pleased to announce that I have accepted an invitation to be the new Music Director & Conductor for Symphonicity, the symphony orchestra of Virginia's largest city, Virginia Beach! This is bittersweet news for it will also require my separation from the United States Air Force after eight faithful years serving as an Airman, officer, conductor, and public affairs professional.
I am truly humbled to follow their founder, Maestro David Kunkel, who built this orchestra from the ground up with a core of dedicated music-loving community performers and patrons. During his 35-year tenure, they created more than just a formidable community orchestra but a cultural gem that has been recognized with a nomination for the Governor's Award for the Arts and a third-place recognition by The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) for Adventurous Programming.
Now they are a resident company at the beautiful Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Town Center, Virginia Beach. Their season consists of 12 to 14 concerts per year, to include five Masterworks subscription concerts, an annual Messiah Sing-along, an annual Nutcracker performance series, children's "Lollipop" concerts, summer "Flying Proms" aviation museum concerts with aircraft flyovers, and multiple "Pops" concerts throughout the Coastal Virginia region.
When I debuted with the orchestra, our chemistry felt perfect from the start. They are a "family" of wonderful musicians, citizens, doctors, lawyers, teachers, parents, seasoned professionals and early professionals, working neighbors, and more, all who embraced me with open arms. Each rehearsal revealed a dedication, spirit, and genuine camaraderie--all superbly led by esteemed concertmaster Megan Van Gomple, who was marvelous to work with on every level. This is more than just a wonderful orchestra--it truly is a family.
The incredible efforts of Search Committee Chair Susan Grube, Board President Rebecca Brown, Executive Director Lynette Andrews, and their teams ensured a process of total class and professionalism with seemingly flawless implementation. I am delighted to now begin working with them and all of the board members, executive staff, sponsors and key patrons to form our exciting vision for the future.
Most of all, I am excited to make great music with the fine musicians of this orchestra and to share it with our loyal community of arts patrons. I believe the future will be exceedingly bright! We already have an amazing lineup for the "Ode to the Future" 2017-2018 subscription season, to include spectacular guest soloists, a newly commissioned world-premiere, and a powerful rendering of Beethoven's "Choral" Symphony No. 9, to feature our full Symphonicity Chorus and many guest artists!
This would not be possible without your ongoing generous support. Please visit www.symphonicity.org to learn how you can become a part of our Symphonicity family! Let us work together to create life-impacting experiences in the arts that further bolster Virginia Beach as the must-see, must-live, must-enjoy destination that it truly is!
My family and I cannot wait to join everyone in this new adventure together!
Thank you...and see you at the concert!
Daniel W. Boothe
Your Music Director & Conductor
