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One of the highly anticipated fundraisers of the spring season in the Beaches area of Jacksonville is hosted by BRASS (Beaches Residents Actively Supporting the Symphony) on Sunday, May 15. The entire Jacksonville Symphony will be featured at the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club led by conductor Gonzalo Farias. The black-tie (optional) evening includes a cocktail reception, dinner, live auction and musical performance by the Jacksonville Symphony.
For 30 years, BRASS has been a highly recognized organization in the Jacksonville Beaches community that supports the Jacksonville Symphony through financial contributions, promoting concert attendance and fostering orchestral music appreciation. BRASS is an all-volunteer group represented by Beaches residents who are dedicated to music and the efforts of the Jacksonville Symphony.
Throughout these three decades, BRASS galas have raised amounts ranging from $75,000 to $100,000. These donated funds are used to sponsor Jacksonville Symphony concerts and other events at Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall and throughout Greater Jacksonville.
This year’s 30th Annual Gala honors the memory of Robert E. Jacoby who, with his wife Monica, sponsored many BRASS galas through the years and were generous Jacksonville Symphony patrons season after season. Original BRASS members, the Jacobys moved to Ponte Vedra Beach in 1986 from New York City and immediately became involved in the Jacksonville community, helping to create this highly respected Beaches-area group “… to bring together music lovers for friendship and support of the Jacksonville Symphony.”
The Jacobys remained supporters of both the Jacksonville Symphony and BRASS ever since.
In 1997, the Jacoby Symphony Hall at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts opened. It is recognized as a world-class symphony hall specifically designed by orchestral performances that seats 1,800 attendees and is included among a narrow list of American orchestras with their own dedicated concert hall.
In addition to generous individual financial contributions, BRASS has supported the Jacksonville Symphony through corporate sponsorships and BRASS special events. Hundreds of BRASS participants, along with BRASS Board of Directors members, have created and supported live concerts in various local venues.
BRASS also helps provide music education through a partnership with OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning institute) at the University of North Florida and by mentoring young musicians for the BRASS Ring Student Music Competition.
Maestro Gonzalo Farias was born in Santiago de Chile and is an engaging orchestral conductor, award-winning pianist, passionate educator and associate conductor of the Jacksonville Symphony. His ambition is to establish music-making as a way of rethinking our place in society by cultivating respect, trust and cooperation among all people in the community.
The BRASS 30th Annual Gala & Concert will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. May 15 at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club.
For ticket reservations and BRASS information, contact Nadine Sabatier, chairman, 30th Anniversary BRASS Gala, at nadinesabatier@bellsouth.net or 904-545-0491.
For further information, go to BRASSonline.org.
