The Boca Raton Symphonia (BRS) held an intimate in-home pre-concert gathering for community leaders and cultural arts supporters hosted by Boca Raton residents Marta & Jim Batmasian. Those attending the special evening in the magnificent residence overlooking Lake Boca enjoyed a performance by an ensemble of BRS musicians as guests met and welcomed special guests BRS Principal Conductor Philippe Entremont and Mezzo Soprano Soloist Daniela Mack who performed during the BRS Connoisseur Series concert on Sunday.

As one of the most recorded artists of all time, Entremont has served as the music director of Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Israel Chamber Orchestra, New Orleans Philharmonic, and the Denver Symphony. Daniela Mack, a Buenos Aires native, has performed with the San Francisco Opera, New Orleans Opera, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and Calgary Philharmonic.

More than 80 guests were on hand to support the symphonic orchestra, including City of Boca Raton Deputy Mayor Susan Haynie, City of Boca Raton Council Member Mike Mullaugh, Lori and Raphael Cabrera, Lisa and Derek Vander Ploeg, Sue and Howard Zipper, Yvonne Boice and husband Al Zucaro, Suzanne Klein, Patti Carpenter, Robin Trompeter, Bonnie and Jon Kaye, BRS Orchestra Manager Jeff Kaye, BRS Board and Allegro Society members: Mira Halpert, Molly Foreman Kozel, and Sonya Crimins as well as newly appointed board members June Gelb and Silva Alexandrov.

Following a brief update on the BRS’s 2011 schedule by BRS President Steve Pomeranz, City of Boca Raton Deputy Mayor Haynie discussed the important role culture and the arts play in the building and promoting of a world-class city such as Boca Raton.

While based in South Florida, BRS orchestra members that make up the BRS have performed with such conductors as Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa and orchestras worldwide, including the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, IRIS Orchestra, and Santa Fe Opera. Because of its strong acceptance, appeal and national recognition as an exceptional symphonic orchestra, the 2011 Festival of the Arts Boca has selected the BRS as the official orchestra of the Festival’s fifth annual event to be held at the Count de Hoernle Amphitheater, March 4-12, 2011.

The mission of the Boca Raton Symphonia, Boca’s world class orchestra, is to perform and make accessible classical music through concert performances and educational outreach programs featuring nationally and internationally acclaimed conductors and soloists, including renowned Principal Conductor Philippe Entremont and Guest Conductors Gunther Schuller and David Commanday. The 2010-2011 season soloists include Itzhak Perlman protégé and cello soloist Sujin Lee, mezzo soprano soloist Daniela Mack, violin soloist Ludwig Mueller, cello soloist Christophe Pantillon, and piano soloist Soyeon Lee.

To learn more about the Boca Raton Symphonia, its performance schedule, and sponsorship opportunities, visit http://www.bocaratonsymphonia.org/ or call 561-376-3848