MEDIA NEWS BRIEF: PHOTO RELEASE

SINFONIA GULF COAST AND MATTIE KELLY ARTS FOUNDATION PARTNER TO PRESENT PAINT THE MUSIC TO NEARLY 2,000 STUDENTS

DESTIN, FLA (May 1, 2024) – Sinfonia Gulf Coast and Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF) join creative forces to bring the Paint the Music program to nearly 2,000 local students from third to eighth grade.

This unique multi-disciplinary program offered our local youth an immersive experience in visual arts, live theater, and music all in one program. Beginning with an exploration of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s compositions, students from 16 Okaloosa and Walton County schools and home school groups engaged in the "paint what you hear" activity in their classrooms. On April 24, each class browsed their selected masterpieces showcased at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center as part of the Paint the Music art exhibit. Afterward, the event culminated with students attending Mozart’s Magnificent Voyage, a theatrical production featuring professional actors and live orchestral music performed by Sinfonia Gulf Coast.

Mozart’s Magnificent Voyage follows the tale of Mozart's son, Karl, as he embarks on a magical journey through time, delving into the life of the renowned composer and the enchanting world of his opera, The Magic Flute. Through 23 excerpts from Mozart’s repertoire, students were captivated by pieces such as The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute and Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, seamlessly woven into the narrative.

"We are delighted to offer this enriching cultural experience in collaboration with the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation," said Demetrius Fuller, Music & Artistic Director for Sinfonia Gulf Coast and CEO for MKAF. "Providing nearly two thousand children the opportunity to immerse themselves in art, music, and theater aligns perfectly with our respective missions."

Sinfonia Gulf Coast, as the region’s sole fully professional symphony orchestra, remains committed to delivering exceptional events and fostering educational initiatives across the Northwest Florida Gulf Coast. Proceeds from concerts and events contribute to Sinfonia Gulf Coast’s music education programs, which include musician/guest artist school visits, free orchestra concerts, student transportation support, the Sinfonia Youth Orchestra program, Arts in Medicine with Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast, Link Up concerts in collaboration with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Institute of Music, the annual Paint the Music Project, and more. Since it established its music education program in 2007, Sinfonia Gulf Coast estimates that it has impacted 200,000 students in Okaloosa and Walton Counties.

Established in 1995, MKAF is Northwest Florida’s champion of the arts for all abilities with a track record of impacting over 400,000 individuals in the local community. Through its ArtsReach initiative, MKAF extends cultural outreach programs to K-12 students, adults, children with special needs, at-risk youth, and the active/veteran military community through the Warrior Arts program.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Follow this link to a Photo Gallery of high-res images of Paint the Music.    

PHOTO CREDIT: Nathan Saczynski/NASCO Photography            

ABOUT SINFONIA GULF COAST
Sinfonia Gulf Coast was founded in 2005 on Florida’s Northwest Gulf Coast with the mission of redefining the symphony experience. Under the guidance of founder and Music Director Demetrius Fuller and a dedicated board of directors, the nonprofit orchestra is in its 18th season of innovative musical programming, designed to entertain, educate and inspire the community. Since its founding, Sinfonia Gulf Coast has presented more than 700 concerts and events that have reached over 500,000 patrons, has collaborated with numerous nonprofits and businesses throughout the community, and has reached more than 200,000 children through its Sinfonia Guest Artists in the Schools program/music education outreach initiatives. 

ABOUT MATTIE KELLY ARTS FOUNDATION

Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF), a non-profit arts organization comprised of members, volunteers, and community partners building the foundation of arts and culture in the community. Since its inception in 1995, MKAF has inspired more than 400,000 children in more than 100 schools and partner agencies. Through its community education initiative ArtsReach, programming serves K-12 students, at-risk youth, people with disabilities, and the military population with visible and invisible injuries. As a presenting organization, MKAF has showcased its Concerts in the Village each season where the Southeast United States’ most vibrant performing artists and bands perform to more than 35,000 patrons annually. More than 100 artists convene in Destin each year for the Festival of the Arts, which is one the preeminent arts festivals along the Gulf coast. MKAF has partnered with multiple regional non-profits and school districts in the communities that it serves to ensure access to the arts for all. 

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Media Contact:

Zandra Wolfgram

(850) 218-8805

zwolfgram@sinfoniagulfcoast.org