Central Florida Community Arts says this weekend will be “Glorious” – that’s the name of the program that’ll be presented by the CFCArts Community Choir and Symphony Orchestra on Saturday.
Justin Muchoney is Artistic Director and Interim Executive Director for CFC Arts. He says “Glorious” is designed to celebrate timeless music from the classical era that still has relevance today.
“If you’ve experienced CFCArts programming before, we are known for our scale, the size and spectacle of our programs,” said Muchoney. He said the organization boasts the largest community orchestra and the largest community choir in the country.
“But our members and our community have been asking for something a little more intimate,” he explained, “a little more classical, a little more like the music they grew up on in choir and orchestra.”
Muchoney added that the concert will feature a 120-piece orchestra and a 65-voice choir…which is comparatively “intimate” for the massive organization.
Muchoney said this concert, like all of CFCArts’ offerings, leans into a guiding principle of the company: “radical accessibility” for both the performers and the audience.
“Our goal is to make sure that these experiences are something that everyone can enjoy and participate in, regardless of your experience,” said Muchoney. “If you’ve never heard this music before, or if you’ve been listening to it your whole life.”
“This concert was designed with broadly recognizable classical music in mind,” explained Muchoney. “So if you love Shostakovich, oh my gosh! We've got ‘Festive Overture’ and the finale from his Fifth Symphony in this concert, both of which
are spine-tingling great pieces of music. And if you grew up thinking that Shostakovich was the name of a hockey player on your dad's favorite hockey team, you're still going to love this music!”
“We present it in such an accessible and broadly appealing and comfortable way,” said Muchoney. “We remove as many barriers as possible.”
And that removal of barriers is part of the overarching philosophy of CFCArts, noted Muchoney, as he listed some of the company’s other programs.
“Our organization has one of the largest youth theaters in the entire country,” he said. “We have a group called Upbeat, which is a remarkable collection of kids, teens and young adults with Down syndrome, autism and other neurodivergence who gather together weekly for their own incredible theater experiences.”
“We have an acting troupe called the Narrators, older adults who want to get together, play some improv games, learn some scripts, and then present some incredibly funny performances - heartwarming, uplifting, hysterically funny performances, presented by the parents and grandparents in your life and in your family so that everyone can see themselves on stage,” Muchoney added.
“And then three of our calling cards as an organization: our radically inclusive and accessible choir, orchestra, and big band…we don't turn anyone away.”
