The University of South Florida (USF) College of Design, Art & Performance has formed a partnership with The Florida Orchestra (TFO) to support music education and community engagement in the Tampa Bay area. The collaboration involves the USF Symphony Orchestra, which includes 70 undergraduate and graduate students, and two TFO conductors, Michael Francis and Chelsea Gallo. Francis and Gallo will serve as artists-in-residence at USF.
Through this program, USF students will receive mentorship and ensemble experience from Francis, TFO’s Music Director, and Gallo, the Resident Conductor. They will lead the USF Symphony Orchestra in a series of free public concerts at the Peter and Cynthia Zinober Concert Hall on the USF Tampa campus. Students will also have opportunities to work with TFO musicians and attend masterclasses with guest artists.
The partnership aims to expand music instruction and strengthen connections between USF, TFO, and the local community. Chris Garvin, dean of the USF College of Design, Art & Performance, said the initiative is intended to raise performance standards and encourage collaboration. Students, such as Kellie Mccann, a fourth-year oboe player, note that the orchestra’s mix of backgrounds helps build a sense of community…