March 04, 2011

The Boca Raton Symphonia And Its Allegro Society Present An Inaugural "Saturday Night Classics" Concert: An Evening Of Mozart, Mendelssohn & Copland (Music And Movies) Conducted By BRS Guest Conductor David Commanday Saturday, April 9, 2011

The Boca Raton Symphonia and its Allegro Society will present a new “Saturday Night Classics” Concert conducted by Guest Conductor David Commanday that showcases the works of composers Mozart, Mendelssohn and Copland on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at 8 p.m. at the Roberts Theater on the campus of Saint Andrew’s School at 3900 Jog Road. In addition to performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K. 488 and Symphony No.4 “Italian” by Mendelssohn, the full symphonic orchestra will play Music For Movies by Copland. A champagne and dessert reception will follow.

“Born in response to requests from the many classical music lovers and supporters of the Boca Raton Symphonia in South Florida who have expressed interest in a Saturday Night Classical Concert Series, the Allegro Society embraced the opportunity and took the lead to grow the Symphonia’s reach and accessibility in the region,” noted BRS and Allegro Board Member Mimi Sadler who is co-chairing the inaugural event.

“Classic music lovers are in for a real treat; Conductor Commanday is known for dynamic performances, innovative programming, and an appealing connection with audience and community,” added Event Co-Chair Susan Courey. “The ultimate goal of the upcoming Saturday night performance is to establish a special supplemental “Saturday Night Classics” Concert Series to expand the BRS’s popular Sunday afternoon Connoisseur Concert Series throughout the season to accommodate the varying schedules of so many in the community.

David Commanday is the founding Artistic Director and Conductor of the innovative Heartland Festival Orchestra. He has conducted orchestras around the world, including the National Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, American Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Belgian Radio Orchestra, Vienna Pro Arte Orchestra, and the Seattle, Atlanta, and Richmond Symphonies. In his position as Music Director of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra for ten seasons, he is credited for bringing the PSO to "a high-point in its 103-year history".


Now Artistic Director of the New Jersey Youth Symphony, Commanday continues a life-long commitment to training young musicians. He has held faculty positions and conducted at Harvard University, Boston University, MIT, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Montclair State University. He is active as teaching and conducting clinician, conducting All-State and regional student orchestras around the country. In addition he continues to play and perform as cellist, appearing with such artists as Yo-Yo Ma, Bobby McFerrin, and Antonio Pompa-Baldi. His recent guest-conducting schedule included the South Carolina Philharmonic, Flagstaff Symphony, Eastern Connecticut Symphony, the Joffrey Ballet, and Ballet West.

Recognized by critics as a gem of an orchestra that is now in its sixth year, the world-class BRS performs and makes accessible classical music through concert performances and educational outreach programs featuring nationally and internationally acclaimed conductors and soloists. While based in South Florida, the orchestra members who make up the symphonic orchestra have performed with such conductors as Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa and orchestras worldwide, including Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, IRIS Orchestra, and Santa Fe Opera.

The current 2010-2011Connoisseur Concert Series features the orchestra’s new internationally-renowned Principal Conductor and Piano Soloist Philippe Entremont, one of the most recorded artists of all time who has served as music director of Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Israel Chamber Orchestra, New Orleans Philharmonic, and the Denver Symphony.

The BRS Allegro Society is a women’s volunteer auxiliary group whose mission is to promote and broaden the BRS’s musical and cultural presence in South Florida to expand the Symphonia’s audience, visibility, and appeal. Since its inception a year ago, the Allegro Society has assisted the Boca Raton Symphonia attain record subscriptions for the current 2010-2011 Connoisseur Concert Series.

Tickets to the BRS “Saturday Night Classics” Concert are $50 per person. For information about the Boca Raton Symphonia, joining its Allegro Society, and to purchase tickets call (561) 376-3848 or visit www.bocasymphonia.org.




March 02, 2011

BOCA RATON SYMPHONIA WELCOMES CONDUCTOR PHILIPPE ENTREMONT AND MEZZO SOPRANO SOLOIST DANIELA MACK AT INTIMATE PRE-CONCERT GATHERING

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






March 01, 2011

PROMISE HOSPITAL OF PHOENIX AND CITY OF MESA CELEBRATE THE RELOCATION AND GRAND OPENING OF PROMISE HEALTHCARE’S LONG-TERM ACUTE CARE (LTAC) HOSPITAL IN EAST VALLEY

Demonstrating The Multiple Community Benefits Of Mayor Smith’s “H.E.A.T.” Initiative For The Revitalization Of Downtown Mesa…



 A cross-section of city and hospital officials, and healthcare industry, community and business leaders joined in celebrating the grand opening of Promise Hospital of Phoenix’s newly relocated long-term acute care (LTAC) hospital on the north side of the Arizona Regional Medical Center Campus (ARMC) at 433 E. 6th Street, Mesa, Arizona. The ribbon-cutting ceremony officiated by hospital executives with Mesa Mayor Scott Smith and Council Member Dave Richins was followed by the first tours of the 30,000-square-foot, two-floor, 37-room, 48-bed hospital in a hospital (HIH) facility. According to Promise Hospital CEO Scott Floden and City officials, the hospital’s relocation is estimated to generate substantial direct and indirect economic impact to Mesa, its Downtown and surrounding communities through staff and facility purchases, in addition to the creation of 150 new skilled jobs and major capital improvements made to the facility.

In his remarks, Floden noted that the reasons for Promise’s decision to relocate from its former location in Downtown Phoenix was four-fold: 1) expand scope of much-needed specialized LTAC hospital services in the East Valley, 2) increase on-site diagnostic and treatment services to Promise patients, 3) to better align services with our key physicians, and 4) continue to grow and support the critical role an LTAC hospital plays in a quality-focused continuum of healthcare in the area. Featuring its own dedicated entrance and reception area, Promise Hospital invested significant capital to improve, redesign and equip the facility to best serve the physicians and their patients living and working in Mesa and its surrounding communities of Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, Scottsdale, Glendale, Avondale, Sun City, Peoria, Paradise Valley, and Queen Creek.

As noted during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the hospital’s relocation exemplifies the positive community healthcare and economic development impact, benefits and advantages of Mayor Smith’s “H.E.A.T.” economic development initiative (http://www.mesaaz.gov/economic/HEATSummary.aspx) and support efforts for Downtown Mesa revitalization. The efforts are guided by Mesa's industries of opportunity: Healthcare, Education, Aerospace, and Tourism. Based on Mesa's strengths, quality infrastructure, talented workforce, projected growth and global market trends, the City of Mesa is already realizing significant benefit in each industry space, with Promise Hospital’s presence enhancing its healthcare asset.

“Promise Hospital and Promise Healthcare are proud to be an integral part of Mayor Smith’s visionary H.E.A.T. initiative, and appreciate the City’s and business community’s ardent commitment to investing in and guiding its success for businesses like ours that have made a significant investment in Downtown Mesa,” noted Floden. “We appreciate the warm welcome we have received from the City, Arizona Regional Medical Center, fellow healthcare providers and management teams, and the Chamber of Commerce in the East Valley, and we look forward to being an active community citizen and advocate of the Mayor’s H.E.A.T. initiative.”

Promise Hospital of Phoenix specializes in high acuity long-term hospital care for patients suffering from the most complex of medical conditions. The hospital’s distinctive LTAC environment provides acute medical care and aggressive therapy services for patients with unresolved, acute, or catastrophic illnesses, as well as multi-organ disease processes who require an average length of stay of 25 days or more. Promise specializes in acute respiratory/pulmonary care (including ventilator management and weaning), infectious disease management (including long-term IV antibiotics), advanced wound management, complex medical management, and treatment for multi-organ failure and post-surgical complications. The hospital’s “quality” scores consistently outperform national averages, especially for its successful ventilator weaning program.

“We’re extremely happy to have Promise Hospital in downtown Mesa,” Mayor Scott Smith said. “Bringing high-quality jobs to Mesa is an integral part of our H.E.A.T. initiative and to make that happen you need quality organizations with quality people like Promise Hospital.”

The 48-bed facility features 24 private rooms and 12 semi-private rooms with 23 telemetry beds; 15 med/surg beds; a six-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a four-bed High Observation Unit, three isolation rooms, all featuring in-room cameras. Also onsite there is a dialysis suite, wound care suite, rehab/physical therapy gym, pharmacy, physician conference and break room, and administrative offices. The rehab/physical therapy area includes an activity room equipped with full kitchen set up, washer and dryer, and other appliances specifically designed for therapists to help patients enhance their independence level by training them on cooking, personal hygiene, grooming, and other activities of daily living. All nursing staff is ACLS certified using a primary RN nursing model for all patients and adherence to strict compliance of benchmark patient safety measures with a 2 to 1 patient to nurse ratio in its I.C.U.

So that patients do not have to be transported off-site for medical tests, therapies, or surgical procedures during their stay, Promise Hospital’s on-site services at the new location include MRI services, CT scans, Ultrasound, Echocardiograms, PEG tube placement, G/J tube placement, EGD/colonoscopy, esophageal dilatation, PICC line placement, central lines placement including Mediports, Groshongs, EEG, modified barium swallows, interventional radiology with C-arm, , nerve stimulation, bronchoscopy, tracheostomy, hemodialysis, catheter placement, Doppler studies, paracentesis, sharp debridement, and thoracentesis.

Additional benefits of being an HIH with Arizona Regional Medical Center include access to a working helipad for outlier transport to Promise Hospital, and ARMC’s in-house Emergency Department with 24/7 physician coverage which were not available at Promise Hospital’s previous location.

“This new facility is a welcome addition and will greatly benefit the community,” District 1 Councilmember Dave Richins said. “Promise Hospital will play a significant role in serving the medical needs of our community by providing comprehensive community health care and education programs.”

ARMC CEO Brent Cope added that “Having Promise Hospital on our campus and adjacent to our hospital puts the general community-at-large at a distinctive healthcare advantage. We look forward to working collaboratively to strengthen our campus’s state and regional positioning as a comprehensive healthcare center of excellence.”

For more information, admissions, and physician referrals and affiliation, contact Luis Gonzalez, Promise Hospital of Phoenix Director of Physician Relations at (480) 427-3000, ext. 3005, cell (602) 819-1461, lgonzalez@promisehealthcare.com or visit http://www.promise-phoenix.com. For employment opportunities, contact Promise Hospital Human Resources Director Christie Brea at (480) 427-3000, ext. 3003 or cbrea@promisehealthcare.com.