- Lobby of new world center to be open to the public, providing air-conditioned space for individuals and families to listen to music, use Wi-Fi, charge phones and use restrooms
- Thierry’s to provide free bottled water, Whole Foods to provide free fresh fruit to attendees
- The Miami Foundation to accept donations for hurricane relief at Encore WALLCAST® concert
- NEW WORLD CENTER FULLY OPERATIONAL AFTER HURRICANE IRMA, BALANCE OF SEASON TO PROCEED AS PLANNED, BEGINNING WITH
- FREE PRE-SEASON ORCHESTRA CONCERT ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
In an effort to provide relief and a sense of recovery to those dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, the New World Symphony, America’s Orchestral Academy (NWS), and the City of Miami Beach are partnering to present an Encore WALLCAST® concert at the New World Center and in SoundScape Park, Saturday, September 16, at 7:30 PM (500 17th Street). Attendees are invited to relax with friends, family, neighbors and other members of our community at this free event, shown on the 7,000 square-foot wall of the New World Center.
The Encore WALLCAST® concert will feature Michael Tilson Thomas, the New World Symphony Fellows and pianist Emanuel Ax in a program that includes Brahms’ Variations on a Theme of Haydn; Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 14; Schoenberg’s Piano Concerto and R. Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks.
During the Encore WALLCAST® concert, the lobby of the New World Center will be open, providing a welcome experience for people in which they can listen to music in an air-conditioned space, access the center’s free Wi-Fi, charge their phones at stations provided by Citi and use the restrooms. Thierry Isambert Culinary and Event Design will provide complimentary bottles of water, and Whole Foods will provide free fresh fruit to attendees. Parking in City of Miami Beach garages will also be free, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, Miami Beach Commissioners and NWS President Howard Herring will address the audience prior to the concert.
The Miami Foundation will also accept donations for their Hurricane Irma relief funds, supporting efforts in Greater Miami and across the region. The foundation’s Hurricane Relief Fund will provide support for recovery and rebuilding work driven by organizations on the ground; the Irma Caribbean Strong Relief Fund will support relief efforts in small Caribbean island nations and territories, including Antigua & Barbuda, U.S. Virgin Islands and the Bahamas; and the Irma Community Recovery Fund will support relief efforts for Florida’s marginalized communities, ensuring residents in poverty have access to crucial services and resources. Visit miamifoundation.org/relief to learn more and donate to The Miami Foundation’s relief funds.
Attendees to the Encore WALLCAST® concert can use #NWSReliefConcert to talk about the event on social media.
New World Center Status Update
Due to the mandatory evacuation of its 87 Fellows who are provided housing on Miami Beach as part of their New World Symphony fellowship, three free pre-season concerts scheduled for September 15, 16 and 17 at the New World Center have been cancelled.
The Fellows will be making their way back to South Florida from various parts of the country over the next few days, and the rest of the New World Symphony’s performance schedule will proceed as planned, beginning with the free pre-season orchestra concert on September 23 at the New World Center, featuring NWS alumnus Kazem Abdullah. Abdullah, one of the “most watched young American conductors on the scene today” may be recognized by many as the featured conductor on GMC’s Arcadia commercials, shown nationally on TV and at movie theaters throughout the country for the past year.
The New World Center re-opened for staff on Wednesday, September 13. Located just five blocks from the Atlantic Ocean and opened in January 2011, the New World Center, its 80-foot high glass curtain wall, the technological infrastructure of the building and the audio and video systems in SoundScape Park are intact and operational. Minor damage to the roof of the New World Center was sustained, but will not hinder normal operations.
City of Miami Beach Status Update
As Hurricane Irma approached South Florida, all hands were on deck preparing the City of Miami Beach for the worst and hoping for the best. Luckily, the city was spared from the eye of the storm, but many lost power and endured damage to their homes, businesses and landscape. As a result of the city’s dedicated staff in place before, during and after the storm — no lives were lost and the city suffered minimal devastation.
The Miami Beach Fire Department also deployed teams to the Florida Keys to assist in clean-up efforts along with two rescue trucks full of donations from the Miami Beach community. The city is grateful that it did not experience any catastrophic damage and knows that it is imperative to give back to the other areas that were not as lucky.
Hurricane season is still not over. The city urges residents and businesses to use the 2017 Hurricane Guide found on their homepage to properly perfect your plan. With this informative guide as a resource and adhered advice from Miami-Dade County, you and your loved ones will remain safer in the case of any future disaster.
Additional information about the New World Symphony can be found online at www.nws.edu.
