Robyn Bell Interviews Episodes

From Poland to Baltimore to Philadelphia to Boston to Houston to Sarasota, find out how this trip around the planet brought the Sarasota Orchestra's Acting Principal Percussionist and new SCF Percussion Instructor Tomasz Kowa...

On Thursday, December 3 at 7:30 PM, join the SCF Music Program on our Facebook Page for our final concert of the semester. “Joy to the World” brings you all your holiday favorites and will feature the SCF Big Band and Jazz Co...

Her tour of the world includes Louisville, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Des Moines, Boston, Montgomery, and finally, Bradenton/Sarasota. Natalie Helm is celebrating year number five as the principal cellist of the Sarasota Orch...

For the second performance of its 2020-21 season, Sarasota Contemporary Dance will reprise a popular collaboration with renowned harpist Ann Hobson Pilot called SCD + Piazzolla. Performances are November 19-22 at the Historic...

The SCF Musical Theatre Program is proud to offer the 2020 Fall Musical Children of Eden through a pre-recorded scheduled content viewing experience available on Saturday, November 7, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, November 8, 2:00 p.m. S...

How does one go from owning a medical sales company in Atlanta, Georgia to being the Executive Director of the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County? Jim Shirley is here to tell us. As our area's number one lobbying g...

He's a percussionist and she's a violinist. Together, they might just rule the world one day, but for now, they want to make the best and highest level of music they can. George Nickson and Samantha Bennett founded Ensemble N...

So you say you want to start a theatre company that produces thought provoking, deeply moving, audience engaging, can't wait to come back for more content? That's just what Brendan Ragan has done with Urbanite Theatre. Along ...

On Thursday, October 15 at 7:30 p.m., the SCF Bradenton Symphony Orchestra celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with a fantastic lineup of Latin/Spanish inspired music and solo violinist Felicia Brunelle performing Lalo’s Symph...

On Thursday, October 8 at 7:30 PM, join the SCF Music Program on our Facebook Page for our first concert of the season. “Stronger Together” celebrates the unique power of people in the aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic and w...

What's it like to go from living in New York City working as an actor, writer, director, and Tony Award winning producer one day to living on the beaches of Manasota Key running the Hermitage Artist Retreat the next? And...ju...

In Michigan, she was a middle school band director, high school band director, middle school principal, high school principal, and even school superintendent. Retiring to the Suncoast of Florida meant she, unexpectedly, becam...

As if searching for a new conductor and a new home at the same time isn't hard enough, try doing it during a pandemic! Joe McKenna talks to us about his life as the Executive Director of the Sarasota Orchestra, the amazing ta...

From a projected $2 million surplus for the season to a completely dark hall for the next six months, executive director of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota, Mary Bensel, tells us her story of the Friday the 13t...

From drum major of her high school band to the 6th president of the State College of Florida, Dr. Carol Probstfeld brings an abundance of leadership skills, eye for talent, passion for students, and appreciation for culture t...

What started as a series of small house concerts in a private home on Lido Beach 25 years ago has turned into the successful Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota, bringing over 25 world-class musical experiences to the Suncoast...

He's a concert pianist who will have you in stitches, while she has made her musical career as an administrator from the Kalamazoo Symphony to the Sarasota Opera. Together, Rich and Stacy Ridenour have conquered the world and...

How does a little girl from Arcadia go from working at Disney to leading the $62 million endowment fund as the Executive Director of the State College of Florida Foundation? Cassandra Holmes is here to tell us. From Mickey Mo...

He lives 20 paces from the Asolo, has worked with Stephen Sondheim to Angela Lansbury to David Letterman and everybody in between, was nominated for a Tony award and won a Grammy award for his orchestration of the Broadway hi...

Lynne plays oboe in the Pops Orchestra, the Bradenton Symphony Orchestra, and sings in Key Chorale. Bernadette sings in Diversity: The Voices of Sarasota, and serves as president of their board of directors. Since moving to S...

Over 500 students participate in the arts programs at Braden River High School and band director Jeramiah Bowman oversees one of the largest, most visible, and highly successful entities at the school: The Marching Band of Pi...

From the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to the Ringling College of Art and Design, find out how Dr. Larry Thompson came to the helm of the Suncoast's (and the world's!) preeminent art college 21 years ago. Not even a little thing...

He is the principal bassoon and she is the principal flute of the Sarasota Orchestra. Together, they have been making music in the woodwind section for 27 years. Learn what Fernando and Betsy Traba have to say about their liv...

What's it like navigating a $9 million opera company through a pandemic? Richard Russell can tell you, and he does so openly and honestly. With a positive spirit and an amazing calmness to his voice, Richard tells us of his m...