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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019

Friday, Feb. 22, at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota | Benefiting Sarasota Orchestra

Orchestra Gala 70th Anniversary and Tribute to Anu Tali NIKI KOTTMAN

Hillary Steele and Music Director Anu Tali

A+E MANAGING EDITOR

S

arasota Orchestra had much to celebrate Feb. 22. The 70th Anniversary Gala at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota

honored

not only seven decades of providing classical music to the people of Sarasota, but the legacy of Music Director Anu Tali, whose time with the organization comes to a close at the end of this season.

Above: Honorary Co-Chairs Margery and Charles Barancik Right: Fourth horn player Nathan Ukens plays for guests.

Photos by Niki Kottmann

Principal cellist Natalie Helm stands to be recognized after the performance.

Festivities began outside the ballroom with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres before guests adjourned to the purple- and pink-lit ballroom for a concert by the Sarasota Orchestra. When guests took their seats for the pre-dinner program, President and CEO Joseph McKenna and Board Chairman David Steves welcomed them and shared several milestones from the orchestra’s past 70 years. McKenna also asked eventgoers to bow their heads and share a moment of silence for the late Gerri Aaron, who he said had signed on right away to be a co-chairwoman of the event. She was also the individual title sponsor. “From their first meeting, Gerri saw in Anu a spirited, smart leader who she wanted to support,” he said of the philanthropist’s relationship to Tali. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2