Panama City Symphony Orchestra conductor to retire, search underway for successor

PANAMA CITY — Panama City Symphony Orchestra Conductor and Music Director David Ott will retire at the end of the 2021-2022 season, it was announced recently by the PCSO's Board of Directors.

He will conduct his final concert, "Scheherazade," on April 23.

Ott has served as conductor and music director of PCSO since 2016. He also serves as director of music ministries and organist at Christ the King Church in Santa Rosa Beach, positions that will be affected by his PCSO retirement.

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A gifted lecturer with a passion for educating the public about music, Ott has been credited with making symphonic music more accessible to audiences of all ages throughout the region, according to board members. During his tenure with the orchestra he has elevated the profile of the orchestra throughout the region, attracting musicians with masters and doctoral degrees in performance.

Ott has also been the creator and driving force behind three unique educational outreach programs: Moments with the Maestro, Music to My Ears and Symphony in the City.

Following Hurricane Michael’s 2018 destruction of the Marina Civic Center, Ott’s pledge to the community was that the orchestra would be "a ray of promise for a community ravaged by fate, then to bond us and our work in making Panama City a cultural city that is among America’s finest." The orchestra launched its season 68 days later from its current home on the Gretchen Nelson Scott Fine Arts Center stage.

Faced with the prospect of another significant challenge in March 2020, Ott reminded concert-goers of the healthful benefits of listening to classical music. His comments spawned the orchestra's "Reduce Stress. Turn Up the Music" public service campaign, running on TV and in newsprint during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ott and the Board of Directors planned and programmed for a new season, and in October 2020 embarked upon its 25th season bearing the new moniker, Panama City Symphony Orchestra.

The name change reflected the realization that the orchestra's performance quality and professional stature were soaring, meriting a name to manifest its quality and increasingly far-ranging geographical draw, board members said. Additionally, it signified the board's strong determination to continue to expand the orchestra's appeal and its already considerable contributions to the community, spearheaded by Ott.

A search committee for Ott's successor, composed of members of both the symphony's Board of Directors and its orchestra, has begun exploration.

"We are committed to hiring a talented and visionary leader who will enhance and expand upon the Panama City Symphony's mission to provide excellent live symphonic music which engages and educates audiences of all ages," the group said in its press release.

"That person will possess excellent musicianship and conducting skills, will demonstrate an ability to engage audiences with both classical and popular genres, will be innovative with communication and education outreach, and will contribute to the organization's long-term strategic plan. The opportunity for continued growth is exciting, and we look forward to building upon the foundation that David Ott has fortified over the past six years."

The final concert date for the 2021-2022 season is at 7:30 p.m. April 23 at the Gretchen Nelson Scott Fine Arts Center. The orchestral masterpiece, "Scheherazade" will highlight the program.

PCSO tickets are available at www.panamacitysymphony.org. Reserved seat ticket price is $35. For more information, call 850-785-7677 or visit www.panamacitysymphony.org.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Panama City Symphony Orchestra conductor David Ott retiring