The Southwest Florida Symphony Crew hosts Marilyn Van Sickle Vocal Scholarship Competition on Feb. 24

The Southwest Florida Symphony Crew hosts Marilyn Van Sickle Vocal Scholarship Competition on Feb. 24

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Feb. 20, 2024) – The Southwest Florida Symphony Crew is excited to invite community members to experience some of the finest musical talent in Southwest Florida at the Marilyn Van Sickle Vocal Competition on Feb. 24. Performances for this annual event will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church, 8260 Cypress Lake Drive in Fort Myers.

Each year, young vocalists – including high school, college and university students – from throughout Southwest Florida compete for two $2,000 scholarships, allowing students to continue to pursue their musical training. Scholarships are renewable for up to three additional years. The competition is sponsored by the Southwest Florida Symphony Crew & the Joseph L. and Marilyn Van Sickle Vocal Music Scholarship Fund.

The public is invited to attend this exhilarating musical competition, featuring some of the best young vocal artists in the region. Admission is free.

The Southwest Florida Symphony Crew is an auxiliary group that supports the orchestra through volunteerism, fundraising and audience cultivation. The Crew is open to the public, and community members are encouraged to join.

About the Southwest Florida Symphony Crew

For more than 50 years, the Southwest Florida Symphony Crew, formerly Symphony Society, has existed as the symphony’s all-volunteer auxiliary fundraising arm. Each year, volunteers put in nearly 20,000 hours and donate between $20,000 and $100,000 to the symphony. The Crew provides concert ambassadors, staff services at the symphony office and housing for musicians, as well as hosting a wide range of special fundraising projects with all proceeds going directly to benefit the orchestra. Additionally, the group helps support the Southwest Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra and manages several music scholarship competitions for the benefit of young music students.

To learn more about the Southwest Florida Symphony Crew or apply to join, visit swflso.org/symphony-society/.

About the Southwest Florida Symphony

The Southwest Florida Symphony made its debut as a community orchestra on April 15, 1961, playing in schools and community centers, with a roster of only 24 volunteer musicians. Today, the symphony boasts a roster of 70 world-class professional musicians and is Lee County’s only fully professional orchestra and fourth oldest in the state. The Southwest Florida Symphony’s 63rd year continues the orchestra’s tradition of artistic excellence and innovation as Music Director Maestro Radu Paponiu leads another season of spectacular performances. Maestro Paponiu, the sixth music director in the organization’s history, also serves as the associate conductor and youth orchestra director for the Naples Philharmonic in addition to guest-conducting with orchestras throughout the United States and Europe.

For more information about the Southwest Florida Symphony, upcoming season performances and subscription and ticketing information, visit swflso.org or call 239-418-1500.

2023 Marilyn Sickle Vocal Competition