Designed to link the artistic and cultural traditions of the world with those of  Florida, Summerfest, presented by the Symphony of the Americas and Musicfor International, is the longest-running music festival event to take place in Florida, and is one of the top cultural projects to be funded by the State of Florida’s Division of Cultural Affairs International Cultural Exchange Grant Programs. As a true cultural exchange, it involves both European and American musicians in joint performance.

Summerfest traditionally features musicians and soloists from acclaimed orchestras throughout Europe, including Gewandhaus Orchester of Germany, Austria’s Arpeggione Chamber Orchestra, Mission Chamber Orchestra of Rome, Orchestra Symphonique du Mont Blanc (France), Hungarian Virtuosi, and others, performing several styles of classical and popular music for strings, all joined in a cultural exchange by principal musicians of our own Symphony of the Americas. Presented in association with Europe’s Musicfor, the festival aligns with their international mission of promoting music, donating musical instruments and their time to work with young students. Overall, more than 10 different countries are represented by musicians on stage at Summerfest concerts.

Summerfest outreach includes a July week of performances for residents and students of Panama in partnership with the US Embassy, Bern Resorts, Rotary Clubs and Instituto Nacional de Cultura. Under the baton of Artistic Director Maestro James Brooks-Bruzzese, orchestral concerts feature the music of Bach, Händel, Saint-Saens, Mozart, Delibes, Ginastera and the legendary Argentinian, Carlos Gardel. Included also is a commissioned composition by Italian composer in residence, Lorenzo Turchi-Floris. Soloists are the violinist Orlando Forte, the oboist Marco Key-Navarrete, the organist Tim Brumfield, the violist David Pedraza and the  and acclaimed pianist Lorenzo Turchi-Floris.

As part of the U.S. and Florida outreach, the ensemble travels to Panama for public and educational performances as well as master classes. These activities are often presented together with local organizations such as Empressarios Juveniles, International Sister Cities, and Rotary Clubs International. U.S. Embassies have joined this partnership in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Haiti, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil. Educational events reaching over 8,000 students expose and introduce the masterful sounds of American, European and Latin composers through Summerfest. Many have never before experienced the exhilaration of the music of great composers in live performances.