NORTHWEST FLORIDA SYMPHONY GUILD

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COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
Annual Concerto Competition -- Download Application: Word | PDF | FlashPaper
Annual Fifth Grade Concerts
Fourth Grade “Strolling String” Program
Annual Memorial Day Pops Concert - Free

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For Membership Information
Vern Umholtz 850-244-3433 or Christina Wirth 850-897-3317

Mailing address:
P.O. BOX 572
NICEVILLE, FLORIDA 32588

Organized in June 1988, the NFSG is a member of the American Symphony Orchestra League, and was incorporated in 1990 under the Laws of the State of Florida as a Not-For-Profit 501 (c) 3 tax exempt corporation. 

2007-2008
Symphony Guild Officers and Chairpersons

OFFICERS

PURPOSE
The purpose and goals of the Northwest Florida Symphony Guild are:

SYMPHONY GUILD HISTORY

On June 24, 1988 an enthusiastic group of 24 individuals met at the Fort Walton Beach Yacht Club to organize the Symphony Guild dedicated to support the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra of Okaloosa-Walton College. On January 11. 1990, the organization incorporated under the Laws of the State of Florida as a Not for Profit Corporation, entitled the NORTHWEST FLORIDA SYMPHONY GUILD, INC.

The goals established by these charter members are those listed in Article II - Purpose, of the Bylaws of the Northwest Florida Symphony Guild. The Bylaws are on file with the NFSG Secretary & Historian.

Fund raising is accomplished by several events. The Medieval Feast that had been held for ten years was replaced with the Candlelight Christmas Coffee. The Food and Wine Tasting event is held in February at a local conference center. Area restaurants and other vendors provide food, advertising and other services in support of the event. Symphony Sunday was a new event held in April of 2001 Several thousand community members attend these highly successful fund-raisers, and the volunteers from the Guild are tireless in their efforts to raise money to support the Orchestra.

Revenues from these events enabled the Guild to fully endow an OWC Teaching Chair in Orchestral Music. Beginning in March 1989, Conductor Leatherwood invited local school children to learn about classical music. Each spring about 3,000 Okaloosa and Walton County fifth-graders are bused to Okaloosa-Walton College and invited to hear and observe demonstrations of the instruments and music by members of the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. At this concert they are also introduced to the winners of the Guild-sponsored Concerto Competition. Winners in each of the three competition levels are introduced to the audience and are included in the program. At the evening concert the competition winners are presented with their checks as they are introduced to the entire audience. In cooperation with several area arts groups, the Guild holds a “Kids Very Special Arts Day” in May at the Mattie Kelly Fine and Performing Arts Center to provide hands-on experiences with dance, art and the symphony to special needs children from the local area. The Guild also sponsors a string quartet from the Symphony that visits every fourth grade class in Okaloosa County to introduce those students to the stringed instruments of the orchestra. In 1998 the Guild initiated a grant to provide initial funding to create a Youth Orchestra in the county, a first in its history.