All concerts are held at the City Hall Rotunda
Downtown Panama City, 501 Harrison Avenue
Curated by Sergey Bogza, Music Director & Conductor
2025-2026 Schedule
Mallets in Motion with Jordan Hale
Friday, October 17, 2025, 3:30 p.m.
Free Admission
The concert delves into the melodic world of percussion, concentrating on instruments that combine rhythm and melody. The program features marimba, xylophone, and other pitched percussion, revealing how wood and metal create beautiful melodies alongside driving beats. These selections showcase the surprising ways percussion can sing and carry a tune.
About the Artist
Jordan Hale is the Personnel Manager and Librarian of the Panama City Symphony, where he has also performed as a percussionist since 2019. Originally from Bettendorf, Iowa, he holds music performance degrees from DePaul and Rutgers Universities, studying under renowned teachers including Marc Damoulakis and David Herbert. Hale also performs with the Northwest Florida and Pensacola Symphonies, works in the Business and Technology Division at Gulf Coast State College, and teaches Music Appreciation as an adjunct instructor.
Between Stages and Screens with Tim Richardson
Friday, November 21, 2025, 3:30 p.m.
Free Admission
From the concert hall to the recording studio, Between Stages and Screens explores the space where classical tradition meets cinematic imagination. This program weaves together timeless works from the classical repertoire with selections inspired by Tim Richardson’s experience recording for film, television, and video games. Bridging the formal beauty of chamber music with the emotional sweep of modern media, the recital invites audiences into a soundscape shaped by both the stage and the screen. It’s a journey that reflects a life in music—rooted in tradition, yet always evolving.
About the Artist
Tim Richardson is a violist with the Panama City Symphony and a dynamic performer whose career spans classical, commercial, and crossover genres. Based on the Emerald Coast, he has performed across Europe and the U.S. with artists such as Midori Goto, Anne-Marie McDermott, and Andrés Díaz, and at major festivals including Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza. His recording credits include work for film, TV, and video games, collaborating with Dolly Parton, Lauryn Hill, Stevie Wonder, and others. Tim holds music degrees from Mercer University and the University of Southern California.
Musically Up Close with Ganson Salmon
Friday, December 26, 2025, 6:00 p.m.
Celebrate the season with a special post-Christmas, pre-New Year’s evening of music featuring acclaimed tenor Ganson Salmon. Praised for his “powerful and nuanced” voice (Opera News), Ganson brings warmth, elegance, and charisma to this intimate concert experience—just the right spark to close out the year.
About the Artist
“Dashing lyric tenor” (The New York Times), Ganson Salmon has gained recognition for his “powerful and nuanced” performances (Opera News). Most recently, he performed as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Opera in Williamsburg and as Ernesto in Don Pasquale with Opera Tampa. He also made his last-minute Kennedy Center debut jumping in as Anatol in Vanessa with the National Symphony Orchestra. Last season, he appeared as Roméo in Roméo et Juliette with Arizona Opera and Alfredo in La traviata with Muddy River Opera. Ganson is an alumnus of Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute’s Program for Singers and the Gerdine Young Artist Program at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. He received his Master’s in Voice/Opera from Mannes School of Music.
Lines, Loops and Legacy: A Musical Life Reimagined, Featuring David Goldflies
Friday, January 16, 2026, 3:30 p.m.
Free Admission
From analog bass lines to digital loops, David “Rook” Goldflies has reinvented the way his music is made and shared. In this immersive one-hour concert, he traces his evolution through classical, jazz, Southern rock, and his pioneering use of sequencing and live performance tech. Expect stories, live demos, and music that spans decades, genres, and generations. It’s a compelling blend of old-school soul and cutting-edge sound.
About the Artist
David “Rook” Goldflies is a genre-blending composer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist with a career spanning classical, jazz, Southern rock, and music technology. Best known for his time with the Allman Brothers Band in the late ’70s and early ’80s, he later co-founded the Allman Goldflies Band and now tours nationally with A Brothers Revival, celebrating the Allman Brothers’ legacy. A pioneer in music tech, David has embraced tools like MIDI sequencing, Ableton Live, and iPad-based performance rigs to expand his creative reach. His original compositions, including Cocoa Brown and Rust and One Tan Arm, reflect his passion for pushing musical boundaries while connecting deeply with audiences.
A Bassoonist's Journey with Josie Whiteis
Friday, February 27, 2026, 3:30 p.m.
Free Admission
Join Principal bassoonist Josie Whiteis as she takes you on a journey through music, the bassoon, and herself! Take a journey through Josie’s personal and musical life as she shares her story on how she started playing this unconventional instrument, dubbed the “clown of the orchestra”, and how she has gotten to where she is today. These stories will be interwoven with pieces about life and journeys. It is sure to be a fun afternoon of music and storytelling! Josie will be joined on oboe by Nic Kanipe for this entertaining musical experience.
About the Artist
Josie Whiteis is a bassoonist, educator, and doctoral student based in Tallahassee, Florida. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Music degree at Florida State University, where she studies with Jeff Keesecker and serves as a graduate assistant in the bassoon studio. Josie is principal bassoonist of the Panama City Symphony, acting principal with Sinfonia Gulf Coast, and second bassoonist with the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed with the Tallahassee, Pensacola, and Northwest Florida Symphonies, as well as the contemporary ensemble Density 512.
A Side-by-Side Encounter with Cellist Dr. Angelese Pepper
Friday, April 24, 2026, 3:30 p.m.
Free Admission
An exploration of the bass viola da gamba and the violoncello. Popular in the Renaissance and Baroque eras, the viola da gamba is a stringed instrument family that shares tonal similarities to the violin family, with some marked physical differences and unique features. This presentation will feature performances on the bass viola da gamba and the modern cello, side by side, to educate on the similarities and differences with repertoire by celebrated composers.
About the Artist
Dr. Angelese Pepper is a cellist, composer, and educator based in North Florida. She serves as Principal Cello of the Panama City Symphony and performs regularly with the Tallahassee Symphony, Sinfonia Gulf Coast, and Northwest Florida Symphony. A recent doctoral graduate of Florida State University, she studied with Prof. Gregory Sauer and was a member of the award-winning Burgin String Quartet. Originally from Southern Arizona, Angelese holds degrees from Arizona State University and the University of Nevada, Reno, where she studied with Thomas Landschoot and Dmitri Atapine. In addition to cello, she plays violin, viola, viola da gamba, and organ, and enjoys composing and visual art.
