Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica - Quintet Story-driven global jazz and chamber music
In the same way a chef de cuisine runs a kitchen, percussionist Brian O’Neill leads a team of five musical creators who deftly collaborate on instruments foreign and domestic to form modernist delicacies for hungry, curious listeners. From the high arts of jazz and chamber music to adaptations of mid-century exotica and pop art, the quintet version of Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica renders O’Neill’s original compositions and curious adaptions of Bach, Gershwin, Shostakovich and John Adams into cinematic, layered music for armchair travelers ready to journey off road.

While the quintet eschews most of the musical forms, rhythms, and styles of the 1950s exotica sound that inspired O’Neill, it fully embraces the unique genre’s love of escapism, whether through deliberate, out-of-context use of global sounds or through jazz improvisation that doesn’t swing and deliberately imitates the rhythm of a skipping record. On the listener’s plate might be equal parts scratch and sniff, bongos with a fugue, and a cat fight at a piano recital. On the stage, the ensemble skillfully negotiates detailed compositions and arrangements of classical works while relying on listening and instinct to drive passionate improvisation. The quintet has delighted ears across the US and internationally and was awarded a $15,000 touring grant from SouthArts' JazzRoad Tours program in 2024.

Source: https://orchestrotica.com/

The mission of the Panama City Music Association, Inc., is to bring the excitement of classical and modern music, dance, opera, and musical theatre to the widest possible audience. Our goal is to expand the musical experience of our community, to further develop an appreciation for all aspects of music, and to increase the participation of youth in musical arts. In our efforts to bring performances of the highest quality to the Bay County area, we strive to awaken and perpetuate the love of music in all whom we serve.