Michael Simpson, Symphony Orchestra Director
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Michael A. Simpson began his teaching, conducting, solo and chamber music performance career in Norfolk, Virginia in 1980. In 2025, he completed a thirty-five-year calling as an instructor and conductor of youth string orchestra and youth symphony orchestra programs and retired from the classroom. As an educator, he taught all levels of string orchestra classes starting from 4th grade beginners up through 11th and 12th grade advanced musicians.
Having taught all levels of performing ensembles, Mr. Simpson has been successful in inspiring young musicians to achieve at the highest levels. The student ensembles he has lead have achieved at the highest levels with first place wins and “Superior” performance ratings at music festivals and performance assessments at both the state and national levels.
Michael has also served as guest conductor at various All-County and Honors Orchestras throughout the state. He has been conductor and music director of the Southwest Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Indian River Youth Symphony, the Peninsula Youth Orchestra and most recently, the A Gift for Music Youth Chamber Orchestra.
Even though retired, Michael serves his educator colleagues, as well as young student musicians, as an orchestral clinician, a performance assessment adjudicator, a chamber music coach and as a performing musician. As a performer, he continues to play viola in various community groups throughout the Central Florida community.
Michael has given numerous solo recitals playing the viola up and down the East Coast of the US and in the United Kingdom. He has also played professionally as a member of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the Peninsula Symphony Orchestra, and with the Gateways Music Festival Orchestra in Rochester, New York. With community ensembles, he has held the position of principal violist of the Richmond Philharmonic Orchestra and the Richmond Classical Players Chamber Orchestra.
Previous Performances & Repertoire
Season 18:
Fall Strings Brook Green Suite – Gustav Holst
Two Elegiac Melodies – Edvard Grieg
Simple Symphony - Benjamin Britten
Season 17:
Concert 1 Sunday, February 16, 2025
Verdi: Overture to La forza del destino
Bruch: Romanze for Viola and Orchestra featuring Isabella Eastwood, Viola (VBHS Senior)
Haydn: Symphony No. 104 “London”
Concert 2 Sunday, March 30, 2025
Mozart: Overture to Cosi Fan Tutte
Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte
Gounod: Symphony No. 2 in Eb
Season 16:
Concert No. 1 March 3, 2024
Romanian Folk Dances by Bela Bartok - Performed in Memory of Betsy Dubiel
Horn Concerto No. 3 in Eb, KV 447 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Horn Soloist: John Wilkerson
Italian Symphony No. 4 by Felix Mendelssohn
Concert No. 2 April 7, 2024
Coriolan Overture by Ludwig Von Beethoven
Suite from Pelléas et Mélisande by Gabriel Fauré
Symphony No. 40, KV 550 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Season 15:
Concert No. 1 March 12, 2023
Overture to Don Giovanni by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Siegfried Idyll by Richard Wagner
Symphony No. 94 in G Major by Joseph Haydn
Concert No. 2 April 23, 2023
Overture to the Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini Concerto for oboe and strings by Dominica Cimarosa
Oboe Soloist: Dr. Sara Luciani
Symphony No. 1 in D Major Franz Schubert
Season 14:
Concert No 1 March 13 , 2022
Rachmaninov Piano concerto No 2. (Concerto cancelled, artist ill)
Symphony No 4 in Bb Major OP 60 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Concert No 2, April 24, 2022
Piano Concerto No 3 in C minor OP 37 , by Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No 7 in A Major, OP 92 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Season 13:
Cancelled
Season 12:
Cancelled
Season 11:
Concert No. 1: February 24th 2019
Hebrides Overture (Fingal’s Cave) by Mendelssohn
The Unanswered Question by Ives
Symphony No. 3 “Eroica”, Ludwig van Beethoven
Concert No. 2: April 14, 2019
Overture to “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” by Mendelssohn
Water Music Suite No. 2 & Suite No. 3 by Handel
Symphony No. 1 in C# Major, Op 21, Ludwig van Beethoven
Season 10:
Concert 1: February 25, 2018
Overture of Fidelio, Ludwig van Beethoven
Georges Hue: Fantaisie for Flute and Orchestra, featuring soloist Judi Lampert
Symphony No. 1 "Spring", Robert Schumann
Concert 2: April 15, 2018
Pavane, Op.50, Gabriel Fauré:
Piano Concerto No. 2, Camille Saint-Saens:
Dr. Marcos Daniel Flores, Pianist
Symphony No. 1, in C minor, OP 11, Felix Mendelssohn
Season 9:
Concert 1: February 26, 2017
Symphony No. 5 in D Major/ D Minor, "Reformation" Felix Mendelssohn
Symphony No. 5, B-flat Major, D485, Franz Schubert
Concert 2: April 9, 2017
Symphony No. 2, Op 132, "Mysterious Mountain", Alan Hovhaness
Symphony No. 1, E-flat Major, Op. 82, Jean Sibelius
Season 8:
Concert 1, Mostly Mozart: February 28, 2016
Overture to the Abduction from the Seraglio, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Overture to the Magic Flute, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Violin Concerto #3 in G Major, K216, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Maestro Matthew Stott, Violin
Symphony No. 39 in Eb Major, K543, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Concert 2, French Impressions: April 17, 2016
Introduction to Act 1 of Faust, Charles-Fransois Gounod
Masques et Bergamasques, Suite, Op 112, Gabriel Fauré
Les préludes, S.97, Franz Liszt
Season 7:
Concert 1: March 15, 2015
Pellas et Melisande, Gabriel Faure
Symphony No 3, in A minor, Op 56, Felix Mendelssohn
Concert 2: April 19, 2015
Peer Gynt Suite #1, Edvard Grieg
Piano Concerto in A minor, Edvard Grieg
Jacob Craig, Pianist
Season 6:
Concert 1: March 16, 2014
Orchestral Suite #3, Johann Sebastian Bach
Symphony No. 6, in F major, Op 68 "Pastorale" Ludwig van Beethoven
Concert 2: April 13, 2014
Old Wine in New Bottles for Winds Gordon Jacobs
Pavane por un Infante Dufante, Maurice Ravel
Symphony No.4 in Bb major, Op 60, Ludwig van Beethoven
Season 5:
Concert 1: March 3, 2013
Pavane, Op. 50, Gabriel Faure
St. Paul's Suite, Gustav Holst
Symphony 100 "Military" Joseph Haydn
Concert 2: April 21, 2013
Impressario Overture, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Cello Concerto No. 2 in D major - Joseph Haydn
Joe Loehnis, Cellist
Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op 63. Ludwig van Beethoven
Season 4:
Concert 1, February 26, 2012
Symphony No. 40 in G minor, KV 550, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphony No. 4 in B Flat Major (Op.60) Ludvig van Beethoven
Concert 2: April 15 ,2012
Symphony #41 in C Major, K 551 “Jupiter”, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphony #4 in A Major, Op. 90, Italian, Felix Mendelssohn
Season 3:
Concert 1: Sunday, February 20, 2011
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Opus 61, No. 1 Scherzo, Felix Mendelssohn
Psalm and Fugue, Opus 40a For String Orchestra, Alan Hovhanass
Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Opus 36, Ludwig van Beethoven
Concert 2: April 17, 2011
Piano Concerto 21, in C Major, KV 467, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart-
Michèle Witt, Pianist
Symphony No. 3 in E flat Major, Opus 55 "Eroica" , Ludwig Van Beethoven
Season 2:
Concert 1: February 7, 2010
The Marriage of Figaro, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Romance, Johan Svendsen
Linda Spiwak, Violin, and Concertmaster
Romanian Folk Dances, Bela Bartok
Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op 92, Ludwig van Beethoven
Concert 2: April 18, 2010
Italian In Algiers, Gioachino Rossini- Classical Symphony
Wolfgang A. Mozart- Flute Concerto #1 (movt. 1)
Eric Willett, Flautist
Gounod- Symphony No. 1 Sergei Prokofiev
Season 1:
Concert 1: February 1, 2009
Hebrides Overture, Felix Mendelssohn-
Pavane, Gabriel Faure-
Symphony No. 1 in C Major Op 21, Ludwig van Beethoven-
Concert 2: May 3, 2009
Fantasia on Greensleeves, Ralph Vaughn Williams-
Symphony No. 104 in D Major, "London" Joseph Haydn