Lindsay Garritson, David Amado and Sirena Huang. [Photo: Denise Ritchie]

Just over three decades ago, the late Andrew McMullan, with his wife Jean, had a dream to create a professional orchestra in Vero Beach. With the support of generous donors and dedicated volunteers, that dream soon became a reality, and this coming season, the Atlantic Classical Orchestra is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

The orchestra has expanded since its Vero debut and now, under the direction of Music Director David Amado, also presents concerts in Palm Beach Gardens and Stuart.

ACO supporters gathered at the Orchid Island Beach Club recently for a ‘Cheers to 30 Years Pearl Anniversary Benefit Concert’ featuring renowned violinist Sirena Huang, accompanied by pianist Lindsay Garritson.

“We’re Vero’s own orchestra. We were also the first orchestra in Vero Beach; there are many others now, but we were the first,” said Jean Beckert, Vero Friends of the ACO board president.

“The Atlantic Classical Orchestra has now become a cultural gem.”

Amado paid tribute to the three ACO Anniversary sponsor couples – Robert and Janet Hoffman, Michael and Sally LaPorta, and Warren and Virginia Schwerin – presenting conductor batons to each of them, before providing some background on the guest artists.

“I’ve known Lindsay for a really, really long time,” said Amado. “Lindsay played the violin in the youth orchestra and comes from an extraordinarily talented musical family. She plays the violin incredibly well, she also plays the piano incredibly well and she sings. She does it all; she’s unbelievable. She just came back from Carnegie Hall where she had her debut a couple of weeks ago. She is a musical force, and I think you will hear that tonight as she plays with Sirena.”

Noting that he has only known Huang a few years, he added, “Sirena was the first winner of the Elmar Oliveira Violin Competition, and a deserving winner she is. She’s an extraordinary player; an extraordinary musician, and a wonderful human being. She is so charming and such an insightful, natural musician that I was thrilled that we were able to get her and Lindsay together for this event. I think this is a rare opportunity to have two musicians of this caliber exploring the music that we’re going to hear tonight.”

The duo launched to a graceful Tempo di Munuetto by Fritz Kreisler before Huang spoke to the audience.

“Having a chance to come back here is so special for me, because every time I’ve had a chance to perform with the ACO has been so memorable for me. And so today, I get to play some shorter works that I really love, and I’m really excited to share these works with all of you,” said Huang.

Of the Violin Sonata by Maurice Ravel that they would be performing, she noted that Ravel actually thought that the piano and violin were incompatible, adding that she was leaving it up to the audience to decide whether he was correct. He wasn’t – at least not the way it was played by Huang and Garritson. The pair also delighted the audience with two pieces by Pyotr Tchaikovsky and one by Pablo de Sarasate.

For information on the 30th Anniversary season, visit AtlanticClassicalOrchestra.com.