School orchestras perform at Bradenton's McKechnie Field

   A few hundred of the best young musicians from around Manatee County will gather at McKechnie Field next month.
   Orchestras from two high schools and five junior high schools will perform a "Concert in the Park" on Oct. 19. The seven orchestras comprise more than 400 students.
   The high school orchestras come from Manatee and Braden River high schools. The Braden River, Haile, King, Lee and Nolan middle school orchestras are also on the bill.
   For the student musicians, the concert, sponsored by the Bradenton Marauders and the Pittsburgh Pirates, is a chance to stretch their musical abilities and to play in a setting that's unusual for orchestral music,
    “It’s an exciting opportunity to blend orchestral music and baseball,” said David Pope, the director of orchestras at Manatee High School. “We will present a variety of non-traditional orchestra music in a very non-traditional orchestra atmosphere.”
    The show will feature music that fits the setting, including such ballpark favorites as “YMCA” and “The Final Countdown,” plus more traditional orchestra pieces. 
   Gates open at 5 p.m., and the music begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 per family, and they're available at any of the participating schools. There will also be tickets available at the gate. The money will go to the Manatee County Schools Orchestra Program, to help the schools purchase new music and cover the cost of acquiring and maintaining instruments.   
   For information, call Pope at 941-714-7300, ext. 2186.

Bradenton area would be so much better if I had won the $588,000,000 jackpot

I didn't wake up last Thursday a multimillionaire after the largest Powerball jackpot drawing ever. But I did spend some quality time the night before thinking about what I would do if I did win the $587.5 million. Bet you did, too.

For starters, the fiancée would get anything and everything she desires. Luckily, that would mean still living in Manatee County. She loves it here. I do, too.

We'd probably buy up property on the northern tip of Anna Maria Island. Create a cozy complex of cottages. I like the sound of "Tatangelo Town." There would be everything from a water park to houses with personal caretakers for all three of our dogs.

Then we would get down to the business of really making things right.

I don't think $587.5 million would do much toward changing the world, especially after Uncle Sam took his cut. But that kind of money could do wonders for life in the Bradenton area.

Like extending Riverwalk all the way from downtown to the gates of our new home on AMI. Better yet, we'd pay for the newly named Bradenton Area City Walk to snake through the entire county.

Read more.

—Riverwalk was popular on a recent Saturday morning in downtown Bradenton.TIFFANY TOMPKINS-CONDIE/Bradenton Herald

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/12/02/4299742/if-i-had-won-the-588000000-jackpot.html#storylink=cpy

McKechnie Field: Live music venue in Bradenton

Bradenton, McKechnie Field and baseball have been a winning combination for nearly 90 years.

In the near future, the Friendly City's most famous destination could also be attracting fans of Kid Rock, Miranda Lambert (watch her perform in Estero below) or Elton John.

Just to name a few of the pop world possibilities.

The $7.5 million in upgrades for McKechnie Field, unanimously approved by city council last week, will surely enhance the baseball-watching experience when the Pittsburgh Pirates start spring training in February.

The improvements should also help put the ballpark on the live music map.

Read more of my Sunday column.



—Photo provided of an artist's rendering of the improvements approved for McKechnie Field.