Orchestra Miami Rings in 2026 with a Spectacular Beachfront Concert

 

Start your New Year with some fabulous music and fireworks! Orchestra Miami, Miami's premiere professional orchestra, invites you to dance in in the New Year with a spectacular free beachfront concert featuring GRAMMY® and Latin GRAMMY®-nominated Afro-Cuban funk band PALO!. This free, family-friendly event will take place on Wednesday, December 31st on the beach in Collins Park, between 21st & 22nd Streets (on the sand east of Collins Avenue) in Miami Beach.

The evening begins at 8 PM with a performance by the Orchestra Miami String Quartet, performing festive music to get you in the holiday spirit. At 10 PM, Orchestra Miami, led by Artistic Director Elaine Rinaldi will take the stage with our special guests for a captivating performance, leading up to a dazzling fireworks display at midnight. Audiences will enjoy a mix of Classical, Latin Jazz, Salsa, and much more!

"We are thrilled to once again present our annual New Year's Eve concert," said Elaine Rinaldi, Artistic Director of Orchestra Miami. "This concert is truly a celebration of all things Miami! I couldn’t be more excited to perform with such exceptional musicians and bring our community together to celebrate the start of the new year with some fantastic music. Not to mention, seeing the fireworks right behind the stage is thrilling!!"

Dance in the New Year with PALO!’s sizzling blend of Cuban Salsa and Latin Jazz at Orchestra Miami’s annual New Year’s Eve Celebration on Miami Beach! The band’s infectious original hits include “Al Monte”, “Crescencio” and “Fumando”. This unforgettable concert will showcase the dynamic vocals of Cuban singers Miriam Mar, Julio Cesar Rodriguez Delet, and Dannah Santiago, whose irresistible flute solos will make you dance. The fiery rhythms of percussionists Otto Santana and Alfredo Chacon will light up the party with Cuban fire, while saxophonist Aldo Salvent brings his electrifying unpredictability. At the heart of it all, bandleader Steve Roitstein fuses these elements with a foundation of edgy, unforgettable rhythms. The collaboration between Orchestra Miami and PALO! will create a truly unprecedented musical experience.

"We are honored to be performing with Orchestra Miami on this special occasion," said Steve Roitstein, founder of PALO!. "We can't wait to help Orchestra Miami throw a big musical party and start 2026 with a bang!"

For those who want to elevate their holiday experience, VIP tickets are available for $130 per person. VIP tickets include a reserved seat, open wine bar, and a champagne toast at midnight. Or reserve a Priority Seat with access to cash bar for $65 per person.

This is a free concert! Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket or a beach chair, as no fixed seating is provided for the general public. Guests may bring picnics, but glass containers are strictly prohibited on the beach. Parking is available at the Collins Park Garage, located at 340 23^rd Street, or the G7 Garage in the 1755 Meridian Building or in the 17^th Street Garage.

This event is generously sponsored by the City of Miami Beach, the Miami Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, BHI Miami Limited Corporation, 13th Floor Investments, Witkoff/the Shore Club, the Collins Park Neighborhood Association, Commissioner Eileen Higgins, Commissioner Micky Steinberg, the Sagamore South Beach, Terra Group, 1 Hotel South Beach.

Event Information

What: Orchestra Miami New Year's Eve Celebration

When: Wednesday, December 31, 2025

What Time: Pre-concert with the OM String Quartet from 8 PM-9:30 PM; the Main Event with Orchestra Miami and PALO! starts at 10 PM

Where: Collins Park, on the sand between 21st & 22nd Streets, east of Collins Avenue, in Miami Beach

How Much: Free; VIP tickets which include a reserved seat, access to open wine bar and a champagne toast at midnight, are available for $150 per person. Or reserve a chair with access to cash bar for $75 per person. 

 

About Orchestra Miami

Founded in 2006 by Artistic Director Elaine Rinaldi, Orchestra Miami is celebrating

19 years of bringing affordable concerts of quality symphonic music to all people in Miami-Dade County. Orchestra Miami’s mission is to provide people with opportunities to experience art, build community and educate through music. Orchestra Miami’s signature programs include the “Beethoven on the Beach” free outdoor concerts, its “Discover Miami Through Music” series, the Family Fun Concert Series at Pinecrest Gardens and the Carnegie Hall Link Up Education program, in partnership with the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Orchestra Miami consists of a select group of professional musicians, all permanent residents of South Florida, whose collective body is unparalleled in terms of excellence and experience. Led by Founder and Artistic Director Elaine Rinaldi, Orchestra Miami continues to exceed expectations in terms of programming and artistic quality. Next up: “Music & Dance of the Spanish Americas”, the second concert in our Family Fun series at Pinecrest Gardens, Tickets and details are available on our website, along with information about the rest of the events for the 2025 season!

 

About PALO!

In 2003, PALO!’s leader and founder Steve Roitstein invited his fellow musicians to join him in an improvised musical experiment combining Cuban music with Latin Jazz and Funk beats. After years of successfully producing artists such as Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Ricardo Montaner, Cheo Feliciano, Oscar d’ Leon and Willy Chirino, Roitstein decided to form his own band. “My dream behind PALO! is to share the joy of music and culture with the world.” says PALO!’s leader, producer, pianist and beatmaker. PALO!’s catchy original songs have always featured extraordinary musicians. The current lineup includes the incredible vocals of charismatic Cuban singers Miriam Martinez, Dannah Santiago and Julio Cesar. The scorching percussion of Dayron Gallardo and Otto Santana punctuate the performances with Cuban fire. Latin Jazz saxophonist Aldo Salvent brings an electrifying unpredictability to every song. Bandleader Steve Roitstein fuses these elements with a foundation of edgy, unforgettable rhythms. PALO! received a nomination for a Grammy and a Latin Grammy for their album PALO! Live. The band was named Miami New Times Best Band 2012 (Readers’ Choice) and Best Latin Band 2014. Founding members of PALO! include Leslie Cartaya (lead vocals), Ed Calle (sax), Philbert Armenteros (percussion, vocals), and Raymer Olalde (percussion, vocals).

 More info at www.GoPalo.com  

If You Love Kurt Weill, You Don't Want to Miss this Show!

 I wanted to share with you the press release about Orchestra Miami's upcoming show- from Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill. Orchestra Miami has presented two of Weill's major classical works in past seasons, and this year they are celebrating the composer with some of his most beloved tunes. Read below and make plans to come on Saturday Nov 22nd or Sunday Nov. 23rd- I know you will love this show!

Orchestra Miami Presents “From Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill”
A Musical Tribute Honoring one of the Greatest Theater Composers of the 20th Century

In celebration of two major milestones—the 125th anniversary of Kurt Weill’s birth and the 75th year since his passing—Orchestra Miami proudly presents From Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill, a captivating musical revue that honors the life and legacy of one of the 20th century’s most influential composers.

Recognized for his groundbreaking ability to bridge the worlds of opera and musical theater, Weill created unforgettable works that combined powerful storytelling with strong melodies and deep social conscience.

About the Show
From Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill traces the composer’s extraordinary journey from his early success in Germany to his triumphant career in the United States. The revue features over 40 of Weill’s iconic songs, with lyrics by some of his most celebrated collaborators including Bertolt Brecht, Ira Gershwin, and Alan Jay Lerner. Through a compelling mix of narration and musical numbers, the production explores Weill’s artistic evolution through times of political upheaval, exile, and adaptation to new musical landscapes. This unforgettable tribute hasn’t been in heard in South Florida since its 1986 performances at the Coconut Grove Playhouse, which featured the incredible Judy Kaye and Martin Vidnovic, among others).

[Click Here listen to a searing performance of Judy Kaye singing "Surabaya Johnny" live from that 1986 show in Coconut Grove ]

The performance is structured in two acts, reflecting the distinct chapters of Weill’s career. The first act delves into his early work in Germany (pre-1935), while the second highlights his prolific years in America (post-1935). Audiences will enjoy timeless classics from The Threepenny Opera, Lady in the Dark, Lost in the Stars, including favorites like “Mack the Knife,” “September Song,” “Surabaya Johnny,” “My Ship,” and “The Saga of Jenny.”

An All-Star Cast
From Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill features a quartet of outstanding vocalists and Orchestra Miami has assembled an exceptional cast for this special production.

Acclaimed soprano Rose Kearin is one of her generation’s most expressive interpreters of song. Elise Quagliata is a GRAMMY-nominated mezzo-soprano is well-known as one of this nation’s most compelling Carmens. Ben Gulley is a tenor of rare versatility who is equally at home in opera, musical theater, and contemporary crossover, and Lovell Rose, who is a dynamic baritone and one of South Florida’s busiest performing artists.

The production also features Christopher Dreeson as “The Guide” and is directed by Ali Tallman, who is known for her work as a director, dramaturg, and movement specialist. Elaine Rinaldi, Orchestra Miami’s Artistic Director, serves as Music Director, leading a 6-piece live cabaret ensemble in a fully staged performance.

There are only two opportunities to witness this spectacular musical event!

Saturday, November 22, 2025, 7 PM at the Sanctuary of the Arts, 410 Andalusia Avenue, Coral Gables, 33134 

and  

Sunday, November 23, 2025, 7 PM at the Miami Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 33141. 

Tickets for the Saturday Nov. 22^nd  show at the Sanctuary of the Arts are $30/$40 (plus ticketing fees)  Click Here for tickets 

Tickets for the show on Sunday, Nov. 23^rd  at the Miami Beach Bandshell range from $25- $50; $10 tickets are also available for college students with ID and kids under the age of 17, and you can buy a Club Level box which seats 6 for $210.  Click Here for Tickets

 

Click on the image above to watch the promo video

For tickets and complete information, please visit www.OrchestraMiami.org or call (305) 274-2103.

About Orchestra Miami

Founded in 2006 by Artistic Director Elaine Rinaldi, Orchestra Miami is celebrating 19 years as one of Miami’s most unique professional performing ensembles. Orchestra Miami’s mission is to connect communities and educate through music by bringing affordable, accessible, high-quality classical music experiences to our audience. Orchestra Miami’s original and highly successful programs include the beloved annual free Beethoven on the Beach concert series, the free annual New Year’s Eve concert in Miami Beach which yields a very large (4,000+), highly appreciative audience, the Pinecrest Gardens Family Fun series which introduces children and their families to the arts, and the fascinating and informative Discover Miami Through Music concerts. Orchestra Miami’s high-quality programs reach literally thousands of people each year, and to date we have introduced over 35,000 Miami-Dade County Public School students to classical music for free through our Carnegie Hall Link Up program and other education initiatives. Orchestra Miami consists of a select group of professional musicians, all permanent residents of South Florida, whose collective body is unparalleled in terms of excellence and experience. Led by Founder and Artistic Director Elaine Rinaldi, Orchestra Miami is known for its high-quality artistry, imaginative programs that captivate new audiences, and its performances at a wide variety of diverse venues across Miami-Dade County. For more information, please visit us at www.OrchestraMiami.org .

 

Good News and Bad News. Although Which is Which is Ambiguous.

 There's been a lot of building going on in the Village.  Some is tear-down and new construction, and some is add-ons and redesigns.  What we're winding up with is modernization and more up to date styling, which is fine, but also homes that are frankly too big for our small lots.

Another consequence of these "improvements" is higher prices.  Someone told me the house on the NW corner of 10th Avenue and 117th St is listed with an asking price of over $5M.  My house cost me about $380K in a high market in 2005, and I remember when we started to see asking prices of $1M.

So they're nicer houses now, and bigger, and more modern, and imposing in a neighborhood like this one, and increasingly expensive in ways BP houses didn't used to be.  I suppose that's a version of progress.  Mac Kennedy must be happy he's no longer here, because he liked houses that were much more modest, smaller, and either MIMO or Hacienda style.  Not that we don't still have some of those, until they get replaced, but that's decreasingly representative of the Village look.

Several weeks or so ago, one of my childhood friends, who now lives in Aventura, called me to say a letter carrier in the Village had been stabbed to death.  He knew nothing more about it, and I wasn't aware of anyone else talking about it.  I suppose my friend must have heard or read something on the news.  For some reason, I was thinking about the guy who delivers my mail, and a few days ago, he was driving up to my house while I was outside.  I don't know his name, but he's a nice guy, and I like him.  I asked him if he was the USPS employee who had been stabbed, and he was!  He said some younger person on one of those scooters thought the letter carrier had cut him off at a STOP sign, and stabbed/poked him with a knife.  He looked fine, and he said he was fine.  He had what seemed to have been a minor injury, and he told me the kid who stabbed him is in jail, has been charged with attempted murder of a federal employee, and will be spending a long time in prison.  Boy, did the Village not used to be like that.

I still say it's a tragic waste of possibility that we allow our medians to look the way they do, but I've lost that battle enough times that I've given up.  If this is the way most Villagers want to live, they "win."

And for what amounts to comic relief, Dan Samaria is now in yet another outrage, this time claiming that our manager, Al Childress, who has lived here for many years, made fun of Dan.  I have known Al for quite some time, and if anyone ever registered a complaint about Al, it would be that he's too soft-spoken and mild-mannered.  Dan's had his adventures being sued by Tracy Truppman, suing Tracy Truppman, suing the Village, and complaining about how mean Commissioners are to him.  I still fail to understand what person would vote for Dan to be a Commissioner, but it's probably the same people who look at the medians, and don't see anything about which to complain.