About Us

The Big Bend Community Orchestra (BBCO), founded by retired music professor/performer/conductor Waldie Anderson and retired music educator Ginny Densmore, met for its first rehearsal on February 10, 1994. The BBCO, an all volunteer organization, steadily grew and improved during the first ten years under the direction of Waldie Anderson, and is now conducted by FAMU Associate Director of Bands, Dr. Shelby Chipman, and assistant conductor, Jonathan Musgrave. Dr. James Croft, retired Florida State University Director of Bands, assists with artistic direction. The orchestra consists of more than seventy musicians of all ages from many walks of life including retirees, business leaders, professionals, homemakers, music teachers, and students.

The BBCO has presented 61 concerts and performed over 245 different compositions by a wide variety of composers spanning four centuries. Programming includes standard and lesser-known masterpieces of the orchestral repertoire as well as lighter classics and “pops”. The BBCO has enjoyed showcasing a variety of local talent including soloists of all ages from the orchestra itself as well as from the community, and has even performed compositions by its members. Collaborations with local arts organizations include the annual Messiah Sing-Along sponsored by the Tallahassee Music Guild and performances with various choral groups (civic, church and school). Four concerts are given each season on Sunday afternoons, usually at 4:00 so that senior citizens and families with children can easily attend. Children in the audience are often given the opportunity to come on stage while the orchestra is playing so they can see and hear the instruments “up close and personal”.

Each year, usually in late January or early February, the BBCO  provides an opportunity for local student musicians to participate in a competition called  “The Young Artist Competition”.  Students will prepare a selection to be played before three experienced orchestral conductors.  Based on a point system and age level differentiation, three first place winners are selected.  These winners are invited to play a concerto with the Big Bend Community Orchestra in the final concert of the season.  Application forms and other information about the 2009 competition will be made available on this site  in November 2008.

Membership in the Big Bend Community Orchestra is open to all experienced performers on a space available basis with first priority given to adult community members and non-music major university students who are not eligible for school groups. Anyone interested in auditioning for the orchestra is asked to contact the Artist Series office (224-9934) for details. Rehearsals are held weekly (with a few exceptions) on Thursdays from 7:00 – 9:30 p.m. (August 28, 2008 – March 29, 2009) in the Tallahassee Community College Humanities/Communication building. A dress rehearsal is held on concert Sundays before the concert at selected sites. The BBCO is sponsored by The Artist Series and is affiliated with the Tallahassee Community College. TCC students may take the BBCO for college credit with the permission of the instructor. Please join us, either as a musician in the BBCO or as a member of the audience of both the Big Bend Community Orchestra and The Artist Series.