Photo By Henry Perez
Text by Mary Damiano

Part of the magic of Miami Beach is that our arts scene keeps getting richer, attracting world-class talent for the enjoyment and enrichment of our residents. Case in point: The ground-breaking for the new building for the New World Symphony designed by Frank Gehry, one of the most prominent architects in the world, attracted some of the biggest names in classical music. At the gala reception held Wednesday, January 23 to celebrate the new dawn of New World Symphony, San Francisco Opera conductor Donald Runnicles and violin soloist James Ehnes flank New World artistic director Michael Tilson Thomas, a glimpse of what’s to come once New World Symphony moves into its new home. The Gehry building is scheduled to be completed in 2010, and will include a state-of-the-art 700-seat, performance space, rooftop music library and conductor's studio, and more than 30 rehearsal rooms. Experts say it will change the way Miami Beach listens to classical music. It will also secure the city’s place on the world’s map of world-class music.