The Jacksonville Symphony Association will take a new direction Nov. 15 when country music artist Travis Tritt brings his "Acoustic Tour" to Jacoby Symphony Hall in the Times-Union Center.
The Country Music Association and Grammy award winner has sold more than 25 million records, with five No. 1 singles on the Billboard magazine chart.
Tritt will perform the concert with his four-piece band – but without the orchestra.
"We had dates in the hall that weren't being used, so we decided to get into the presenting business. We think it could be an additional revenue source," said David Pierson, association president.
Tritt, who gained a reputation as a "country outlaw" when he started touring more than 20 years ago, was chosen as the act who would debut the new non-orchestral venture because there are many fans of country music in North Florida and because Tritt's acoustic shows have been playing to packed houses in intimate venues around the country, Pierson said.
The 1,800-seat Jacoby Symphony Hall was designed by Jacksonville's KBJ Architects and Kirkegaard & Associates to accommodate the specific acoustic requirements of a symphony orchestra. The walls are 12-inch-thick precast concrete and the air conditioning system was designed with 4-foot ducts to move air in the hall without affecting the acoustics.
Following the concert in Jacksonville's symphony hall, Tritt has scheduled Acoustic Tour dates at other classical arts venues including the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center in Midland, Texas, and the Newberry Opera House in Newberry, S.C.
Tickets for the 8 p.m. Nov. 15 performance are available at Ticketmaster.com.
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