Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra

Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra The NFSO is the region’s premier professional orchestra.

What a joy it was to hear Parker Wolf, laureate of our NFSO-John Leatherwood Concerto Competition, on a recital tonight,...
06/20/2026

What a joy it was to hear Parker Wolf, laureate of our NFSO-John Leatherwood Concerto Competition, on a recital tonight, sponsored by Choctaw Bay Music Club.

A heartfelt thank you to Step One Automotive Group for their generous sponsorship of our Opening Classics concert as we ...
06/16/2026

A heartfelt thank you to Step One Automotive Group for their generous sponsorship of our Opening Classics concert as we prepare to launch the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming 40th Anniversary Season.

Community partnerships like this make it possible for us to bring exceptional live orchestral music to audiences across Northwest Florida, and we are deeply grateful for Step One’s commitment to the arts and our community.

A special thank you to Director of Marketing and Communications, Maureen Bierman, whose dedication to community engagement have made her an outstanding partner and advocate for the cultural life of our region. We are honored to work alongside Maureen and the entire Step One team as we look ahead to a milestone season filled with inspiring music and memorable experiences.

Thank you, Step One Automotive Group, for helping us drive toward an exciting 40th season!

NFSO is honored to have been asked by Okaloosa County America 250 to provide musicians for last night's Gala and Drone S...
06/13/2026

NFSO is honored to have been asked by Okaloosa County America 250 to provide musicians for last night's Gala and Drone Show. Thank you to our two wonderful musicians Jennifer Schuler (violin) and Ayla Green Turner (cello) for your beautiful music and representing our continued commitment to provide meaningful chamber and symphonic music to our area! Thank you to Mike from Gerald&Jo Consulting, LLC for your always excellent care and expertise with sound and lighting. Giant applause to Okaloosa County America 250 for all of your hard work putting together a fabulous evening for the community!

A heartfelt thank you to Eglin Federal Credit Union for their generous support of the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchest...
06/12/2026

A heartfelt thank you to Eglin Federal Credit Union for their generous support of the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra.

Community partnerships like this help make it possible for us to bring inspiring musical experiences to audiences throughout Northwest Florida while enriching the cultural life of our region.

We are grateful for Eglin FCU’s commitment to the arts and for investing in a vibrant future for our community.
Thank you for being part of the NFSO family!

Eglin Federal Credit Union
Northwest Florida State College

A special thank you to VPS Destin - Fort Walton Beach Airport for three years as the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestr...
05/30/2026

A special thank you to VPS Destin - Fort Walton Beach Airport for three years as the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra’s Season Title Sponsor.

We’re grateful for their continued investment in the arts and our community!

Northwest Florida State College
Mattie Kelly Arts Center



🎶 We'd like to recognize Stephanie Riegle, principal flute, for her retirement and for her twenty years of service to th...
05/15/2026

🎶 We'd like to recognize Stephanie Riegle, principal flute, for her retirement and for her twenty years of service to the NFSO! Stephanie, we will miss you dearly and wish the very best for you in this joyous new chapter of your life...thank you for your professionalism, collegiality, and your outstanding musicianship over the years! 🎶

Meet our new Principal Bassist, Leonard Ligon!Leonard Ligon began his musical life playing Chicago-style blues with his ...
04/22/2026

Meet our new Principal Bassist, Leonard Ligon!

Leonard Ligon began his musical life playing Chicago-style blues with his father, who taught him to play drums and electric bass guitar, before he began pursuing classical studies on upright bass. While studying music in college, Leonard continued to play electric bass in bands of varying genres and even occasionally dabbled in jazz.

Mr. Ligon received his undergraduate degrees in Music Theory and Double Bass Performance as well as his master’s degree in Bass Performance from the University of Georgia where he studied bass under Dr. Milton Masciadri. While there, he spent his summers studying music abroad and attending prestigious summer festivals. He studied abroad in Italy at the Allessandria, Milan, Turin, and Parma conservatories. He attended the Brazilian festival Festival Internacional de Inferno da UFSM in South America, and he attended the festival Brevard Music Center in North Carolina twice. Mr. Ligon then went on to pursue a second master’s degree in Music Theory at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where he continued to study bass under Craig Brown. Mr. Ligon’s educational experience in the United States and abroad, as well as his background in electric bass, has given him a unique and cosmopolitan view on how he approaches music in his career.

Mr. Ligon’s music theory research interests focus on orchestral music from composers of the early twentieth century, including Charles Ives and Dmitri Shostakovich. Analytically, he is interested in the intersection of tonal theory and neo-Riemannian operations in music that is notorious for blurring the lines between tonal and atonal harmony.

In 2020, Mr. Ligon moved to Tuscaloosa, AL and began working in the region as a freelance professional orchestra player, college instructor, conductor, and teacher. And in 2023, he moved Mobile, AL where he is still based and continues to work. Mr. Ligon has performed with orchestras and taught at universities in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, and Louisiana. Bringing the musical arts and music education to the communities who need it the most has been the driving force behind Mr. Ligon’s career since moving to the Gulf Coast region.

Currently, Mr. Ligon has taken on the full-time role of Music Librarian and Production Assistant with the Mobile Symphony. He is an adjunct professor at the University of South Alabama, where he directs and conducts the University Orchestra, and at the University of West Florida as instructor of Double Bass. He is a member of the Panama City Symphony and frequently plays as a substitute with the Mobile Symphony and the Tuscaloosa Symphony among many others in the region.

Address

100 College Boulevard E
Niceville, FL
32578

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+18507296000

Website

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