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A new era of orchestral excellence begins in Southwest Florida.

About the Fort Myers Philharmonic

Founded in 2025, the Fort Myers Philharmonic is a professional orchestral organization created to elevate the cultural landscape of Southwest Florida through performances of the highest artistic caliber. Built by experienced arts leaders, distinguished musicians, and dedicated supporters of the performing arts, the Philharmonic is committed to excellence, innovation, and meaningful community connection. Under the artistic leadership of Paul Nadler, the orchestra brings together exceptional professional musicians to present inspiring, accessible, and unforgettable symphonic experiences for the region.

Explore Our Leadership:

Board of Directors
New Orchestra Committee

Mission Statement

The Fort Myers Philharmonic exists to enrich Southwest Florida through exceptional  orchestral performance, artistic excellence, and meaningful community engagement. By bringing together the highest quality professional musicians and visionary leadership, the Philharmonic presents inspiring symphonic experiences that celebrate the great musical tradition while making orchestral music accessible to audiences throughout the region.

Vision Statement

To shape the future of orchestral music in Southwest Florida by building a vibrant, sustainable orchestra that inspires audiences, supports exceptional musicians, and becomes a lasting cultural treasure for generations to come.

Core Values

Artistic ExcellenceAbout - Core Values - Icons
Artistic Excellence
Artistic ExcellenceAbout - Core Values - Icons

We are committed to the highest standards of musical performance, presenting symphonic works with integrity, precision, and passion.

Community ConnectionAbout - Core Values - Icons
Community Connection
Community ConnectionAbout - Core Values - Icons

We believe orchestral music should be accessible and meaningful to all. Through performances and partnerships, we strive to inspire and engage audiences across Southwest Florida.

CollaborationAbout - Core Values - Icons
Collaboration
CollaborationAbout - Core Values - Icons

Great music thrives through partnership. We actively collaborate with leading artists, ensembles, and cultural organizations to create powerful and enriching musical experiences.

Stewardship & LeadershipAbout - Core Values - Icons
Stewardship & Leadership
Stewardship & LeadershipAbout - Core Values - Icons

We are dedicated to responsible governance, transparency, and thoughtful stewardship of the resources entrusted to us by donors, patrons, and the community.

Inspiration Through MusicAbout - Core Values - Icons
Inspiration Through Music
Inspiration Through MusicAbout - Core Values - Icons

We believe in the transformative power of music to uplift, unite, and create lasting impact for individuals and communities.

Artistic ExcellenceAbout - Core Values - Icons
Artistic Excellence
Artistic ExcellenceAbout - Core Values - Icons

We are committed to the highest standards of musical performance, presenting symphonic works with integrity, precision, and passion.

Community ConnectionAbout - Core Values - Icons
Community Connection
Community ConnectionAbout - Core Values - Icons

We believe orchestral music should be accessible and meaningful to all. Through performances and partnerships, we strive to inspire and engage audiences across Southwest Florida.

CollaborationAbout - Core Values - Icons
Collaboration
CollaborationAbout - Core Values - Icons

Great music thrives through partnership. We actively collaborate with leading artists, ensembles, and cultural organizations to create powerful and enriching musical experiences.

Stewardship & LeadershipAbout - Core Values - Icons
Stewardship & Leadership
Stewardship & LeadershipAbout - Core Values - Icons

We are dedicated to responsible governance, transparency, and thoughtful stewardship of the resources entrusted to us by donors, patrons, and the community.

Inspiration Through MusicAbout - Core Values - Icons
Inspiration Through Music
Inspiration Through MusicAbout - Core Values - Icons

We believe in the transformative power of music to uplift, unite, and create lasting impact for individuals and communities.

Meet Our Maestros

Maestro Paul Nadler

Classical Conductor

With a distinguished international career spanning opera and symphony, Maestro Paul Nadler brings a depth of artistry and experience to the Fort Myers Philharmonic. He made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1989 and has since conducted more than 60 performances with the company, leading productions of works by Strauss, Verdi, Dvořák, and more.

Throughout his career, Maestro Nadler has collaborated with some of the world’s most celebrated vocalists, including Plácido Domingo, Renée Fleming, and Luciano Pavarotti. His guest conducting appearances span orchestras across North America, Europe, and Israel, reflecting a truly global presence on the podium.

A respected leader both on and off the stage, Maestro Nadler previously served as Music Director of the Southwest Florida Symphony for over 15 years and founded the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. His commitment to musical excellence and passion for orchestral tradition continue to shape the artistic foundation of the Philharmonic.

Christopher Confessore

Principal POPS Conductor

Christopher Confessore brings energy, versatility, and a dynamic on-stage presence to the Fort Myers Philharmonic as Principal Pops Conductor. He currently serves as Music Director of the Brevard Symphony Orchestra and has been a longtime leader with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, where he has conducted hundreds of performances spanning Pops, Masterworks, and educational programming.

A highly sought-after guest conductor, Confessore has appeared with orchestras across the country, including the Detroit, Houston, and Atlanta Symphonies. His work extends beyond the concert hall to large-scale productions such as the Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World, showcasing his ability to blend symphonic excellence with engaging, audience-focused entertainment.

Known for his warmth, humor, and approachable style, he has collaborated with an impressive range of artists—from classical icons like Itzhak Perlman and Lang Lang to popular performers including Idina Menzel and Patti LaBelle. His passion for connecting with audiences and expanding access to orchestral music makes him a vital part of the Philharmonic’s artistic experience.

LEADERSHIP

Board of Directors

The Fort Myers Philharmonic is guided by a dedicated Board of Directors composed of respected leaders from across Southwest Florida. Bringing experience from business, education, nonprofit leadership, finance, and the arts, the board provides strategic direction, governance, and stewardship to ensure the long-term success and sustainability of the Philharmonic.

Through their leadership and commitment, the Board helps advance the organization’s mission of bringing world-class orchestral music to the region while strengthening community engagement and cultural enrichment.

Carol S. Robinson
Chairman of the Board
Thomas Kracmer
Musician's Representative
Pamela L. Simon
Secretary
Randolph Knific
Director
Maestro
Paul Nandler
Music Director
Lora
Manion
Director
Learn More About Supporting the Philharmonic

New Symphony Orchestra Committee

The New Symphony Orchestra Committee played an essential role in the creation of the Fort Myers Philharmonic, helping guide the vision and early development of the organization. Comprised of passionate community advocates and supporters of the performing arts, the committee worked closely with artistic and civic leaders to help establish a new professional orchestra for Southwest Florida.

Their leadership and dedication laid the groundwork for what is now the Fort Myers Philharmonic, helping ensure that world-class symphonic music continues to thrive in our region for generations to come.

Carol S. Robinson
Chairman of the Committee
Maestro
Paul Nandler
Music Director
Pamela L. Simon
Secretary
Anne Kracmer
Thomas Kracmer
Musician - Tuba
Scott Ellington
Musician - Clarinet
Dione Chandler
Musician - Oboe

CAROL S. ROBINSON

Carol grew up in the Toledo, OH area with music always in the home.  As a teenager, she played the piano and sang in the high school chorus. She has always loved attending orchestral concerts and operas with opportunities at the Opera (Paris), the Toledo Symphony, and at numerous Florida venues.

Carol received her BA in Economics from Hollins University, Roanoke, VA, and completed the CFP certification in 2006.  Employed by Northern Trust in 2000, she provided high-level financial planning for Northern Trust clients throughout Florida and in Atlanta and Washington, D.C.

Carol joined the Southwest Florida Symphony Board of Directors in January 2001. She served on the Board until 2016 and served as president during the 2005 and 2006 seasons. During her tenure on the board, Carol served on the governance, investment, and development committees.  She also served on the Alliance for the Arts Board, helping rewrite their bylaws and policies.  She supports numerous non-profits in the area.

As a long-time sailor and racer, Carol serves on the Edison Sailing Center Board of Directors and is on its development and investment committees.  She is an official at national racing events and coaches at Edison.   Her enjoyment of math has led to many years of tutoring math since college.  She is currently tutoring fourth graders at Franklin Park Elementary.

Thomas Kracmer

Musician's Representative

Randy Knific, retired from Radiology Regional in 2025 after more than 35 years, where he helped guide the practice’s growth, championed physician recruitment, and served as President and Managing Partner from 2022–2025. He’s also held a number of leadership roles, including Chief of Medical Staff and Chairman of Radiology at Gulf Coast Medical Center. Originally from Ohio, Dr. Knific earned his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University, completed his residency at Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and went on to fellowship training at Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Beyond medicine, he’s passionate about giving back and has supported many Southwest Florida organizations, including the Fort Myers Philharmonic.

Pamela Simon

Pamela Simon is a graduate from Northwestern University and Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. She practiced Physical Therapy for 30 years and was a manager and educator in rehabilitation. Her lifelong love of music began on the piano at the young age of three. She sang in many choruses including the German American Singers of Chicago, the Symphony Chorus, Choral Artistry and Mastersingers. Pamela was President of the Symphony Society, 3-time Symphony Board member, Treasurer of the Choral Artistry and is Membership Chair of the Scientists’ Society.

Randolph J. Knific, M.D.

Director

Randy Knific, retired from Radiology Regional in 2025 after more than 35 years, where he helped guide the practice’s growth, championed physician recruitment, and served as President and Managing Partner from 2022–2025. He’s also held a number of leadership roles, including Chief of Medical Staff and Chairman of Radiology at Gulf Coast Medical Center. Originally from Ohio, Dr. Knific earned his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University, completed his residency at Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and went on to fellowship training at Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Beyond medicine, he’s passionate about giving back and has supported many Southwest Florida organizations, including the Fort Myers Philharmonic.

Maestro Paul Nadler

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Maestro Paul Nadler has distinguished himself as an exciting and highly respected international conductor of opera and symphony. Since his Metropolitan Opera debut in 1989 he has led that company in more than 60 performances.  Maestro Nadler’s most recent performances at the Met have included Richard Strauss’ Elektra, Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow, Antonin Dvořák’s Rusalka, as well as Giuseppe Verdi’s Ernani and Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus. In recent years he also conducted hugely successful productions of Puccini’s Turandot and Verdi’s Aida at Opéra de Montréal.

Performances at the Metropolitan Opera have featured stars such as Placido Domingo, Renée Fleming, Christine Goerke, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Anna Netrebko, Luciano Pavarotti, and Bryn Terfel. His repertoire at the Met includes Die Zauberflöte, Fidelio, Rigoletto, Aida, Don Carlo, La Traviata, Un Ballo in Maschera, Tannhäuser, Roméo et Juliette, Carmen, Elektra, Die Fledermaus, Rusalka, and The Merry Widow among others.  

Maestro Nadler’s symphonic guest conducting includes performances with the orchestras of Calgary, Montreal, and Victoria, Canada; Augsburg, Germany; Bucharest, Iasi, Targu Mures, and Timisoara, Romania; Tel Aviv, Israel; Pamplona, Spain; and the Grant Park Festival in Chicago. During his five years at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Maestro Nadler conducted numerous operatic and symphonic concerts, including new works by contemporary composers.  

Early in his career he won the Jerusalem Symphony Conducting Competition. In 1974 Maestro Nadler founded the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, where he remained as Music Director and Conductor through 1983. He returned to the Chamber Orchestra in 2009 to lead a celebration in honor of its 35th season. He was Music Director of the Southwest Florida Symphony from 1990 to 2006, and locally has also been associated with Gulfshore Opera.   

Lora Manion

Lora Manion and her husband, Fred, relocated from Central Indiana to Southwest Florida and reside in the Babcock Ranch community. Lora is an experienced attorney who was an administrative law judge and later practiced law with the world’s largest law firm, advising renewable energy, data center, and municipal water clients on complex regulatory and permitting matters.

A committed patron of the arts and community builder, Lora is deeply engaged in connecting people to the rich cultural offerings of Southwest Florida. She actively supports and volunteers with local arts organizations and is passionate about creating opportunities for others to experience symphony, opera, ballet, theater, and dance. Through her board leadership and outreach, she seeks to cultivate vibrant, socially connected audiences and strengthen community engagement in the arts.

Lora holds a Juris Doctor from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Indianapolis. She is a fan of Indiana University athletic teams and is dedicated to advancing cultural excellence and fostering a thriving arts community.

Dr. Dione Chandler

Musician - Oboe

Since 2014, Dr. Dione Chandler has been an Adjunct Professor of Oboe at Stetson University, where she also teaches aural training, music elective classes, coaches chamber music, and performs in the faculty woodwind trio, Veritate Winds. She is also Director of the annual Double Reed Workshop, an intensive week-long summer camp for middle and high school oboists and bassoonists. Previously, she has served on the faculties of the University of Florida, Texas Tech University, and Florida International University, as well as the International Association of Music Education (I-AME) in Prague. Chandler is an active adjudicator with the Florida Bandmasters Association and has presented masterclasses throughout Florida and the Southeast United States.

Dione has performed numerous solo and chamber music recitals in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic. An active supporter of new music, Chandler has been involved in numerous commissioning projects with composers such as Margi Griebling-Haigh, Chiayu Hsu, Jim Stephenson, Sydney Hodkinson, Dana Wilson, Mason Bynes, Connor Chee, Katherine Pukinskis, Brin Solomon, Tom McColley, Joshua Burel, Joseph Sowa, and B. Glenn Chandler. She was a recipient of an International Double Reed Society 50 for 50 Commissioning Grant and has performed world premieres at the International Double Reed Conference and the International ClarinetFest. She regularly performs with the Orlando Philharmonic, The Florida Orchestra, Sarasota Orchestra, and Naples Philharmonic, and was principal oboist of the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra for 24 years until its closure.

Since 2013, Dione has volunteered as a court-appointed Guardian ad Litem, where she advocates on behalf of children and youth. She has also served on numerous orchestra and academic committees. She holds music degrees from Florida State University, the University of Southern California, and Rice University, and has attended Banff Center for the Arts, Aspen Music Festival, and American Institute of Music (AIMS) in Graz, Austria.

Carol received her BA in Economics from Hollins University, Roanoke, VA, and completed the CFP certification in 2006.  Employed by Northern Trust in 2000, she provided high-level financial planning for Northern Trust clients throughout Florida and in Atlanta and Washington, D.C.

Carol joined the Southwest Florida Symphony Board of Directors in January 2001. She served on the Board until 2016 and served as president during the 2005 and 2006 seasons. During her tenure on the board, Carol served on the governance, investment, and development committees.  She also served on the Alliance for the Arts Board, helping rewrite their bylaws and policies.  She supports numerous non-profits in the area.

As a long-time sailor and racer, Carol serves on the Edison Sailing Center Board of Directors and is on its development and investment committees.  She is an official at national racing events and coaches at Edison.   Her enjoyment of math has led to many years of tutoring math since college.  She is currently tutoring fourth graders at Franklin Park Elementary.

Select a Performance

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