Classical South Florida Press Release

City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov

OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, Nannette Rodriguez

PRESS RELEASE

Tel: 305.673.7010, Fax: 305.673.7229, E-mail: [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 30, 2009

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH WELCOMES CLASSICAL SOUTH FLORIDA 89.7 AS SUPPORTING SPONSOR OF SLEEPLESS NIGHT Miami Beach, FL -- The City of Miami Beach Department of Tourism and Cultural Development is very pleased to announce that CLASSICAL SOUTH FLORIDA 89.7 is a supporting sponsor of SLEEPLESS NIGHT 2009, the free, 13-hour, dusk-til-dawn, citywide celebration of the arts. Classical South Florida is participating as the exclusive sponsor of the four performances by MASS Ensemble, the amazing multi-media music group featuring the Earth Harp. “Miami-Dade County is fortunate to have a world-class event of this magnitude as part of the community’s cultural calendar,” said Doug Evans, General Manager of Classical South Florida. “We’re delighted to play an important role in supporting this one-of-a-kind evening.” Classical South Florida is a nonprofit, listener-supported organization affiliated with American Public Media. It began broadcasting classical music in October 2007 on 89.7 FM in Miami and 101.9 FM in West Palm Beach. Max Sklar, the City’s Director of Tourism and Cultural Development, said that the City couldn’t be more pleased. “In the past two years Classsical South Florida has become an essential part of our thriving cultural community, and we’re understandably proud to have them on board for Sleepless Night.” MASS ENSEMBLE is a powerful, multi-media performance group that plays unique, custom-made musical instruments like the Earth Harp, the largest stringed instrument in the world. For Sleepless Night the Earth Harp will be strung to the top of the Park Central Hotel, with the strings coming down across Ocean Drive to a special stage in Lummus Park between 6th and 7th Streets. Thanks to Classical South Florida, MASS Ensemble will perform three full sets at 7:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m. and 2:30 a.m. A special yoga class led by MASS member Andrea Brook and featuring the Earth Harp will be held at 6:00 a.m. Classical South Florida joins Title Sponsor Audi of America, Inc., Presenting Sponsor John L. and James S. Knight Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Ocean Drive Association, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau and others, to provide the funding and other resources necessary to produce this free,13-hour long event.

We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.

Sleepless Night, which will next take place November 7, 2009, is a sundown-to-sunrise, free arts celebration. It is produced by the City of Miami Beach Department of Tourism and Cultural Development and Cultural Arts Council in collaboration with every cultural organization in the city, together with private businesses and individuals. It offers free museum admissions, indoor and outdoor art installations and performances, architectural tours, dance (and dancing,) theater, music, film, slam poetry, fashion shows, acrobatics, comedy and other cultural offerings, all presented without admission charge at over 80 different venues spread throughout the city and the 13-hour night. Free shuttle buses with onboard arts programming connect the various zones of activity and remote parking for the duration of the event. Visit www.classicalsouthflorida.org for more information on South Florida’s only classical music stations, and www.sleeplessnight.org for complete event information.

### To request this material in accessible format, sign language interpreters, information on access for persons with disabilities, and/or any accommodation to review any document or participate in any city-sponsored proceeding, please contact 305-604-2489 (voice) or 305-673-7218 (TTY) five days in advance to initiate your request.

We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.