Santa Fe College Fine Arts Hall Presents Ethan Bortnick
August 22, 2017
August 22, 2017 - The multitalented teenage virtuoso Ethan Bortnick will open the 2017-2018 Santa Fe College Fine Arts Department performance series at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, in the 600-seat Fine Arts Hall at the Northwest Campus. "Ethan Bortnick Live at Santa Fe College" is a fundraising event for WUFT, the Public Broadcasting Service station at the University of Florida, and is co-sponsored by WUFT and the SF Fine Arts Department.
For this special fundraising event, VIP tickets are $125 and include a dinner and meet-and-greet following the performance. Orchestra tickets are $50. Mezzanine and balcony tickets are $25. There are no senior or student discounts. For tickets, call the Box Office at 352-395-4181 or visit the Fine Arts ticket website at sfcollege.edu/finearts.
"We're thrilled to have Ethan Bortnick open our season as the first in this year's Master Artist Series that brings entertainment professionals to campus to mentor students in the performing arts programs," said Fine Arts Department Chair Alora Haynes. "The day after his concert, he will meet with all the students in our Musical Theatre, Instrumental Music, Vocal Music and Dance programs to talk about his trajectory into show business, his desire to give back as a fundraiser, and ways to network in today's social media environment."
A pianist, singer, songwriter and actor, the 16-year-old Bortnick is recognized by Guinness World Records as "The World's Youngest Solo Musician to Headline His Own Concert Tour." He began playing piano at the age of three and discovered he could hear a song once and play it back note for note. Inspired by artists as diverse as Mozart, Beethoven, Little Richard and Billy Joel, he began composing at age five.
Bortnick has shared the stage with stars such as Elton John, Beyoncé, Josh Groban and Reba McEntire. In 2010, he was the youngest performer in a group that included Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Celine Dion and Carlos Santana to record "We Are the World 25 for Haiti." His television appearances and tours have taken him to Japan, Brazil, Canada, South Africa and Australia.
A dedicated philanthropist, Bortnick's performances have raised over $50 million for different charities including Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, Boys and Girls Club, and PBS stations across the USA. His nationally televised program, "The Power of Music," was the top concert pledge show on PBS for 2014-2015. His charity work was inspired by the three heart surgeries his younger brother had when Ethan was five years old.
For more information about Ethan Bortnick, visit ethanbortnick.com.
For more information about the Santa Fe College Master Artist Series, SF Fine Arts Department programs or the SF Fine Arts Hall, call Alora Haynes at 352-395-5296.
