The company has strategically focused on collaborating with a wide range of organizations and businesses to extend the reach of the art form, and Ms. Florita’s experience will assist in these endeavors. In addition, all of the company’s fund raising activities will be overseen by Ms. Florita when she assumes her duties at Nashville Opera on Friday, August 27. Florita most recently served as the Executive Director of Leadership Music and is an alumni of the Class of 2000. Prior to Leadership Music, Florita had been Director of Special Projects for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, served as one of the founding executives for the launch of Lost Highway Records (Universal Music Group), and directed the marketing for the 8-million selling O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack.

The court noted in its decision that, except for DMX, nearly the entire CMS industry accepted the BMI form agreements. However, the court rejected these marketplace benchmark agreements and instead relied on a small number of direct licenses negotiated by DMX that set fees at a deeply discounted level. The court record contained substantial evidence that these direct licenses did not represent an appropriate BMI license fee.

Dr. Cynthia Curtis, dean of Belmont’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, added, “The new Concert Hall, which houses a 55-rank Aeolian Skinner organ, provides an outstanding venue for performances of the University’s classical choral and instrumental ensembles, including the symphony orchestra, wind ensemble, Chorale and 200-voice Oratorio Chorus. The College of Visual and Performing Arts is tremendously grateful to the McAfee family for their generous gift which helps sustain the rich artistic history of the Belmont campus and active cultural life of Nashville.”