Artistic Staff

About

Huifang Chen
Music Director, Symphony Orchestra Conductor

As a dynamic, diverse musician, Ms. Chen enjoys a dual career as a performer and an educator. She received her Bachelor of Music Degree from the Curtis Institute of Music and her Masters of Music Degree from the University of Miami in violin performance. She was a member of the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra from 1994 until its demise in 2003.

As an educator, she is currently the Director of Orchestra at the Florida International University and the Music Director of the Greater Miami Youth Symphony. Ms. Chen taught violin and chamber music at the Frost School of Music, University of Miami from 2004-2009, she has led Youth Orchestras in concert Halls such as Arsht Center in Miami and Carnegie Hall in New York City. As an international violin soloist, she has appeared with many orchestras around the globe. She was the winner of the 1999 Young Concert Artist of the Year awarded by the National Concert Hall of Taipei, Taiwan and a Concerto Competition Winner at the University of Miami in 2003. She is currently the Concertmaster of the Ars Flores Symphony and a member of the Florida Grand Opera Orchestra. She is also the founder and the violinist of the chamber ensemble Dynamic Strings. As a recording artist, she is on dozens of award winning CDs include for Sony, EMI, and Warner Brothers. Ms. Chen has been broadcast on National Public Radio and the Public Broadcast System. She has performed the National Anthem multiple times at the Miami Dolphin football games and appeared on the live international television broadcast of the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards.

Melissa Lesniak, PhD
Executive Director and Concert Orchestra Conductor

Dr. Lesniak received her Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance and Business minor from Indiana University in Bloomington where she studied with Mimi Zweig. In 2005, she received her Doctorate in Music Education from the University of Miami , where she was a teaching assistant, teaching String Techniques and Elementary String Classes. She also coordinated the first and second annual ExtraordinaryStrings High School Chamber Music Festival. Dr. Lesniak has presented sessions on string pedagogy at state and national conferences, is a published author in state and national journals, and has participated in numerous music festivals, including the Henri Mancini Institute in Los Angeles, CA. She is also a regular performer and studio teacher in South Florida. Dr. Lesniak joined GMYS in January 2004 as the Concert Orchestra conductor . In August 2005, she became the first Executive Director for GMYS, where among other duties, she instituted the GMYS Preparatory Division and the GMYS Summer Camp. Dr. Lesniak is President of the American String Teachers Association State of Florida Chapter.

Vivian Jauma
String Orchestra Conductor, & Strings Chamber Coach

Vivian Jauma is a native of Puerto Rico who studied in the Conservatory of Music until she moved to Jacksonville, Florida in the 1990’s. In Jacksonville, she graduated from the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts receiving a National String Orchestra Award for outstanding dedication and violin performance. She also was a member of the Jacksonville Youth Symphony for many years and was a concerto competition winner who performed with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. She has attended various music Festivals throughout the Americas including the Pablo Casals Festival in Puerto Rico, Eastern Music Festival in North Carolina, and the Trujillo World Opera Competition in Peru. Mrs. Jauma received a full scholarship to attend the Florida State University to attain a K-12 Instrumental Music Education Degree. At Florida State, she performed in the Philharmonic, Symphony, Chamber and Opera Orchestras. During her internship she directed the prestigious Coral Reef High School Orchestras until she acquired her current position as director of Chorus, Orchestra, and Keyboard at Arvida Middle School. During her first year at Arvida, she was nominated for Rookie Teacher of the year, and her Orchestra received a superior rating at district evaluations. As a violinist, she has performed with the Symphony of the Americas, Encore Chamber Players, Arabesque Chamber Ensemble, and A Touch of Class Strings. She has performed on MTV, Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago for his wedding and other occasions, and is a freelance musician throughout the South Florida tri-county area. Mrs. Jauma is currently the Secretary of the Florida Orchestra Association for Dade County, is an adjudicator for the Dade-County district solo and ensemble evaluations, and teaches private violin lessons. Mrs. Jauma began her work with GMYS in the Fall of 2005 as the String Orchestra Director.

Besnik Hashani
Young Mozarts Ensemble Conductor

A native of Kosovo Mr. Besnik Hashani started his violin studies in his hometown of Pristina. After graduating from the Music High School of his native city, he attended the Academy of Music of the University of Pristina. The troubled winds of war brought him to Miami where he pursued a degree in Music Education at Florida International University School of Music. He is currently working as a music teacher at F.C. Martin K-8 center, where he works with three different orchestra levels and two choruses. Mr. Hashani has been much in demand as an adjudicator and has adjudicated for the Florida Orchestra Association’s all state orchestra selections, Solo and Ensemble MPA’s, and for the honors orchestra selections in the Miami-Dade County school system.

Eugene Timmons
Concert Band and Jazz Band Director

Eugene Timmons is currently the Director of Bands and Orchestra at Robert Morgan Educational Center in the Miami-Dade Public Schools System. He earned his B.S. from Winston-Salem State University & M.S. from Nova Southeastern University. He has served as the Department Chairman of the Fine Arts Department. For a span of over sixteen years, Mr. Timmons was the Music Director and saxophonist for the popular music group, KC and the Sunshine Band.

Mr. Timmons experienced extensive travels worldwide and demonstrated a variety of music styles to vast audiences. As an instructor and musician with the Miami-Dade County Public Schools System, Mr. Timmons was selected as a guest conductor for the All County Superintendent’s Honors Orchestra. His orchestra and jazz bands have consistently received Superior and Excellent rating in all phases of the performance evaluations.

Currently, Eugene Timmons serves as a music adjudicator of Concert, Jazz, and Solo music performance for the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA). Recently, Mr. Timmons was selected and preformed in the hit musical ” CATS” playing the baritone, tenor, and soprano saxophone. In addition to his musical pursuits Mr. Timmons has been selected as Teacher of the Year, and Region Finalist Teacher of the Year in the Miami-Dade Public School System. Mr. Timmons has additional course work through attendance at Southern Illinois University, Howard University and Florida International University.

Preparatory Division Teachers

Jacolyn Alvarez, Lakeisha Frith, Emiko Wennerholt, Jose Leon, Kimberly Rotalante, Oliver Diez, Tinder Burris, Wells Cunningham, Besnik Hashani, Glenn Perry, Lori Patrick, Laura Wilcox, Jonathan Dadurka, Sarah Wallace

Orchestra and Chamber Coaches

Laura Wilcox- Chamber Coordinator, Jose Leon, Lee Morrison, Carol Nicholson, Tinder Burris, Jon Dadurka, Pamela McConnell, Hector Hernandez, Chauncey Patterson