Dear Colleagues and Friends of the Arts,
It is so wonderful to welcome you all to the 2011-12 season of the Greater Miami Youth Symphony- another creative and musical season. As a Total Community Project, the symphony continues in its mission of providing young people a performing opportunity for developing their creative musical talents while reaching out to bring our diverse South Florida community together. The 2011-12 season promises to be an exciting one, as we look forward to collaborations with the Alhambra Orchestra, South Florida Youth Symphony, and Nestor Torres. GMYS will also hold the 2011 GMYS Concerto Competition, with the winners performing with the Symphony Orchestra and the Concert Orchestra at the Season Gala Concerts. We are also proud to announce that GMYS continues to be a finalist for a National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award from the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, and GMYS was also the 2011 Champions for Children Excellence in Youth Programming for School and Life Success award recipient from The Childrens Trust. GMYS will also enter into the fourth year of its exciting mentorship program with the University of Miami Frost School of Music and Arts for Learning.
GMYS offers a wide variety of opportunities to students of all levels and ages. Each Sunday, students in our six performing ensembles meet to rehearse and learn with each other. In addition, GMYS now offers beginning instrument instruction at no cost to participating students through funds from The Children’s Trust and the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Department during the week at five different sites in the county. Our chamber music division also continues to grow and expand, and now offers several recitals during the year in various Miami-Dade communities. Our student body in our performing ensembles and beginning classes is now app. 800 students and GMYS has also completed its 5th summer camp. Three sessions were offered to over 300 beginning, intermediate, and advanced students.
GMYS truly aims to be a resource of opportunity and education to the whole Miami-Dade community. Your continued support is vital to the continued success of our programs. Please assist the Board of Directors and the parent volunteers with your concert attendance, financial support and in-kind gifts. Doing so shows these fine young musicians that you appreciate their commitment to musical excellence and service to the community. During these difficult economic times, your support is more crucial than ever. Please do all you can to support the continuation of our valuable community programs.
In every performance, we celebrate the past, present and future of one of Florida’s oldest youth orchestras. The organization’s longevity is a statement of its past members and the community. We look to the future with anticipation and excitement. Help us spread the word about the positive ways in which we are changing young people’s lives in South Florida. Thank you.
Musically yours,
Huifang Chen, Music Director
Melissa Lesniak, PhD, Executive Director
Laurie Hill, Esq., President
