Metropolitan Area Youth Symphony

The Metropolitan Area Youth Symphony (MAYS) is a youth orchestra in the Orlando, Florida region founded in honor of conductor and cellist, Jonathan May. The MAYS is led by Artistic Directors Maureen May and Michael Miller and features four orchestral groups spanning beginner, intermediate and advanced skill levels. The MAYS currently rehearses at the First Presbyterian Church of Orlando and The Geneva School in Winter Park, Florida.

History

The MAYS was founded in May, 2010 to further the artistic and educational vision of Jonathan May. Since 1984, May followed his dream of bringing a well-rounded music education to thousands of young students of the Central Florida community. After his passing in February, 2010, the MAYS was founded by his wife, Maureen May, a former Music Director at Millennium Middle School, strings teacher at Trinity Preparatory School, and cellist in the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and the Bach Festival, and close friend and colleague, Michael Miller, Director of Music Activities at The Geneva School, Artistic Director of the Central Florida Youth Orchestra, and former Associate Conductor of the Florida Young Artists Orchestra from 2000-2010.

In its inaugural season, the MAYS has played concerts at Knowles Memorial Chapel on the campus of Rollins College, First Presbyterian Church of Orlando, the Cathedral Church of Saint Luke, and collaborated with the Geneva School Rhetoric Choir, the Cathedral Choir, the Orlando Deanery Boychoir and Girls Choir, and Lake Howell High School’s band and chorus as part of their Masterworks Series.^[1][2][3] Students in the MAYS have also performed at the first Mr. Jonathan May Day in 2010, and all MAYS orchestras will perform on May 1, 2011 for Mr. Jonathan May Day.

The MAYS is partnered with the Orlando Community School of the Arts, which includes in its stated mission the desire to “enrich the lives of people in the greater Orlando area by providing the highest quality of music and arts experiences and learning opportunities.” ^[4][5] The MAYS also have working relationships with Suzuki Music Institute of Central Florida and Park Maitland School in Maitland, Florida.^[6]

Orchestras

The MAYS comprises four orchestras of over 100 students up to age 22:

Symphony—The Symphony is the MAYS’ most advanced full orchestra ensemble and rehearses and performs a vast array of standard orchestral repertoire.

Repertory Orchestra—The Repertory Orchestra is an intermediate full orchestra designed to nourish the musical abilities of students and help them develop skills to play in an ensemble reading off larger scores and with new sounds.

Intermezzo—The Intermezzo is an intermediate to advanced ensemble that provides a chamber setting for young string musicians to develop their ability to play with other string instruments, requiring a focused attention on tone, intonation, bow control and other aspects of string playing.

Concertino—The Concertino is an entry-level group for beginning string players and provides students with the opportunity to work closely with peers and instructors to learn the first levels of playing together and mastering the string instruments.^[7]

In addition to the orchestras, the MAYS conducts classes on music theory and composition, holds professional recitals and regular workshops with professional Central Florida musicians on a wide variety of topics. The MAYS also holds concerto competitions judged by an independent panel that listens and scores students for the opportunity to perform their concerto with the MAYS orchestra.

References

1. ^ "Metropolitan Area Youth Symphony Concert". Orlando Sentinel. November 14, 2010. http://findlocal.orlandosentinel.com/listings/metropolitan-area-youth-symphony-1. 
2. ^ "Metropolitan Area Youth Symphony Concert". Orlando Sentinel. October 17, 2010. http://findlocal.orlandosentinel.com/listings/metropolitan-area-youth-symphony. 
3. ^ "Young Musicians in Concert". Cathedral Series. March 12, 2011. http://www.stlukescathedral.org/Cath_series_schedule.htm. 
4. ^ "Partners in the Arts". First Presbyterian Church of Orlando. 2011. http://www.fpco.org/Seek/WorshipArtsMinistry/OCSA/ParntersintheArts.aspx. 
5. ^ "Orlando Community School of the Arts". First Presbyterian Church of Orlando. 2011. http://www.fpco.org/Seek/WorshipArtsMinistry/OCSA.aspx. 
6. ^ "Suzuki Music Institute of Central Florida". 2011. http://suzukimusicinstitute.org/index.php. 
7. ^ "MAYS Orchestras". Metropolitan Area Youth Symphony. http://www.maysymphony.org/Orchestra_and_Ensembles.html. 

External links

• MAYS Home Page
• First Presbyterian Church of Orlando
• The Geneva School
• Lake Howell High School