Message from the Music and Executive Directors

Dear Colleagues and Friends of the Arts,

It is so wonderful to welcome you all to the 2007-08 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 2007-08 season promises to be an exciting one, as we look forward to an exciting and first time musical collaboration with the Youth Orchestra of Palm Beach County, and performances by GMYS Alumni at the Season Gala Concert in May. GMYS will also hold the 2008 Strassburg Piano Competition, with the winner performing with the Symphony Orchestra also at the Season Gala Concert. This year, GMYS also plans to develop a more comprehensive program for young wind and brass instrumentalists.

GMYS offers a wide variety of opportunities to students of all levels and ages. Each Sunday, students in our three performing orchestras 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 Dade Community Foundation 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. GMYS has also completed its first ever summer camp. Three sessions, each three weeks, were offered to 300 beginning, intermediate, and advanced students at the tuition price of only $50/student. 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.

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,

Carlos Riazuelo, Music Director
Melissa Lesniak, PhD, Executive Director