All Across this great country, music and arts programs are in great danger in the schools and communities of either being eliminated, or playing “Second Fiddle” to testing programs and financial limitations.
Budgets everywhere are suffering, and tax programs, state budget cuts and insurance rates are drastically reducing the amount of funds necessary to keep the music (and Fine Arts ) programs, playing.
Now beginning the 50th season of offering classical orchestral music training to South Florida students, The South Florida Youth Symphony , in partnership with Miami Dade College, North Campus for the most recent 15 years, still sees families and very talented music students come in mass, to the tune of approximately 250 students each season, to study music. Why? Because parents know, research has documented over recent decades, that the study of music and the fine arts, develops the brain to succeed in many other areas, such as math, science and vocabulary, social interactive skills and positive mental health.
The arts play a very important roll in the lives of many people, for music enjoyment and music related careers as well. It is a necessity we can’t afford to lose. Many college students who were active in their high school music groups but are not college musicians can join the South Florida Youth Symphony program, as music is universal and everlasting, and can be enjoyed long into advanced years.
The South Florida Youth Symphony has been donating instruments to kids for study, giving low cost, many times full scholarship tuitions for study for over 49 years, building great musicians and teachers in a model system of the Venezuelan “El Sistema” program that is the new buzz for all the orchestras across our nation. The SFYS has trained over 4,500 students without full government financial support as “El Sistema”, but with constant struggle through grant writing and solicitation of foundation help. This help is fading in the light of our nation’s financial strife.
There will be The Yo Yo Ma’s, Winton Marsalis’s and Isaac Stern’s of tomorrow, if music is supported today. We can not deny this to our children.
The private and corporate sector need to get involved as government funds are being reduced, and the SFYS is committed to continuing this excellent program for kids even at reduced salaries for teachers as long as can be expected.
The South Florida Youth Symphony is proud to have the North Campus of Miami Dade College as a partner in supporting and promoting this program and music for life. Both Executive Musical Director of the South Florida Youth Symphony, Marjorie Hahn, one of the first members of the youth symphony and step daughter of the founder, Miami Maestro Carmen Nappo; and Miami Dade College’s Dr, Jose A. Vicente, are adamant in the support and continuation of this program for the North Campus and the surrounding community.
The kids meet on Sunday afternoons as they have since 1964, and now have three orchestras, plus four divisions of string training classes, classical guitar and piano instruction. No student is ever turned away because of financial limitations, scholarships are found, with your help! Students are ages 5-21.
For more information please visit the youth symphony web site at www.sfys.net or call at 305-238-2729
