Three young concerto winners, one student composer and an alumni composer – presenting two world premiere pieces – will be the featured performers during a special South Florida Youth Symphony (SFYS) concert at 4 p.m. on May 22 at the Lehman Theatre in Building 5000, Miami Dade College North Campus, 11380 N.W. 27 Avenue.
Admission is $10.
“This is really a remarkable event and promises to be an exceptional day of music,” said Marjorie Hahn, the SFYS musical and executive director. “The fact that these youngsters – and the majority of our students – come from low income neighborhoods, and school districts have all but eliminated instrumental music programs, shows the dedication of these talented musicians. Many are on scholarship with our programs and are using borrowed instruments. Yet, their love of music prevails.”
,At the May 22 concert, Grace Bush (18), and her brother Benjamin (13), from a family of 10 children in West Park, Florida, both won spots on the concerto concert. Grace Bush will perform the Flute Andante by Mozart, and Benjamin Bush will perform the first movement of the Elgar Cello Concerto.
Liam Idnovo (16) of Hialeah will perform the 1st movement of the Mozart Piano Concerto no. 21, while South Dade’s Yosvani Rodriguez (15) has composed his own music and will premiere and conduct part of his String Serenade.
In a special highlight, a former SFYS teacher, Nicholas Renetto, who left South Florida to begin his composition career in California, has written two compositions for the SFYS ensembles which will have world premieres during the concert.
Now in her 45th year as a SFYS conductor and teacher in the organization founded by her stepfather, Maestro Carmen Nappo, Hahn has overseen tremendous expansion of the symphony.
Under her guidance, the group, which boasts one of the finest musical faculties in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, has grown to three orchestra programs with four levels of string training classes, preparatory classes, keyboard classes, a myriad of small performing ensembles, and a 19-year legacy of summer music camps for young musicians ages 4-21.
For more information on the May 22 concert, visit www.sfys.net, or call 305-238-2729.