Metropolitan Area Youth Symphony
Encyclopedia
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
.
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. 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.” The MAYS also have working relationships with Suzuki Music Institute of Central Florida and Park Maitland School in Maitland, Florida
.
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.
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.
Mays
-People:* Benjamin Mays , African-American minister, educator, and social activist* Billy Mays , American television commercial salesman, most notable for promoting OxiClean* Brook Mays, investor in the Brook Mays Music Group...
) is a youth orchestra in the Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
region founded in honor of conductor and cellist, Jonathan May
Jonathan May
Jonathan May was an American cellist and conductor. He resided in the Orlando, Florida area and was noted for founding and directing numerous youth orchestras and music programs throughout the region.-Early life:...
. 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
The Geneva School
The Geneva School is a private school in Winter Park, Florida that was founded in 1993. The Geneva School is a Pre-K through 12, coeducational, private, day school situated on a campus on Semoran Boulevard...
in Winter Park, Florida
Winter Park, Florida
Winter Park is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 24,090 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 28,083. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
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 FloridaCentral Florida
Central Florida is a regional designation for the area surrounding Orlando in east central Florida, United States. The area represents the third largest population concentration in Florida, after the South Florida and Tampa Bay regions, respectively....
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
Trinity Preparatory School
Trinity Preparatory School of Florida is an independent college preparatory day-school for students in grades 6 to 12, located east of Winter Park, Florida, a suburb of Orlando. It is affiliated with the Episcopal Church.-History:...
, and cellist in the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra
Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra
The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra is one of Orlando's three unrelated per-service professional orchestras, the others being the Orlando Symphony Orchestra and the Bach Festival Society in residence at Rollins College. The OPO is based in Symphony Square at Loch Haven Park in Orlando, Florida, and...
and the Bach Festival
Bach Festival
Bach Festivals are annual classical music festival held to celebrate the memory of the German composer Johann Sebastian Bach. Various locations throughout the world held a festival dedicated to Bach...
, and close friend and colleague, Michael Miller, Director of Music Activities at The Geneva School
The Geneva School
The Geneva School is a private school in Winter Park, Florida that was founded in 1993. The Geneva School is a Pre-K through 12, coeducational, private, day school situated on a campus on Semoran Boulevard...
, Artistic Director of the Central Florida Youth Orchestra, and former Associate Conductor of the Florida Young Artists Orchestra
Florida Young Artists Orchestra
The Florida Young Artists Orchestra, or FYAO, is a youth orchestra serving the Orlando, Florida region. The FYAO is led by Artistic Director and Assistant Conductors and . Until February 2010, the FYAO was led by founding Artistic Director Jonathan May...
from 2000-2010.
In its inaugural season, the MAYS has played concerts at Knowles Memorial Chapel
Knowles Memorial Chapel
Knowles Memorial Chapel, built between 1931 and 1932, is an historic Mediterranean Revival building located on the campus of Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, in the United States...
on the campus of Rollins College
Rollins College
Rollins College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Winter Park, Florida , along the shores of Lake Virginia....
, 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
Lake Howell High School
Lake Howell High School is a comprehensive four-year high school located in Central Florida, USA. Home of the Silver Hawks, it has been designated a "B" High School by the Florida Department of Education in 2009. It was previously an "A+" high school in 2008...
’s band and chorus as part of their Masterworks Series. 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.” The MAYS also have working relationships with Suzuki Music Institute of Central Florida and Park Maitland School in Maitland, Florida
Maitland, Florida
Maitland is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida, United States, part of the Greater Metro Orlando area. The population was 12,019 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 14,172...
.
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.
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.