Sinfonia Gulf Coast Forms Youth Orchestra

Sinfonia Gulf Coast is expanding its music education program along the Emerald Coast by forming the Sinfonia Gulf Coast Youth Orchestra. The program will incorporate the talents of over fifty students who previously performed with the longstanding Northwest Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra.

Currently focusing on two main ensembles, the new youth orchestra will soon expand into smaller groups to better enhance the curriculum and increase performance opportunities for the children. The Sinfonia Youth Orchestra (SYO) consists of the full complement of instruments from the orchestra with primary membership being the older, more advanced students. While the second ensemble Sinfonietta Strings focuses on developing beginning string students to prepare them for the full orchestra.

Liz Aylor, former director of the college's youth orchestra program, joined Sinfonia as director of the new youth orchestra, bringing her education, accreditations, and more than 35 years of experience as an educator to the program.

“The incorporation of the youth orchestra program into Sinfonia is an incredible opportunity. It enhances our music education program and enables the organization to reach a wider demographic of students. We are fortunate to have one of the region's most respected and experienced educators at the helm," said Sinfonia Music & Artistic Director Demetrius Fuller.

Sinfonia Youth Orchestra and Sinfonietta Strings just returned from a successful performance at Universal Studios Orlando. Both ensembles are preparing for a combined public performance May 18 at 3pm at Grace Lutheran Church in Destin. The performance is complimentary and open to the public.

Sinfonia Gulf Coast has reached more than 43,000 children through its Sinfonia Guest Artists in the Schools program. More than 750 families have benefited from Sinfonia's Students4FREE program, which provides complimentary tickets to live orchestral performances and musical events. Currently, Sinfonia is wrapping up a highly successful eighth season of concerts and events along the Emerald Coast.