Sinfonia Youth Orchestra Performing Free Concert May 18

The ensembles of Sinfonia Gulf Coast’s youth orchestra program will take the stage on Sunday, May 18 at 3pm at Grace Lutheran Church in Destin.

The largest ensemble, the Sinfonia Youth Orchestra (SYO), consists of the full complement of instruments from the orchestra with primary membership being the older, more advanced students. The youth strings or Sinfonietta Strings, focuses on developing beginning string students to prepare them for the full orchestra.

Under the leadership of Music Director Liz Aylor, the Sinfonietta Strings and full Sinfonia Youth Orchestra will present two separate programs consisting of light classics and themes from popular movie soundtracks and Broadway. In addition, the Sinfonietta will perform several selections from their successful trip to Universal Studios Orlando this past February.

Liz Aylor, who recently joined Sinfonia as director of the youth orchestra program, holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Heidelberg University and Master of Arts Degree from Case Western Reserve University. Her efforts have been featured in numerous string education publications and more recently in “Florida Monthly” magazine. She is a member of the Association of String Teachers of America (ASTA), is a Suzuki Association of the Americas accredited instructor and taught in the Okaloosa public schools for more than thirty-five years.            

Sinfonia Gulf Coast was founded in 2005 on Florida's Northwest Gulf Coast with the mission of redefining the symphony experience. Under the guidance of Music Director and Founder Demetrius Fuller and a dedicated board of directors, the nonprofit orchestra is entering its eighth season of innovative musical programming, designed to entertain, educate and inspire the community.

Notable guest artists have included Broadway legends Patti LuPone and Bernadette Peters, R&B icon Roberta Flack, Mary Wilson of the Supremes, Chris Brubeck, the Sao Paulo String Quartet, classical-crossover sensation Time for Three, Manhattan Piano Trio, Tony Award-winning vocalists Gary Mauer and Debbie Gravitte, Grammy-nominated violinist Caroline Goulding, Grammy-Award winners John Pizzarelli, Howard Levy, the Parker Quartet and iconic big band Pink Martini.

Since it's founding, Sinfonia Gulf Coast has presented more than 300 concerts and events, has collaborated with numerous nonprofits and businesses throughout the community and has reached more than 43,000 children through its Sinfonia Guest Artists in the Schools program/music education outreach initiatives. More than 800 families have benefited from Sinfonia’s Students4FREE program, which provides complimentary tickets to live orchestral performances and musical events. Sinfonia Gulf Coast is also a proud collaborator throughout the Northwest Florida community and has recently partnered with Sacred Heart Hospital along the Emerald Coast in their Arts in Medicine program.

Learn more about Sinfonia Gulf Coast in SoWal Groups.