With the opening of the new season, the South Florida Youth Symphony enters another stellar year of providing talented young musicians an environment for classical training and development, as well as enhancing the cultural climate of Dade and Broward counties. Founded in 1964, under the direction of the late Maestro Carmen Nappo, now under the leadership of his step daughter Marjorie Hahn, the SFYS has grown in stature and reputation gaining the respect and support of many community leaders around the nation.
Concerto and student conducting performances, touring, adjudication, and providing public service to our community with large and small ensemble concert performances.
The youth symphony divisions are training young people in responsibility, social development, self-discipline and leadership, as well as musical expression & preparing them for professional careers. When accepted for a seat, the strength of the orchestra relies on the student’s responsibility to fulfill the obligation of attendance.
1996
SFYS moved To Miami Dade College North Campus, at the invitation of John Alexander, Ken Boos and the Administration.
1994
SFYS moved To St. Martha’s parish, in Miami Shores
1994
Educator, band master, George Walters joined SFYS as Associate Conductor
1993
Second” Carnegie Hall” Performance
1988
First Performance in “Carnegie Hall “, New York
1987
Dayna Turner joins SFYS as Associate conductor
1985
Marjorie Hahn assumes as lead Conductor of SFYS
1971
Marjorie Gould /Hahn joins with the SFYS as Associate Conductor with Peter Fuchs
1970
Untimely Death of Maestro Carmen Nappo
1969
Peter Fuchs joins Carmen Nappo as Associate Conductor
1965
January 24th- 1st Concert of the SFYS at the North Miami Beach Auditorium .. a converted basketball court that had floor chairs and bleachers. The concerts were all FREE and totally filled to capacity..they were free to the public seating was 1500
1964
SFYS board and Mr. Nappo Moved the organization to the unfinished 4th floor of the North Miami Beach City Hall, under the sponsorship of Mayor Dan Diefenbach with storage space in the small room adjacent to the top floor room.
1964
Mayor Dan Diefenbach offered to sponsor the SFYS at the City hall of North Miami Beach
1964
Carmen Nappo opted to withdraw from the Biscayne Gardens Women’s Community Center rather than exclude Black students from the SFYS. Moved temporarily to the City of North Miami community center.
1964
Interracial objections arose from the Woman’s club at Biscayne Women’s Club
1964
First rehearsals of the SFYS began at the Biscayne Gardens Community “Woman’s” Center
1964
Carmen Nappo saw the fine talent of Marjorie her sister Janice and their friends at North Miami Sr. High , with no place to learn or play the classical literature, so the south Florida Youth Symphony was founded, for all talented south Florida Musicians .