Board of Directors
Jake Monk
President
South Florida Youth Symphony is proud to introduce Jake Monk as New President of the organization.
Jake is a litigation attorney with Miami’s oldest law firm, Shutts & Bowen LLP. He represents corporations and insurers in state and federal courts throughout Florida. He first joined the board of South Florida Youth Symphony in in 2016 to ensure greater Miami-Dade’s youths have access to opportunities to learn, play, and perform music. He began his tenure as President in Spring of 2018.
Jake has always loved music and appreciated music’s many benefits for children. Rumor has it that Jake’s love of music (and of the saxophone) started as an infant when his father played recordings of Grover Washington, Jr. In elementary school, Jake started playing saxophone and has played for most of his life.
While attending The Ohio State University, Jake played lead alto saxophone in the University’s Jazz Ensemble while he majored in business, focusing on corporate finance and investments. In 2009, Jake left the Midwest to attend The University of Miami School of Law, where he earned his juris doctor and, perhaps more importantly, where he met his brilliant wife, Lacee (also an attorney).
In addition to practicing law and serving as the President of the Board, Jake is actively involved performing in the music community.
SFYS Executive Board
Jake Monk, President Lawyer, Shutts Bowen
200 So Biscayne Blvd. suite 4100
Miami, Fla 33131 305-415-9063
Cristina Scavuzzo – Treasurer
7840 NW 185 Street
Miami, FL 33015
786-258-4036
General Board
Francisco Nagaro, Architect
210 174th Street
Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160
786-444-9179
Advisory Council
Fermin Vasques, Sr VP Administration Miami Dade College, North
11380 NW 27th Ave Rm 1315
Miami Fla 33167
Executive Director
Marjorie Hahn
Music Educator/Professional Musician 12645 SW 114 Ave
Miami, Fla 33176 305-238-2729
Faculty
Marjorie J. Gould Hahn
Musical & Executive Director
Now in her 49th season as Conductor, Teacher and Executive Director of the 55-year old South Florida Youth Symphony organization, Marjorie has guided the group to a superb level of education and ensemble development, especially for underserved and low-income youth. She began with the group in 1964 as a student, when her late step-father Maestro Carmen Nappo established the symphony in the Biscayne Gardens Woman’s Club. She received her Music Education degrees from Miami Dade College and the University of Georgia. Assuming the Executive leadership of the SFYS in 1981, she has secured and appointed the finest music faculty in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Mrs. Hahn served for 16 years as French Horn Instructor at Miami Dade College (Kendall Campus) and Trumpet and French Horn Coach at local public & private schools. She remains highly active as a professional performer, teacher and business manager in the Brass Quintet “Miami’s Top Brass” and principal French Horn in the Hallandale Symphonic Pops Orchestra. She was honored & awarded a community achievement award from the South Florida International Press Club and is listed in the tenth edition of The International Who’s Who in Music.
Richard A. Zogaib
Associate Conductor of Youth Symphony
Rick performed with the South Florida Youth Symphony on Clarinet, Bass Clarinet and Saxophone from 1982 to 1984. Corporal Zogaib then served as a Rifleman & Musician with the bands of the 2nd Marine Division & 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force. He is a graduate of the Armed Forces School of Music & VanderCook College of Music. After college, he joined “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band in DC. Staff Sergeant Zogaib served in the music library & performed with the historic band at ceremonial events, frequently at the White House. While in DC, he also served as Principal Clarinetist & Assistant Conductor with the Pan-American Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Zogaib is currently a Woodwind Clinician in local schools & runs a busy Private Studio. He is currently the Director of the 36-member Interscholastic Clarinet Choir, Les Art Nouveau Chalumeaux, hosted by Florida International University.
Angelica Losada
Director of Symphonia Chamber Strings
Angelica is a Music Educator in South Florida teaching General Music, Chorus, Band and currently serving as the Orchestra Director at Scheck Hillel Community School. Ms. Losada received her Music Education degree from the University of Miami and is currently finishing her Master’s Degree at Florida International University. As a Violinist & Violist, she has performed for various artists such as Kanye West, Marco Antonio Solis, Jennifer Lopez, Johnny Mathis, Electric Light Orchestra, Cirque Musical Shows, Jose Feliciano, Sean Combs P. Diddy and Andrea Bocelli. Ms. Losada is an avid performer for artist companies in South Florida. Among her many accomplishments, she has performed in the Game of Thrones Orchestra LIVE Experience under the direction of Ramin Djawadi (the composer of the Game of Thrones series music). Ms. Losada was a member of the South Florida Youth Symphony as a young musician and now serves as Director of the Symphonia Chamber Strings. She serves on the board of the Florida chapter of the American String Teachers Association and the Florida Federation of Music Clubs.
Lowell Thomas
Director of Wind Ensemble
Lowell is Department Chair and Band Director at the award-winning John A. Ferguson Senior High School in Miami. He is an Oboist and Steel Pan Teacher, as well. Lowell serves as teacher and coach to the Symphony’s Wind Ensemble, both during the season and summer camps. He performs locally with the Miami Wind Symphony, the Kravis Center Pops and a variety of additional groups. Mr. Thomas received his B.M.Ed. degree from Combs College of Music in 1987, and his M.M. in Performance from the University of Miami in 1994.
Dr. Pamela Schultz
Piano Class Instructor
Dr. Shultz holds a D.M.A. from the University of Miami. She has devoted her career to Piano Education as a Pianist, Recording Artist, Teacher, Arranger, Educational Writer and Editor. As Co-Author, she dedicated nearly ten years to the writing and production of the Schultz Piano Library, a comprehensive collection of over 400 solo and duet publications for CPP/Belwin, Inc. (now Alfred Music). Dr. Schultz has performed, presented workshops and appeared as Adjudicator in multiple venues throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Laura Bass
Director of Training Division Strings and String Consort
A Symphonic String Bassist, Laura serves as the Training Division Strings Director and has assumed her new position as the String Consort Director. Ms. Bass received her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Illinois State University and her Master’s degree in Music Education from Florida State University. She is a passionate Music Educator and currently serves as the Lower School Music Teacher, Chorus Director and Co-Music Director for Musical Theater at Scheck Hillel Community School. Her number one priority is making an impact in her student’s lives to develop a life-long love and appreciation for music.
Kevin Segura
Director of Camp Theory activities
Kevin is a former French Horn student of the South Florida Youth Symphony and is the Director of Bands at Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School. He earned his Associate degree from Miami-Dade College, his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Florida International University and is currently working on his M.M. at Florida State University.
Ruth Jauregui
Training Division Strings Instructor
A Miami native, Ruth was born into a musical family, and has been playing Violin and Flute since elementary school. She received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Florida International University. Miss Jauregui is also certified in Orff Music (levels 1 and 2). She traveled to Spain where she had the opportunity to lead Viola sectionals at the Forum Musikae Festival. Ruth is a String Clinician at Scheck Hillel Community School, John A. Ferguson Senior High School and Miami Arts Studio 6-12 at Zelda Glazer; teaches Elementary Music at Future Leaders Academy of Kendall; and is the Children’s Choir and Instrumental Director at Miami Bethany Community Services.
Dr. Robert David Billington
Flute Coach
Dr. Billington received his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Flute Performance from the University of Miami. Robert holds a Master’s Degree in Flute Performance from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northern Michigan University. Dr. Billington has also done post-graduate work at Ball State University in Muncie, IN, and at the University of Illinois. He is a free-lance Flutist and Instructor in the South Florida area. Dr. Billington currently performs as Principal Flutist with the Miami Lyric Opera Orchestra and performs on Baroque Flute with the Camerata del Re (an early music group), the Encore Chamber Players, the Billington and Gonzalez Classical Flute & Guitar Duo and the LGEM Trio.
Modesto Marcano
String Coach