The Greater Miami Youth Symphony and the Florida International University School of Music proudly announce their first joint venture with the Animato Summer Music Camp. Animato promises to be an opportunity for growth and skill development for all students involved. Each student will have opportunities in small and large ensembles, recitals, gala concerts, as well as workshops in improvisation, sight-reading, conducting, and music theory and music history.
The camp will be divided into two sections. The Beginning/Intermediate Session will be June 27 to July 14th. The Advanced Session will be from July 23- August 8. All sessions will be held at FIU School of Music and are open to strings, wind, brass, and percussion students. In order to qualify for the Advanced Session, a live audition, cd, or permission from Camp Artistic Directors is required.
The Staff will include the members of the Amernet String Quartet in Residence at FIU, other FIU School of Music Faculty including Carlos Riazuelo, GMYS Artistic Staff, as well as many world-renowned guest artists/musicians to be announced in the Spring.
Private lessons are also available during the camp, and will be arranged closer to the dates of the Summer Camp.
Camp Schedule:
8am-10am: Warm/Up, Private Lessons, Practice/Rehearsals
10am-11am: Orchestra/ Chamber Coachings
11am-12pm: Orchestra/ Chamber Coachings
12pm-1pm: Lunch
1pm-2pm: Performance class
2pm-3pm: Instrumental class
3pm-4:30- Electives/Special Events
The Greater Miami Youth Symphony has served the youth and community of Miami-Dade County since the 1950's. Approximately 250 students, ages 5-18, from many diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and communities, meet weekly in orchestra rehearsals, chamber groups, and beginning instrumental classes. GMYS meets the needs of many disadvantaged Miami-Dade youth by providing scholarships so that no child is turned away for financial reasons. In the 2005-06 season, GMYS also began to offer an outreach PreStarter String Classes, free beginning string instrument instruction and instruments at three sites in Miami-Dade (Homestead, Kendall, Kendale Lakes), in order to expand the impact that GMYS has in the community and on music education in Miami-Dade. GMYS has also successfully increased the number of students in each of the three orchestras, thus increasing the number of students served by GMYS approximately 67%. The performance level of each orchestra has also increased in the 2005-06 season due to the dedication of the Music and Administrative Staff and volunteer Board and parents. The GMYS is a 501 @(3) not-for-profit organization. The support provided by several grants, corporate and private donations, as well as the time of teachers, parents, relatives, friends, and volunteers combined, make The Greater Miami Youth Symphony "A Total Community Project."
Conductors
Antoine Khouri
Music Director, Symphony Orchestra Conductor & Concert Chamber Coach
Antoine Khouri is a graduate of the New World School of the Arts. He studied piano, drums, violin, viola and cello before settling on the double bass as his primary instrument. He received his Bachelor of Music Education with an emphasis in Strings Education from Florida State University. He holds Master degrees from FIU School of Music and UM Frost School of Music in Performing Arts Production and Media Writing and Production. He has conducted Honors Orchestras throughout Florida and was selected to conduct the 2003 Florida All-State Honors Orchestra at the Florida Music Educators' Conference in Tampa. He is an adjudicator for Miami-Dade and Broward district and solo and ensemble evaluations. Mr. Khouri has an extensive performing background with the FIU Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, Jubilate Symphony Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra of Florida State University, and Florida A&M University Jazz Band, Symphonic Band, and Flute Choir. He has worked with conductors Michael Allen, Robert Shaw, Andrea Thomas and Dr. Roby George. Along with teaching private lessons in double bass, piano, music theory and sight singing, Mr. Khouri produces for his independent record label, Blueprints Entertainment. He has worked with artists such as Bobby McFerrin, Alesia Keys, Music Soul Child, Erikah Badu and the Isley Brothers. Mr. Khouri is in his sixth season with the Greater Miami Youth Symphony.
Dr. Roby George
Associate Music Director, Wind Ensemble Director
Roby George is Director of Wind Studies at Florida International University. Prior to his appointment at FIU, he served as Director of Bands at the New World School of the Arts in Miami for 11 years. His other teaching appointments include the University of Dayton, Boston Latin High School, Hallandale High School and Fisk University. His ensembles have performed in numerous national and international venues and his work is documented on his latest CD entitled Wind Tracks, recorded by the New World Wind Ensemble. Dr. George serves as a clinician and guest conductor throughout the country. He holds the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in Wind Conducting and the M.M.E. and B.M.E. degrees from Florida State University. Under his director, the FIU Wind Ensemble recently performed at the 2000 CBDNA Southern Regional Convention in Greensboro, North Carolina. Dr. Roby George joined the Greater Miami Youth Symphony in January 2004 as Associate Music Director and Wind Ensemble Director.
Melissa Lesniak, PhD
Executive Director, Concert Orchestra Conductor, Symphony Chamber Coach & PreStarter Strings Coordinator
Dr. Lesniak received her Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance and Business minor from Indiana University in Bloomington where she studied with Mimi Zweig. In 2005, she received her Doctorate in Music Education from the University of Miami , where she was a teaching assistant, teaching String Techniques and Elementary String Classes. She also coordinated the first and second annual ExtraordinaryStrings High School Chamber Music Festival. Dr. Lesniak has presented sessions on string pedagogy at state and national conferences, is a published author, and has participated in numerous music festivals, including the Henri Mancini Institute in Los Angeles, CA. She is also a regular performer and studio teacher in South Florida. Dr. Lesniak joined GMYS in January 2004 as the Concert Orchestra conductor . In August 2005, she became the first Executive Director for GMYS, where among other duties, she instituted the new GMYS Pre-Starter Division.
Vivian Jauma
String Orchestra Conductor, & Strings Chamber Coach
Vivian Jauma is a native of Puerto Rico who studied in the Conservatory of Music until she moved to Jacksonville, Florida in the 1990s. In Jacksonville, she graduated from the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts receiving a National String Orchestra Award for outstanding dedication and violin performance. She also was a member of the Jacksonville Youth Symphony for many years and was a concerto competition winner who performed with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. She has attended various music Festivals throughout the Americas including the Pablo Casals Festival in Puerto Rico, Eastern Music Festival in North Carolina, and the Trujillo World Opera Competition in Peru. Mrs. Jauma received a full scholarship to attend the Florida State University to attain a K-12 Instrumental Music Education Degree. At Florida State, she performed in the Philharmonic, Symphony, Chamber and Opera Orchestras. During her internship she directed the prestigious Coral Reef High School Orchestras until she acquired her current position as director of Chorus, Orchestra, and Keyboard at Arvida Middle School. During her first year at Arvida, she was nominated for Rookie Teacher of the year, and her Orchestra received a superior rating at district evaluations. As a violinist, she has performed with the Symphony of the Americas, Encore Chamber Players, Arabesque Chamber Ensemble, and A Touch of Class Strings. She has performed on MTV, Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago for his wedding and other occasions, and is a freelance musician throughout the South Florida tri-county area. Mrs. Jauma is currently the Secretary of the Florida Orchestra Association and is also an adjudicator for the Dade-County district solo and ensemble evaluations. She teaches private violin lessons and is starting her third year at Arvida Middle School. Mrs. Jauma began her work with GMYS in the Fall of 2005 as the String Orchestra Director.
Greater Miami Youth Symphony5805 Blue Lagoon Drive
, Suite 132
Miami, FL 33126
Map305-267-3002
www.GMYS.org
