- April 24, 2024
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The Flagler Youth Orchestra began with about 10 students. Today, it serves nearly 250 aspiring musicians.
Flagler Youth Orchestra began as the Flagler Symphonic Society seven years ago. At the time, the 10 or so students who were involved had to pay about $500 per year to participate. The group, which was instructed by Jonathan May, met twice a week for about an hour and a half.
Shortly after, May experienced health problems and needed to step away. The orchestra brought in three new teachers to try and fill May’s void, but none stuck. Right around that time, Cheryl Tristam enrolled her daughter into the program. Six months later, Tristam was asked by the Flagler Symphonic Society to let people know that the program would no longer be funded.
However, Tristam wasn’t going to let that happen. She took over the day-to-day operations and began raise money and revitalize the program.
After a while, then-Superintendent Bill Delbrugge agreed to fund the program through Flagler County Public School so long as Tristam and others continued to run the program.
Then, in 2005, the orchestra got a fresh start.
Saving Grace
Delbrugge agreed to fund the orchestra through the school system under two conditions: 1) It had to be offered for free to any student; and 2) someone had to be brought in that would make “this thing really big.”
“The deal was we had to convince Jonathan May to come back,” Tristam said in a Feb. 16 interview.
May had been away for about a year and a half but agreed to come back.
At the time, Tristam recalls enrolling about 40 children would have exceeded expectations. So they held an open house and did in-school recruiting around the county.
On the first night of the open house, 115 children signed up.
“This whole thing took a life of its own once we got funding,” Tristam said. “All the ducks started to fall right into place, which was really neat to see happen. Up until that point, I wasn’t aware of anyone teaching string instruments in Flagler County.”
By the end of the registration, about 150 students were enrolled.
Today, the orchestra is in its sixth year and instructs 250 students from third grade up to 18 years old.
Caren Umbarger, artistic director, began working with the orchestra in April 2010. Umbarger took over after May died Feb. 27, 2010.
Umbarger said all of the benefits of learning and performing music add to a student’s self-esteem.
“The Flagler Youth Orchestra is helping to create an arts culture in Flagler County,” Umbarger said. “ ... The arts prepare students for success in school, work and life, and all the people of Flagler County will benefit.”
The FYO has four instructors: Caren Umbarger (upper orchestra and beginner violin and viola); Jack Jeffe (beginner violin and viola); Justin McCulloch (bass instructor); and Paul Leiner (cello instructor).
Along with so many students benefiting, parents are benefiting, too.
Richlin Burnett-Ryan enrolled her daughter, Riva, into the orchestra when they relocated from New York, in 2005. At the time, Burnett-Ryan recalls, there were about 20 students.
“I find that the program, the way it’s structured with the emphasis on skill —it’s almost priceless,” Burnett-Ryan said.
Now, her youngest daughter, Savannah, is enrolled in the program, too.
And though May died last year, his legacy still lives on with the Flagler Youth Orchestra, its four instructors, 250 students and many volunteers.
IF YOU GO
The Flagler Youth Orchestra will have two concerts next week.
At 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 27, at the United Methodist Church, in Bunnell, the orchestra will hold a memorial concert for Jonathan May, who died Feb. 27, 2010. May was the force behind the orchestra when it began. Entry is free, but the orchestra requests monetary donations or to bring nonperishable food items, which will be donated to The Sheltering Tree.
Then, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, at the Flagler Auditorium, the orchestra will hold its “Teach Us Love” concert. The concert will feature a collaboration piece with the upper orchestra and the artistic director, Caren Umbarger, as well as her husband, Paul. Choir students from Flagler Palm Coast High School will also be featured. Cost is $6 for adults and free for children; $1 will be donated to the Flagler Auditorium’s arts initiative.
