Registration is now open for the Sinfonia Gulf Coast 2025-2026 music education programs.
Sinfonia Youth Orchestra (SYO) offers student musicians opportunities to enhance their musical talents and perform in a variety of ensembles throughout the school year under the mentorship of professional musicians.
Programs include the Advanced Symphonic Orchestra, for advanced (All-State level) middle and high school student musicians who play strings, winds, brass, and percussion; Intermediate Symphonic Orchestra for middle school students who play strings, winds, brass, and percussion; and Sinfonietta Strings, open to beginning string students. A pop group is also available to select students from the Advanced Symphonic Orchestra. The Sinfonietta and Intermediate Ensembles are looking for student piano accompanists as well.
Sinfonia’s after school beginning strings programs have led to over 100 students throughout Okaloosa and Walton Counties discovering the love of strings in the program’s two years of implementation.
This year, Sinfonia plans to expand programs into Dune Lakes, Freeport, and Antioch Elementary schools to join existing programs at Bluewater, Shalimar, Destin, and Van R. Butler Elementary Schools.
Joining the SYO program comes with numerous benefits. SYO is in partnership with the only professional orchestra in the area, offering students hands-on teaching by experienced professionals.
Performances at Sinfonia Gulf Coast events feature A-list performers such as Time For Three, Brubeck Brothers Quartet, Patti LaBelle, Kristin Chenoweth, Bernadette Peters, and others providing high-caliber performance experiences.
High school students can earn Bright Futures volunteer hours at Sinfonia Gulf Coast and SYO events.
The program is designed to be accessible and affordable. Need-based scholarships are available by request. Rehearsals are scheduled on Sunday afternoons to accommodate busy school-week schedules, and members receive free tickets to each Sinfonia Gulf Coast main season concert.
SYO seniors can apply for the Grace Fulcher Memorial Scholarship, created in honor of Grace Bernice Fulcher, a former SYO member, and may be selected for the Exemplary Character or Exceptional Talent awards by the instructors.
“We believe our youth orchestra programs foster a strong sense of community, allowing members to connect with like-minded fellow musicians in a safe, collaborative, and welcoming environment,” said Sinfonia Youth Orchestra director Margaret Gordon, in a news release.
“It is our goal to achieve high level performances while making sure every student is assisted in reaching their full potential as musicians.” Gordon said.
“It is an honor to be able to offer beginning strings instruction to students of Okaloosa and Walton Counties through our after-school programs. I am incredibly excited to welcome a potential 160 new students in our programs this year,” she said.
Since its establishment in 2007, Sinfonia Gulf Coast’s music education programs have served over 220,000 children in Okaloosa and Walton Counties.
For more information about the Sinfonia Music Education programs or audition process, visit SinfoniaGulfCoast.org or contact Margaret Gordon at mgordon@sinfoniagulfcoast.org
This information was provided by Zandra Wolfgram.
This article originally appeared on The Destin Log: Sinfonia Gulf Coast opens registration for 2024-26 music education programs
Reporting by The Destin Log / The Destin Log
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