For Immediate Release
ORLANDO, FL – The Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra has appointed cellist, teacher and conductor, Matthew Davis, as Interim Music Director and Symphonic orchestra Conductor. He takes the role effective immediately with the departure of long time music director Andrew Lane.
Davis has been with FSYO for the last 2 seasons - moving from Prelude, to Philharmonia, and now to the Symphonic orchestra. Since 2006, Davis has held the position of Director of Strings at the Lois Cowles Harrison Center for the Visual and Performing Arts in Lakeland, Florida. In addition to conducting the Harrison Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, Davis teaches music theory, music composition, and chamber music.
"I am truly excited to serve as Interim Music Director and Conductor of the Symphonic Orchestra for the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra this upcoming season! The opportunity to collaborate with these fine young musicians to perform music of the highest caliber is an honor and a privilege, a dream come true, and I look forward to bringing my passion and joy for music making to this fine organization."– Matthew Davis
An active conductor and clinician, Davis has conducted high school and middle school honors orchestras in Orlando, Tampa, Fort Myers, and Naples, Florida as well as San Antonio, Texas. He has also served on the faculty of the Florida State University Summer Music Camps since 2008 and currently co-conducts the Symphony String and Guarneri Orchestras. Davis holds a Master of Music Education from Florida State University and a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from Indiana University.
"I look forward to having Matt, who has proven himself an asset to FSYO, step in as interim Music Director. Matt has shown a true dedication to the students and to maintaining the highest level of musicality. His vision will keep the organization moving in the right direction, growing as we continue our search for a permanent Music Director." – Stephen Schenck, Board President
A conductor for the Philharmonia Orchestra, in Davis' absence, will be announced in the coming weeks. FSYO will continue its search for a permanent music director through the 2015-2016 season.
ABOUT FSYO: The Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra aims to educate and inspire Florida's top young musicians through programs committed to strengthening musical talents and developing appreciation of the arts through classical music. The FSYO, in its 59th Concert Season, comprises three full orchestras and one string training orchestra made up of more than 250 students from eight Central Florida counties.
Programs are sponsored in part by the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs; the Florida Council on Arts and Culture; Darden Restaurant Foundation; Universal Orlando Foundation; The Central Florida Foundation and United Arts of Central Florida. The FSYO is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For more information, please visit www.fsyo.org | facebook.com/THEFSYO | @fsyo
ABOUT MATTHEW DAVIS: Matthew Davis is honored to serve as Interim Music Director and Symphonic Orchestra Conductor of the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra for the 2015-2016 Season. Mr. Davis has previously acted as conductor of the Philharmonia and Prelude Orchestras of the FSYO. Since 2006, Mr. Davis has held the position of Director of Strings at the Lois Cowles Harrison Center for the Visual and Performing Arts in Lakeland, Florida. In addition to conducting the Harrison Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, Mr. Davis teaches music theory, music composition, and chamber music. Under his direction, the Harrison Symphony Orchestra was selected to perform at the 2007 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago and the 2010 Festival des Anches in La Croix Valmer, France. Mr. Davis holds a Master of Music Education from Florida State University and a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from Indiana University.
An active conductor and clinician, Mr. Davis has conducted high school and middle school honors orchestras in Orlando, Tampa, Fort Myers, and Naples, Florida as well as San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Davis has served on the faculty of the Florida State University Summer Music Camps since 2008 and currently co-conducts the Symphony String and Guarneri Orchestras.
Mr. Davis was awarded a Surdna Arts Teachers Fellowship in 2011 to travel to the Netherlands to study Baroque cello at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. He was honored to be named Harrison School for the Arts Teacher of the Year for 2011-2012. In 2004, Mr. Davis was presented with the Marjorie Keller Young Teacher Award by the Texas chapter of the American String Teachers Association.
As a cellist, Mr. Davis has studied with Lubomir Georgiev, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Helga Winold, Nathaniel Rosen, and Richard Aaron and served as Assistant Principal Cello of the Tallahassee Symphony. He performed on tour with the American Russian Young Artists Orchestra in the United States, Russia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, and in chamber music programs at the Encore School for Strings, the Quartet Program, and the Chautauqua Institute. Mr. Davis is a member of the American String Teachers Association and the Florida Music Educators Association. He currently serves as the Co-Chair for the Florida Orchestra Association All-State Music Committee Chair.
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