About

The Flagler Youth Orchestra’s mission is to provide quality string instruction and orchestral performance experience to the children of our community.  We are currently serving over 300 students of varying ages and skill levels.  Enrollment at Flagler Youth Orchestra is free for any Flagler County resident, and we gladly accept students of all skill levels.  In a nutshell, we are all about giving children the gift of music, one gift we believe they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Our hope for the future is simply to grow and sustain this program, producing real players of their instruments, and to this end we need your help. There are many way you can support Flagler Youth Orchestra.  Take a look at what we do, read some of the stories the FYO students and parents shared with us, and show us a little love if you believe we are on the right track.

Meet the FYO Staff...
FYO Executive Director Cheryl Tristam

Cheryl Tristam: Executive Director Cheryl Tristam is likely the first person you will have contact with at the FYO. She became involved in the strings program in 2004 when there were only 11 students participating. Since then, and with founding artistic director, Jonathan May, Cheryl has successfull[more]

Artistic Director Caren Umbarger

Meet the Artistic Director: Caren Umbarger Caren Umbarger began playing the violin at age 5.  In 1988 she graduated from Hamline University with a music degree in violin performance and spent 28 years teaching and performing chamber and orchestral music in the Minneapolis area; as a member of Triol[more]

FYO Violin and Viola instructor – Jack Jeffe

Jack Jeffe: Flagler Youth Orchestra Violin and Viola Educator Jack Jeffe was born in Buffalo, New York in 1940. He took up the violin at age 10, and three years later was studying with Fred Ressel, the principal violist of the Buffalo Philharmonic. Jeffe switched to the viola in his sophomore year o[more]

FYO Violin and Viola Instructor – Maggie Snively

Maggie Snively grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and began playing violin at the age of nine.  Many lessons later, she pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree at Lebanon Valley College, studying under Johannes Dietrich. Maggie continued on to the Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville to achieve a[more]

FYO Cello and Bass Instructor – El Gervasio

El Gervasio began studying violin when she was 7, started by her mother. In high school, El sang in chorus, studied clarinet and baritone horn so she could be in band as well as orchestra. She graduated from New York University with a degree in music education, and taught in public school, mostly in[more]

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