About Us
History of the Fine Arts Orchestral Society of Yonkers
Sponsors of the Yonkers Philharmonic Orchestra
The Fine Arts Orchestral Society of Yonkers (FAOS), sponsor of the Yonkers Philharmonic Orchestra, celebrates it’s 49th anniversary in its 2009-2010 concert season. In 1962 the late Pasquale A. Pistone founded the Yonkers Philharmonic Orchestra with the encouragement and enthusiasm of members of the former Yonkers Symphony Orchestra, which Maestro Pistone had conducted for the previous two years. After incorporating, the orchestra received financial support from Local 38 of the American Federation of Musicians.
In 1962, Dr. Kathleen A. Pistone founded FAOS. The founder, the musicians, their families, and a small nucleus of charter members kept the music playing by raising funds through a variety of social events.
The late Maestro Jerome Sala was named conductor and musical director of the orchestra in 1972. He remained in this position until his death in 2001. In 1987, under the aegis of Mr. Sala, members of the orchestra initiated a special program in collaboration with the Yonkers Public schools. Musicians from the orchestra became mentors for students in the Enrico Fermi School for Performing Arts and Emerson Middle School. They encouraged student participation in the study of music. The program was discontinued when FAOS could no longer fund it.
FAOS leads the way in providing free live symphonic concerts to residents of Yonkers, and its surrounding communities. The Yonkers Philharmonic Orchestra presents four free concerts each year at Saunders High School. For more than fifteen years, audiences enjoyed a free outdoor summer concert offered by the Orchestra. at the Cross County Shopping Center. These concerts were co-sponsored by the FAOS , the Cross County Shopping Center, and the City of Yonkers. In 2004 and 2005 the orchestra gave free outdoor summer concerts again at Cross County.
In the fall of 2002, the Yonkers Philharmonic Orchestra was featured at the gala celebration of the opening of the building housing the Larkin Plaza branch of the Yonkers Public Library and the Yonkers Board of Education.
The FAOS recognizes, and encourages young talented musicians. When Pasquale A. Pistone died in 1971, FAOS gave scholarships in his memory to promising teenage musicians from Yonkers. This grew into our current Concerto Competition, now in its 28th year, in which talented high-school music students from all over Westchester County are offered the opportunity to compete for scholarships and the opportunity to perform as soloists with the orchestra.
* INFORMATION AND APPLICATION FOR THE CONCERTO COMPETITION *
We hope to continue to fulfill our goals under the aegis of our music director and conductor, Maestro James Sadewhite. To meet these goals we need the continued generous support of our members, and benefactors. We thank the Yonkers Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation; the Westchester Arts Council; the Westchester Community Foundation; the National Heritage Trust; the Thomas and Agnes Carvel Foundation and the Eugene and Emily Grant Foundation for their support.
Other information about us: In June 2003 the East Yonkers Rotary Club gave the FAOS an honorarium for service to the community. On April 23, 2006 UPAC honored the FAOS and the Yonkers Philharmonic Orchestra for community service.
All board members are volunteers. About 40% of the orchestra members are volunteers.
FAOS Mission Statement
The Fine Arts Orchestral Society of Yonkers (FAOS) is a not-for-profit organization in its forty-second year. The organization sponsors the Yonkers Philharmonic Orchestra. We remain dedicated to the following goals:
- Providing free live symphonic concerts on Sunday afternoons to Yonkers and its neighboring communities.
- Exposing the audience to quality performance of classical music.
- Providing senior citizens and families with free recreational and cultural programs that otherwise would be inaccessible to them.
- Offering aspiring young musicians the educational opportunity to be an integral part of an orchestra whose members range from teenagers to octogenarians.
- Encouraging renowned musicians to serve as role models for younger musicians.
- Showcasing talented high-school soloists from all of Westchester County.
- Maintaining the cultural diversity of the orchestra.
- Introducing original compositions by area composers.
- Promoting music education and appreciation by providing the audience with program notes as well as verbal anecdotes by the conductor.
- Enhancing the quality of life of the audience and musicians.
