Jonathan May - Tributes

Tributes

Since May's death, many Central Florida concerts and performances have been dedicated to his honor. The Central Florida Youth Orchestra, the Flagler Youth Orchestra, and the Trinity Prep Theater Department all dedicated performances to May. The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra (OPO) also dedicated the first number of its “Myth and Poetry” program on November 1, 2010 to May; The Phoenix Rising, composed by May’s friend and OPO’s composer-in-residence Stella Sung, was originally commissioned by May for his youth orchestra. Upon completion of the emotional piece, OPO conductor Christopher Wilkins embraced Maureen May, who plays cello in the orchestra. Additional tributes to May have been planned by the CFYO, the FYO, and the Metropolitan Area Youth Symphony.

May 1st has been designated by the government of Orange County, Florida as Mr. Jonathan May Day. The first celebration was held May 1, 2010 at Trinity Preparatory School in Winter Park, Florida, and events are planned annually in Central Florida to honor and celebrate May's love and lifelong commitment to music education.

In 2010, May was named as honorary founder of the Metropolitan Area Youth Symphony (MAYS) in the Orlando area, founded by his wife, Maureen, and longtime friend, colleague, and fellow conductor, Michael Miller of The Geneva School in Winter Park. The MAYS sets out to continue May's inclusive music educational philosophy, and states about him on the orchestra website: "The MAYS is dedicated to his honor and maintaining the high musical, educational, and ethical ideals that he brought with him to each of his orchestras and students.

On May 14, 2011, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra honored May at its concert featuring violinist Joshua Bell with the world premiere performance of a commissioned work by May's brother, Daniel. The piece, Tall and Small, was named to reflect the wide impact May's passion for music had on children and adults alike. The professional OPO musicians were joined onstage by 30-35 student musicians of all skill levels that worked with or were inspired by May. The Make Music-Make History competition continued through April 1, 2011 with live audition recordings conducted by the Metropolitan Area Youth Symphony in March. The sold-out concert began with the “The Tall and the Small,” a 12-minute piece that the Orlando Sentinel reviewed as “reminiscent of that moment when the sun emerges after a long stretch of rain.” The OPO was accompanied by a 36-member youth ensemble that featured two of May’s children, as well as his wife, Maureen, who was seated in front of the orchestra and played an emotional cello solo on Jonathan’s cello.

In 2012, tributes to Jonathan May continued to be made throughout Central Florida. The CFYO renamed its annual season finale concert “MAYFEST” to serve as a tribute to its former leader. After honoring May’s memory in 2011 with a February 28 performance at the cold-weather shelter at First United Methodist Church in Bunnell, Florida, the Flagler Youth Orchestra honored May’s memory in 2012 with a day-long tour of assisted and independent living facilities in Palm Coast on the weekend before Jonathan May Day.