Betty Utter Community Impact Award Winners

Honored by: Empire State Youth Orchestra 

For more than four decades, Richard Albagli shaped the lives of countless young musicians through his leadership of the Empire State Youth Orchestra Percussion Program, which he founded in 1983. Widely regarded as the “father” of ESYO percussion, Rich built a program known not only for musical excellence, but for its deep sense of community, creativity, and mentorship. 
 
Under his leadership, ESYO percussion ensembles performed at major festivals and venues including the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, Tanglewood, the Manhattan School of Music, and on NPR’s From the Top. But Rich’s greatest impact has always been personal. Beyond rehearsals and performances, he built a true community around the program—hosting percussion picnics, offering free lessons and coaching sessions, and creating a culture where students felt challenged, supported, and deeply connected to one another. Generations of students describe him not only as an exceptional teacher and musician, but as someone who genuinely invested in their growth as people. 
 
His influence continues to ripple throughout the music world through former students who now perform professionally, teach, and mentor others themselves. Even after his retirement, the culture of curiosity, rigor, and camaraderie he created remains central to ESYO percussion. Richard Albagli’s legacy is woven deeply into the fabric of ESYO and the broader musical life of New York’s Capital Region. 

About Richard

Richard Albagli served as Music Director of the Empire State Youth Orchestra Percussion Program from its founding in 1983 through his retirement in 2024. Principal Percussionist of the Albany Symphony Orchestra and longtime faculty member at the University at Albany and RPI, Albagli has mentored generations of young percussionists while shaping one of ESYO’s most distinctive and enduring programs. 

Honored by: Civic Youth Ensembles 

Tanya Bennet is an amazing community leader, teacher, mentor, and colleague. The care and respect she demonstrates towards her students often challenges them but allows them to thrive, grow, and succeed.  Students absolutely lean on her for mentorship and guidance. She is more than a teacher and educator—she is a leader and ambassador.   

About Tanya

Tanya Bennett is the current Orchestra Director of Renaissance High School in Detroit Public Schools Community District. Ms. Bennett also leads the Civic Sinfonia String Orchestra for the Civic Youth Ensembles.  As an alum of CYE,  Ms. Bennett has been a strong supporter and ambassador of CYE.  Her program at Renaissance is thriving with youth string students because of her guidance and leadership. 

Honored by: Toledo Symphony Youth Orchestra

Dorothy Coats’ impact on the Toledo Youth Symphony Orchestra (TYSO) cannot be overstated. She was instrumental in creating and leading the Toledo Junior Youth Orchestra in 1978 and was one of the organization’s strongest advocates as it grew into the Toledo Symphony Youth Orchestras. She was known for always being warm, welcoming, and supportive. 
   
After retiring, Dorothy remained a constant presence at rehearsals. Students could count on her smiling face as she greeted them, helped with attendance, and made them feel seen and valued. Every performance she was equipped with extra bow ties and a mission to make sure everyone was dressed and ready to perform. As her health slowed her pace, she found ways to stay involved, recruiting family members to drive her to rehearsals and performances so she could continue the work she loves.  
   
25 years later, in her 90s, Dorothy remains a mentor and model of what it means to advocate for the arts.  She has won many battles along the way with the intent of making the arts more accessible and meaningful. TYSO Artistic Director Wasim Hawary says, “I aspire to create a legacy half as impactful as the one Dorothy Coats has curated.”

About Dorothy 

Mrs. Coats devoted more than five decades to music education in Toledo. Alongside her years teaching strings in local school programs, she was a founding conductor of the Toledo Junior Youth Orchestras, which later became the Toledo Youth Orchestras, then the TSYO, where she served as manager, guiding the program’s expansion and supporting hundreds of young musicians. Her leadership and commitment strengthened Toledo’s orchestral programs and nurtured generations of student performers. 

Honored by: The Reno Phil Youth Symphony Orchestra 

Sue has been a dedicated volunteer with the Reno Phil Youth Symphony Orchestra for more than two decades, beginning in 1999 when her son joined the program. Although her son has long since graduated, Sue’s commitment has never wavered. She remains an integral part of the youth orchestra community, serving as a welcoming and reliable presence at auditions, dress rehearsals, special events, and concerts. 
 
As one of the founding members of the broader Reno Phil volunteer program, Sue has consistently prioritized her work with the youth orchestra while also supporting other organizational needs. Her longstanding involvement reflects both her deep connection to the program and her belief in its impact on young musicians. 
 
Sue approaches every volunteering opportunity with warmth, professionalism, and genuine enthusiasm. She creates a positive and supportive environment for students and families, often serving as one of the first friendly faces they encounter. Her dedication, consistency, and joyful spirit have made a lasting impression on generations of students and have strengthened the overall experience of the Reno Phil Youth Symphony Orchestra community. 

About Sue

Sue has been a volunteer with the Reno Philharmonic since the volunteer program was created approximately 15 years ago. She loves the many opportunities to support the Phil: assisting in the office during staff meetings, helping during rehearsals, working with youth during auditions and concerts, packing treats for RPA Kids, serving at fundraisers, and more. Sue adds, “Joy is what being a volunteer for the Phil means to me.” 

Honored by: Cayuga Chamber Orchestra Youth Orchestra 

Sarah Cummings originally drove her children over an hour to the Youth Philharmonic in Rochester NY. Inspired by this organization and her side-by-side experiences with the Ithaca Chamber Orchestra while she was a student at Ithaca College, she teamed up with fellow Cayuga Chamber Orchestra (CCO) musician Kirsten Marshall to co-found a youth orchestra closer to home that would stand the test of time. This involved asking the CCO to adopt a youth orchestra, the development and presentation of a financial and organizational and structure, planning for auditioning, and canvassing for candidates.

She codified the current model that includes auditions, a fall weekend retreat, a concerto competition, coaching by CCO members, free concerts at Ithaca college, runout concerts to surrounding communities, and an end of season celebration.

Much of her work was behind the scenes. Sarah helped plan and execute the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra Youth Orchestra’s first trip across the border. This trip was to Canada and involved fundraising and lots of logistical planning and communication. Then she helped plan a second trip, this time overseas to Italy, requiring even more administrative work plus a lot of fundraising. Sarah helped hold all the threads together and turn ideas into reality.

About Sue

Sarah Cummings began studying the violin at the age of 4 in Durham, NH with Louise Wear, the first generation of teachers to implement the Suzuki method in the United States. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance from Ithaca College and a master’s degree in musicology from Northwestern University. Her other teachers include Marylou Speaker Churchill, Linda Case, and Blair Milton. Sarah did her Suzuki Teacher Training with Carrie Reuning Hummel, Sandy Reuning, and Thomas Wermuth. Sarah is a violin faculty member and co-director of the Ithaca Suzuki Music Education School and is also the co-director of the summer Ithaca Suzuki Institute.

Also active in the upstate New York area as a freelance musician, Sarah has performed regularly with local organizations such as Music’s Recreation and Women’s Works, and is featured on the album Fiddlespel: Dance Music of Scandinavia.

A devoted member of the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra since 1998, she has served on numerous committees, worked as the music librarian for 15 years, and served on the Board of Directors for nine years. She is currently the program coordinator for the Willard Daetsch Youth Outreach Program, in addition to co-founding the CCO Youth Orchestra in 2017.

Honored by: Greater Princeton Youth Orchestra  

David Defreese stepped into leadership at a moment when GPYO was vulnerable to real organizational and financial instability. Early in the pandemic, he launched and led a Bridge Fund campaign that kept the orchestra solvent and ensured continued access for students when programming and revenue streams were disrupted. When staffing turnover followed, he assumed the responsibilities of Acting Executive Director for nearly two years, providing steady operational leadership when the organization needed consistency most. 
 
In 2023, Dave played a central role in securing GPYO’s reestablishment in Princeton, gaining rehearsal and administrative space on the Westminster Choir College campus after several years of temporary and shifting locations. This move restored stability, accessibility, and a clear sense of identity for the students and families we serve. 
 
Dave also recognized the importance of institutional memory and community connection. He designed and produced GPYO’s annual yearbook, now a valued tradition that documents each season’s accomplishments and strengthens engagement among students, families, and alumni. 
 
The GPYO that exists today—a stable, visible, mission-centered organization—is directly tied to David’s steady, unsentimental, and hands-on leadership. 

About David

David A. Defreese is a committed member of the GPYO Board of Directors. His involvement began when his son was a member of the Symphonic Orchestra and continues to this day, years after his son graduated, as its unofficial photographer and historian, preserving GPYO’s story through his lens. He previously served in multiple administrative roles at Princeton University, bringing a strong focus on student success to his work with GPYO. 

Honored by: Philadelphia Youth Orchestra / PYO Music Institute 

Gloria dePasquale exemplifies the spirit of the Betty Utter Community Impact Award through a lifetime of leadership in youth orchestras, community engagement, and music education. A distinguished cellist with The Philadelphia Orchestra for over four decades, Mrs. dePasquale has dedicated her career not only to artistic excellence but also to expanding access to high-quality music education and fostering meaningful connections between young musicians and their communities.  
 
Her impact on the PYO Music Institute (PYOMI), as Chief Artistic Advisor, is both foundational and far-reaching. In 2006, alongside her late husband, William dePasquale, she co-founded Prysm Strings, an innovative program that provides students with a comprehensive, inclusive approach to string education. Now in its 19th season, Prysm Strings has grown into a multi-level program serving over 180 students per year across the Greater Philadelphia region. She helped establish and sustain The Philadelphia Orchestra’s “Side by Side” initiative, bringing The Philadelphia Orchestra and youth orchestras from Philadelphia together in special rehearsal clinics, of which PYOMI was the first. She has also developed sectional coaching opportunities that connect students directly with world-class performers, many of whom are PYOMI alumni. In 2013, she designed PYOMI’s College and Conservatory Audition Preparation program, which equips students with the tools needed to pursue higher education in music. In 2022, Mrs. dePasquale helped create and launch the PYOMI Summer String Camp, expanding access to intensive summer training and creating new entry points for students to engage with music education in a supportive, community-centered environment. Through her leadership in The Philadelphia Orchestra PlayINs, Mrs. dePasquale helped create inclusive musical experiences that brought together students, amateurs, and professionals on the same stage, breaking down traditional barriers and redefining what it means to participate in orchestral music.  
 
Mrs. dePasquale’s influence extends nationally through her decades of service with the League of American Orchestras and her ongoing mentorship of students who have gone on to become performers, educators, and advocates in their own communities. Her work embodies the idea that youth orchestras are not only training grounds for musicians, but catalysts for personal growth, civic engagement, and lifelong connection to the arts. Mrs. dePasquale has shaped generations of musicians and strengthened the role of youth orchestras as engines of community transformation. She is, in every sense, a “Betty Utter” for the PYO Music Institute and the broader orchestral field.  

About Mrs. dePasquale

Gloria dePasquale was a member of The Philadelphia Orchestra from 1977 to 2022, performing under conductors including Eugene Ormandy, Riccardo Muti, and Yannick Nézet-Séguin. A dedicated educator and advocate for youth music, she is the founding director of Prysm Strings at the PYO Music Institute, where she also created the College and Conservatory Audition Preparation program and helped launch the Summer Strings Program. She has been instrumental in fostering partnerships between PYOMI and Philadelphia Orchestra musicians through Side-by-Side performances and masterclasses. A former board member of the League of American Orchestras, she continues to mentor students who pursue studies at leading conservatories and universities. 

Honored by: Elemental Music 

Janie Docter has made a profound and lasting impact on Elemental Music’s community through her visionary leadership, philanthropy, and deep personal commitment. As Elemental Music’s longest-serving board member, she has helped guide the organization from a single ensemble of just 25 students into a vibrant, multi-program community serving hundreds of young musicians each year across Santa Monica, Venice, and surrounding westside communities. Her steady leadership has ensured that our growth has remained rooted in access, quality, and a strong sense of belonging. 

Janie’s dedication to equity in music education has been especially transformative. Her major, multi-year pledge to our scholarship fund established the Edward Lee Memorial Scholarship and expanded access for students who might not otherwise be able to participate. She has also invested in the organization’s future through a significant contribution to the new campus, naming the Grace and Edward Lee Lobby as a welcoming space for community connection. 
 
In addition, Janie has been instrumental in launching and growing Elemental Music’s Tasting Notes gala, which she has co-chaired since its inception in 2023. Through her leadership, generosity, and tireless advocacy, Janie has helped build a more inclusive, joyful, and sustainable musical community for young people to thrive. 

About Janie

Janie Docter has served on the board of Elemental Music for over 15 years, helping guide its growth from a single program to serving 800 students annually. A lifelong amateur musician, she plays violin in community orchestras, volunteers teaching strings, and accompanies school performances on piano. Professionally, Janie was lead financial analyst for UCLA’s Opto-Electronics Group, managing more than $50 million in research funding. 

Honored by: South Florida Youth Symphony 

Continuing the legacy her stepfather, the South Florida Youth Symphony founder, Maestro Carmen Nappo, Marjorie empowers young musicians ages 3-23 in the learning and performing of Classical orchestral music. 

Under Marjorie’s tutelage the South Florida Youth Symphony has won multiple commemorative accolades from Miami Dade County, Gold honor trophies from national and International Music Festivals, and a Suncoast Emmy award for their 2020 participation in a virtual premiere performance during the Covid Pandemic. 

She received the “Arts and Entertainment Award” from Miami- Dade County Mayor and the Miami-Dade Parks dept. on March 10, 2022, for the “In the Company of Women” Awards.  

Her service for 9 years on the Board of the Youth Orchestra Division of the League of American Orchestras helped formulate directives, guidelines and relationships for youth orchestras across the country. 

About Marjorie 

Now in her 54th season as Music Director, teacher, and Executive Director of the 61-year-old South Florida Youth Symphony organization, Marjorie continues to reap honors and awards for herself and the orchestra she serves.   

Honored by: Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestras 

Kathy Hart has been a driving force behind the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestras (KSYO) program. Her connection to the KSYO began as a high school violinist and has continued through more than 30 years of dedicated leadership. 
 
Kathy’s energy, enthusiasm, and vision, has grown the program from three orchestras serving 120 students into a vibrant ecosystem of six youth orchestras reaching nearly 400 students that present four public concerts each year to enthusiastic, full audiences. During her tenure, she also established the KSO’s Summer Music Camp, which now serves more than 200 orchestra, band, and choir students annually. 
 
Kathy’s impact extends far beyond musical achievement. She fosters discipline, mentorship, and meaningful relationships, guiding students to grow not only as musicians but as individuals. Her influence endures long after students leave KSYO, inspiring many to give back to the program. Alumni have returned as conductors and rehearsal assistants, while others have gone on to join the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, perform with professional ensembles, or contribute to a wide range of musical and cultural organizations. 
 
She is beloved by students, alumni, conductors, and parents alike for her unwavering commitment to music education and the KSYO. 

About Kathy

Kathy Hart is the Manager of the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestras and conducts the Sinfonia Orchestra. She maintains an active private violin studio and is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Tennessee. An eight-time recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award from the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts, she was also recognized in the YWCA’s 2020 Tribute to Women. 

Honored by: Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program 

When her daughter was a young music student participating in one of the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program (AYSP) ensembles, Patty began recording AYSP concerts for her own family with her handheld video camera.  At some point thereafter, Patty, a retired engineer and video recording hobbyist, purchased some more sophisticated video cameras and equipment and decided to start recording concerts for other AYSP students and families.  
 
For the past nearly 20 years, Patty has dutifully created high-quality, beautifully produced recordings of all AYSP ensemble performances. She does this all at no cost to AYSP, or at a modest cost (to cover her expenses) to AYSP families who have purchased her beautiful recordings to keep and to share with friends and extended family members unable to attend student performances in person. Patty has always gone above and beyond to provide AYSP and its community with timeless mementos of our students’ musical adventures with AYSP. Thanks to her work, AYSP has an archive of all student ensemble performances, many of which have been utilized by AYSP in connection with grant applications, fundraising, or program promotions.   
 
Patty is retiring this spring and will no longer be recoding AYSP concerts after the 2025-2026 season. She is irreplaceable! 

About Patty

Patty worked as an engineer at Honeywell in the 1980s. After she left corporate life to raise her family, Patty took an interest in photography and videography. In the late 1990s, when her daughter was a student musician in the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program, Patty started recording AYSP ensemble concerts for other students and families, and continued to do so long after her daughter had graduated from high school and was no longer pursuing music.  Patty has now recorded all AYSP ensemble performances for nearly 20 years. 

Honored by: California Youth Symphony  

Tsai Chen Vicky Lin is a highly dedicated volunteer whose efforts have made a significant impact on the California Youth Symphony (CYS) since her eldest child joined CYS in 2019. As the parent of two CYS percussionists, she has served multiple years as a Head Parent and Percussion Volunteer. 
 
Vicky and her husband, Yongxiang, generously commit numerous hours throughout the season. Their critical support includes transporting and setting up percussion instruments for all ten programmed concerts, as well as moving instruments to and from the Senior Orchestra Camp in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains. 
 
As a Head Parent Volunteer, Vicky has been invaluable to the CYS community. Her dedication is evident in her coordination of orchestra social events, leadership in parent volunteer campaigns, provision of refreshments for musicians at rehearsals and concerts, and diligent setup of equipment for various events. We are deeply grateful for her positive presence and tireless service during her tenure as a CYS parent; she will be greatly missed when her second child graduates at the end of the 2025-26 season! 

About Vicky

Tsai Chen Vicky Lin is a dedicated volunteer at the California Youth Symphony and Lynbrook High School. She holds a bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University and works for Uncle Bubble, a Taiwan-based company. Vicky is known for her enthusiastic commitment to helping wherever she is needed, a belief she carries alongside her love for dogs and good food. 

Honored by: Houston Youth Symphony 

Vicki Manning is a CPA during the week and our MVV (Most Valuable Volunteer) on Sundays. Three of her sons are alums of Houston Youth Symphony (HYS); her fourth son is a rehearsal intern, seen at every HYS rehearsal. Vicki has been volunteering for seven years and is most visible spearheading the snack bar each Sunday. She is usually helping musicians buy Sour Punch Straws and Dr. Pepper. If not manning our snack bar with the other volunteers she oversees, she can be spotted helping a musician to their rehearsal room or answering parents’ questions. Vicki is known for her constant willingness to pitch in, help out, and take charge if needed, because she knows that what HYS does is vital and can change lives.  

About Vicki

Vicki Manning, CPA, works at Stinson & Levit. Supporting skill development in others is her passion. Over seven years of volunteering with snacks and concessions at Houston Youth Symphony has provided the opportunity to get to know staff, parents, and aspiring musicians. Three of Vicki’s sons are HYS Alums. The fourth exemplifies the HYS mission as staff. 

Honored by: Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony 

Maestro Henry Miyamura’s impact on Hawaiʻi is rooted in his personal story. Raised in Kalihi in a high-poverty environment, he experienced firsthand how music cultivates discipline, character, and pathways for upward mobility. That lived understanding shaped his desire for his students and their families.  
 
Over his 33-year tenure as Music Director, he built a culture that reached over 15,000 youth. Recognizing Hawaiʻi’s geographic isolation, he worked tirelessly to include neighbor island students and educators, strengthening statewide connectivity. A consummate champion for music of all genres, lineages, and decades, Miyamura routinely programmed a complement of European, Asia-Pacific composers, contemporary/living works, and indigenous Hawaiian repertoire and artists, introducing his students and their families to an inclusive, and diverse, musical spectrum. His legacy endures through generations of alumni who carry forward his values as artists, educators, and community leaders. 
 
In the years since his tenure, Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony has further expanded access through need-based financial aid, initiatives like the Pacific Music Institute (which Miyamura co-founded with colleague Lance Jo in 1987), and collaborations with the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra, ensuring that young people have multiple entry points to participate in high-level music-making. 

About Maestro Miyamura 

Maestro Henry Miyamura’s leadership shaped Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony (HYS) through artistic vision, excellence, and deep commitment to teaching. Maestro Miyamuraʻs journey in HYS began as a 9th grader in 1953, after which he attained performance degrees from Eastman School of Music and Western Washington University. Some 30 years later, he became the third Music Director  of HYS (1983–2016). Mr. Miyamura also directed the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Symphony Orchestra, was principal clarinet & assistant conductor of the Honolulu Symphony, was a member of the American Bandmasters Association, and taught in middle and high schools. He passed in 2025 at age 86. 

Honored by: Worcester Youth Orchestras 

Brita Meng Outzen came to Worcester Youth Orchestras (WYO) as a parent in 2018, serving on various committees and volunteering to be resident photographer. Her skills and dedication were highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she oversaw the creation of a multi-camera set-up to capture concerts and events. She formally joined the Board in 2022 and serves on the HR and Policies Committee, remaining even after her daughter graduated. Brita served as a chaperone on international tours and other events while capturing the life of WYO from behind her cameras. Whether meeting tight 24-hour deadlines to get images to newspapers or city hall, picking up a timpani to get it over a door jam, or providing a shoulder to cry on, Brita is very much a part of the fabric of the WYO community. 

About Brita

Brita Meng Outzen is a pioneering female photographer for the Boston Red Sox and in the professional baseball league. Trained as an electrical engineer, she helped launch the Red Sox’s website and became webmaster. Her enthusiasm for baseball and need for pictures for the new website led her to train as a photographer, leading her to capture landmark action shots of the team. 

Honored by: New York Youth Symphony 

Rima Vargas Vetter and her husband, Paul Ukena, established the Vargas Vetter Ukena Fellowship to support educational and artistic opportunities for NYYS musicians. The Fellowship provides financial support, mentorship, and professional development, and to date has awarded fellowships to more than 100 students.   

This fellowship has made a sustained and meaningful impact on the New York Youth Symphony community by removing financial barriers that often limit young musicians’ ability to fully participate and thrive. Through direct support, the Fellowship has enabled students to purchase or repair instruments, take private lessons, pay for books and sheet music, acquire appropriate concert attire, and access essential technology such as computers and advanced music software. These resources are not luxuries—they are foundational tools that allow students to engage seriously with their musical training.  
 
Beyond meeting immediate needs, the Fellowship has helped students take critical next steps in their artistic and educational development. VVU support has enabled musicians to prepare audition materials, perform with confidence, and pursue opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach. For many students, this support has been the difference between merely participating and truly advancing. 
 
Equally important is the Fellowship’s emphasis on mentorship and professional development. By pairing financial support with guidance and encouragement, the VVU Fellowship affirms students’ potential and helps them envision a future in music. Over time, this investment has strengthened not only individual musicians, but the overall health, diversity, and artistic excellence of the NYYS community—creating a lasting ripple effect that extends well beyond the fellowship recipients themselves. 

About Rima

Rima Vargas Vetter is a retired model, actress, dancer, and philanthropist who has served on the Board of the New York Youth Symphony for more than 20 years. Together with her husband, Paul Ukena, she established the Vargas Vetter Ukena Fellowship, which has had a tremendous impact on the NYYS community. 
 
Beyond this named program, Rima is a steadfast supporter of NYYS staff and leadership, a strong advocate for access and inclusion, and a generous ambassador who helps expand the reach of our audiences and programs. 
 
Rima and Paul split their time between New York and Paris and maintain a wide, eclectic circle of friends across both continents.