South Florida Symphony Orchestra, Fort Lauderdale

Maestra Sebrina María Alfonso is much more than a music director waving a wand. She's a visionary who built an entire symphonic empire from the ground up. She's an ambassador of classical music whose tireless efforts have enriched the culture of the Florida Keys. Plus she was the first Cuban/American conductor to lead the National Orchestra of Cuba, and she's conducted an entire concert underwater. Beat that, Leopold Stokowski.

But before the South Florida Symphony came to full fruition as what CBS Radio calls a "world class orchestra," it began as the Key West Symphony Orchestra, which was no small task to assemble in a land made of long chains of islands. Yet Alfonso's passion for building an orchestra in the lair of parrotheads was a smashing success, attracting international guest musicians, grateful audiences, and plenty of acclaim. And having accomplished her mission of culturally overhauling the Keys, the Maestra moved to Fort Lauderdale and caught lightning in a bottle twice with the South Florida Symphony. The new SFSO attracts the top symphonic talents and renowned guests artists, and blankets Key West to Palm Beach with the mellifluous power of classical music.