Bay Area Friends of the Fine Arts

Bay Area Friends of the Fine Arts, Inc. was formed in 1968 by a small group of parents and teachers who lived in the Bayport-Blue Point area of Suffolk County's South Shore.  Its purpose was to bring the fine arts into the school and community by sponsoring touring dance and theatrical troupes, and opera studio recitals and the like.  For a number of years an annual "Art In" was held, where exhibits of artists' works were combined with musical events in day-long affairs.

From the beginning a symphony orchestra has been supported giving three or four concerts annually.  In addition, a chorus has existed intermittently and has performed both separately and with the orchestra. Both the orchestra and chorus depend on dedicated volunteers, amateur and semi-professional musicians, selected students and an important core of professional musicians and music teachers.  The music director/orchestra conductor and the chorus director are professional musicians, assisted by part-time orchestra and chorus managers.