In August 2007, Hilda Ochoa-Brillembourg, Chairman of Youth Orchestra of the Americas, received a beautiful letter from YOA musician Isaac Casal inviting a YOA ensemble to participate as “orchestra-in-residence” at the second installment of the Alfredo de Saint-Malo Festival of Panamá. As Founder and Artistic Director of the ASM Festival, Isaac Casal was inspired by his experiences with YOA to return to his country and start the first festival dedicated to the promotion of classical music education and performance as well as create opportunities for young musicians that are otherwise quite limited in Panamá. The ASM Festival is a week-long celebration of daily concerts and recitals by local and international guest artists who also participate in master classes, lectures, workshops, private lessons and didactic concerts to benefit young Panamanian musicians and local school children and families. YOA Principal Conductor, Carlos Miguel Prieto, readily agreed to lead an ensemble of 35 YOA musicians and, in a spirit of unity and mentorship, 21 members of Orquesta Juvenil Istmeña de Panamá were selected to join the YOA musicians in a combined orchestra. By October, Paquito D’Rivera & Quintet and soprano Brenda Feliciano had signed on as special ASM Festival guest artists. Working closely with Paquito D’Rivera and Isaac Casal, Maestro Prieto created music programs for two concerts with YOA & Paquito D’Rivera, and one standard classical program for a YOA solo-concert, all led by Carlos Miguel Prieto...