largest performing arts program in Flagler County, with routine enrollment of 300 or more students every year. May's reputation for inclusiveness and excellence in music education would continue to grow each year and with each new orchestra and music program he founded. Under his guidance, and as part of his desire to provide students with the most comprehensive orchestra experience, May's orchestras often performed with professional guest soloists and in venues across the globe, including in Australia, England, Scotland, throughout Austria, in major Italian venues in Milan, Fiesole, and at the Academy of Music at Santa Cecelia. May also worked with professional orchestras in Colorado, Minnesota, Tennessee, and Florida and returned to Prague as guest conductor of that city's Symphony Orchestra. On Sunday, June 15, 2008 (Father's Day), May would take 110 student musicians from all his orchestras to perform on the most revered stage in music, the Isaac Stern Auditorium / Ronald O. Perelman Stage of Carnegie Hall in New York City, as part of the venue's Ensemble Spotlight Series. Members from the Central Florida Youth Orchestra, Daytona Beach Youth Orchestra, Flagler Youth Orchestra, and Florida Young Artists Orchestra would combine to form the Florida Festival Youth Orchestra. May appeared with the orchestra on the CBS Early Show and the trip culminated with orchestra performing before a large, enthusiastic crowd in Carnegie Hall. May conducted the orchestra as they performed three works commissioned especially for the event: The Phoenix Rising by Stella Sung, Alligator Songs by May's brother, composer Daniel May, and The Ponce De Leon Suite by Robert Kerr. The orchestra would receive several standing ovations throughout the program. Always conscious of the difficulties of funding the arts but never doubting the need to do so, May and his orchestras sought to raise money for their trip by doing what they did best and holding performances for the community, as he told the press: "Selling cookies is not what we do. If people wonder why this is a worthy cause, they can come and listen." On February 26, 2010 Jonathan Paul May suffered a sudden brain bleed and died at 2:45pm the next afternoon, February 27, 2010, age 51. His public memorial at Northland Church in Longwood, Florida was attended by over 1,700 admirers, friends, students and colleagues. He had four children, Emily (b. 1987), Elliot (b. 1988), Allison (b. 1990), and Nathan (b. 1994), and was married