Although EMMA has been doing business for years as the EMMA Concert Association, the organization’s original name was Emil Maestre Music Association.  Started by a small group of music lovers, among them Frieda Bringmann and Irene and Peter Allemano in April 1979, the organization was named after a famous Spanish cellist, Emil Maestre, who retired to St. Augustine.  EMMA was incorporated in September of the same year.

EMMA has always been a nonprofit all-volunteer organization with a mission to produce quality music and dance performances at modest ticket prices.  Since then the organization has lived up to this commitment and never failed.  The volunteers serving on the EMMA board of Directors change as times goes, but they all embrace the work with the same enthusiasm and spirit of accomplishment that bonds the group together.

In 1989 the volunteers felt a little overwhelmed with their duties which resulted in the formation of the EMMA Guild under the leadership of Jane Cassell Sims.  Today the board and the Guild work hand in hand and the wheels of EMMA turn in sync to produce one successful concert after another.

Originally EMMA held concerts in many different places in town.  It was not until 1993 that EMMA found a permanent place for its performances. After forming a partnership with Flagler College, the college auditorium has become EMMA’s home.

Every Concert Season EMMA produces an Evening Series of six performances, an Afternoon series of four performances, two Holiday Pops concerts and one free concert for the community combined with the EMMA annual meeting.  Besides these big productions, each fall EMMA produces a series of MUSIC MASTERS lectures/recitals at the beautiful Flagler Room in the main building of Flagler College.

Another impressive activity of EMMA is bringing concerts to local school children and supporting music education programs in schools.

The EMMA Board is responsible for programming, finances, ticket sales, concert operations, publicity, advertising, publication of brochures and the EMMA playbill “Footnotes”.  Also among the Board’s duties are Sponsorship and the ‘Gift of Music’ Endowment Fund.  The EMMA Guild organizes the Opening Night Gala and a Spring Fundraiser, handles sales of Footnotes advertising, concert ushering and mailings.