Patrice Floyd is the founder of Javacya Arts Conservatory, Javacya Elite Chamber Orchestra, Florida Society Youth Orchestra, and several other orchestras in the tri-State area. As a respected violinist, teacher, and Conservatory director, she is a leading advocate in the States and abroad for shaping lives through the arts. As an artist, the fantastic Alphonse Carlo said about Patrice Floyd, “. . . fine interpreter of music, great stage presence!”

Now completing her fortieth year as a violin instructor and having spent thirty-three years as a Music & Artistic Director, Floyd continues to build. At Javacya, she is a consultant for public school districts and private schools alike. Her responsibilities include private teaching, master classes, student career development, teacher training, and fostering long-lasting community partnerships. Floyd is also a personal consultant in the New York area, assisting parents with their children’s collegiate conservatory auditions preparation. Moreover, Patrice Floyd is a Founding Teacher for the Royal Conservatory of Music. Javacya Arts Conservatory is also an examination center for the Toronto based conservatory.

Floyd’s concept, music Is a Movement, dramatically expanded the scope of Javacya’s community outreach programs by establishing Javacya at Prince Hall (Orlando), Javacya at First Providence (South Carolina), Javacya at Fitzgerald (Georgia), and Javacya at Shanks Middle School (Quincy). In the same vein, she was the brainchild of a unique short-term elementary school conservatory project in Jefferson County. Javacya’s pedagogical structure derives from several northeastern pre-college programs, Canadian-based conservatories, and Surrey, England. Refusing to bring sub-standard music training to children of under-served communities, in the past, Floyd periodically collaborated with Master of Music like Eliot Chapo. Dr. Julian White, bringing them into inner-city areas to provide the best instruction possible. Floyd says, “It’s all about expectations.”

Javacya Arts Conservatory, under Floyd’s direction, has consistently been well-rounded both in the diversity of audiences reached and the depth of programming performed. Javacya programs continue to present Johann Sebastian Bach, Mozart, and Vivaldi, but Gossec, Stamitz, and William Grant Still. Orchestras, under her tutelage, frequently perform sacred hymns and religious music, as well. Floyd is also an ordained Christian minister, often composes, arranges, and performs sacred Music in Africa, Israel, Australia, Germany, and London, highlighting her faith.

Newspaper articles, recordings, broadcasts, and documentaries have described Floyd’s approach to teaching. They all demonstrate her concept of training her students as if they all will play professionally, citing that anything less than a pre-college conservatory mindset and exposure to systematically organized pedagogy is unacceptable. She gives much credit to her teachers, Wanda McDonald and Betty Jean Miller (both graduates of Juilliard), prodigy violinist /master of wind instruments, and Leander Kirksey in West Palm Beach. Floyd’s violin coach, Howard Boyagen, at The University of Kansas, coached her as she sat under the baton of Eric Kunzel with the Cincinnati Pops, aiding her with proficiency. As a violin student at the Florida State University School of Music, Robert Sedore coached her when she was the only black violinist. Their dedication to their students’ development inspires Floyd to offer the best instruction to her students.