Executive director

Courtney Essenmacher is a seasoned leader who brings combined experience in music, youth education, and business consulting to DMYS. Courtney began volunteering with DMYS in 2015, served on the Board of Directors for 3 years (2 years as Board President), and now serves as Executive Director. Courtney has leveraged her musical background, experience in business process improvement, strategy development, project management, and financial / systems technology to ensure the organization runs smoothly, implement substantial improvements at DMYS, and create a stable and sustainable organization.

Board of Directors

Board members ensure a sustainable future by adopting sound, ethical, and legal governance and financial management policies, as well as by making sure the nonprofit has adequate resources to advance its mission.

Ray Lyle (Arthur R. Lyle II) has been a dedicated Board volunteer for over five years, serving as the current Board President and previously as Banker. He is a Mechanical Engineer who has worked in the energy industry for 25+ years. Ray enjoys music as well as golf, games, and reading.
Michael Ratze has served as the Treasurer for DMYS since Sep 2021. He is the Partnership Tax Director for BDO USA, LLP, a national professional services firm. Michael has a heart for helping non-profit organizations with their finances and administration. He previously served as Treasurer for the Michigan Classic Ballet Company and filled all officer roles (President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary) for the Northwest Suburban Swim League. Michael also currently serves on the Board of Trustees and the Finance Committee at Highland Park Baptist Church.
Jay Atwater has been involved with DYMS since 2012 and has filled many roles (including Orchestra Manager and Board President) during that time. Professionally, he is a Technical Operations Manager with the cloud computing company Opentext. In addition, he is heavily connected to the metro-Detroit music scene and lends insight to DMYS on music trends from this community. Jay is a percussionist and performs with the Royal Oak Symphony Orchestra and the Detroit Community Orchestra.

Audition Manager: Sangeeth Sadayappan
Banker / Cashier: Erica Howell
Performance Venue Coordinator: Stephen Toy
Manager - Concert Orchestra: Raven Harris
Manager - Sinfonia String: Michael Matola
Manager - String: Annie Yamamoto
Manager - Symphony Orchestra: Dawn Kennedy
Advisor: Pauline Kim

volunteers

We are a parent-run organization and depend on each family to help create this experience for our students. We have jobs that would work well for every level of time commitment, from Board Member, to one-time jobs that take just a couple of hours. Volunteer for the 2023-24 Season now!