History of San Jose, California many orchards in the Santa Clara Valley, which emitted a delightful smell of ripening fruit, that a common nickname for the Santa Clara Valley was "The Valley of Heart's Delight". Food Machinery Corporation (FMC) was founded in nearby Los Gatos as the "Bean Spray Pump Company" in 1884 and moved to San Jose in 1903. In 1941 the company received an order from the United States War Department for one thousand LVTs, bringing defense contracts to San Jose for the first time. After World War II, FMC continued as a defense contractor, with the San Jose facilities designing and manufacturing
San Jose Youth Symphony (the Avant Flute choir, the Percussion Ensemble, and the Concert Wind Ensemble). SJYS has received the Ambassador's Award for Cultural Diplomacy for its performances in Poland as well as letters of commendations from both the City of San Jose and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. As a non-profit organization, the San Jose Youth Symphony is supported by the Silicon Valley Arts Council, the City of San Jose, the San Jose Symphony Foundation, the Steinway Society, and various other foundations and corporations. The Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Yair Samet, is SJYS's premiere orchestra. Simply referred to as the 'Phil', it is composed