Los Angeles Youth Orchestra Members Join Alumni, From Scientists to Professional Musicians, For Milestone 25th Anniversary Concert

In a celebration bridging musical generations, the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra, an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to developing young musicians’ passion for music, will mark its quarter-century milestone at Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena.

The 25th anniversary Fall concert on Monday, Nov. 25, at 7:30 p.m., features Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony, which tells the story of suffering “when he was called an enemy of the state by Stalin,” according to Russell Steinberg, Founder and Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra (LAYO).

The ambitious program includes the premiere of “Ruby Overture” dedicated to Ken Ruby, alongside Bach’s “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring,” Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” overture, and Stravinsky’s “Danse Infernale.”

Twenty former members, some now professional musicians while others pursue careers in science and other fields, will join current orchestra members aged 8 to 18 for the commemorative performance.

“These students wouldn’t meet each other if it wasn’t for this organization, because in your school you might find a handful of students who share your passion for classical music. But this way, they’re meeting over a hundred of them,” said Steinberg.

The orchestra, which began as a project with the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony before becoming an independent nonprofit around 2013-2014, now draws talented young musicians from approximately 70 schools across Southern California.

“We have 20 alumni who are actually going to become professional musicians who are going to actually play alongside us,” Steinberg said. “They’re not all professional musicians. Some of them are scientists now and do other things, but they’re going to be on stage playing with us.”

The program also features selections from “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” and original compositions by Steinberg, demonstrating the orchestra’s range from classical to contemporary works.

Distinguished alumni performers include Jeremiah Calvin Youngblood from Los Angeles, Heather Daughtry from Long Beach, William Ellzey from Santa Monica, John Pisarro from Los Angeles, and Ranya Stover, currently a senior at UCLA.

The organization maintains high musical standards through an unusual approach to instruction, according to Steinberg.

“What makes our orchestra unusual in the way we operate is that we have a staff of professional coaches that are integrated into the structure of our orchestra rehearsals,” he said.

Having recently expanded its reach through performances in Vienna and Prague, the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra plans to develop an elite ensemble to serve as ambassadors for the organization.

Tickets for the anniversary concert are from $12.50 to $33.85.

For tickets and more information, visit https://losangelesyouthorchestra.org/concerts/.