Los Angeles Philharmonic Cuts Back on Youth Orchestra Program in East LA
The Los Angeles Philharmonic has announced significant modifications to its Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) program at the Esteban E. Torres High School site in East LA, citing unanticipated financial and funding challenges. The program, which has provided free musical education to students ages 5-18 since 2007, will see its practices reduced from four days to two, and all teaching artists at the site have been laid off, leaving only two conductors to lead the program.
The YOLA program, championed by outgoing star conductor Gustavo Dudamel, is modeled after El Sistema, the publicly funded program where Dudamel first learned music in Venezuela. The program has been a vital part of the community, providing access to music education for underprivileged students. However, with the current budget cuts, the program’s future is uncertain, and many are left wondering about the impact on the students and the community.
Conductor Gustavo Dudamel rehearses with young musicians from around the country participating in the L.A. Phil’s annual YOLA National Program at Walt Disney Concert Hall in 2023.
(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Impact on Students and Community
The cuts to the YOLA program have left many students and parents devastated. Jules Levy, one of the 12 laid-off teaching artists, says that the modifications will reduce the students’ learning by about 80%. The program’s younger pupils, known as the Sprouts and the Explorers, will be forced to move to another YOLA site, while the higher-level students will see their practices halved.
Karla Juarez, a parent of two students at YOLA Torres, has created an Instagram page, @saveyolatorres, to rally support and revive the program. “We cannot give up. We, as parents, will stay committed and united. We’re going to do whatever it takes to continue the program,” said Juarez. Her 13-year-old daughter, Romina Sanchez, a cellist in the symphony orchestra, is also determined to save the program. “I was honestly so devastated [about the cuts] because I love music. YOLA is like our home away from home,” said Sanchez.
