 OK. So, I'm just like a beaming ball of sunshine right now. Like a proud parent...........of 80+ children. Before I moved to Missoula 2 1/2 years ago, I lived in Los Angeles. I was there nearly 15 years and spent the last 8 of them teaching music for a wonderful organization called the Harmony Project. This is where YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) was born, in partnership with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. It was through YOLA that I was graced to start over 34 young cellists and work with the string sections of 4 youth orchestras. I was with these kids from their very first music lesson - to working with them 4-5 days per week for nearly 6 years - until I moved to Montana to raise family of my own. We worked on cello, we worked in orchestra, chamber music, solo repertoire, fiddle tunes, music theory, improvisation. I loved this job and all the families involved. We were together A LOT. Now - this news!!! Gustavo Dudamel and Youth Orchestra L.A.'s Super Bowl halftime show will be a win for the arts  Los Angeles Philharmonic music director Gustavo Dudamel will conduct members of YOLA in the Super Bowl halftime show. TEN of my cello students, along with other wonderful young musicians from YOLA will be taking the stage at the Superbowl Halftime show! I couldn't be more proud of these kids and how far they have come. They work so hard and are so dedicated, it's just been a joy all-around to see them grow, becoming knowledgeable and successful musicians. And what an opportunity!! WOW. SO PROUD. : )))))) UPDATE: What a wonderful opportunity for these equally wonderful kids. Watch this touching video and meet Lilliana, Juliana, and Matthew...all three of whom I worked with for nearly 8 years at YOLA! I gave Matthew his very first cello lesson probably 6 years ago! YOLA is playing with Coldplay this Sunday for the Superbowl Halftime show!! (In the video - The woman conducting the orchestra in the blue scarf next to Chris Martin of Coldplay is the new cello teacher there now - gotta say that made me wish I was the one standing there! AHHH!!) : ) SEE IT HERE: http://www.nfl.com AND THIS: Youtube YOLA
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  Meet Lillian. She will be turning 13 years old next month and started playing the cello when she was 10. She has a fierce appetite for music, loves all styles and genres, and has a deep enthusiasm for playing her cello. She's a hard worker, likes to share her thoughts and ideas, and approaches every new piece and musical challenge with a "can do" attitude...it's fantastic! Her favorite pieces, thus far, have been Two Grenadiers and La Cinquantaine. Her dad tells me Lillian often plays for him while he cooks and they are two of his top requests, as well! And music is certainly a family affair - her brother plays a mean fiddle, her sister is quite a force on the bassoon, and her mother is an accomplished pianist (with a side of flute). When asked what she loves about the cello, Lillian says, "When I play the cello, I feel open...It calms me down and relaxes me. I love the hard stuff, I love shifting, and I'm not afraid of making the mistakes." Here is a clip of her playing Scherzo. Go, Lillian!! |
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