Alan
Mautner
The conductor shaping La Mirada’s sound with the instincts of a working musician, the heart of an educator, and a belief that live symphonic music should belong to everyone.
Not just leading the orchestra. Building the room around it.
On a concert afternoon in La Mirada, before the first note lands, something has already begun. Families arrive. Students settle in. Longtime patrons find their seats. New listeners walk into the hall and discover that a symphony concert does not have to feel distant, expensive, or out of reach.
At the center of that experience is Alan Mautner, conductor of the La Mirada Symphony. His story is not only about conducting. It is about performance, teaching, access, and the kind of musical leadership that turns a community orchestra into a cultural gathering place.
“The La Mirada Symphony isn’t just presenting concerts. It is keeping live symphonic music within reach.”La Mirada Symphony
From Downey to the podium.
Alan grew up in Downey, California, and earned his Bachelor of Music degree in cello performance from California State University, Fullerton. Before he became known to La Mirada audiences as a conductor, he built his musical life as a working cellist.
That background matters. A conductor who has spent years inside the orchestra hears differently. He understands the pressure of the stand, the discipline of ensemble playing, and the way a performance comes alive when musicians trust the person in front of them.
A career with range.
As a freelance cellist, Alan performed with respected Southern California ensembles including the Pacific Symphony, Riverside Symphony, Redlands Symphony, and the Desert Symphony. He has also served as principal cello for several groups.
His performing life has crossed styles and stages, including work with artists such as James Taylor, Andrea Bocelli, George Benson, John Tesh, Crystal Gayle, Glen Campbell, and Dionne Warwick. His jazz experience includes collaborations connected to artists such as Terry Gibbs, Teddy Edwards, and McCoy Tyner.
The next generation is part of the score.
Alan began conducting in high school, and that early spark grew into a lifelong calling. Since 1994, he has conducted the orchestra at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, guiding young musicians through the discipline, pressure, and possibility of serious ensemble performance.
In 2013, the LACHSA Orchestra performed at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Alan has also co-conducted the LACHSA String Ensemble, coached chamber groups, and directed music for opera and theater productions including The Magic Flute, Carmen, West Side Story, Evita, Into the Woods, and The Phantom of the Opera.
Fourth-grade students received free string instruction through a LACHSA and Los Angeles Philharmonic partnership connected to YOLA.
Music education as a public good.
Alan’s work with young musicians extends beyond the rehearsal room. Through a partnership between LACHSA and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, he worked with YOLA as Outreach and Partnership Manager. The program launched in 2014 and brought free string instruction to students in East Los Angeles, with Gustavo Dudamel helping mark the beginning of the effort.
He has also supported youth and community programs including the Wildwood Music Camp Senior High Festival Orchestra, the Pasadena Summer Young Chamber Orchestra, the Pasadena All-City Orchestra, and the string ensemble at Cal Poly Pomona.
The community conductor.
As conductor of the La Mirada Symphony, Alan brings together musical excellence and community purpose. The orchestra’s free concerts welcome audiences of all ages, creating an invitation that feels rare in a world where live performance can too often feel locked behind cost, distance, or formality.
Under his leadership, the Symphony’s work becomes more than a concert calendar. It becomes a statement: that symphonic music still has the power to gather people, inspire students, honor local culture, and create shared moments that belong to the whole community.
Keep the music free.
Your support helps the La Mirada Symphony continue offering inspiring concerts for thousands of Southern California residents.
COMMUNITY + CORPORATE SUPPORTERS
OUR VISION
The La Mirada Symphony maintains its policy of offering free quality concerts to the residents of Southern California.
The La Mirada Symphony is a California 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization. Your donation today is tax deductible. Our Federal ID number is #94-3223735. Thank you for supporting the performing arts.
Our Mailing Address
The La Mirada Symphony Association
P.O. Box 117
La Mirada, CA 90637-0117
Email: lamiradasymphony@aol.com
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