On May 20, 2018, the La Mirada Symphony did something it had never done before. It turned over its stage at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts to an entire student orchestra. That afternoon, the LACHSA Symphony Orchestra played a full concert called “A Musical Journey.” Its players were students at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, and Music Director Alan Mautner conducted. In fact, the program they chose would have challenged plenty of adult ensembles.

We saw the concert as a natural step for our education work. After all, student musicians spend years rehearsing in classrooms and school auditoriums. However, few of them ever play a complete program on a professional stage in front of a real audience. That Sunday gave a whole orchestra of them the chance. At the same time, it gave our regular audience a look at the young talent in Southern California’s schools.

Side One

First, the students opened with Wagner’s Overture to Rienzi, a big and brassy curtain raiser. The piece asks young strings to sustain long lines while the brass carry the heroic themes over the top. As a result, it set the tone for an afternoon that never played it safe.

Next, two LACHSA pianists stepped forward as concerto soloists. David Hadi performed the first movement of Haydn’s Concertino Divertimento in C Major. It is a bright, elegant piece that rewards clean playing and a light touch. Then Johnathan Po took on the opening movement of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3. The concerto ranks among the most demanding in the repertoire, especially in its racing passagework.

Few student musicians ever play a complete program on a professional stage. That Sunday, a whole orchestra of them did.

Side Two

After intermission, flutist Khoi Dinh moved from his principal flute chair to the soloist’s spot. He played the first movement of Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 1 in G Major. Moving from the section to center stage in the same concert is its own kind of test. Even so, he showed how much these young players could carry.

Finally, the orchestra closed with Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite in its 1919 version. This showpiece moves from the hushed Introduction through the Infernal Dance of King Kashchei. Then the gentle Berceuse gives way to the blazing Finale. For a high school orchestra, it is an ambitious closer. Still, the students pulled it off and sent the audience out of the theatre on a high.

What Came Next

The concert became one of the most memorable afternoons in our recent history. It also helped shape how we think about education today. A year later, LACHSA pianist Nicole Lam joined the Symphony as a featured soloist. Then, in March 2019, the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District High School Honor Orchestra made its first appearance on our stage. Since then, student soloists and young composers have appeared with the orchestra in later seasons. You can follow those stories on our Education page.

Below is the full roster of the young musicians who played that afternoon. Many of them are now in their twenties, so we hope a few of them find their names here.

The Orchestra

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Symphony Orchestra
Alan Mautner, Music Director and Conductor
May 20, 2018