YOLA, Sistema Nacional de Fomento Musical en México, Music Schools of INBAL, and the Gustavo Dudamel Foundation Collaborate for a Music and Leadership Cultural Exchange in Mexico City November 10 to 15

Los Angeles, CA (November 7, 2019) – Ninety-six musicians from YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) will join Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Phil on a tour of Mexico City from November 10 to 15. The YOLA Mexico City tour orchestra includes musicians from three YOLA sites – YOLA at EXPO Center, YOLA at HOLA, and YOLA at Torres – and is the first-ever cross-site full orchestra to go on an international tour with the LA Phil.

The YOLA musicians will participate in a cultural exchange, titled “Encuentros,” with up to 100 students from Mexico City, ages 15–20, for a series of intensive music and leadership-focused workshops, rehearsals, and masterclasses led by LA Phil Associate Conductor Paolo Bortolameolli and LA Phil musicians. “Encuentros” will culminate in a free, open rehearsal with Gustavo Dudamel on November 13 at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, and a free daytime performance for school children by YOLA on November 14 at the Teatro Julio Castillo. Participants will also explore topics including cultural unity, interculturality, and building bridges through music, as well as celebrate 50 years of sisterhood between Los Angeles and Mexico City. “Encuentros” is a collaboration between YOLA, Sistema Nacional de Fomento Musical en México, Music Schools of INBAL, and the Gustavo Dudamel Foundation.

The LA Phil and The Music Center kick off YOLA’s tour to Mexico City with Día de la Familia, a family-friendly event featuring YOLA, conducted by Bortolameolli, and Mariachi Los Camperos. With performances, art making, bilingual storytelling, and kid-friendly activities, Día de la Familia invites families to enjoy the free festivities on The Music Center Plaza on Saturday, November 9, 2019, from 12 to 3 PM.

In its 13 years of existence, YOLA has demonstrated significant impact not only in Los Angeles, but also, more recently, around the world. More than simply an opportunity to travel and perform abroad, each YOLA tour has been shaped artistically, educationally, and culturally by the cities visited and the partner organizations involved. Each year, the LA Phil chooses a select group of YOLA musicians to join the orchestra on tour and form relationships with their peers from local youth orchestras, as well as LA Phil musicians, international musicians, and top-tier educators. They hold side-by-side rehearsals, student-designed mini-conferences and seminars, and teaching-and-learning residencies at conservatories and concert halls. Locations have included: Boston, Tokyo/Fukushima, broader California, Seoul, Edinburgh, and next up this November—Mexico City and a return to London.

The LA Phil tour is generously supported by Plascencia Universal and Michele and Dudley Rauch Touring Fund.                                                                                     

More information about the LA Phil’s tour can be found at laphil.com/tour.