About YOLA
YOLA provides transformational and equitable access to music education for young people from underserved communities to support their personal development, their communities, and beyond.
The work of YOLA is focused in two areas:
- Local programs, which directly serve communities across Los Angeles
- National programs, which provide opportunities for young musicians, teaching artists, program administrators, and other stakeholders to learn from and create community with one another
YOLA's local program hubs
YOLA’s local programs serve students across Los Angeles County through community-based program hubs, including sites in Inglewood, East Los Angeles, and other partner locations. These sites provide students with consistent, high-quality music instruction, ensemble experience, academic support, and opportunities to perform throughout the year. By embedding programs directly within communities, YOLA ensures that students and families can access music education and resources in a supportive and familiar environment.
YOLA national programs
YOLA National extends the mission of YOLA beyond Los Angeles by supporting young musicians, educators, and community organizations across the United States. Through programs such as the YOLA National Festival, YOLA National Institute, YOLA National Accelerator, and Partners in Music Learning, YOLA National provides training, mentorship, professional development, and funding opportunities that strengthen music education and creative youth development programs nationwide.
YOLA highlights & timeline
2023: YOLA's Graduating Class
The annual YOLA Soirée event celebrated YOLA’s graduating class of 48 students which will all be attending college, and, inspiringly, 90% will be the first in their family to do so.
2022: Hollywood Bowl 100 with Gwen Stefani
The Hollywood Bowl marked its 100th season, and YOLA musicians joined Gwen Stefani for opening night and a rehearsal at the Beckmen YOLA Center.
2022: Sofi Stadium Super Bowl with Mary Mary
As part of the pregame festivities at Super Bowl LVI, musicians from YOLA performed with gospel duo Mary Mary in an arrangement of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
2021: Beckmen YOLA Center Grand Opening
YOLA begins its 15th year of programming with the grand opening of the Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen YOLA Center and the launch of the program’s fifth local site, YOLA at Inglewood.
2020: YOLA at Home
Working with incredible speed and dexterity, YOLA’s teaching artists and administrators adapted the program to a digital platform within 48 hours of schools closing due to COVID-19. YOLA remained a stable presence in the lives of its families throughout the pandemic.
2019: Beckmen YOLA Center Breaks Ground
As part of its wide-ranging Centennial initiatives, the LA Phil begins construction of the first purpose-built, permanent musical home for YOLA—the Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen YOLA Center at Inglewood.
2019: CDMX Tour
Ninety-six YOLA musicians joined the LA Phil on tour in Mexico City, where they shared a musical and cultural exchange with 100 local students.
2018: YOLA National
YOLA National is founded to provide opportunities for musicians, teaching artists, and leaders from youth development programs across the country.
2016: California Tour
For the first time, a full orchestra of 80 YOLA musicians goes on the road for the California Tour, with stops in five cities up and down the state.
2016: Super Bowl 50 with Coldplay
Gustavo Dudamel and musicians from YOLA were invited to participate in the Super Bowl 50 halftime show, featuring Coldplay and Beyoncé.
2015: Japan Tour
Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster of 2011, 15 YOLA students and Gustavo Dudamel traveled as goodwill ambassadors to the coastal town, performing with members of El Sistema Japan.
2014: YOLA at Torres
YOLA’s third site, serving East LA, is founded. Today, it’s known as YOLA at Torres (Esteban E. Torres High School), and receives logistics and infrastructure support from East LA Performing Arts Magnet and Beyond the Bell.
2013: London Tour
Ten YOLA musicians accompany the LA Phil on tour to London—the first in a series of near annual YOLA / LA Phil tours that have included trips to Boston, Tokyo, Seoul, Princeton, Edinburgh, and Mexico City.
2012: Take a Stand Festival
The inaugural Take a Stand symposium gathers hundreds of music educators from around the country, laying the foundation for YOLA National.
2011: Global Soul Performance with Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder headed a celebration of soul music in its many forms, featuring musicians from around the world. The night closed with musicians from YOLA joining Wonder and other artists for Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.”
2010: YOLA at HOLA
YOLA’s second site, YOLA at HOLA, is founded in partnership with Heart of Los Angeles.
2009: ¡Bienvenido Gustavo!
In Gustavo Dudamel’s first concert as Music Director for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, ¡Bienvenido Gustavo! was a free community event at the Hollywood Bowl and included a performance by musicians from YOLA.
2007: YOLA at Expo Center
YOLA at EXPO Center is founded with 80 students in South LA, a partnership with Harmony Project and the EXPO Center, a Department of Recreation and Parks facility.
Featured stories
YOLA Voices: Ayde, Nathan, and Hera
Meet three of the nearly 1,700 young people who have found purpose, inspiration, and life-changing opportunities through the LA Phil’s music education program.
What is YOLA? An overview of our young symphony of change
Learn about the intensive music program that trains, mentors, and empowers the next generation of musicians, leaders, and agents of social change.
Our First Mahler Symphony
Get a look inside the rehearsal and preparation process for the Mahler music marathon featuring young musicians from across Los Angeles.
Family Ties at YOLA
“These students come in, and they bring such a light with them”
LA Phil on Tour: 2024
Catch up with the LA Phil and Gustavo Dudamel from their travels to Barcelona, Paris, London, New York City, and Bogotá.
YOLA Camp: Exploring Music and Future Pathways
Get an inside look at our annual summer retreat to Idyllwild, CA.
My First Concert with Gustavo
YOLA’s Lili Morales remembers her first time on stage at the Hollywood Bowl.
LA Phil Teaching Fellows Make an Impact
How two Fellows are inspiring musicians at YOLA at Torres
YOLA’s Next Step: The Beckmen YOLA Center
The Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen YOLA Center at Inglewood is the boldest step yet in YOLA’s mission of youth development through music education.
Additional program offerings
The YOLA Institute provides advanced training and support for young musicians through audition-based orchestras, private lessons with LA Phil musicians, and college application assistance including subsidized travel and recordings.
YOLA College Prep and Access provides financial support and wraparound services to help high school students and current college-age alumni thrive, including mentorship, academic counseling, and wellness resources.
YOLA’s growing Alumni Network supports young adults as they transition into college, careers, and leadership roles in the community, while offering opportunities to give back to the program. Activities include performance and teaching gigs, travel and audition assistance, academic guidance, career-building workshops, and more!
Each summer, musicians from across YOLA sites come together for an immersive multi-day camp that focuses on musicianship, peer connection, and personal growth. Alongside ensemble work, students explore new artistic avenues through interdisciplinary workshops and guest artist sessions that broaden their creative horizons and deepen their engagement with the arts.
YOLA Community Day is an annual celebration that brings musicians, families, and community members together at Walt Disney Concert Hall for a day of music, joy, and shared purpose. The event features ensemble performances and workshops in celebration of the community's accomplishments.
YOLA's impact
Launched in 2007, YOLA has been adapted to meet the needs of communities across Los Angeles. Since the program's inception, YOLA musicians have received more than six million hours of instruction and performed for audiences of millions—from neighborhood concerts and community events to the Hollywood Bowl and the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Today, the program operates at sites across the city, including the Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen YOLA Center at Inglewood, which opened in 2021 as YOLA’s first permanent, purpose-built facility.
