People & Partners
Behind every YOLA rehearsal, performance, and opportunity is a dedicated network of leaders, educators, staff, and community partners. Together with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, these individuals and organizations help shape the vision and impact of Youth Orchestra Los Angeles—supporting young musicians through mentorship, collaboration, and a shared commitment to music education and community.
YOLA Teaching Artists
YOLA's Teaching Artists are the heartbeat of our program, accomplished musicians and dedicated educators who bring their full selves to every rehearsal, classroom, and community space they enter. Rooted in Los Angeles and deeply connected to the neighborhoods they serve, they meet young musicians where they are and guide them toward something larger: a sense of belonging, artistic identity, and possibility. Together, they represent an extraordinary range of instruments, backgrounds, and creative practices, united by a shared belief that music education is a transformative act. Their work doesn't just teach musicians to play; it shapes who those musicians become.
Camino Nuevo Charter Academy
YOLA at Camino Nuevo is the first YOLA program to combine in-school and after-school programming, making it a true model for what music education can look like when it is woven into the fabric of a school day rather than added on at the edges. Currently serving musicians at the Kayne Siart, Dalzell Lance and Sandra Cisneros campuses of Camino Nuevo Charter Academy in the Westlake and MacArthur Park area, the partnership allows the LA Phil to bring rigorous music education into the school day and extend it after school.
Camino Nuevo Charter Academy has long been committed to preparing students from preschool through high school for success in college and in life — and YOLA at Camino Nuevo deepens that commitment by adding a musical dimension that develops not just technical skill but artistic identity, perseverance, and community. It is a partnership that asks what becomes possible when a school and a world-class orchestra share a belief that every child deserves access to both.
Meet Camille Delaney-McNeil
Camille Delaney-McNeil, VP Learning: As VP, Learning Ms. Delaney-McNeil oversees all Learning Initiatives including YOLA. She is a fierce advocate for social change through music, beginning her journey as a classically trained singer and flutist with degrees from both the University of Maryland, College Park and Peabody Institute. In her previous role as Director of the Beckmen YOLA Center/YOLA, Camille has overseen and designed international tours and partnerships, led in the curation of National convenings and initiatives and has led collaborations with notable organizations such as the Getty Museum, League of American Orchestras, and KUSC Classical California.
Throughout her career, Camille has been the recipient of many awards, including the 2017 Leading Women Award, from the Daily Record, an honor given to 50 women who are 40 years of age or younger for accomplishments made thus far in their careers as well as being selected for the inaugural cohort of the SphinxLEAD program with the Sphinx Organization.
Camille currently sits on the Board of El Sistema USA, the Board of Visitors for the University of Maryland’s School of Music, and most recently ExpandLA. Camille is frequently engaged for panel discussions, presentations and workshops, particularly around youth access in music education, and uplifting social equity within the classical music field. Camille can be seen and heard on platforms such as Maryland Public Television (MPT), National Public Radio (NPR), as well as national conferences such as SphinxConnect, National Guild for Community Arts Education Conference, and other notable convenings.
YOLA Alumni
Since 2007, YOLA has engaged over 4,500 young people. Our current, active community of 1,354 alumni shares a compelling story about what long-term investment in what these once young musicians have accomplished. When youth serving programs across the country see a 15% average in retention for program participation for five years or more, nearly 50% of YOLA alumni stayed in the program well beyond five years, a testament to the program's depth and staying power.
