The Score | Fellowship Program Takes Flight

This summer saw the launch of the latest program designed to increase diversity in American orchestras: the Los Angeles Orchestra Fellowship program. The first musician fellows have been chosen for the two-year postgraduate program, which is a partnership of Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (ICYOLA), Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO), and USC Thornton School of Music. Beginning their fellowships this season are violinists Sydney Adedamola and Ayrton Pisco, violist Bradley ­Parrimore, and cellist Juan-Salvador Carrasco. They will receive performance and rehearsal experience; compensation, benefits, and housing; and support to prepare them for auditions in professional American orchestras through intensive mock auditions run by LACO. They will perform and rehearse as part of ICYOLA, USC Thornton Symphony, and in ­LACO’s string sections. In addition, the Fellows will perform as a string quartet throughout Los Angeles, especially in underserved communities. They will work with mentors who include LACO Concertmaster Margaret Batjer and other LACO principal and section musicians, and receive weekly lessons with USC Thornton faculty, including Batjer, violinist Bing Wang, violist Karen Dreyfus, and cellist Ralph Kirshbaum. In turn, the Fellows will mentor, teach, and guide young ICYOLA musicians.