Students and parents protest LA Phil decision to reduce programming at East LA youth orchestra

This story was originally published by Boyle Heights Beat on Nov. 21.

Rocío Jimenez of East Los Angeles beamed with pride watching her 13-year-old daughter perform at one of LA’s most iconic venues, the Hollywood Bowl.

With fellow members of the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles, or YOLA, she sang “Hasta la Raíz,” alongside Mexican singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade, with Gustavo Dudamel conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

“It was incredible to see this blend of cultures, classical music and Latino composers,” Jimenez said of the 2024 performance. “It’s great to see us in those spaces.”

Seeing an artist like Lafourcade work with YOLA students is proof, she said, “that there are ways and paths to achieve greatness.”

Now, the YOLA program at Esteban E. Torres High School, which was part of the performance, is facing cuts.

This week, parents and students learned that the LA Phil is reducing programming at YOLA’s Torres site, according to an email sent to parents. Programming will take place through Dec. 12, the email notes, adding that orchestra rehearsals for currently enrolled YOLA students will take place twice per week in January.

“We will help place interested students at other YOLA programs,” the email reads. Parents say cuts at Torres involve beginner programs.

“This decision comes as we assess how to best serve the Los Angeles community with recent economic challenges and shifts in funding for the organization,” the LA Phil said in a statement to Boyle Heights Beat on Thursday. “The LA Phil is committed to continuing YOLA programs in East LA and expanding the program into other parts of Los Angeles.”

YOLA, which was founded by the LA Phil, provides free instruments and ensemble training for thousands of young musicians who are 5 through 18 years old. The after-school program operates at sites across LA, including in Inglewood, Rampart District and Rampart/MacArthur Park. YOLA at Torres serves 165 students who attend East LA area schools, such as James A. Garfield High School and KIPP charter schools.

Families and community members call the announcement abrupt and urged the LA Phil to “clearly and publicly address whether internal organizational pressures played any role in the decision to reduce programming at the Torres site,” according to a press release with statements from parents.

“Parents report being told that all instructors at the Torres site would be removed except for the conductors. Families fear that this is not simply a reduction — but the beginning of a dismantling of YOLA at Torres,” according to the release.

In the release, parents noted that cuts come at a time when communities like East LA are grappling with fear and instability due to immigration raids that began over the summer. YOLA, they said, has been a safe space. They emphasized that no other YOLA site in LA “is being cut or reduced due to ‘funding.’”

“Only Torres — the site serving East LA’s predominantly Latino community — is affected,” they said in the release.

The programming reduction comes as staff at all YOLA sites filed for union representation with the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada, according to the YOLA United Teaching Artists Instagram page.

On Instagram, Yola United Teaching Artists said that AFM Local 47 reached out to LA Phil management to notify them “of our majority support for unionization at all YOLA facilities and asking them to voluntarily recognize and bargain with the union.”

“We have reason to believe they learned about the organizing efforts through other channels,” the Instagram post read. “Unfortunately, we believe that, in response to our unionization efforts, they took the punitive step of letting the TAs at the YOLA [at] Torres go,” the post continued.

The group said it filed for representation with the National Labor Relations Board as well as filing unfair labor practice charges against the LA Phil. “This is unlawful, and we will fight it together,” they said.

Carolyn McKnight, a former principal at Torres East LA Performing Arts Magnet, told the Boyle Heights Beat that she worked on bringing the program to the school. Losing it, she said, “will be a huge loss for arts education in our community.”

She added that because of the program, students received access to tutoring, college application guidance and opportunities to travel to places like Seoul, Mexico City and London.

“Having free music instruction for kids from third grade through high school for any kid willing to show up with the full support of their parents — it is priceless,” McKnight said via email.

LA Phil Chief People Officer Emanuel Maxwell met with parents and students at Torres High on Wednesday. Students held signs, declaring “LA Phil: Don’t Silence Us!” and “Músicos Si Capitalismo No.”

“Kids love YOLA, and they can’t stop us from going to our dreams,” a young boy shouted into a microphone as he faced Maxwell.

“Our teachers aren’t only our support musically and educationally, but they’re there to help us mentally,” another student said. “You taking that away from us is taking away a support that some of us don’t have at home.”

Luisa Rios, a Garfield High parent whose son is involved in YOLA at Torres, was inspired to see youth “fighting for something that they’re passionate about.”

“They felt disrespected. You could see the emotion,” she said. “A lot of these students are pursuing higher education based on [wanting] to become a professional orchestra player.”

As for Jimenez, she is looking for solutions. “We were not given the chance to even fundraise,” she said.

“We would love to just find a solution, to find a way where everyone wins, and honor the LA Phil’s mission,” she said. “We love the program. It’s devastating.”