Harvard-Westlake’s Symphony and Chamber Orchestra collaborated with the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) for a special concert and fundraising event at the YOLA Center on Nov. 7. The event featured performances of the two orchestras in addition to a large-scale food drive and fundraising effort in partnership with the local non-profit organization Hearts of Los Angeles (HOLA). This was the first time the school participated in the joint event.
YOLA, founded by The Los Angeles Philharmonic and conductor Gustavo Dudamel, provides free music education, instruments and mentorship to students who might not otherwise have access to such opportunities, according to The Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Upper School Orchestra Director Neli Nikolaeva said the event included a large amount of parent participation.
“We worked alongside school parents who organized the food drive and fundraising event that goes with the concert,” Nikolaeva said. “We had about 500 people in total. I want to express a huge gratitude to Harvard-Westlake parents. They handled a lot of the logistics, so I could focus on music and fostering collaboration between the students.”
Katie Wang ’27 said she was excited that the orchestra participated in community service while playing music.
“It’s important for us to participate in community service projects like this,” Wang said. “Not only does it bring our orchestra closer together, but it’s also a great opportunity to give back and express appreciation for those around us, like at this event.”
Nikolaeva said the school’s mission was her inspiration for creating the event.
“We are an institution that finds purpose beyond ourselves, and I think an orchestra embodies that,” Nikolaeva said. “We were there to enhance both the school and our greater Los Angeles community. I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to meet the right people to make this wonderful event possible.”
Grace Hong ’26 said the collaboration is an opportunity to meet other musicians and play together.
“Meeting people with different backgrounds was so important because it brought a new sense of harmony to the music,” Hong said. “Collaborating with musicians who had unique perspectives pushed us to listen more closely.”
