Thanks & Testimonials
2024 Summer Concert
Cadence McMillan, trumpet: I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to play with the LAYP for the second year now. This program has taught me more on being a more disciplined and improved musician and performer, and has given me so much more passion for playing in musical ensembles. I’m so grateful for the experience and for all the knowledge I’ve gained in these groups. I’m also so honored to have been chosen as a soloist last year for the LAYP, and that was the first time I had done something like that, and I feel so blessed to have been chosen for a piece last year. Thank you for giving me that opportunity, for expanding my love for music, and for giving so many musicians a chance to show their talent. It’s so amazing to be a part of these groups and to be able to be around so many talented musicians.
The LAYP managers and volunteer parents are so helpful and have been very encouraging and kind these years that I’ve been in this group, and I appreciate everything they’ve done for me and the other musicians in LAYP. You, as well as Dr. Culligan and Dr. Buck, are amazing conductors and you are all very kind-hearted people and I am thankful to have been able to be under your instruction. I’m so thankful for these experiences I’ve had with the LAYP and thank you for allowing me to be in these ensembles and for being a great conductor. I will never forget my experiences with the LAYP and if you ever needed another professional trumpet player in the next years, I’d be more than happy to play with these ensembles again.
The LAYP is a wonderful and life-changing experience and I admire your love and dedication to this ensemble. My passion has grown so much between last year and now since being apart of this group, and I’m so grateful to have been apart of thus group. Thank you for all you’ve done for me and my musical journey, and thank you for everything you’ve done for the LAYP.
Brady Ahn, clarinet: I am so thankful to Dr. Chung, Dr. Culligan, Dr, Buck, and the LAYP team for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a soloist at Walt Disney Concert Hall. It was such a magical experience and I’ve learned a lot about performance and music through this concert. It was an honor to perform with all of these talented musicians and was an invaluable experience for my growth. Walking onto the stage was so surreal and I was so glad to be able to spend time with friends while making new ones.
Jacqueline Sam: It’s an honor for my daughter Jolene Lee to be part of Concert I last night. It’s her very first time playing at LAYP and was thrilled to be surrounded by so many talented musicians.
Angela Pan, parent of Alex Kang, saxophone: We really enjoyed the performance this weekend. Thank you, Dr. Chung and team, for an amazing time. I am not great with words, but please know what a memorable experience it was to be part of the performance on Saturday.
Angela Wang, flute, and Family: I wanted to personally write this email to express my gratitude for the unforgettable performances just a few nights ago…
Playing at Walt Disney Concert Hall as part of the orchestra for two years in a row was a sincerely formative experience, yet standing right up front next to the conductor brought the euphoric feelings to an unthinkably exciting level. Dr. Chung, thank you so much for still making sure each and everyone one of us was cared for despite the hectic performance day schedule, and thank you for taking the time to personally understand all of us and our stories. I’m so honored that you chose us to fulfill this dream project of playing Doppler’s Double Flute Concerto on the Walt Disney Concert Hall Stage. Beyond the performance hall, there was a level of kindness, encouragement, and unwavering support from the LAYP staff, parent volunteers, and interns that I am grateful to have been supported by.
Thank you for having me this year, as this day will forever be ingrained in my memories!
Grant Jensen, violin: Thank you so much for the wonderful opportunity and concert! Congratulations to all of the students involved and conductors!
Marcus & Sarah Plank, parents of William Plank, violin: William for the first time in his life performed at Disney Concert Hall with so many young, super talented, and devoted musicians. We are so honored that our son is part of this wonderful group. We are grateful for Dr. Chung and his team, the directors, and the entire LAYP program for the professional guidance, orchestrated efforts, and student-centered support. William has LEARNED a lot professionally from this summer program and immediately upon pick-up on Saturday night he said he would like to audition each summer for LAYP. He shared with us:” Dr. Chung is so nice, Dr. Culligan is so nice, and the stage is so awesome! I really enjoyed playing here!!!”
From the bottom of our hearts, THANK-YOU, Dr. Chung, Directors, and LAYP Team for such a rewarding experience for William. We would audition again for the Summer 2025 season and would love to see you all then, if not sooner!
Nicole Buchanan (mom of Maximus Marchi, violin): I am still over the moon impressed with the concert and will be getting my words together in a testimonial to express my gratitude!
Karalim Cruikshank, cello: Thank you so much for this incredible opportunity to perform at Disney Hall with LAYP! This is my second time being part of this remarkable program, and I loved performing alongside other talented musicians. I want to express my gratitude especially to Dr. Chung and all of the conductors, volunteers, and staff for organizing this summer program and providing us with this amazing opportunity! I will always cherish these memories, and I hope to be part of the LAYP orchestra again next year.
Danielle (mom of Luis Zambrano, trumpet): My son throughly enjoyed his experience and the show was spectacular!
Julia Kanawati, soprano: It was so exciting to be a part of the Horner Choir of LAYP at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. My dad was supposed to be there for me. Unfortunately he passed away the day before the concert. I singed my best for my dad. Hope he was able to listen in heaven and proud of me. Thank you so much LAYP for the amazing summer program and the Walt Disney Concert Hall!
Allison Yu, violin: I am incredibly grateful to LAYP for the opportunity of a lifetime to be able to perform a violin solo at Disney Concert Hall. This has been a dream of mine ever since I was a young violinist playing Suzuki book 1. Thank you to Dr. Chung for making such a beautiful dream come true, and thank you to Dr. Buck for your constant encouragement and support throughout the rehearsal process. I have learned so much about musicianship and performance from the amazing LAYP conductors. Every single person in the orchestra and all of the soloists are so talented, kind, and passionate about music. I was deeply inspired by everyone I met to continue fulfilling my musical dreams and bring happiness to other people through the power of music. The concert was a magical experience that I will forever be grateful for and never forget!
Evalyn Yu, violin: We deeply thank LAYP for allowing us to be a part of another wonderful concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Being able to perform on such a renowned stage felt unreal, and the pieces this year were especially powerful, from Prokofiev’s Troika to Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture. As we played the last notes of God Bless America, the hall was filled with resounding sound and it was truly a magical moment that reflected the passion and hard work of the conductors and musicians. Thank you so much to all the conductors, teachers, and volunteers who made this night possible.
Marcus & Sarah Plank (parents of William, violin): My family had a wonderful experience throughout the summer concerts. We are very impressed by LAYP’s expertise, professionalism, and affection for these orchestra kids. We are very grateful for LAYP Summer Program.
My family is thankful for the high expectations that LAYP holds for itself. It comes through and that is one of the most effective ways to demonstrate to the kids how they should “handle” themselves.
We look forward to coming back for further training for William!
Kayla Park, violin: I would like to share my thanks for being able to participate in this wonderful program! I was able to meet so many new people and make new friends. Not only that, but I was able to hear and experience new music and grow as a musician as well as get the great opportunity to perform at Walt Disney Concert Hall! It was such a surreal experience and I would love to be part of this experience again next year. Thank you so much!
Angelo Filemon Atendido-Santos, violin: My name is Angelo Filemon Atendido-Santos and I performed as Violin 2 with the LAYP Orchestra 1 for the 2024 Summer Program. This was my first time participating in the LAYP orchestra and had an amazing new experience. I feel like the performance that we put out for the concert was well done and showed off all the hard work that has been done by all my fellow orchestra members and conductors. Considering the compressed timeframe we had for rehearsals. Everyone I met from the staff who helped checked me in, to each in-person rehearsal, to the people who helped get the schedule on time at the concert day were very kind and helped me throughout the concert. This experience was one of the most amazing and fun thing that I have been a part of, not to mention a memorable one. I hope that it was the same for everyone else who participated.
I’m looking forward to doing this again and be a part of the 2025 Summer Program LAYP Orchestra. Thank you!
Jadon Wu, piano: Thank you so much for the opportunity to not only perform with a fantastic orchestra, but a piece very close to my heart as well. Every moment spent on stage was one of sincere joy. The beauty of the rich orchestral sound was very moving to me, and it truly made me unimaginably happy to be able to express myself in this wonderful piece with a wonderful orchestra.
Youth Philharmonic Orchestra | Band | Choir 