Local Strings Players Shine at Disney Music Festival

The Los Angeles Children’s Orchestra (LACO) and Los Angles Children’s Chamber Orchestra (LACCO), under the direction of Susan Pascale, received top honors as best orchestras at the Disneyland Music in the Parks Festival on April 20.

The 61-member LACO is conducted by Pascale, founder of the South Pasadena Strings Program (SPSP). The chamber orchestra, with 14 members, is conducted by Zach Dellinger, a SPSP musician and teacher. The musicians range in age from 6 to 12 years old, and come from throughout greater Los Angeles, including several from San Marino elementary schools. 

The 6-year-olds who went on stage to claim the orchestra’s prizes at the awards ceremony found that the trophies were almost bigger than they were! Watch them grapple with their awards here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfZcqTtoJq0&feature=youtu.be

Just prior to the Disneyland festival, the orchestras won top honors at a prestigious music festival in New York City. Footage of the children performing is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xalnXoFvBzU.

More videos of the young  orchestras in action are here: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Nma4lLbSanAvFXjQMZLSw. The orchestras are part of the SPSP, which offers music instruction to children as young as 3 years old. For more information, visit www.stringsprogram.com.