The Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles

640 Main Street,El Segundo CA 90245

07 January, 2023

Description

The City of El Segundo is proud to present a free performance by The Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (ICYOLA) on Saturday, January 7, 2023, from 3pm to 5pm, at the El Segundo Performing Arts Center (within the El Segundo High School). The concert marks ICYOLA’s premiere in the City, where a new audience will enjoy a mix of hymns, patriotic anthems and original works from the country’s largest majority Black orchestra. A special offering includes "I Have a Dream," which was composed by ICYOLA's founder, conductor and Executive Director Charles Dickerson III, to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ICYOLA, founded in 2009, is a non-profit organization that transforms the lives and minds of young people in South Los Angeles through high-quality music education. The performance is free and open to all. Seat reservations are available through Eventbrite, starting at 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Monday, December 5th. “Music instills values that are helpful for a successful and prosperous life. Music helps us to strive for excellence,” maintains Mr. Dickerson III. The orchestra has about 125 members who perform six to eight concerts per season. The last is always a season finale at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, which the orchestra has performed every year since 2012. “I am excited that the El Segundo community will be afforded an opportunity to experience not only one of the best orchestral performances they will ever see, but also one of the best stories they will ever hear. My mantra has always been that the appreciation for different cultures is gained through experiences and events. It is my hope that this performance becomes yet another new tradition in our community for generations to come,” said El Segundo City Council Member Lance Giroux. Rosalind Darbeau, who is the Director of Strings for El Segundo Unified School District and has been a part of ICYOLA’s violin section since 2012, mentioned that “it is rare to see an orchestra made of musicians who are predominantly people of color and this orchestra feels like family to me. Maestro Charles Dickerson has done a phenomenal job of inspiring the youth, creating leaders, and expanding this orchestra to do more than just perform. He has delivered opportunities for his musicians to develop life skills and bring arts into the community by providing free music lessons to those who live in lower income areas, giving scholarships to aspiring musicians, and so much more. This is just a small portion of what this orchestra has done.” The El Segundo Performing Arts Center is located inside El Segundo High School at 640 Main Street. The concert is not affiliated with the ESUSD. Please note that the El Segundo Performing Arts Center is expected to reach maximum capacity. Guests are encouraged to reserve seats as soon as possible. Public parking is available at the Main & Mariposa lot, the El Segundo Public Library, and surrounding streets. The concert is funded by the El Segundo Cultural Development Program and presented by the El Segundo's Recreation, Parks, and Library Department. ### About the City of El Segundo’s Cultural Development Program The El Segundo Cultural Development Program helps provide residential and business community members with public spaces, structures, and experiences that enhance the character of the City through the inclusion of art. Artistic and cultural services provided by the program create additional public access to the arts, help drive tourism and revenue to local businesses, contribute towards realizing cultural equity and inclusion, create opportunities for artists and art organizations in the community, and help grow the creative economy. For further information regarding the City of El Segundo’s Cultural Development Program, please visit Cultural Development Program | El Segundo Libraries (elsegundolibrary.org)