Coinciding with their 100th anniversary, the Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) has announced plans to build a new, dedicated space for the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) to be designed by Los Angeles’ own Frank Gehry. Architect of Los Angeles’ and one of the world’s most famous performance spaces, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Gehry has been called upon to transform a 17,000-square-foot facility in the LA neighborhood of Inglewood that will allow LA Phil to reach its goal of doubling the number of students involved in its programs by 2022.
“The Beckmen Center will take the core beliefs that I have expressed and turn them into something tangible for the children of LA and help ensure a brighter future for them and for all of us,” said LA Phil Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel. “We commit ourselves as an organization to a better life for our inheritors - this amazing facility will ensure that.”
YOLA currently serves about 1,000 students in satellite venues located throughout the city. The new Judith and Thomas L. Beckman YOLA Center @ Inglewood will support an additional 500 students from the surrounding community, as well as provide a facility for larger student events.
Frank Gehry said, “The LA Phil is the first orchestra anywhere to take such an enormous step for the future of its community. Thanks to the time I’ve spent with Gustavo, I’ve seen the difference that YOLA makes in young people’s lives. I’m proud to play my part by making spaces where the kids can feel inspired, and YOLA can open up the whole world of music to them.”
Learn more about LA Phil’s Centennial Campaign here.
AD Classics: Walt Disney Concert Hall / Frank Gehry
Completed October 23, 2003, The Walt Disney Concert Hall celebrates its tenth anniversary today. Home to the LA Philharmonic, it has received wide acclaim for its excellent acoustics and distinctive architecture. In the decade since its opening, the hall's sweeping, metallic surfaces have become associated with Frank Gehry's signature style.
