American Youth Symphony (AYS) and ESMoA, an art museum in El Segundo, have partnered to produce intimate concert experiences for our community to be able enjoy live music together.
Our pilot project in September 2020 matched one musician with one audience member to once again experience music together with the absence of live concerts due to the global pandemic. After the concert an audience member said, “having the chance to listen to live music again, kinda brought me back to life. It reminded me why I love live music so much.”
Our second concert was on Saturday, March 20, 2021 and was livestreamed for all to enjoy at home! Read more below.
AYS and ESMoA are taking health and safety seriously and following CDC and LA County recommendations for in-person events. Guests, staff, and musicians will follow COVID-19 safety regulations as part of AYS’ acknowledgement form and event guidelines. Visit our health and safety webpage for more information.
Saturday March 20, 2021
10:00am PT | 1:00pm ET
Livestream only on YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram Live.
Experience AYS’ next 1-on-1 concert from the comfort of your home via livestream on your favorite social media platform. Set at the entrance of ESMOA with an art installation from artist Álvaro D. Márquez, AYS musicians Sarah Wilkinson and Moses Aubrey will each play 15 minutes of music sure to charm your morning.
About the Artists and Program
Sarah Wilkinson, viola
Sarah will be playing movements from the 6th Bach Cello Suites and a duet with special guest, Ben Solomonow. Sarah and Ben will be playing Beethoven’s Eyeglass.
Sarah Wilkinson is a violist from Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is a member of American Youth Symphony and Thornton Symphony Orchestra, and has played with Pueblo Symphony, Aspen Festival Orchestra, Lamont Symphony Orchestra, and the Albuquerque Youth Symphony. She has performed in masterclasses with Paul Neubauer, Sibbi Bernhardsson, Carol Rodland, Jutta Puchammer, Matt Haimovitz, and Ivo Van Der Werff. In the past summers, Sarah has enjoyed participating in The Aspen Music Festival and School, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, Marrowstone Music Festival, and InterHarmony International Music Festival in Italy. She is currently working towards her Master of Music degree in Viola performance at the University of Southern California, studying under Karen Dreyfus. Sarah received her Bachelor of Music degree in Viola Performance from the University of Denver, where she studied with Basil Vendryes and graduated Cum Laude in 2019.
Moses Aubrey, bass
Moses will be playing movements from Bach Cello Suites and an original composition.
Moses Aubrey started his musical career with Harmony Project/YOLA. Two El Sistema inspired organizations in Los Angeles. While in these programs Moses had the opportunity to collaborate with El Sistema Japan, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Simon Bolivar Orchestra among others. He was selected to be in the Orchestra of the Future which played at the Nobel Prize Concert (2017) under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel. In the summer of 2019, Moses toured Mexico with the Orchestra of the Americas. Recently, Moses graduated from UCLA and plans to continue his education. In his spare time, Moses can be found outside photographing any wildlife from jumping spiders to great blue herons and everything in between.
Past Concert: Saturday September 26, 2020
Held on the rooftop deck of ESMoA in Downtown El Segundo, one musician and one audience member enjoyed live music together after months of being quarantined at home. This concert had a succession of four 1-on-1 performances, each 15 minutes long played by AYS Principal Cellist, Alex Mansour and AYS violinist, Ani Sinanyan.
This event was recorded and will be compiled into a short concept film to be shared with the public at a future broadcast date. Join our email list and follow us on social media to be the first to hear of the video premiere! You can watch some footage for free on our YouTube Channel.
About the Artists
Alex Mansour, Principal Cello
Alexander Mansour is a composer, pianist, and cellist from Los Angeles, California. His music is fascinated with the lyricism of romantic expression, dramatic juxtaposition of disparate harmonies, and dynamic narrative structures. As a cellist, Alex serves as principal of American Youth Symphony, and has joined the New York String Orchestra Seminar for their Christmas concerts at Carnegie Hall. He has also appeared on NPR’s “From the Top”. He has studied with Katinka Kleijn (CSO), and during an exchange in London, with Richard Lester (Royal College of Music).
Ani Sinanyan, violin
Ani Sinanyan is a young violinist and winner of many competitions born into a family of musicians. In April of 2010, Ani was a finalist of the Youth Talent Festival and performed in the Carnegie Weill Recital Hall in New York City. From 2013-17, she was the concertmistress and solo violinist of the Verdugo Young Musicians Association. In the summer of 2018, Ani was the Principal Second Violinist of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Institute at Whistler. She is in her second year with American Youth Symphony and attends UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music, Music Major in Violin Performance. She hopes to become an accomplished musician and professional violinist.
