KAMSA Youth Symphony Orchestra Experience

"Playing with KAMSA this past summer was a truly memorable and enjoyable experience. It was exciting and rewarding to play such challenging repertoire alongside other like-minded musicians. I could feel the youthful energy of the orchestra in every rehearsal, and it was amazing to see how much we grew as an ensemble, from the first few sectionals to our final performance just two weeks later. It was also a real privilege to be able to play under the baton of someone as knowledgeable and experienced as our conductor, Maestro Eylar; having such a dedicated and passionate leader and mentor was truly inspiring to all of us. For me, KAMSA was more than just an orchestral experience; as the soloist, I gained valuable insights into playing with an orchestra and learned all the nuances of balancing individual voice and expression with the sound and capabilities of the accompaniment. In addition to the musical aspects of KAMSA, I loved being a part of the friendly and engaging environment that was always present. I was able to make lots of new friends and acquaintances, in part due to our similar cultural backgrounds and upbringings, and I greatly appreciated not only the help and support of the parent volunteers, but also the warmth of the Korean-American community as a whole. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at KAMSA, and I strongly feel that it has helped me grow not only as a musician, but as a person."
(Andrew Jaewon Lee)

"I thank the KAMSA organization for giving me the opportunity to participate in this orchestra. The experience was something that I will treasure for the rest of my life. For example, playing in the Walt Disney Hall is something that I could never forget."
(Kevin Cho)

"Overall, KAMSA has been an extremely enjoyable experience. It gave me a chance to play with other Korean-American musicians and bond with them. My most memorable experience was going to Disney Hall with my peers and being able to have fun with them outside of rehearsals ... I feel that going on the trip was what allowed the group to bond the most."
(Robert Oh)

"The devotion of the organization’s conductors, parents, and volunteers serve as a testament to the closely-knit Korean-American community and its desire to further the developmental growth of its youth."
(Walter Yoon)

"KAMSA gave me a chance to meet people who share my language and culture. My most memorable experience was our concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall and hanging out with friends in LA. KAMSA will be a great experience for anyone who joins."
(Brian Pak)

What I loved most about KAMSA is the depth in which we read into professional level music – both in technicality and in musicality... Maestro Bae treated us like adults, but more importantly like family. I greatly appreciated his mindset to draw out the best in us, which paid off in the concert when we played phenomenally."
(Stephanie Kim)