Local Students Revitalizing Orchestral Music
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PHOENIX (April 22, 2026) – The Phoenix Symphony will showcase the work of student composers on May 9 during the Northern Lights Adventure performance as part of a lengthy process of mentoring Phoenix area student composers.
During the 24-25 season, Alex Amsel, the Phoenix Symphony’s Associate Conductor at the time, and the Phoenix Symphony Education department explored ways to bring more student voices on stage. This led to the development of the Phoenix Symphony Student Composition Project, a mentorship-driven process open to composers from 1st to 12th grade. Students submitted original works and collaborated with Amsel through two rounds of feedback spanning the 2024–25 season.
“Discovering the voice and vision of each student composer has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career,” Amsel said. “From their first sketches to the development of each piece that we work on together, to hearing their works performed by the Phoenix Symphony, I witnessed not just musical growth, but the transformation that happens when young artists realize their dreams are possible. These students reminded me why we make music—to connect, to inspire, and to say something that only their unique voice could express. It’s been an honor to champion their creativity and help bring their compositions to life on stage.”
More than a dozen students submitted their work. From those submissions, five pieces demonstrated the instrumentation and artistic range to be programmed alongside professional repertoire in the 2025–26 season.
The works of three students will be featured 2 p.m. May 9 during the Northern Lights Adventure performance at the Madison Center for the Arts. Buy tickets at phoenixsymphony.org.
The students and their pieces:
- Student: Israel Kim, Home School (Phoenix)
Song: Ombra e Luce Symphony No. 1 - Student: Dylan French, Corona del Sol High School (Chandler)
Song: Gilgamesh Symphony No. 1 - Student: Yola Svoma, Home School (Tempe)
Song: Imitation of the Prokofievâs Fifth Symphony #2 Movement 1
May 9 Northern Lights Adventure Offers Student Compositions and a Multimedia Experience
Northern Lights Adventure features works by three local, young composers—Dylan French, Israel Kim, and Yola Svoma—and invites audiences on an immersive journey into the Arctic night. Led by Alex Amsel, the program includes the luminous music of Christopher Theofanidis and The Legend of the Northern Lights, a multimedia experience by astronomer and visual artist Dr. José Francisco Salgado. Blending stunning imagery of the Aurora Borealis with a powerful symphonic score, the performance weaves together science and mythology in a breathtaking exploration of nature’s “frozen fire.”
Enhancing the experience, community partner International Dark Sky Discovery Center will present a live chemical demonstration modeling how the Aurora forms, offering a vivid look at the science behind the glow. Audiences are also invited to join Mesa Youth Creative Agency in the lobby at 1 p.m. for a hands-on progressive Community Art Project.
2 Other Students’ Works Already Featured this Season
The Symphony has already featured the works of two other students this season whose pieces were selected as part of the Phoenix Symphony Student Composition Project. The students and their pieces:
- Student: Nevin Atodaria, Brophy College Preparatory (Phoenix)
Song: Karna Symphony #1 - Student: Logan Phares, Boulder Creek High School (Anthem)
Song: Au Revoir Mon Amour Symphony No. 1
The Phoenix Symphony performed Nevin Atodaria’s piece, Karna Symphony #1, during a Symphony for the School Field Trips, a free program for Arizona students. Atodaria is a student at Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix. His piece was performed on October 30 and November 13 and will be performed during upcoming field trips on April 30 and May 12 at Symphony Hall.
On March 25, Logan Phares’ song, Au Revoir Mon Amour Symphony No. 1, was performed during the Side by Side with the Metropolitan Youth Symphony concert at the Mesa Arts Center. Phares is a student at Boulder Creek High School in Anthem.
“Programs like the Student Composition Project reflect our mission to support our community through live music,” said Valerie Bontrager, Vice President of Community Engagement and Education for The Phoenix Symphony. “By giving young composers the opportunity to work with professional musicians and hear their music performed live and on stage where other students see them, we are investing in another generation of talented Arizona students. We get to hear their music, and our young audience sees a peer on stage.”
Buy tickets at phoenixsymphony.org.
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About The Phoenix Symphony
The Phoenix Symphony has been at the center of Arizona’s cultural life since 1947, performing at Symphony Hall and across the Valley with some of the world’s finest conductors and guest artists. Its exceptional musicians and broad array of programs enrich the lives of thousands of people each year, thanks to enthusiastic audiences and the generous support of individuals, foundation, and corporate donors.
In addition to performances, the Symphony’s Community Engagement & Education programs bring the power of music to more than 100,000 Arizonans each year, creating meaningful musical experiences for young people from field trips and school assemblies to master classes, STEM lessons, and more. Symphony musicians also reach individuals in a variety of community, social service, healthcare and shelter settings, including memory care and hospice.
With the appointment of internationally acclaimed conductor Paolo Bortolameolli as the Symphony’s next Virginia G. Piper Music Director, The Phoenix Symphony enters a bold new chapter. Bortolameolli will serve as Music Director Designate during the 2026–27 season and become the Virginia G. Piper Music Director beginning with the 2027–28 season. To learn more, visit phoenixsymphony.org.
