We'll be sharing more information about how you can enjoy holiday concerts in the coming months. In the meantime, please enjoy the student and staff profiles featured below, and we'll see you at one of our Free Wednesday Concerts!

Sincerely,

Andrea Schmitt

Director

Throughout high school, Brandon Vega prepared for a future in medicine. He applied to universities as a Biology major, volunteered at hospitals, and took challenging AP courses. But as he was waiting to find out if he was admitted, he began questioning whether that path was truly his own. “I realized that I wasn't really confident in that life,” Brandon said. 

What had always inspired him was music. Although he had never formally studied it, he decided to change direction and pursue what he genuinely loved. “I figured out I think I would rather major in music because it truly is what inspires me.” 

Brandon chose LAVC and arrived with little formal musical experience. He had played casually on a keyboard given to him by a relative, but he had never taken a music class and could not read music. “When I started Valley College, it was a fresh start,” he said. “I didn't know anyone, and I didn't even know how to read music. I was completely new.” 

Determined to catch up, Brandon immersed himself in learning piano, reading sheet music, and understanding music theory. A turning point came when he auditioned for LAVC’s Applied Music Program and was accepted to study piano with Professor Natalie Pang. 

“She understood where I was at,” Brandon said. Professor Pang helped him develop everything from proper technique and posture to interpretation and performance. Brandon describes that individual instruction as one of the most meaningful experiences of his time at Valley. 

His growth eventually led him to the LAVC orchestra, where he challenged himself to perform a piano concerto. Rehearsing alongside other musicians brought tremendous pressure, but Professor Pang encouraged him to focus not simply on the final performance, but on the work required to reach it. 

On performance day, Brandon was nervous and made mistakes, but his definition of success had changed. “I was very content with my performance because I know that I gave my all.” 

Now Brandon is looking toward transferring and continuing his musical education, potentially at a conservatory where he can maintain the close faculty relationships he developed at LAVC. 

LAVC Spotlight:

 Music Department Chair Dr. Yih-mei Hu

Long before becoming Chair of the Music Department at Los Angeles Valley College, Dr. Yih-mei Hu was a young pianist and violinist competing and performing successfully, at the national level. After completing her Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) at the renowned Eastman School of Music, Dr. Hu began her professional career as a part-time faculty member at the University of Southern California, followed by a full-time teaching position at Scripps College, and ultimately a tenured position at LAVC.

Seventeen years later, she still remembers her first impressions of the college. At the time, the Music Department was larger, with nine full-time faculty members and approximately 15 to 20 adjunct instructors. It was also Dr. Hu's first position at a community college. “I just felt like I had a lot to learn,” she remembered. But it did not take long for her to recognize something in Valley's students that felt deeply familiar. 

Music can be an expensive field to pursue seriously. “As a student, that was a struggle for me,” she said. Private lessons cost money. So do quality instruments. For a young musician performing and competing at increasingly advanced levels, access to those resources can influence how far an opportunity can go. “It’s very expensive to have lessons and have an instrument of a quality that you need,” Dr. Hu explained. That experience shaped the way she saw LAVC students. 

At Valley College, she encountered students with passion and ability who could access opportunities that might have been financially out of reach elsewhere. “What I resonated with is the excitement of a student who had this opportunity at Valley where they wouldn't necessarily have that opportunity at USC,” she said. “It felt like it was my experience, but I was just on the other side of it now.”



At LAVC, students can participate in a wind ensemble with approximately 50 musicians, as well as an orchestra and two choirs. The ensembles perform every semester, giving students regular opportunities to move from the classroom and rehearsal room onto a stage. The department also offers something particularly valuable for developing musicians: individualized instruction. “We have an applied lessons program which you can audition for and receive one-on-one instruction with a faculty member,” Dr. Hu explained. 

Students can explore traditional music as well as commercial and popular music. Strong evening offerings also create options for students whose work, family responsibilities or other commitments make daytime-only education difficult. The department's DJ workshop, for example, has approximately 35 students. “We are one of the few music departments at any Southern California college to offer such a course,” Dr. Hu noted. 

When asked what makes her proud of the Music Department, Dr. Hu's answer quickly connected the department's resources to philanthropy. “I'm proud of our instrument inventory, which has been made possible through generous donations in the past, and I’m proud of our faculty and staff who tirelessly dedicate their entire week to supporting students in the classroom and beyond.” 

The Los Angeles Valley College and Pierce College Wind Ensembles will be perform their Fall Concert Autumn Unbound: A Celebration of Sound and Color, directed by Professor Lori Musicant Kozubek and Dr. Wendy Mazon, at the Valley Academic and Cultural Center on October 19th. The event is free and open to the public.

Founded in 1954, the ensemble performs many concerts for the campus and community to enjoy. A truly diverse group comprised of students, community members, music teachers and professional musicians, members are drawn by their common love of band music and the desire to interact with fellow musicians in a supportive environment. Equally diverse is the repertoire, ranging from standard band classics to marches, Broadway melodies, and big band jazz arrangements.

Event Details: Monday, October 19, 2026 at 7:30 pm

Parking: Guests may park in Lot B, the adjacent lot off Oxnard Blvd.

For more information, please email musicala@lavc.edu.