Symphony Orchestra
Featuring the Louisville Youth Orchestra’s most advanced student musicians
Symphony Orchestra is a full orchestra with strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. It features the LYO’s most advanced student musicians whose extra level of preparation and dedication lend to quickly learning advanced repertoire in a wide variety of styles.
Throughout the season this ensemble also engages in special sectionals and performs in additional concert opportunities. The LYO Symphony Orchestra rehearses on Sundays at the Youth Performing Arts School from 2:00 to 5:00 PM.
Conductor

Gabriel Lefkowitz
- Music Director and Conductor, Symphony Orchestra
- Staff member since 2025
American violinist and conductor Gabriel Lefkowitz has captivated audiences throughout the U.S. and abroad in a dynamic and multi-faceted career as a performer, creator, and educator. Gabriel is the Concertmaster & Resident Conductor of The Louisville Orchestra, Music Director of the Louisville Youth Orchestra, Artistic Director of The Chamber Orchestra of Louisville, and is active as a soloist, guest conductor, guest concertmaster, chamber musician, and teacher. A progressive musician of the 21st century, Gabriel is also a composer who has written the music for several video games, composed several full length albums of original music, and was the featured violin soloist on the soundtrack for the film Harriet (Focus Features).
Strings

VIOLIN
VIOLIN
Jonathan Melton, Co-Concertmaster
Megumi Martin, Co-Concertmaster
ROTATING VIOLIN I:
Nadia Allen
Gopal Chandran
Sherlyn Choi
Stone Donaldson
Caroline Drexler
Jaebyn Hong
Ayun Lee
Emma Phillips
Samuel Rios
Paris Tse
Esther Versluis
ROTATING VIOLIN II:
Talia Allen
Daniel Arcilla
David Choo
Quintin Coffey
Audrey Deans
Rowan Deming
Isabella Edghill
Esme Ertz
Emily Goodpaster
Alexander Makdah
Annalise Martin
Sebastian Martinez
Autumn Phan
Rafi Shah-Bozeman
Eva Zhou

VIOLA
VIOLA
Samantha Vittitow, principal
J.P. Hankins, Asst. Principal
Sydney Martin, Asst. Principal
ROTATING:
Taylor An
Carlyn Ketcherside
Aliya Niasim
Kaylin Peck
Madeline Quinlan
Sophia Sapienza
Will Trask
Richie Weigleb
Will Trask

CELLO
CELLO
Lillian Chung, Principal
ROTATING:
Daphne Altstadt
Eva Duncan
Anita Ertz
Jack Heppermann
Alara Keeton
Colin Liu
Jenelle Ngabo
Chase Thomas
Alina Zheng

BASS
BASS
Daniel May, Principal
Idalee Reeves-Adams, Principal
ROTATING:
Gwen Edling
Luke Minich
Mia Notaro
Angel Queral