Young learners have an unlimited potential that can only be unlocked through new experiences. It is my responsibility as their teacher to help design an environment where students can feel safe and secure to experiment, make mistakes, and be creative. In order to build the ideal environment, I owe it to my students to show up as a dependable and approachable teacher.

With one semester working together under our belts, each of our YAMA ensembles are excited about what the spring will hold. We’ve revisited our goals from October and have a few new milestones that we will target. 

Two weeks ago, our students took the spotlight during Fall Muestra Week, showing off all the amazing progress they’ve made—and having a ton of fun doing it!

On November 22, Philharmonia and Combo students attended the Yakima Symphony Orchestra’s From the Danube to the Moldau concert, seated just a few rows from the stage, close enough to watch soloist Yerin Kim perform Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 at the piano.

YAMA has kicked off for the year! With a few weeks under our belt, here’s an update of what we’re working on.

We’re excited to kick off another incredible year at YAMA! Our 2025–2026 season officially began on October 6 with “Welcome to YAMA” week!

At the start of summer, our Philharmornia students enjoyed a special camping trip where we visited Maryhill Museum and Goldendale Observatory!

There are ways that growth is visible and audible when a young musician is learning an instrument. There are also other layers of growth beyond what we can see and hear at YAMA performances. Students, staff, alumni, and parents share their reflections on what growth looks, feels, and sounds like at YAMA.