Andrew Bogen
Myva Newman
Ellie Pelcyger
Faculty
Advisor, Mariachi Ensembles
Guillermo “Willie” Acuña is harpist for Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernández, a multi-Grammy Award-nominated ensemble. He also plays trumpet, vihuela, guitarrón, requinto and jarana. In addition to touring professionally in the US and Mexico, he teaches and gives workshops in the LA area.
Willie holds a degree in ethnomusicology from UCLA.
Mariachi Ensembles
Guitarist and singer Mary Alfaro Velasco performs with mariachi and trio romántico ensembles in the LA area. She has also worked in academic and administrative roles at organizations including the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, the Library of Congress Archive of Folk Culture and at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes.
Mary holds degrees in music, music education, and Latin American studies from UCLA.
Director, Balkan Ensemble
Marko Danilovski is a kaval, clarinet, saxophone, and zurla player from Gostivar, Macedonia. His musical interests include Balkan traditional/folk music, Byzantine Orthodox chant, and various near-eastern folk traditions.
Marko holds a degree in ethnomusicology from UCLA. He is currently pursuing a law degree at Southwestern Law School.
Mariachi Ensembles, Braddock World Music Program
Guitarrón player Stephanie Del Rio has performed with traditional mariachi and mariachi fusion bands including Mariachi Divas, Las Colibri, and Flor De Toloache.
Gamelan Ensemble, WISH Charter School
Kayle Khanmohamed began studying gamelan while pursuing a Bachelors of Fine Arts in 2014 in Composition under both I Nyoman Wenten and Djoko Walujo at California Institute of the Arts. Under their mentorship and guidance, he has taught at schools like California Institute of the Arts, University of California Los Angeles, California State Summer School for the Arts, Canyon Crest Academy, and more. He plays in multiple groups in the Southern California area such as Merdu Kumala, Burat Wangi, Kembang Atangi, Giri Kusuma, Ngesthi Budaya (now Kesuryan), Kyai Dhoro Dasih, Krama Bali, and more.
WISH Gamelan Program
Arev has been a part of the Indonesian Gamelan world since 2015, before which she was a classical French Horn player. When she isn’t at gamelan practice or making found noise tracks, she likes to identify bird calls in nature.
Arev has been a part of the Indonesian Gamelan world since 2015, before which she was a classical French Horn player. When she isn’t at gamelan practice or making found noise tracks, she likes to identify bird calls in nature.
Braddock World Music Program, Santa Monica Youth Orchestra, PS1
Trumpeter Tristan Hurd tours and records with several nationally-respected ensembles and is an active arranger and educator.
Tristan holds degrees in music education from Central Washington University and trumpet performance from UCLA.
Amanda Shao began studying the erhu at the age of seven and received formal training in erhu performance. She has remained active in the local Chinese traditional music community through cultural events and performances in LA. Amanda is passionate about sharing the beauty of the erhu and Chinese music with young students, helping them build strong musical foundations while developing an appreciation for Chinese culture.
Olivia Thompson-Bessett has been singing and performing her whole life. She is an avid student of folk and Americana.
Olivia holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the NYU Tisch School of Arts.
Santa Monica Youth Orchestra
Eli Chenevert graduated with Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from the University of Puget Sound. He has studied with exemplary violin pedagogues Maria Sampen and Lorenz Gama. Now back in his hometown of Santa Monica, Eli gigs all over the Westside and teaches a private studio of violin and piano students.
Braddock World Music Program, PS1
Percussionist Aziz Yehia performs and teaches in the LA area, fusing music traditions including near eastern folk, jazz, classical and pop.
Aziz holds a degree in cultural anthropology from UC Berkeley.
Joseph has been tinkering with musical equations his whole life.
Stella Feldman-Abe is a musician and student of sociology at Smith College. She coordinates and assists operations with Sounds Like LA and The Da Camera Society. Stella can be found playing piano, on violin in the Smith College Orchestra, singing acapella, and creating music with others on a regular basis.
Mariachi Program
Nancy Sanchez is a natural songwriter born in Toluca Mexico and now makes her home in Southern California. Nancy’s songs reflect her influences on both sides of the border, including Mariachi, Regional Mexican, Latin Alternative, and Jazz in both English and Spanish.
Nancy Sanchez is a natural songwriter born in Toluca Mexico and now makes her home in Southern California. Nancy’s songs reflect her influences on both sides of the border, including Mariachi, Regional Mexican, Latin Alternative, and Jazz in both English and Spanish.
Teaching Artist, Mariachi
Violinist Bobby Álvarez has performed with and served as student director of Mariachi de Uclatlán, and remains an active performer of traditional Mexican music throughout Los Angeles.
Bobby graduated from UCLA with a major in Ethnomusicology and a minor in Visual and Performing Arts Education.
Gamelan Program Director
Hirotaka Inuzuka is a dedicated specialist in Balinese gamelan music who earned an MFA in World Music Performance from CalArts and developed his skills during ethnomusicology studies at UCLA. He has performed throughout the United States, founded Gamelan Merdu Kumala in Tujunga, California, and Gamelan Mojomanis in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is a member of the electronic gamelan trio Gong Gaada.
Chelsea is a violinist that started playing music at the age of six. She also plays guitar and ukulele. A graduate from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, one of her specializations is connecting music to the visual arts.
Grant Writer
Wan Yeung is a pipa musician and music scholar from Hong Kong whose work bridges tradition and innovation. He began studying the pipa at age 12 and quickly distinguished himself, earning numerous accolades including a gold medal at an international Chinese instrument competition.
Wan holds a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from UCLA and works across performance, research, and forensic musicology. His scholarship explores instrumental traditions in Hong Kong, nanguan music in Taiwan, and Cantonese opera in Asian American communities. Whether performing solo, with ensembles, or in interdisciplinary collaborations, Wan is committed to making traditional instruments feel alive and relevant, sparking curiosity, connection, and new conversations across cultures.
Founders
Shabnam is the driving force behind Sounds Like LA. Before founding our organization, she worked as a teaching artist with organizations including The City of Santa Monica, SMMUSD, and the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (YOLA).
She holds a degree in ethnomusicology from UCLA and has completed studies in visual art at Holbæk Kunsthøjskolen.
Julius is Associate Professor of Music and Artistic Director of The Da Camera Society at Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles.
He holds degrees in musicology from UCLA and the Universidad de Chile and a degree in music history from Oberlin Conservatory.
Advisory Board
Board
Shabnam Fasa – Executive Director
Saul Friedgood – President
Stacy McClendon – Secretary
Warda Agsous – Treasurer
Julius Reder Carlson – Co-Founder
Jeanne Kuo Riggins
Ben Wardrop
Sharon Morrill
Joel Pelcyger
Kaya Ralls