Kyla Williams, Executive Director

Kyla Page Williams has always had a passion for music. She began her formal training at the tender age of 6, when she started singing in her school’s choir. All throughout grade school, she seized every opportunity to raise her voice and share her love of music. Eventually, she refined her technique at Westminster Choir College, earning a B.A. in Music, with a concentration in Voice. As a classically trained opera singer, she has graced many stages in recitals, operas, and musicals. Notable opera performances include Carmen in Bizet’s Carmen, Dorabella in Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte, and is a part of the prestigious LA Opera Chorus.

When not on stage, she participates in growing programs dedicated to the Arts. She has made considerable behind-the-scenes efforts with programming, fundraising, and marketing, most notably during her internship with the Princeton Arts Council. She has honed her managerial skills as a staff manager and client liaison for many events in and around Hollywood. Her love of music has also inspired her to help others find their own voices. She ran a very successful preschool program, Music with Kyla for over 5hrs, she currently coaches singers in all stages of their careers. Kyla has a gift for working with children and supporting them as they grow into vocal maturity. She is looking forward to continuing the rich legacy of the San Fernando Valley Youth Chorus.

 

Marisa Bradfield, Artistic Director

Marisa Bradfield is a Los Angeles native who has been an active member of the choral community for the past twenty years.  From an early age, she had the opportunity to sing for radio, television, and feature films, along with performing for some of the most prestigious vocal ensembles in the United States.  Ms. Bradfield is currently the Performing Arts Department Chair & Choral Music Director at Providence High School (Providence High Arts).  Along with her teaching, she is a member of the voice faculty at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, California, and serves as the Vice President of the Southern California Vocal Association (SCVA) Vocal Solo Competition.  Ms. Bradfield is the Music Director at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Granada Hills where she conducts the adult and children’s choir.  In past years, she has served as the Artistic Director of the Los Angeles All-Diocese Queen of Angels Honor Choir and the Choral Director at the Los Angeles Music and Art School (LAMusArt).

Under her direction, the LAMusArt choral ensemble performed at Luckman Performing Arts Center, The Broad Stage, The Aratani Japan American Theater, The Ford Amphitheater, The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, and many other civic events in the Los Angeles community.

Ms. Bradfield received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from California State University, Northridge where she studied with Paul Smith and attended Mount San Antonio College where she studied with Bruce Rogers.  Ms. Bradfield holds a Master of Arts degree in Music Education and Teaching Credential from the University of Southern California, where she was the recipient of the USC Flora L. Thornton School of Music 2009 Honors Convocation, D ’Addario Foundation Achievement Award. Ms. Bradfield will be returning to USC to pursue her DMA in Choral Music in the fall of 2022.  

The love of music making and sharing space for creative expression is what led Ms. Bradfield to the San Fernando Valley Youth Chorus.  She is excited to begin her first season with the ensemble and looks forward to the many performances and opportunities to expand and support the organization.

 
 

Marla Lowrey,
Kinder Choir Director & Vocal Coach

Soprano Marla Lowrey has studied music from a very young age, learning piano, flute, and guitar before discovering the beauty of choral and solo singing. She has performed with a wide variety of vocal and theater ensembles, including opera, musical theater, chamber choir, liturgical, and acapella ensembles. Most recently, she was a featured soprano soloist for Carmina Burana, in collaboration with the LA Winds, as well as a highlighted soloist for Cabaret in the Valley! Gala Night, and the world premiere of Nightmare and the Dream. She is the Assistant Executive Director of the San Fernando Valley Master Chorale and regularly performs with SFVMC and their outreach ensemble, the Cadenzas. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, she was a soloist and section leader with the prestigious Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble, in Austin, Texas, for many years, as well as numerous other vocal, choral, and theater groups. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Music (Vocal Performance) at Boston

College in 2000 and her Master’s Degree in Music Education at the University of Texas - Austin, in 2004.

Originally from New Haven, Connecticut, she is thoroughly enjoying working here in the Valley with SFVYC. She is honored to serve as the Director of Kinder Choir and Vocal Coaching for SFVYC. During the pandemic, she spearheaded the Vocal Coaching program to extend SFVYC’s mission of providing opportunities for artistic growth through music to children of all backgrounds. She relishes introducing all ages to the beauty of vocal music and building confidence in young singers. This year she created a new Tiny Tunes class for our littlest singers at SFVYC, where she engages young children through music, movement, and song! She also enjoys teaching community and preschool music classes, individualized voice lessons, as well as university-level introductory courses in Music Theory, Piano, and Musicology.

 

Samuel Avila (he/they),
Associate Conductor

Samuel Avila is a professional singer and conductor based in Los Angeles. Samuel has recently graduated from the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music with a Bachelors of Music in Choral Music. Samuel was a member of the USC Chamber Singers since 2021 and has had the opportunity to tour internationally, premiere brand-new pieces from up-and-coming choral artists and perform major choral works at prestigious concert halls. They were also a member of the 5-time ICCA winning a cappella group, The SoCal VoCals, and came in 2nd place in the 2023 ICCA Competition Season.

Today, Samuel Avila has had the opportunity to perform in major venues across the country including Carnegie Hall, The Kia Forum, Hollywood Bowl, Chicago Symphony Hall, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall. From Pentatonix to The Eagles to Tiesto and

VOCES8, Samuel has performed with some of the most influential musicians within the Choral and Popular music industries. Currently, he is a contracted singer for the Grammy-nominated ensemble Tonality, an LA-based choir focused on uplifting BIPOC voices and social justice issues through Choral Music. They’re also a brand new member of the Long Beach Camerata Singers and is a section leader for the Beverly Hills Presbyterian Church. Samuel also made his Opera Debut this year with the world premiere workshop presentation of Sally Ride.

As a music educator, Samuel has worked with some of the leading choral and music organizations here in Los Angeles. Samuel serves as a Tenor section leader for the National Children’s Chorus Scholar Singers. Alongside the National Children’s Chorus, Samuel has had the opportunity to embark on international tours and record their first Christmas album at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London.

Samuel is so incredibly excited to join the SFYC Team as the Associate Conductor for the 23-24 year! Cheers to an amazing season of music-making and community-building!

 

Brian McConnell,
Collaborative Pianist

Brian McConnell is a classically trained pianist with a bachelor's degree in music from the University of Montevallo, Alabama and studied Music Composition at the University of Redlands, California. His diverse experience ranges from accompanying church services, performers, choirs, ensembles, and musicals, to music directing, producing, and performing in various genres including classical, jazz, blues, pop, rock, and more. Beyond music, Brian also has a career in web development and digital marketing technology and lives in the Studio City area. Brian loves to perform with so many talented people across the Los Angeles area and always looks forward to the next concert.

 
 
 
 
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