Youth Programs

Nola O’Neil began playing the violin at the age of seven, inspired by her older sister, Eila, a 2021-22 recipient of the De Clara Young Artist Award. As a former member of the Oakville Symphony Youth Orchestra (OSYO), Nola has always found immense joy in making music with others.

Currently, Nola is preparing for her Grade 10 exam and an ARCT level festival with her private teacher, Janet Pasila. In addition to her classical studies, Nola performs Irish fiddle tunes regularly with her sister under the duo name, the Swallowtail Sisters. Outside of music, Nola enjoys playing field hockey for her school, studying German and working as a lifeguard.

She is honored to be a part of OSO’s Young Artist Program and looks forward to growing as a musician throughout the season!

Nyla Santos is a highly accomplished cellist with 12 years of dedicated experience. Currently working on her Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) Level 10, she has demonstrated exceptional skill and commitment to her craft. Nyla’s passion for music ignited at a very young age and has only intensified over the years. She recently graduated from all 10 Suzuki Books, marking a significant milestone in her musical journey. She is eagerly looking forward to her future with the Oakville Symphony, where she hopes to continue growing as a musician.

Born and raised in Oakville, Ontario, Emma Li is a 17 year old violinist who started the instrument from the age of 10. She also has played the piano since the age of 5. Emma has placed first place in various music festivals such as Peel, Hamilton, Burlington, and North York.

Emma studied violin with Peggy Hill from the ages of 10-15. In 2018, Emma served as the concertmaster of the Mississauga Symphony Youth Orchestra – Sinfonietta. The following year, she joined the Oakville Symphony Youth Orchestra as associate concertmaster of the Philharmonia from 2019-2020.

Emma started studying with her current teacher, Mayumi Seiler, in 2022 at the age of 15. In the summer of 2023, Emma joined the National Youth Orchestra for their Aurora tour. A seven week long program, Emma was one of the youngest in the orchestra with members ranging from 16-28 years old. For the NYO’s Horizons tour in the summer of 2024, Emma will be joining them again for her second year. As well, Emma recently completed her first year in 2023-2024 as a member of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. She is also a finalist in the 2024 Ontario Music Festivals Association provincials. With the support of the Oakville Symphony Orchestra, Emma hopes to continue her musical endeavors and expand her orchestral experiences.

Lola Lee is a 16 year old violinist, currently attending Father John Redmond CSS and Regional Arts Center. She plays in the Regional Arts Program Strings Ensemble at school, and she has also played with the Mississauga Symphony Youth Orchestra and several other small ensembles for public events. Aside from the violin, Lola also plays piano and enjoys volunteering in the music community and tutoring younger musicians at school. In the future, she aspires to be a professional performer and orchestral musician.

Violinist Karen Fu was a finalist at the 2023 Vancouver International Music Competition. She has performed as a soloist with the Mississauga Symphony Youth Orchestra and has served as concertmaster of the University of Waterloo Orchestra and Mississauga Symphony Youth Orchestra, principal second of the Halton Mississauga Youth Orchestra, and tutti violinist in the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. Karen holds a Bachelor of Accounting and Financial Management from the University of Waterloo with a Music Minor, where she received the John and Erma Stutzman String Scholarship Award for excellence in a string instrument. During her university years, she volunteered at the Schlegel Retirement Community, providing music to senior residents through violin performances.

Karen performed with DJ Jazzy Jeff for an audience of 2000 people at Mississauga’s Celebration Square as part of the SoundBites Festival. Karen has had the privilege of studying with Dr. Conrad Chow, Etsuko Kimura, Lance Ouellette, and Jung Tsai. She also holds an Associate Diploma (ARCT) in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music and has performed a solo piano performance in Mississauga’s Living Arts Centre. In her free time, Karen enjoys skateboarding, paddleboarding, running, and hiking.

Avery Tran is a grade 12 student at White Oaks Secondary School and is a returning DeClara Young Artist Award winner. She began learning to play the cello at 6 years old with one of the Oakville Symphony’s founding members, Jean Grieve. Avery currently studies cello with Susan Gagnon at an RCM ARCT Level. Outside of private and group lessons, Avery was encouraged to play chamber and orchestral music as young as 7 years old. This had helped Avery gain musicianship, interpersonal skills, and experience. She has been a member of the Oakville Symphony Youth Orchestra and has played in all 4 ensembles, between 2017-2023. Aside from music, Avery is involved in the White Oaks’ Cat Crew Student Welcoming Committee and the Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life. She enjoys ice hockey, field hockey, and Formula 1.

Calvin Lee is a Grade 12 student at Iroquois Ridge High School. He previously studied violin with Pierre Gagnon and Adele Pierre, and now studies with Conrad Chow at the RCM ARCT Level.

A multiple award winner at the regional music festival level, he has also been a two-time provincial finalist in the Ontario Music Festival Association Competition, and a two-time national finalist in the Canadian Music Competition. He is currently Concertmaster at the Hamilton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, where he has played since 2020, and was previously Concertmaster with the Oakville Symphony Youth Orchestra Philharmonia in their 2019-2020 season.

A diverse musician, Calvin has also played the trumpet and flute in various school and Army Cadet bands, and has studied piano up to the RCM Grade 7 level with Hana Gurtlerova.

Aside from music, Calvin has played rep and varsity-level baseball, was selected to the McGill University Shad Program, and has been a multi-year member of the Oakville 1360 FIRST Robotics Team.

Lyndsay Tran recently completed her Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering at the University of Ottawa. She now works as a Chemical Engineer, specializing in process design. Despite pursuing a career in engineering, she still has a strong passion for music.

Lyndsay grew up in Oakville, and started playing the violin at age 3. As she progressed through her musical career, she played in various orchestras and chamber groups around the GTA, competed in various music festivals, and became a mentor for young violinists. In 2013–14, she was the concertmaster of the Halton Youth Chamber Orchestra. In the 2015–16 and 2016–17 seasons, she joined the Oakville Symphony Orchestra as a Young Artist.

When she went to Ottawa for university, she continued her playing with the Ottawa Pops Orchestra and Ottawa Chamber Orchestra. Upon her return to Oakville, she has been a part of the administrative staff for the Oakville Suzuki Performing Arts Summer Camp, and rejoined the Oakville Symphony.