About Us
OUR HISTORY:
Orchestra Nova LA draws its roots from the Los Angeles Doctors Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1953 by a group of physicians and other medical specialists for the purpose of supporting medical charities. Having had an illustrious history of performances with many important soloists and conductors over the years, the orchestra grew both musically and in size.
Over time, as medicine changed, so did the orchestra’s membership, and for many years the only criterion to be part of the orchestra was that one had to have been to a doctor at least once. Recognizing this reality and wishing to take the orchestra in a different direction, Orchestra Nova LA was formed in 2023.
OUR MISSION:
The mission of Orchestra Nova LA is to invite our audiences to immerse themselves in the rejuvenating capacity of music through high quality, affordable concerts, to support volunteer musicians, including youth and emerging professionals, in their pursuit of the discipline and joys found in diverse forms of musical expression, and to provide artistic growth for its performing members.
OUR MUSIC DIRECTOR:
Ivan Shulman is an award-winning conductor, teacher, clinician and virtuoso performer and is pleased to be the inaugural conductor and Music Director of Orchestra Nova LA. Originally from New York, he studied oboe with his father, the noted oboist Harry Shulman who played in the NBC Symphony under the direction of Arturo Toscanini. In his youth, he attended the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico on numerous occasions, and spent summers in Marlboro and Aspen, where he studied composition with Darius Milhaud and Charles Jones, theory and orchestration with Gordon Hardy, and conducting with Walter Susskind and Wolfgang Vacano.
After deciding to follow his scientific interests, he went to medical school at the University of Pittsburgh, did a peripatetic surgical residency in New York, Seattle and San Francisco, and spent two years in the US Public Health Service on the Navajo Reservation. Despite the intensity of a surgical training program, music was never far from his daily activities and when he moved to begin a practice in Los Angeles, he sought out many opportunities to play oboe in both community and professional groups…
Our Leadership
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Myles Lee
PRESIDENT
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Joseph Braun
VICE PRESIDENT
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Garrett Levesque
TREASURER
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Ken Alexander
SECRETARY
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Xenos Mason
BOARD MEMBER
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Timothy Chan
MEMBER-AT-LARGE
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Christina Choi
MEMBER-AT-LARGE
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Jerry Hornof
BOARD MEMBER
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Rebecca Rodman
BOARD MEMBER
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Andrew Hasel
BOARD MEMBER
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Ivan Shulman
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Musician of the Month: Lydia Steadman
Lydia Steadman has been a devoted violinist and active member of our orchestra community for nearly 25 years, known for her dedication. She still arrives early to set up chairs before every rehearsal!
Born in Hollywood in 1934, Lydia began violin lessons at age seven and later studied with Vera Barstow of Pasadena. She performed in the All-California Orchestra during high school and went on to play with college orchestras at Pepperdine, USC, CLU, and Ventura College. A USC graduate, she began her teaching career as a string instructor in the Lancaster School District, where she met her husband, a NASA mathematician.
Lydia went on to play with the San Fernando Valley Symphony under James Swift, collaborating with legendary artists including Henry Mancini, Elmer Bernstein, and David Rose. Over her 43-year teaching career, she taught instrumental and elementary music, leading her school orchestras to first-place festival finishes.
Beyond teaching, Lydia served 13 years as President of Community Concerts of San Fernando Valley and remains active in the American Association of University Women and Conejo Valley Business & Professional Women, advocating for education and equality.
After retiring in 2001, Lydia joined the Los Angeles Doctor’s Symphony Orchestra (now known as Orchestra Nova LA). Lydia enjoyed international travel and joined the orchestra after hearing that they gave concerts in many countries and the money raised went to local hospitals and the Red Cross. Her 24-year stand partner was the late Karen Scharre, another beloved ONLA musician and board member. During this period, Lydia and others from the orchestra traveled to Alaska, New Mexico, and Temecula for a variety of performances with local ensembles.
A lifelong learner and adventurer, Lydia has also been a tennis player, Hawaiian dancer, and licensed pilot with over 100 flight hours. She's a true Renaissance woman with an incredible range of talents!
Favorite thing about playing with ONLA:
I like the friendly comradery of ONLA.
Favorite book:
I like to read Jules Verne because he is always traveling the world!!!
A special thanks to Lydia for her decades of dedication to ONLA!
