Our Mission, Our Story

LOYO began as the Conejo Youth Symphony, in 1961, at California Lutheran University under Dr. Robert Zimmerman, Professor Betty Bowen, and Walter Burkedahl, who saw the need for an ensemble for the students at the university. Professor Bowen became the founder and conductor of this new ensemble which began as a Saturday conservatory, and held their first rehearsals in an old farm house, rumored to be a converted chicken coop, on the college campus.

The program hosted a single orchestra with a wide variety of skill levels, but quickly gained recognition beyond Thousand Oaks.

After 14 years of dedication to the ensemble, the sponsorship of the orchestra then became the responsibility of the Conejo Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Elmer Ramsey. Mr. Ramsey engaged Nancy Segerhammer, violinist in the Conejo Symphony as the conductor of the youth symphony. After Ms. Segerhammer, Kevin O’Donnell, the orchestra director at Agoura High School became the conductor. The orchestra was then passed on to Mr. Jack Marzano, principal violist in the Conejo Symphony who continued the orchestra’s development.

In 1983, the orchestra was turned over to Ms. Carol Alexander, a band/orchestra teacher in the Conejo Schools who was also a French Horn player in the Conejo Symphony. After the orchestra was taken under the wings of the new Conejo Valley Symphony Orchestra, the board of directors agreed on the new name, The Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra.

William “Bill” Benson joined the staff in 1994 as coach and developed the Youth Strings ensemble, giving young string players a place to develop their skills before joining the symphony.

If you look closely at the last photo, you can see a young Rebecca Tseitlin sitting as Concertmaster, a young Isabelle Thiroux as Principal Viola, and a younger Bill Benson supporting the Bass section.

In June of 1999, Ms. Alexander retired and moved to Washington and Mr. Benson became the new conductor as well as the artistic director.

Under Maestro Benson’s leadership, the program grew to 3 ensembles: Youth Strings, Preparatory Orchestra, and Youth Orchestra. 

CVYO navigated many changes in the way the arts were funded throughout the Conejo Valley, and began bringing together a large team of string, wind, brass, and percussion coaches.

Mr. Benson grew the staff and program by bringing on Cheryl Marvin (Executive Director), Karen Sanchez (Associate Conductor), and a host of gifted coaches (Shane Harry, Joy Armstrong, Sandy Saunderling, Debbie Boltinghouse, Paul Sterhnagen)

The orchestra grew to nearly 300 members, began performing at the Kavli Theatre in Thousand Oaks, and garnered broad attention.

In 2018, Alexander Tseitlin joined as Director of Development and formed CVYO’s Virtuosi Ensemble.

In 2020, as Mr. Benson prepared to hand the baton to Alexander Tseitlin, the world locked down due to COVID. Mr. Tseitlin and Mrs. Tseitlin, along with a small group of families, launched the Ventura County Orchestra Pod to give the joy of symphonic music and the invaluable experience of being together to the young musicians entrusted to CVYO.

VCOP moved to Godspeak Church in Newbury Park, where Rob McCoy generously gave the orchestra a home, and the symphony began rehearsing as the only live ensemble in California.

Re-naming the ensembles in tongue-in-cheek fashion as “Cohort 1” (Youth Strings), “Cohort 2” (Preparatory Orchestra), and “Cohort 3” (Symphony Orchestra), the orchestra continued these precious times of being together, with rejoining members brought to tears after not hearing live music for months or years.

CVYO and VCOP lead the charge to re-open symphonic music in the coming years, encouraging youth and professional orchestras to step forward and revive the symphony. In the coming 4 years, CVYO regrew from its 2020 enrollment of 80 members back to its pre-COVID enrollment of 180 members.

With over 50 youth orchestras closing permanently in California alone over the next 2 years, our organization is forever grateful for VCOP and the courage of these young families.

In 2025 the Board of Directors voted unanimously to restructure the organization under Lyceum Oaks. 

Stepping into the role of Artistic and Executive Director, Alexander Tseitlin, with the partnership of Rebecca Tseitlin as Associate Director, saw the program grow rapidly between 2021 and 2025 including:

1. The creation of the California Young Artists Symphony in 2021, hosting pre-college to graduate musicians from Orange County to Santa Barbara.
2. The establishment of the Dialogues Concert Series in 2022, with an established season of chamber music concerts.
3. The inaugural Summerfest program at Cal State Channel Islands in the summer of 2025.
4. The opening of LOYO’s first satellite campus in Simi Valley, under LOYO Alumnus Julian Perez.

CVYO proudly took on the mantle of Lyceum Oaks as the Lyceum Oaks Youth Orchestra.

We look forward to many more generations of great music. Follow the latest developments at LOYO on our Instagram Page @loyorchestra

LOYO operates under Lyceum Oaks in Thousand Oaks, CA as a 501c3 Non-Profit (ID 77-0423700)

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