Shabnam Fasa
Director, Sounds Like LA
As Co-Founder of Sounds Like LA (formerly Santa Monica Youth Orchestra), which she helped establish in 2011, Shabnam Fasa has served as Executive Director and Board Member for the last seven years. During that time, Sounds Like LA has grown from serving 9 students to over 150 students by transforming a small ensemble into a full music program that includes a youth orchestra, advanced chamber ensemble, choir and parent ukulele ensemble. In addition, in 2013 Shabnam founded and developed the Opus World Music Camp, a full 3 week program that serves over 100 musicians from cross Los Angeles and beyond, teaching them not only western classical music but also Chinese, Iranian, Mariachi, Hawaiian and Near Eastern music along with Jazz Improvisation, Art and Movement. The Opus program embodies the diverse landscape of Los Angeles. In 2012, Shabnam founded the Instrumental Music Program at PS1 Pluralistic School where students learn in a group setting inspired by the El Sistema model. Prior to her current roles, she worked as a teaching artist for organizations including The City of Santa Monica, SMMUSD, and the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (YOLA). Shabnam received her musical training at the Holbaek Kunst art school in Holbaek, Denmark, and holds a degree in ethnomusicology from UCLA.
