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MEET THE TEAM
The 2022-2023 Love Through Music Team
NICOLE LAM
Founder and Director of Operations
Nicole Lam is a rising sophomore at Yale University. She started Love Through Music as a high school freshman in 2017. As a pianist, she has been playing since the age of 4 and has performed as a soloist in world known concert halls like Carnegie Hall New York, Bucharest University Romania, Brahms Hall Vienna, Zipper Concert Hall, and others. Nicole has won innumerable competitions like Lansum International Competition, and TC International. As a classical vocalist, Nicole has sung in renowned concert venues such as Dorothy Chandler and historic sites of Italy and Vienna. Nicole also has extensive chamber music experience, such as commissions to premiere UCLA's composition based on “Glass Menagerie" and Bruce Stark's "Three Dances" at the MTAC convention. As a television host, Nicole works as the only bilingual host at her station, hosting celebratory events broadcasted to as many as twenty thousand viewers. As someone who finds joy in helping others, Nicole strives to spread the essence of music to other people’s hearts and show that passion can motivate people to do phenomenal things.
LEILANI PATAO
Outreach Director
Leilani Patao is a musical theatre performer, singer-songwriter, and performance artist. This will be Leilani’s fourth year working at Love Through Music. This is her second year as Outreach Coordinator. They are currently a freshman at New York University’s Tisch Drama School in the New Studio on Broadway. As a songwriter, Leilani has won Honorable Mention for the Singer-Songwriter category with the YoungArts Foundation in 2021 and 2022, and won the National Endowment for the Arts’ Musical Theatre Songwriting Challenge in 2020. Previously, at her former high school, the Los Angele County High School for the Arts, she was in the Vocal Music department, and was a part of the Musical Theatre Productions. Her most notable roles at LACHSA were Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, and Marcy Park in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Leilani recently starred in “Louder Than Words: Highschool Edition” for Netflix’s Tick Tick Boom with LACHSA, directed by Benji Tucker and Vivian Wolfson. She is so excited to be a part of this wonderful team!
TANIA RAMBALDO
Activities Director
Tania Rambaldo is a freshman at the Bard College and Conservatory of Music, where she is pursuing a dual degree in Violin Performance and English. A classically trained violinist, pianist, and occasional singer, she has been playing music for most of her life. Tania enjoys collaborating with diverse types of musicians, from duets with jazz pianists to large classical ensembles: she performed at the 2020 Grammy Awards in collaboration with Lang Lang, Joshua Bell, Gary Clark Jr., and other musical luminaries. Tania was a second-place prizewinner in the chamber category of the MAP International Music Competition. As someone whose life has been shaped by music, Tania believes musicians have the ability to heal their communities—to connect people without words and inspire kindness. She is beyond thankful to be a part of Love Through Music.
MIHILO KATO
President
Mihilo Kato is a junior at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA). During the past several years, Mihilo has won top prizes in several competitions including: Silver Prize in the Liszt class at the Northern Lights International Piano Competition (2021), Bronze Prize at the Southern California Junior Bach Festival (2021), 1st place in the CAPMT Contemporary Competition State Finals (2022), and Semifinalist in the Classical Instrumental category for The Music Center’s Spotlight competition (2022). Furthermore, Mihilo loves to collaborate with others and has played with many musicians and dancers for various concerts and competitions. Mihilo's goal is to achieve a degree in piano performance and either perform with other musicians or become a teacher. She is extremely excited to be a part of Love Through Music, to continue using music as a way to spread joy and give back/connect with different communities.
DARBY KO
President
Darby Ko is a freshman at West Windsor Plainsboro High School South. She has been playing the violin since she was in first grade, and plays piano and guitar on the side. Darby had been a member of the Youth Orchestra of Central Jersey since she was in 4th grade, being concertmaster several times. She has also been a part of the New Jersey State and Regional Chamber Orchestra, and performed in the solo program of the Philadelphia International Music Festival of 2022. She is now participating in the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra institution as a member of Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra. In addition to her passion in music, she enjoys fencing and learning Latin and science (and won a medal in the 2022 National Science Olympiad).
CAYLA MENDOZA
President
Cayla F. Mendoza is a freshman at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music where she will be studying violin and music therapy. Sharing her passion for music, Cayla often volunteers for Education Through Music-LA and her local church, Saint Mary Magdalene. She has performed at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the Dolby Theatre, Zipper Concert Hall, Skirball Cultural Center, and the Staples Center for the 62nd Grammys alongside artists such as Lang Lang, Joshua Bell, Cyndi Lauper, and more. In 2020 she was a featured solo violinist at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ Mass of the Unborn at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels with composer Dr. John Bonaduce. Excited for college, Cayla is looking forward to walking alongside alligators, embracing hurricanes, and more importantly, leading the Love Through Music branch at the University of Miami.
CAYLA MENDOZA
President
Cayla F. Mendoza is a freshman at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music where she will be studying violin and music therapy. Sharing her passion for music, Cayla often volunteers for Education Through Music-LA and her local church, Saint Mary Magdalene. She has performed at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the Dolby Theatre, Zipper Concert Hall, Skirball Cultural Center, and the Staples Center for the 62nd Grammys alongside artists such as Lang Lang, Joshua Bell, Cyndi Lauper, and more. In 2020 she was a featured solo violinist at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ Mass of the Unborn at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels with composer Dr. John Bonaduce. Excited for college, Cayla is looking forward to walking alongside alligators, embracing hurricanes, and more importantly, leading the Love Through Music branch at the University of Miami.
VIOLET BARNUM
President
Violet Barnum is a rising sophomore at Yale University, where she plans to major in music. Growing up in New York City, she studied piano, composition, and music theory at the Third Street Music School, as well as guitar and voice for a few years. As an 8th grader, Violet was accepted into the inaugural year of the Luna Composition Lab, a mentorship program based out of the Kaufman Center for young female composers. She has studied composition with Reena Esmail, Alex Weiser, Matthew Barnson, and Kathryn Alexander. In 2018, Violet had a chamber orchestra piece commissioned by the New York-based contemporary music ensemble Contemporaneous. Violet is an alumna of the Young Artist Summer Program at the Curtis Institute of Music and of the Summer Songwriters Workshop at NYU. At Yale, Violet is an enthusiastic member of the Glee Club as well as the Songwriters Collective. Violet is honored and excited to be the president of Love Through Music’s New Haven branch.
HAILEY LIN
Resident Graphic Designer
Hailey Lin is a 8th grader at High Point Academy. She enjoys drawing, listening to music, and fashion design. She is excited to be the resident graphic designer for the Love Through Music family and hopes to use her artistic abilities to help more people and share joy!
PAST OFFICERS
LTM EXECUTIVE BOARD
2021-2022: Nicole Lam (director of operations); Leilani Patao (outreach director); Sarah Sung (activities director)
2020-2021: Nicole Lam (director of operations); Cayla Mendoza (outreach director); Leilani Patao (activities director)
2019-2020: Nicole Lam (director of operations); John Robert-Santiago (co-outreach director); Cayla Mendoza (co-outreach director); Tania Rambaldo (activities director)
2018-2019: Nicole Lam (director of operations); Hanah Park (outreach director); Tania Rambaldo (activities director)
LTM@LACHSA
2021-2022: Tania Rambaldo (president); Mihilo Kato (vice president); Emma Tio (co-secretary); Mary Elizalde (co-secretary); Theodore Hom (treasurer)
2020-2021: Nicole Lam (president); Tania Rambaldo (vice president); Rachel Goodman (secretary); Oliver Harlan (treasurer)
2019-2020: Nicole Lam (president); Tania Rambaldo (vice president); Leilani Patao (secretary); Oliver Harlan (treasurer)
LTM@ORANGE COUNTY
2021-2022: Emma Chang; Grace Wang; Joshua Hao (co-presidents)
LTM@CEDARLANE ACADEMY
2021-2022: Kayla Mehldau (president); Charlene Yu (vice president); Ivy Liu (secretary); Vy Duong (treasurer)
LTM@UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
2021-2022: Cayla Mendoza (president); Autumn Sinegal (vice-president); Alana Kerr (social media/graphic designer)
LTM@NEW HAVEN
2021-2022: Violet Barnum (president)
LTM@UC SANTA CRUZ
2021-2022: Fariyan Alam (president)
LTM@HIGH POINT ACADEMY
2021-2022: Hailey Lin (president)