Our Vision

Students leave this space having not only grown as artists, with heightened creativity and self-expression, but also armed with tools and skills that will prepare and support them through their life’s journeys.

Meet Our Team

Elizabeth Stewart

Program Manager
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Elizabeth has always had a passion for the arts. With a background in music, visual art, and creative writing, she has cultivated a profound appreciation for various methods of creative expression. She has played piano since the age of five and has played flute for several ensembles, including the San Diego Youth Symphony.

Elizabeth attended UC San Diego and earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Psychology. After completing her degree, she spent a few years working as a research assistant at UC San Diego and as a Registered Behavioral Technician at ACES ABA. While working in the psychological field, she gained further insight into the value of the arts in promoting well-being and personal growth. She has also worked as an office manager at U.S. Music Lessons, overseeing studio operations and working closely with families to ensure student success.     

As Program Manager of the Youth Arts Academy, Elizabeth is dedicated to fostering a fun, positive environment where music students of all skill sets can learn, grow, and take on new challenges! She looks forward to supporting the ongoing progress of the YAA program.

Wil Lopez

Program Assistant & Music Instructor
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Wil discovered his passion for music in middle school band at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. Picking up the clarinet as his first instrument and baritone saxophone in high school, he performed at multiple festivals, musical productions, and in the Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra in his junior and senior year. Attending Mesa College and San Diego State University, Wil continued his education in music.

At age 13, Wil discovered a passion for the electric guitar and rock music and that passion led him to perform on stages all over the Southwest United States, writing, recording and releasing his own music, recording with multiple bands of multiple genres. Several of those groups were nominated for San Diego Music Awards.

Wil joined the Youth Arts Academy as an instructor in 2018 and became the Program Assistant in the fall of 2021. Wil is ecstatic to share his passion for music with the youth served at the Youth Arts Academy and is thrilled to push the program forward.

Kyle David Park

Music Instructor
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Kyle David Park is a multi-instrumental musician and composer from Honolulu, Hawaii. Initially learning classical piano at the age of seven, Kyle expanded his musical pursuits over the years to include the drum set, guitar, cello, banjo, mandolin, and harmonica. While an undergraduate at UCSD studying Political Science, Kyle unearthed his passion for education as a college mock trial debate coach and peer writing mentor, then went on to study and work in a Musicology graduate program at Tulane University in New Orleans. 

Kyle remains an active performing musician, seasonally touring the West Coast as a banjo player, guitarist, and vocalist in the Irish & Americana folk duo The Greasy Wheels, and is also the drummer in the swing jazz ensemble Rat Pack Reborn and regularly plays shows throughout San Diego. 

Kyle brings a creative, patient, and charismatic approach to his musical instruction, having mentored students of all ages and abilities in percussion and stringed instruments, and looks forward to helping aspiring musicians of all skill levels grow!

Luke Norton

Music Instructor
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Scott Sayre

Music Instructor
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Scott Michael Sayre (@scottmsayre) is a composer and multi-instrumentalist who has been working as a music educator since 2011. He serves as an artist in residence for the San Dieguito Union High School District and gigs professionally as a pianist and trombonist. Being from Solana Beach originally, Scott is a product of the Boys and Girls Club, Youth Arts Academy, and graduated from Torrey Pines High School.

He has a Master of Music degree in Composition from the University of South Carolina as well as a Bachelor of Music degree in Computer Music Composition from the Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins University. Scott has taught a high school class on digital music composition as well as composed, guest-conducted, and performed for all sorts of musical ensembles.

Some of his original works can be found on ReverbNation and most music streaming platforms. He also creates music video art and gaming content on Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.