August, 2025.
A junior in high school at DC’s top magnet school, Avril Graffe Droboniku, by all outward appearances may look like any ordinary high school student. But ordinary she is not.
A natural born leader, Avril is the principal cellist in the Young Virtuosi Ensemble, one of the two most advanced ensembles of the DC Youth Orchestra.
Having joined DCYOP when she was six, shortly after moving to the US from Venezuela as a child, Avril found that music connected her to this community, even where language could not reach. “It was easy to make friends through music,” she recalls. And she has spent every Saturday since with DCYOP, growing and refining her musical skill and her personal mastery as well.
“DCYOP has been key to my musical journey and to my emotional journey. I have received so many opportunities.” From master classes, performances, Kennedy Center, and the sense of community, Avril reflects with gratitude on her time with DCYOP.
“Everyone is friends. No one just sticks to themselves, so you are instantly part of a community. I love that there is laughter, having fun, and that the rehearsal style is not too strict or intense. You get to enjoy yourself and the moments of creating a high level of music. It’s part of what makes DCYOP different. It’s my second home, my second family.”
The 16-year old enjoys playing lacrosse for her high school, hiking with her family and dog, exploring museums and free concerts around DC and, in her free time, has co-founded a music initiative. With her fellow DCYOP mate and co-founder, Santiago Funes Mendiola, the teens have founded Play for Music Education and are visiting schools and events to help educate families about the transformative benefits of music, and the many local resources, like DCYOP, that make pursuing music education possible for any child.
When asked what she would like to do next, she has her eyes on an internship with U.S. Senator
Corey Booker, who has worked toward legislative efforts focused on expanding and strengthening
music and arts education in U.S. schools.
Until then, she is hard at work on music, school, and connecting families to the power of music that she has experienced as a result of DCYOP.
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