LOS ANGELES -- A quarter of classical musicians are part of a groundbreaking program that's trying to increase diversity in America's orchestras. 

The Los Angeles Orchestra Fellowship Program includes musicians from underrepresented communities and plays music you might not typically hear from classic musicians.

“We’re rehearing Urban Legends by Michael Abels, he’s the guy who did the music for Get Out and Us," said Juan-Salvador Carrasco.

Carrasco is one of the lucky four who was chosen to be a part of the Fellowship.

All four members of the fellowship are USC students. The program is for top-tier string musicians from underrepresented communities. It was created in partnership with three organizations, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO), the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (ICYOLA), and the USC Thornton School of Music.

“This program sounded ideal for me and to sort of also expand my musical opportunities with ICYOLA and with LACO,” said Carrasco.

The fellowship program was developed to address a big void in America’s orchestras.  Less than five percent of the orchestra members nationwide are African American, Hispanic, or Native American. 

The need to increase diversity was so glaring that it prompted LACO Executive Director Scott Harrison to action.

“When you see the whole institution’s thinking differently about what it means building this community and to build this environment it’s powerful,” said Harrison.

As part of that growing community, Sydney Adedamola looks forward to representing that change.

“I would love to kind of be one of the people who kind of breaks that glass ceiling,” said Adedamola.

The program is coming full circle for the fellows. Professionals in the making and keeping this classical artform alive with LA’s youth.

“I usually learn just as much from those experiences than from any other,” said Carrasco.