private school in LA area with prestigious music program?

I have a friend that has just moved down to LA. She plays viola. Pretty much, her parents have the money to send her to any school. And i play music also and they asked me if i knew any good schools in LA with a good music program. Obviously, the orchestra part would have to be strong also.

Admissions decisions for Sept 09 were mailed out in March, so the top schools are full, with waiting lists, although it’s worth a try to apply. (Some overplayed their hand this year, putting siblings on waiting lists and asking for huge donations — so the parents got ticked off and took out their current students. So there may be some openings.) Private school admission in LA is very competitive. Most of the top private schools around LA have good music programs, but they’ll have to check which schools have orchestras. Generally, kids in LA take private music lessons and school music is secondary.

You don’t say where in LA, but here are some ideas, kids often go to private school far from home here:

Marymount http://www.mhs-la.org
Flintridge Prep http://www.flintridgeprep.org/
Westridge http://www.westridge.org/
Archer http://www.archer.org/
Polytechnic http://www.polytechnic.org
Marlborough http://www.marlboroughschool.org
Harvard-Westlake http://www.hw.com/
Mayfield http://www.mayfieldsenior.org
Buckley http://www.buckleyla.org/
Campbell Hall http://www.campbellhall.org/

There is a public charter school, good as public LA schools go, Arts High. But it focuses on art, with all art classes after about noon until 4pm, no academics. Students must audition to get in, and competition is tough. Decisions were made in March or April, but last year they did have some openings when school started, that was unusual. www.artshigh.org/

List of private schools:
www.privateschoolreview.com/

Private school, PG County, MD (near DC): New Hope Academy

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