Lawrence Dutton

I was very fortunate that my Wantagh public school violin teacher Eugene Kahn brought me to Martin Dreiwitz in 1967 (when I was 13) to join the Long Island Youth Orchestra. Starting out in the back of the second violins and working my way up to assistant concertmaster, I eventually ended up as the principal violist in my last years of high school. The learning and performing of great orchestral works with Martin and LIYO are still some of my most important early musical experiences that helped propel me into a life long love and career in music. I’m sure I can speak for all the thousands of Long Island young people in thanking Martin for his incredible vision in starting LIYO and that its ongoing existence is continuing to joyfully influence the lives of so many today.