Season 29
1980-1981
Roster
Seniors
Country Fair: A Benefit for Music and Equestrian Programs
Event Overview
On Sunday, September 28, 1980, CYS joined forces with the Westwind 4-H Riding for the Handicapped Club to present a special "Country Fair". Held at the San Mateo County Mounted Patrol Grounds in Woodside, this unique community benefit combined the elegance of symphonic music with the excitement of professional equestrian demonstrations. The event aimed to raise funds for CYS scholarships and specialized therapeutic riding programs for the disabled.
Program Highlights
Symphonic Performance: The 90-member California Youth Symphony, conducted by Dr. Lauren Jakey, performed a curated selection of classical masterworks starting at 1:15 p.m.
Equestrian Excellence: The fair featured the Sundance Vaulters, a national champion equestrian gymnastics team, along with the Osier Quadrille, a precision mounted team of 12 local riders.
Artistic Showcase: An al fresco art exhibit showcased local artists and craftsmen, allowing visitors to view and purchase works throughout the day.
Family Hospitality: Guests enjoyed a full day of entertainment complemented by barbecue refreshments and beverages served at the mounted patrol clubhouse.
Community Leadership
The event was organized by the CYS Auxiliary, led by General Chairwoman Mrs. Connie Vance and Auxiliary President Alice Dimon. Through the collective efforts of volunteer committees and local sponsors, the Country Fair successfully highlighted the shared commitment of both organizations to nurturing young talent and providing unique therapeutic opportunities.
November 1980 Concert
CYS inaugurated its 29th Season in November 1980 with a series of ambitious performances led by musical director Dr. Lauren Jakey. The concerts took place on November 9 at the San Mateo High School Auditorium and November 16 at the De Anza College Flint Auditorium. Radio station KKHI was on hand to record the performances for a future broadcast, continuing the orchestra's commitment to reaching a wider audience through the airwaves.
The program opened with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 60, a work that transitioned the ensemble from the somber opening Adagio to a spirited Allegro ma non troppo. This was followed by Samuel Barber’s "First Essay" for Orchestra, Op. 12, providing a sophisticated example of 20th-century American symphonic writing. After the intermission, the spotlight shifted to the season's featured soloist, pianist Sun Young Coe, who performed Chopin’s Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 21. The concert reached a grand conclusion with the sweeping Romanticism of Tchaikovsky’s "Romeo and Juliet" Fantasy Overture.
The featured soloist, Sun Young Coe, was an audition winner selected to showcase her virtuosity with the demanding Chopin concerto.
March 1981 Concert
CYS continued its 29th Season in March 1981 with a duo of concerts directed by musical director Dr. Lauren Jakey. The first performance was held on Sunday, March 8, at the San Mateo High School Auditorium, followed by a second performance on March 15 at the De Anza College Flint Auditorium in Cupertino. As was standard for the orchestra's major productions during this era, radio station KKHI recorded the concert for a scheduled future broadcast.
The first half of the program featured a sophisticated mix of Classical and contemporary works, beginning with Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 in C Major, "Jupiter," K. 551, performed in its entirety from the opening Allegro Vivace to the fugal Molto Allegro finale. This was followed by Richard Strauss’s Serenade for 13 winds, Op. 7, a piece that specifically showcased the precision of the orchestra's woodwind and brass sections. The pre-intermission set concluded with a modern rhythmic work titled "Percussionality" by A. Cirone, highlighting the ensemble’s percussion department.
After the intermission, the spotlight turned to the season's featured soloist, violinist Tania Nanevicz, who performed the Concerto in E Minor for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 64 by Felix Mendelssohn. Nanevicz’s performance of this cornerstone of the violin repertoire was followed by the concert’s grand finale, Richard Wagner’s Overture to Tannhaeuser, bringing the 29th season's second concert series to a dramatic and powerful close.
May 1981 Concert
CYS concluded its 29th Season in May 1981 with a duo of finale concerts led by musical director Dr. Lauren Jakey. The performances were held on Sunday, May 10, at the San Mateo High School Auditorium and on Sunday, May 17, at the De Anza College Flint Auditorium in Cupertino. Continuing the orchestra's established relationship with local media, radio station KKHI recorded the program for a scheduled future broadcast.
The program commenced with a selection of American and Baroque works, beginning with Henry Cowell’s Hymn and Fuguing Tune, No. 3. This was followed by Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto in A minor for Bassoon and Strings, which featured student soloist Tim Emerson. The first half of the concert concluded with a performance of Samuel Barber’s deeply emotive "Adagio for Strings," Op. 11.
Following the intermission, the orchestra performed the centerpiece of the finale, Jean Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43. The ensemble navigated all four movements of the late-Romantic masterpiece, moving from the opening Allegretto through the Tempo Andante, ma rubato and the Vivacissimo, finally reaching the triumphant Finale: Allegro moderato. This ambitious program served as the grand conclusion to Dr. Jakey's second full season with the youth symphony.
