Season 31
1982-1983
Roster
Seniors
Summer 1982 Redwood Camp
Season Premiere: The 31st Concert Series (November 1982)
Concert Program Overview
The California Youth Symphony’s 31st season opened with a pair of highly anticipated concerts in November 1982. Led by conductor Lauren Jakey, the 100-member ensemble performed on November 14 at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center and on November 21 at the Flint Center in Cupertino. The program was a sophisticated blend of classical precision and late-romantic energy, featuring Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8, a work celebrated for its compact structure and rhythmic wit. This was followed by the heroic and lyrical Strauss Horn Concerto No. 1, and the performances concluded with Enesco’s First Roumanian Rhapsody, a piece famous for its vibrant folk themes and an exhilarating orchestral finale. This diverse selection of works effectively demonstrated the technical breadth and artistic maturity of the orchestra as it entered its fourth decade of music-making.
Featured Soloist: Wendell Rider (Horn)
The series featured guest soloist Wendell Rider, whose appearance marked a significant "full-circle" moment for the organization. A native of San Francisco, Rider was a distinguished alumnus of the California Youth Symphony, having served as its principal horn for four years during the mid-1960s and participating in historic tours to Japan and Mexico. By the time of this 1982 collaboration, he had established a stellar professional career as the Principal Horn of the San Jose Symphony and held leadership roles in the Midsummer Mozart Festival. His return to the CYS stage, now as a seasoned professional and Eastman School of Music graduate, served as a powerful inspiration to the students, perfectly illustrating the profound lifelong impact of the CYS experience on its members.
The 1982 Holiday Concert
The 1982 Holiday Concert served as a festive centerpiece for the California Youth Symphony’s 31st season, bringing together the community for an afternoon of seasonal favorites and classical masterpieces. Held on Sunday, December 12, at the Spangenberg Auditorium of Gunn High School in Palo Alto, the performance was led by conductor Lauren Jakey. The program featured a sophisticated selection of Baroque and contemporary holiday works, including Corelli’s beloved Christmas Concerto (Concerto Grosso Op. 6, No. 8) and celebrated excerpts from Handel’s The Messiah. These traditional pieces allowed the orchestra to showcase their technical precision and stylistic versatility, providing a reflective and elegant start to the holiday festivities.
Complementing the formal Baroque repertoire, the orchestra also performed lighter, spirited classics that captured the joy of the season. The program included Leroy Anderson’s iconic Sleigh Ride and his sweeping medley, A Christmas Festival, which remains a staple of orchestral holiday celebrations. This combination of rigorous classical works and popular seasonal music ensured an engaging experience for the audience, further establishing CYS as a vital contributor to the local cultural landscape. The event was not only a musical success but also a significant community gathering, as evidenced by the inclusion of a silent auction held in the lobby, which supported the orchestra’s ongoing educational programs and international touring ambitions.
This concert highlighted the orchestra's unique ability to balance high-level performance with community engagement. By performing in a more intimate high school setting compared to the larger Flint Center, CYS was able to connect directly with local families and supporters in Palo Alto. The detailed archives, including the program flyers and local news clippings, reflect a vibrant organization that used the holiday season to celebrate both its musical achievements and its deep roots in the Silicon Valley community.
The March 1983 concert series served as a dazzling centerpiece for the California Youth Symphony’s 31st season, with performances held at both the San Mateo Performing Arts Center and the Flint Center in Cupertino. Under the baton of Lauren Jakey, the orchestra navigated a program of remarkable stylistic range, beginning with the Classical sophistication of Mozart’s Symphony in E-Flat Major, K. 543. The second half of the program shifted toward modern American masters, featuring Roy Harris’s Third Symphony in One Movement and George Gershwin’s vibrant "An American in Paris." Critics noted that the Gershwin piece allowed the teenage players to truly shine in their element, with the solo trumpet and concertmistress providing delicately musical passages that captured the work's inherent jazz-influenced energy.
The undisputed highlight of the series was the appearance of the young cello prodigy Matthew Haimovitz, who performed the Boccherini-Gruetzmacher Concerto in B-Flat Major. At the time of the concert, Haimovitz was a budding virtuoso of just twelve years old, yet he delivered a performance characterized by a "beautiful tone" and technical "fireworks" that astounded the audience. Reviewers for the Times Tribune were quick to draw comparisons between Haimovitz and his teacher, the legendary Gabor Rejto, noting that the young soloist possessed a personal feeling and temperament far beyond his years. The performance was so impactful that critics accurately predicted that audience members would, in years to come, boast of having witnessed the earliest stages of what would become a legendary international career.
Beyond the musical triumphs on stage, the March series was a period of intense community engagement and fundraising for the orchestra. Local news archives from this period highlight the "Prelude to Spring" auction dinner, where celebrities such as Bob Hope, Ansel Adams, and Jerry Brown donated items to support the symphony. This community-driven effort was exemplified by local figures like San Mateo violin teacher Marjorie Lin, who worked alongside volunteers to ensure the orchestra could continue its mission despite contemporary budget cuts in public school music programs. This combination of world-class soloists and dedicated local support further solidified CYS’s reputation as a vital cultural "treasure" of the Peninsula.
Sunrise Over the Bowl: The 1983 Easter Service Milestone
On April 3, 1983, the California Youth Symphony achieved a remarkable historical milestone by performing at the 63rd Annual Hollywood Bowl Easter Sunrise Service. This prestigious event marked the orchestra's fourth return to the iconic venue, an honor granted by popular demand that solidified CYS’s reputation for professional-grade musical quality. Under the baton of Dr. Lauren Jakey, the ensemble of approximately 100 young musicians, ranging in age from 11 to 18, performed before a massive audience in one of the world's most renowned outdoor amphitheaters. The setting was spiritually and visually grand, featuring the famous "HE IS RISEN" floral display and a stage filled with a massive "living cross" youth chorus.
The musical program was an ambitious undertaking that showcased the orchestra’s technical range and ability to collaborate with world-class professional and collegiate groups. The symphony performed the Adagio, Allegro, and Finale from Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 in E-Flat Major, as well as the exhilarating fourth movement of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 in F Minor. One of the most unique orchestral offerings of the morning was a performance of the Toccata from Widor’s Fifth Organ Symphony, arranged by Robert Tall specifically for the orchestra and organ. These masterworks provided a sophisticated classical foundation for a service that reached millions through national broadcasts.
Beyond their solo orchestral features, CYS served as the primary instrumental backbone for several massive choral collaborations. They joined forces with the Oklahoma City University Chamber Choir and the Soldiers' Chorus of the United States Army Field Band for powerful renditions of the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah, Brahms's "How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place," and the "Battle Hymn of the Republic." A particularly moving moment in the service occurred when the orchestra accompanied soloist Lainie Kazan for a stirring performance of "America the Beautiful." The sheer scale of these collaborations, involving hundreds of voices and a full symphony orchestra, captured the monumental spirit of the Hollywood Bowl tradition.
The success of this 1983 appearance was a testament to the rigorous training provided by Dr. Lauren Jakey, who had been selected as the orchestra's second-ever conductor following the retirement of founder Aaron Sten. Jakey’s extensive background, including his doctorate from Indiana University and his experience as concertmaster of the San Jose Symphony, was instrumental in preparing the students for the pressures of such a high-profile international stage. This performance remains a crowning achievement in the CYS archives, representing a time when these young musicians from the Peninsula stood at the very center of the American cultural and musical landscape.
A Virtuosic Farewell: The 1983 Season Finale
Concert Program Overview
The California Youth Symphony concluded its historic 31st season with a grand finale series in May 1983, led by conductor Lauren Jakey. These final performances of the season took place on May 15 at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center and May 22 at the Flint Auditorium in Cupertino. The program was notable for its remarkable instrumental diversity, opening with the regal Overture to Handel’s "Theodora" and moving into two rare concerto features for percussion and brass. The afternoon’s major symphonic work was Tchaikovsky’s monumental Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, a rigorous four-movement masterpiece that allowed the full 100-member ensemble to showcase the technical precision and emotional depth they had cultivated throughout the year.
Featured Soloists
The solo portion of the program prominently featured Martha Leeson, a 17-year-old senior at Monta Vista High School, who performed Alan Hovhaness’s evocative "Fantasy on Japanese Wood Prints, Op. 111" on the xylophone. A resident of Los Altos and a five-year veteran of the symphony, Martha had served as the orchestra’s principal percussionist and timpanist for two seasons. Her performance of the Hovhaness fantasy was the culmination of an already distinguished youth career that included numerous awards from the California Music Educators Association and memberships in both the County and All-State Honor ensembles. Outside of her symphonic work, Martha was a nominee for the MacDonald’s All-American High School Band and planned to pursue a major in Mass Communications at CSU Northridge following her graduation.
Joining her as a featured soloist was 16-year-old John Thomas, who delivered a rare tuba performance of Vivaldi’s Concerto in A Minor, RV 497. Hailing from Livermore and a member of CYS for two years, John was recognized as a versatile musician who played both the tuba and string bass across a staggering array of ensembles, including the Livermore Symphony, the Ohlone College Orchestra, and the Diablo Youth Orchestra. His musical leadership extended beyond the orchestra pit to the Livermore Musical Theatre and the Ecumenical Brass of Livermore, where he also explored his interests in conducting. As a two-year member of the All-State Symphonic Band, John expressed a desire to continue his studies in composition and conducting with the ultimate goal of teaching at the collegiate level.
