Season 32
1983-1984
Roster
Seniors
November 1983 Concert
The California Youth Symphony inaugurated its 32nd season in November 1983 with a series of ambitious performances that demonstrated the ensemble's continued dedication to both classical masterworks and modern symphonic exploration. Led by conductor Lauren Jakey, the orchestra performed on November 13 at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center and on November 20 at the Flint Center in Cupertino. The program opened with Haydn’s Symphony No. 104 in D Major, the composer’s final symphony, which required a high degree of classical transparency and rhythmic precision from the 100-member ensemble. The first half of the concert concluded with a romantic centerpiece, Schumann’s Concerto for Piano in A Minor, featuring the technical facility and emotive phrasing of guest soloist Patricia Hou.
The second half of the program was anchored by Henry Cowell’s Symphony No. 11, a complex work subtitled "Seven Rituals of Music" that explored the human experience from infancy to death. Navigating Cowell’s innovative textures—which included sections titled "Life-child asleep," "Work," and "War"—served as a formidable challenge for the young musicians, showcasing their ability to handle unconventional twentieth-century repertoire. The concert reached its grand climax with the majestic Overture to Wagner’s "Die Meistersinger," a work of immense orchestral scale that provided a triumphant conclusion to the season opener. These performances were notably recorded by radio station KKHI for later broadcast, reflecting the orchestra's standing as a high-caliber cultural institution whose reach extended throughout the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
March 1984 Concert
The March 1984 concert series served as a vibrant celebration of Latin American culture and a formal preview for the California Youth Symphony’s upcoming summer tour of Mexico. Under the direction of Dr. Lauren Jakey, the orchestra performed on March 18 at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center and March 25 at the Flint Center. The repertoire was carefully selected to showcase the "infectious rhythms" of the Americas alongside European classical staples, featuring Aaron Copland’s El Salon Mexico and Jose Moncayo’s Huapango. These works required the young musicians to master complex, syncopated mariachi-style textures, which critics noted were handled with "rhythmic fun" and energy. The program was rounded out by the overture to Smetana’s The Bartered Bride and Schubert’s Symphony No. 3 in D, with the latter providing a more traditional, reflective contrast to the high-energy Latin pieces.
The series highlighted the extraordinary talent of 15-year-old violinist Susan Hahn, a junior at Monte Vista High School and winner of the 1983 CYS Solo Competition. Hahn performed Dmitri Kabalevsky’s Violin Concerto in C, delivering a performance that reviewers described as "simply stunning." Her interpretation was praised for its effortless maturity and serene command, allowing her to stay in total control even amidst the orchestra's bustling accompaniment. Hahn’s success was a family affair, as her sister Julie had also won the CYS keyboard auditions in 1981; together, they represented the high level of technical achievement found within the Peninsula’s music community.
June 1984 Mexico Tour
In June 1984, the California Youth Symphony embarked on a landmark international tour to Mexico, a journey that combined high-level artistic performance with significant cultural diplomacy and philanthropic efforts. Under the direction of Dr. Lauren Jakey, the 100-member ensemble traveled across the country at the invitation of the Mexican government's Department of Tourism. The tour was notably dedicated to humanitarian causes, featuring major benefit concerts for UNICEF and Mexico’s children’s fund, DIF. This mission of goodwill was captured in the tour's high-profile appearance at Mexico City’s premier venue, the Sala Ollin Yoliztli, where the young musicians from the Peninsula performed for an international audience, further solidifying the orchestra's reputation as a "global ambassador" for the arts.
The repertoire for the tour was a vibrant reflection of the Americas, specifically chosen to honor the culture of the host nation while showcasing the orchestra's technical versatility. Performances typically opened with the Mexican and United States national anthems, followed by Smetana’s Overture to The Bartered Bride and Henry Cowell’s complex Symphony No. 11 ("Seven Rituals of Music"). To directly pay tribute to their hosts, the orchestra performed Aaron Copland’s El Salón México and José Pablo Moncayo’s Huapango, works that required the ensemble to master the intricate, syncopated rhythms of traditional mariachi and Latin American folk music. These concerts were met with great enthusiasm in historic cities such as Guanajuato, Guadalajara, and Puerto Vallarta, where the students also had the opportunity to visit cultural landmarks like the ruins at Teotihuacán.
A central figure of the 1984 tour was 15-year-old violin soloist Susan Hahn, who captivated audiences with her "simply stunning" interpretation of Dmitri Kabalevsky’s Violin Concerto in C. Hahn, a junior at Monte Vista High School and winner of the 1983 CYS Solo Competition, displayed a serene command and maturity of expression that allowed her to lead the orchestra through the concerto's spirited movements. The tour also featured 13-year-old cello prodigy Matt Haimovitz, who traveled as a soloist performing the Lalo Cello Concerto. The success of these young soloists, supported by a disciplined 100-piece orchestra, served as a powerful testament to the caliber of music education in the Bay Area.
To make this ambitious $30,000 trip a reality, the organization engaged in creative grassroots fundraising back in the Peninsula. Under the leadership of volunteer coordinator Veronica Kane, the symphony famously "rented itself out," offering performances ranging from the full 100-member orchestra to small quartets for business parties and private events at shopping centers. This community-driven effort, which raised half of the tour's costs, ensured that the talented cohort—representing cities from San Mateo to Fremont—could participate in this life-changing experience. The 1984 Mexico Tour remains a standout chapter in CYS history, remembered as a perfect fusion of musical excellence and compassionate global citizenship.
