Season 34
1985-1986
Seniors
The 34th Season Opener (November 1985 Concert)
Concert Program Overview
In November 1985, the California Youth Symphony proudly inaugurated its 34th season with a pair of dynamic performances at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center and De Anza College’s Flint Auditorium. Under the baton of Conductor Lauren Jakey, the 104-member ensemble—comprising talented young musicians aged 10 to 17 from over 30 Bay Area communities—delivered a program that balanced classical rigor with contemporary wit. The evening opened with the timeless elegance of Haydn’s Symphony No. 93 in D Major, followed by the West Coast premiere of Frank McCarty’s "Takeoff." A fascinating piece of musical satire composed in 1979, "Takeoff" challenged the orchestra to poke fun at traditional symphonic tropes, blending Mozart-like string melodies with unconventional "hooting" from the brass section. The program concluded with the grand, atmospheric movements of Respighi’s Pines of Rome, featuring guest performers from the San Jose State Brass Ensemble to bring the work’s Roman majesty to life.
Featured Soloist: Peter Miyamoto
The highlight of the concert was a masterful performance of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor by the featured soloist, 16-year-old Peter Miyamoto. Even at a young age, Miyamoto was a formidable force in the classical music scene, having won every piano competition in the Bay Area within the two years leading up to this performance. His appearance with CYS followed his prestigious selection as a 1985 piano finalist in the national Seventeen Magazine-General Motors Concerto Competition. Miyamoto’s technical brilliance and expressive depth on the Flint Center stage served as a testament to the high caliber of artistry nurtured within the symphony, reflecting the dedication of members like Concert Master Charles Chan and Assistant Concert Master Kristin Justavson, who often traveled hours each week to participate in this preeminent youth ensemble.
March 1986 Concert: Virtuosity and the Rite of Spring
Concert Program Overview
The California Youth Symphony’s March 1986 performance at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center (and subsequent repeat at Flint Center) was a landmark event, described by critics as an afternoon of "searing, stunning virtuosity." Under the direction of Lauren Jakey, the orchestra tackled a repertoire of immense difficulty and emotional range. The program opened with the grace of Mozart’s Overture to "Don Giovanni" before transitioning into the technical fireworks of the romantic era. The centerpiece of the concert was Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring (Le Sacre du Printemps), a "tour de force" for any ensemble. The young musicians navigated Stravinsky’s complex rhythms and aggressive dynamics with a fervor that mirrored the work’s historic and revolutionary 1913 Paris premiere, leaving the audience in a state of "natural high."
Featured Soloist: Paul Festa
The spotlight of the March concert series belonged to Paul Festa, a 15-year-old violinist from San Francisco. Festa delivered a "stunning" performance of Wieniawski’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 14, a piece notoriously avoided by all but the most daring virtuosos due to its extreme technical demands. Critics noted Festa’s total command of bowing and fingering, playing with a "fire and dynamics" that dominated the afternoon. At the time, Festa was contemplating a future at Juilliard or in Paris, using the CYS spring concerts as a final domestic "test of the waters" before embarking on the orchestra's prestigious summer tour of Scandinavia.
May 1986 Concert: A Season Finale of Remembrance and Mastery
Concert Program Overview
The California Youth Symphony’s 34th season culminated in May 1986 with two powerful performances: first at De Anza College’s Flint Auditorium on May 18, and a final "Senior Concert" at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center on May 25. This series was poignantly dedicated to the memory of Sam Ognibene. Under the baton of Dr. Lauren Jakey, the program demonstrated the orchestra's immense technical growth over the season. The performances opened with the vibrant energy of Berlioz’s “A Roman Carnival” Overture, followed by the ethereal and impressionistic textures of Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. The second half of the program was anchored by the emotional depth and grand scale of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64, a work that tested the maturity and unity of the 110-member ensemble before they embarked on their landmark international tour to Scandinavia.
Featured Soloist Spotlight: Charles Chan
A true pillar of the CYS community, 17-year-old Charles Chan served as the ensemble's first-ever two-year Concertmaster, a role that saw him leading the orchestra's tuning and acting as a vital bridge between the conductor and the strings. For his senior solo, Chan performed Bloch’s “Nigun” from Baal Shem, showcasing the soulful expression he had developed since beginning violin at age five at the prestigious Toho School of Music in Tokyo. Chan’s journey was one of remarkable dedication: after arriving in the U.S. in 1977 with limited English, he quickly excelled in gifted programs and became a familiar face to Bay Area audiences through his TV promotion spots for CYS on KICU and KICU-TV. Though a virtuoso on stage, Chan viewed music as a "serious hobby," choosing to pursue a career in Computer Engineering at UC Berkeley to design software, following in the high-achieving footsteps of his brother Anthony.
Featured Soloist Spotlight: Lisa Davenport
The May concerts also celebrated the extraordinary tenure of clarinetist Lisa Davenport, who performed the Adagio from Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, K.622. Having been a member of the California Youth Symphony for nearly nine years, Davenport held one of the longest membership records in the orchestra’s history. Her performance was a culmination of years of excellence that included appearances at prestigious venues such as Stern Grove and the Hollywood Bowl. A true polymath, Davenport balanced her musical life with a passion for the sciences, serving as a NASA volunteer and a member of the Peninsula Astronomical Society. As she concluded her time with CYS, she prepared to enter Colorado College as a scholarship student to major in Astronomy.
Summer 1986: A Triumphant Journey to Scandinavia
The Road to Europe: Fundraising and Preparations
Following the conclusion of the domestic season, the California Youth Symphony shifted its focus toward an ambitious two-week performing tour of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. The journey was a massive community effort; to help fund the June 17th departure, members organized local initiatives, including a dedicated string quartet featuring Kristin Gustavson, George Ogata, Barbara Nesbet, and Matthew Class, who performed throughout the Bay Area to raise travel funds. On June 15, the full orchestra held a "Scandinavian Takeoff" concert at Foothill College. This send-off event featured a raffle with grand prizes like trips to Copenhagen and Alaska, symbolizing the bridge between the students' local roots and their international aspirations.
Tour Program and Repertoire
Under the direction of Dr. Lauren Jakey, the touring ensemble—nearly 100 musicians strong—prepared a rigorous program designed to honor both classical traditions and the heritage of their host countries. The repertoire included:
Berlioz: “A Roman Carnival” Overture
Howard Hanson: “Pan and the Priest” (A tribute to the composer's Swedish origins)
Wieniawski: Violin Concerto No. 1 in F-Sharp Minor (Featuring soloist Paul Festa)
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E Minor
International Acclaim: "Unbelievable But True"
The tour was a resounding critical success, reaching its peak during a profound performance at the historic 12th-century Cathedral in Linköping, Sweden. Local critics were left "stunned" by the professional discipline and precision of the young American musicians. Swedish reviewer Berndt Petersson described the experience as "unbelievable but true," noting that the orchestra’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony moved the audience with its masterful transmission of "hope and despair."
Featured Soloist: Paul Festa
Violinist Paul Festa, then 16, solidified his reputation as a "wonder-child" during the tour. His rendition of the Wieniawski Concerto in Sweden was hailed for its absolute control over complex glissandos and high positions. Critics noted that his technical sovereignty and "gypsy-like feeling" in the Rondo stole the show, proving that the young soloist was more than capable of holding his own on the world stage. From performing at the Royal Palace in Stockholm to the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen and Grieg’s birthplace in Norway, the 1986 tour remains one of the most prestigious chapters in CYS history.
