Season 36
1987-1988
Roster
Seniors
Summer 1987 Redwood Camp
November 1987: 36th Season Fall Concert Series
In November 1987, the California Youth Symphony (CYS) opened its milestone 36th season under the baton of Conductor Lauren Jakey. This period marked a vibrant era for the organization, which had grown to nearly 200 members across five playing groups. The premier "Main Orchestra," consisting of 100 talented musicians aged 12 to 17, performed a sophisticated pair of concerts on November 8th at the Flint Center, DeAnza College, and November 15th at the San Mateo Center for the Performing Arts. The program featured a demanding selection of masterworks, including Paul Creston’s energetic Dance Overture, Op. 62, the deeply emotive Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber, and the grand, sweeping Polovetsian Dances by Borodin. These performances served as a critical precursor to the orchestra’s upcoming international tour to Vienna, Austria, the following July, where they had been invited to compete in the prestigious International Youth Orchestra Competition.
The centerpiece of the fall series was a performance of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s monumental Second Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 18, featuring 15-year-old virtuoso Joanna (Ke-Chuang) Chao as the featured soloist. Having recently been named the piano winner of the 36th Youth Artists’ Competition, Joanna was a student of the renowned teacher Haggai Niv at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Her interpretation of the technically daunting and emotionally complex concerto was met with high acclaim, with competition judges noting her remarkable command and technical facility. Her appearance with CYS in 1987 remains a highlight of the season’s commitment to showcasing the highest caliber of young solo talent in the Bay Area.
Beyond the music, the 1987 season underscored CYS’s vital role in the community during a time when school funding cuts were threatening local music programs. News coverage from the era highlighted the dedication of students from across the region, such as violinist Daniel Liebgold of Menlo Park, percussionist Shana Priwer of Ladera, and cellist Stephanie Anderson of Los Altos. For these young performers, CYS provided more than just a musical education; it was a sanctuary for creativity and long-lasting friendships. As Maestro Jakey noted at the time, the orchestra offered these students the essential opportunity to be "together with other kids like themselves," fostering a culture of excellence and mutual support that continues to define the California Youth Symphony today.
The 36th Season Spring Concert Series (March 1988)
Concert Program Overview
The California Youth Symphony continued its ambitious 36th season in March 1988 with a "Second Concert" series that demonstrated the orchestra's remarkable range and technical maturity. Under the direction of Conductor Lauren Jakey, the ensemble performed on March 13th at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center and on March 20th at the Flint Center, De Anza College. The program was anchored by two pillars of the symphonic repertoire: Haydn’s Symphony No. 99 in E-Flat Major and Mahler’s monumental Symphony No. 1. Performing Mahler's "Titan" was a testament to the orchestra’s growth, requiring immense strength and emotional depth—from the "slow and dragging" opening to the "stormy and agitated" finale—marking a sophisticated final preparation for the group’s upcoming international competition in Vienna.
Featured Soloist: Julia Ha
The highlight of the spring series was the appearance of 16-year-old violinist Julie Ha, the instrumental winner of the CYS 36th Annual Young Artists' Competition. Having outperformed approximately 30 other musicians to earn the soloist spot, Ha performed Mozart’s Concerto No. 4 in D Major, K. 218. Her performance was celebrated for its "deep tone" and elegance, perfectly capturing what she described as the "Viennese spirit" of Mozart’s work. A junior at Pinewood School in Los Altos Hills, Ha was known for her rigorous discipline, often beginning her practice sessions at 5:30 a.m. while maintaining a 4.0 GPA and considering a future double major in science and music.
Julie Ha brought a wealth of competitive experience to the CYS stage, having previously won first prize in the Hillsborough Humanities Festival and the junior division of the MTAC San Francisco branch. Though she also played the piano and viola, her performance of the Mozart concerto solidified the violin as her "first love." Her contribution to the March 1988 concerts remains a standout moment in CYS history, embodying the "pursuit of excellence" that defined the 100-member main orchestra during this world-class season.
The 36th Season Finale Concert Series (May 1988)
The California Youth Symphony brought its 36th season to a triumphant close in May 1988 with two final performances that served as a grand send-off for the orchestra’s upcoming international tour. Under the leadership of Dr. Lauren Jakey, the ensemble performed on May 15th at the College of Notre Dame Theatre and on May 22nd at the Flint Center, DeAnza College. The ambitious program opened with Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture and culminated in Rimsky-Korsakov’s colorful and technically demanding Scheherazade, Op. 35. These concerts represented the final domestic rehearsals for the 100-member "Main Orchestra" before traveling to Austria and Hungary to compete in the International Youth Festival Competition in Vienna—one of only three American youth orchestras invited to the prestigious event.
The season finale was highlighted by two exceptional senior soloists, both of whom exemplified the orchestra's "pursuit of excellence" in both arts and academics. Clarinetist Nicole Bloom, a senior at San Mateo High School, performed Debussy’s Premiere Rhapsodie. A student of Don Carroll and a multi-award winner in both music and science, Nicole balanced her CYS commitments with a rigorous academic schedule, eventually heading to the University of Pennsylvania to study mechanical engineering. Joining her as a featured soloist was cellist Matthew Class, a Saratoga High School senior who performed Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33. Having played with CYS since age 12 and studied under the renowned Irene Sharp, Matthew brought a "natural adrenaline rush" to the stage. A National Merit Finalist and NASA intern, Matthew moved on to Cal Tech to pursue a career in physics following the season’s conclusion.
As Dr. Jakey noted at the time, being a conductor is much like being an athletic coach: providing the leadership while the young musicians "do the playing." The May 1988 concerts were a bittersweet celebration of a graduating class of musicians who had helped CYS maintain its status as one of the world's largest and most respected youth musical organizations. As these performers prepared to "return to the cradle of Western orchestral music" in Vienna, they left behind a legacy of discipline and artistry that continues to inspire the symphony today.
Season 36 Finale: The 1988 European Tour & Vienna Victory
The 1987-1988 season reached a historic crescendo in July 1988 as the California Youth Symphony embarked on a two-week concert tour of Austria and Hungary. As one of only three American youth orchestras invited to the prestigious International Youth and Music Festival in Vienna, the 103-member Main Orchestra carried the pride of the San Francisco Peninsula overseas. To prepare for the high-stakes competition, the symphony held a "warm-up" benefit concert on July 9th at the San Jose State University Music Concert Hall, performing a powerhouse repertoire that included works by Brahms, Haydn, Barber, and Tchaikovsky.
The centerpiece of the tour was the competition held from July 16-20 in Vienna. Performing in the legendary "cradle of Western orchestral music," the CYS musicians faced off against top-tier youth ensembles from around the globe. Under the expert baton of Dr. Lauren Jakey, the orchestra’s rigorous preparation - funded in part by student-led initiatives like chocolate sales and the annual Viennese Ball - paid off remarkably. The California Youth Symphony was awarded Third Place in the international competition, trailing only the youth orchestras of Bremen, West Germany, and Krakow, Poland.
For the students, the tour was more than just a competition; it was an immersive cultural exchange. Beyond the concert halls of Vienna, the group traveled through Germany and Hungary, performing in cities such as Baden and Nuremberg. Dr. Jakey emphasized that the true goal of such a journey was for the youngsters to experience being part of a world-class group while absorbing the history of the music they played—noting the "intangible thing" of playing Brahms in Brahms’ own hometown. This successful European tour solidified CYS’s international reputation and provided a life-changing conclusion to the 36th season for its graduating members.
