Season 40
1991-1992
Roster
Seniors
A Season of Resilience: Reflections on the 1991-1992 Summer Music Camp
The 1991-1992 season of the California Youth Symphony began not in a concert hall, but deep within the scenic redwoods of Camp Redwood Glen. In late August 1991, approximately 100 young musicians, aged 12 to 17, gathered between Pescadero and La Honda for a seven-day "musical boot camp" that would define the year ahead. As documented by the San Jose Mercury News, the camp was an intensive immersion into the world of orchestral performance. Under the leadership of Conductor Leo Eylar and Camp Director Jay Winograd—himself a CYS alumnus—the students committed to a grueling eight-hour daily practice regimen. From morning sectionals to full orchestra rehearsals that stretched until 9:00 p.m., the dedication was absolute. As 17-year-old French horn player Daniel Werren noted at the time, the faculty pushed the young virtuosos to their absolute limits, fostering a level of concentrated progress that was, in the words of Eylar, "absolutely astonishing."
Despite the physical toll of the rehearsals—where 16-year-old Kristen Schroeder famously quipped that their "teeth and lips were hurting" by the end of the day—the camp offered a rare sanctuary from the pressures of city life and schoolwork. The redwood forest became a natural auditorium; cellists practiced under the shade of ancient trees, and the sounds of brass and woodwinds echoed through the woods in a "cacophony of sounds" that slowly transformed into harmonious, joyful works. This transformation from "discordant notes" into a cohesive symphony was the hallmark of the CYS experience, proving that the hard work of individual practice was the essential foundation for collective artistic excellence.
Beyond the rigorous musical schedule, the 1991 summer camp was a vital period for building the social fabric of the symphony. Between rehearsals, the "redwood boot camp" took on the atmosphere of a traditional summer getaway, featuring campfires, talent shows, and spirited games of Trivial Pursuit. Musicians from across the Bay Area—San Jose, Palo Alto, Cupertino, and beyond—forged lasting bonds over softball games, swimming, and the legendary long lines for camp hamburgers. For many, like drummer Alex Wong, the camp was as much about the "chance to meet everyone" as it was about the music. This blend of discipline and camaraderie set a high standard for the rest of the 1991-1992 season, leaving a legacy of excellence that CYS continues to uphold decades later.
A Season of Resilience: The November 1991 Concert Series
Concert Program Overview
The California Youth Symphony inaugurated its 40th Anniversary Season in November 1991 with a pair of ambitious performances that solidified its reputation as a premier ensemble. Led by Music Director Leo Eylar, the orchestra performed on November 10 at the Flint Center in Cupertino and November 17 at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center. The program was a masterclass in Romantic-era power, opening with the bold, festive energy of Berlioz’s Roman Carnival Overture. The second half featured the monumental Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 in C minor (“Organ”), with soloist Rodney Gehrke at the organ. The series was particularly poignant as it occurred shortly after the devastating Oakland Hills fire, which had destroyed Maestro Eylar’s home during the rehearsal period; despite this personal tragedy, the concerts were hailed for their "energy" and "superior quality," serving as a testament to the healing power of music for both the conductor and his young musicians.
Featured Soloist: Lisa Lee (Violin)
The centerpiece of the program was a virtuosic performance of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D Major, featuring 16-year-old soloist Lisa Lee. A resident of Fremont and a student at Mission San Jose High School, Lee was already a decorated musician, having won the 1991 CYS Young Artist Competition and the Seventeen Magazine/General Motors National Concerto Competition. Just one week prior to the CYS concerts, Lee had been competing internationally in Germany, arriving back in the U.S. with only one rehearsal to prepare for the Tchaikovsky—a work famously once labeled "unplayable." Her performance was a triumph of maturity over technique; while she possessed the "prodigious technique" required for the work’s difficult cadenzas and high-register double stops, critics were most moved by her "sweet lyricism" and her stated philosophy that making "good music" was far more important than the pressures of competition.
In the Media
The November concerts received glowing reviews from the Peninsula Times Tribune, The Times, and the San Jose Mercury News. Critics noted that the ensemble’s performance rivaled, and in some cases surpassed, the quality of adult community orchestras in the Bay Area. The Times Tribune praised the "flamboyant, breezy conducting style" of Leo Eylar and the "rich, lush tine" displayed by Lee in the concerto’s melodic passages. Reporters highlighted the "clear, bold" standard set by the horn section and the "formidable" resonance of the Saint-Saëns finale. Beyond the technical critiques, the media coverage captured a sense of community pride, noting that with a near-capacity turnout of 1,450 at the Flint Center alone, the 40th anniversary season was off to an "auspicious start," leaving the Peninsula’s cultural landscape "all the richer for it."
Artistic Mastery and Contrast: The March 1992 Concert Series
Concert Program Overview
The California Youth Symphony continued its landmark 40th Anniversary Season in March 1992 with a pair of performances that demonstrated the ensemble's remarkable range and technical maturity. Under the baton of Music Director Leo Eylar, the orchestra returned to the Flint Center on March 8 and the San Mateo Performing Arts Center on March 15. The program was a sophisticated study in musical contrasts, anchored by the profound emotional depths of Richard Strauss’s Death and Transfiguration, op. 24. The Peninsula Times Tribune lauded the young musicians for their "brilliant" interpretation of the Strauss masterwork, noting their ability to navigate the narrative from its "serene and somber" opening to the "exuberant flight" of the finale. The concert concluded with a spirited rendition of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 in F Major, where the orchestra was praised for its "skill and confidence" in responding to the composer's "engagingly spritely" and "intriguing" shifts in mood.
Featured Soloist: Dina Glendening (Piano)
The featured soloist for the series was the "gifted" pianist Dina Glendening, a winner of the 1991 CYS Young Artist Competition. Glendening took center stage for a commanding performance of Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, op. 22. Her interpretation was noted for a "perceptive familiarity" with the score, balancing the work’s virtuosic demands with a deep musicality. Critics highlighted her "dexterity and control" throughout the performance, particularly her ability to maintain momentum despite the work’s "difficult challenges of contrasts in dynamics." Her presence at the keyboard served as a catalyst for the entire ensemble, motivating an "appropriate intensity" from the orchestra that resulted in a powerful and cohesive progression of movements.
In the Media
The March concerts were celebrated as a "solid and delightful" success. The Times Tribune review, titled "Gifted pianist leads youth symphony," emphasized the disciplined nature of the young talent, observing how the different sections of the orchestra responded to one another "in waves" during the Beethoven symphony. The critics specifically pointed out the orchestra’s "magnificent" expression of spirit in the mix of wind, percussion, and string instruments, which felt "aptly heavy and pompous at times, and ethereal in some segments." This second concert series of the season further cemented the reputation of the CYS in its 40th year, proving that the ensemble was capable of tackling the most demanding staples of the professional repertoire with both grace and fire.
