Season 38
1989-1990
November 1989 Concert
Concert Program Overview
CYS inaugurated its 38th Season in November 1989 with a pair of highly acclaimed performances. Under the direction of Dr. Lauren Jakey, now in his 11th year as Music Director, the 118-member ensemble performed on Sunday, November 12, at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center and on Sunday, November 19, at the De Anza College Flint Auditorium.
The program was anchored by Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, a work that "dramatically tested the young musicians' mettle" with its daring tempi and capable execution. Following the intermission, the orchestra moved into the 20th century with Ravel’s "Tzigane" and Gershwin’s "Rhapsody in Blue," concluding with Elgar’s "Cockaigne (In London Town) Concert Overture".
The series was met with enthusiastic reviews from local critics. The Times Tribune reported that the symphony opened with a "flourish," specifically praising the first and second violin sections for their consistency and the orchestra’s ability to "play their hearts out" during the moving closing Allegro of the Beethoven symphony. Dr. Jakey was lauded for providing the ensemble with "enthusiastic... sound and sensible direction," ensuring that the various sections of the orchestra—from the brass and tympani to the violas—shone without overshadowing the "lesser lights" of the ensemble.
Featured Soloists
David Fuller (Violinist)
A 17-year-old junior at Leigh High School, David Fuller made his debut as a soloist with Ravel’s "Tzigane". Having played violin since the age of three, Fuller brought significant experience to the stage, including past CYS tours to Mexico (1983) and Scandinavia (1985). Critics noted his "nice command of technique," specifically highlighting his handling of "jete bowing and bitchy left-hand pizzicati" that brought the audience to life.
Justina Lee (Pianist)
16-year-old Justina Lee performed Gershwin’s "Rhapsody in Blue". Her performance was described as being delivered with "fervor and style," with critics praising her secure attack and her ability to make the most of the work's many solo sections. The orchestra was noted for being at its "best supporting her," perfectly capturing the jazzy rhythms and "Gallicized syncopation" of the piece.
March 1990 Concert
Concert Program Overview
In March 1990, CYS continued its award-winning 38th season with a sophisticated second concert series. Under the baton of Dr. Lauren Jakey, the 118-member ensemble—representing 32 different schools from San Francisco to Gilroy—performed on Sunday, March 18, at the De Anza College Flint Center in Cupertino, followed by a repeat performance on Sunday, March 25, at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center.
The demanding program featured three major orchestral works:
Haydn: Symphony No. 98 in B-flat Major.
Walton: Concerto for Viola and Orchestra.
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5.
The series was widely covered by local media, with the Palo Alto Weekly and San Jose Mercury News highlighting the "impressive reputation" of the group. These concerts served as a vital technical and artistic foundation for the orchestra’s upcoming 1990 summer tour, which included performances at the Barbican Center in London and the prestigious Sully Sur Loire Music Festival in France. Section leaders noted that Dr. Jakey’s high expectations helped the students take their roles seriously and take immense pride in their performance quality.
Featured Soloist: Annie Chang
The highlight of the March series was a virtuosic performance of Walton’s Viola Concerto by 19-year-old guest artist Annie Chang. A multi-talented musician who had previously performed as a piano soloist with the San Francisco Symphony, Chang was a freshman at the prestigious Peabody Institute at the time of this performance. She had recently made her professional debut under the baton of Herbert Blomstedt with the San Francisco Symphony and was scheduled to perform with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra later that spring.
Following her solo appearance in the March series, Chang joined the CYS on their tour of England and France, providing further inspiration to our young musicians as a peer who had already achieved significant international success.
May 1990 Concert
Concert Program Overview
In May 1990, CYS concluded its 38th season with a pair of highly anticipated concerts. Under the direction of Dr. Lauren Jakey, the 118-member main orchestra performed on Sunday, May 20, at the Flint Center in Cupertino and on Sunday, May 27, at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center.
The demanding program opened with Samuel Barber’s Overture to "School for Scandal". After featuring two student soloists in the first half, the orchestra concluded the season with the powerful Symphony in D Minor by César Franck. These performances represented the culmination of a year of intensive rehearsal and served as the final domestic preview of the repertoire the ensemble would take to the Barbican Center in London and the Sully Sur Loire Music Festival in France later that summer.
Local media, including the Hokubei Mainichi, Los Altos Town Crier, and Palo Alto Weekly, celebrated the "international award-winning" reputation of the symphony. Reporters noted that the ensemble drew the finest young musicians, aged 11 to 17, from 32 different schools stretching from San Francisco to Gilroy. The season was a significant milestone for many graduating seniors, with local residents such as Leslie Carr, Peter Chen, Eric Kimn, Sara Schoenbeck, and Esther Shao being recognized for their years of dedication to the symphony.
Featured Soloists
Mark Arritola (Clarinet): A 17-year-old resident of Pacifica and a student at Westmoor High School, Arritola performed the Rondo: Allegro from Mozart's Concerto in A Major for Clarinet and Orchestra, K. 622. A multi-talented musician who also played saxophone in jazz bands, Arritola described the opportunity to solo with CYS as "fulfilling a fantasy".
Lisa Choi (Flute): A 17-year-old senior at Cupertino High School, Choi was the featured soloist for the first and second movements (Andante and Allegro) of Jacques Ibert’s Concerto for Flute and Orchestra. Her performance was highlighted by local press as a centerpiece of the spring program.
