Season 41
1992-1993
Roster
Seniors
Summer 1992 Redwood Camp
November 1992 Concert
Concert Program Overview
Following the monumental success of the 40th Anniversary Australia Tour, the California Youth Symphony launched its 41st Season in November 1992 with a series of performances that reaffirmed the orchestra’s status as a premier training ground for young talent. Under the continuing leadership of Maestro Leo Eylar, the ensemble returned to its home stages at the Flint Center on November 15 and the San Mateo Performing Arts Center on November 22. This first concert of the season showcased an exceptionally demanding and dramatic program, signaling that the ensemble was ready to build upon the "panache and bravura" that had defined their recent international appearances in the South Pacific.
The program opened with the sweeping Romanticism of Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture, a work that allowed the orchestra to display the rich, emotive string sound and disciplined brass sections that had become its hallmark. The ambitious repertoire continued with a major symphonic cornerstone: Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, op. 14. This five-movement masterpiece, known for its vivid storytelling and complex orchestration, challenged every section of the 110-member ensemble, from the delicate "Reveries" to the thunderous "March to the Scaffold". By tackling such a gargantuan work so early in the season, Maestro Eylar demonstrated his unwavering confidence in the technical growth and maturity of the musicians.
The centerpiece of the concert series was a performance of Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E minor, op. 85, featuring the brilliant young soloist Kathleen Balfe. This somber and profoundly lyrical work required a deep level of synergy between the soloist and the orchestra. Balfe’s interpretation of Elgar’s elegiac themes provided a moment of poignant reflection amidst the high-energy program. The successful execution of this series proved that CYS had transitioned seamlessly into its fifth decade, continuing its tradition of providing Bay Area youth with the platform to master the most profound works of the symphonic repertoire.
Featured Soloist
Kathleen Balfe (Cello)
A sophomore at Homestead High School and a dedicated student of the legendary pedagogue Irene Sharp, Kathleen Balfe was part of a rich family legacy at CYS, following in the footsteps of her older sisters, Carolyn and Marianne. Her path to the spotlight was defined by an extraordinary and eclectic range of talents; by the time of her solo debut, she had mastered seven different instruments - including the classical guitar - and balanced a rigorous 21-hour weekly practice schedule with her roles as class secretary and a competitive athlete in track and downhill skiing, where she had famously held a national title since the age of four. Despite her classical mastery and deep connection to works like those of Bach and Elgar, she remained a quintessential teenager of her era, blending her academic and musical discipline with a personal playlist that spanned from Mariah Carey to the alternative sounds of The Cure and Metallica. This unique combination of athletic grit, academic leadership, and profound musicality made her 1992 performance a defining moment for the orchestra - a trajectory of excellence that eventually led her to a distinguished professional career as a world-class cellist, including her eventual role as the Principal Cellist of the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra in Spain.
March 1993 Concert
Concert Program Overview
In the spring of 1993, the California Youth Symphony continued its ambitious 41st season with a pair of powerhouse performances that underscored the ensemble's technical maturity. Under the baton of Music Director Leo Eylar, the orchestra took the stage on March 14 at the Flint Center in Cupertino and again on March 21 at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center. The program was a masterclass in atmospheric and emotional range, beginning with the evocative "Four Sea Interludes" from Benjamin Britten’s opera Peter Grimes. These movements - Dawn, Sunday Morning, Moonlight, and Storm - required the young musicians to move beyond standard technical execution to capture the salt-air textures and brooding intensity of the English coast. The concert reached its grand finale with Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98, a monumental work of the symphonic repertoire that demanded rigorous discipline, particularly in the complex passacaglia of the final movement. By tackling such weighty works, the 1992-1993 ensemble proved they were more than capable of handling the sophisticated, professional-level repertoire that had become the hallmark of the Eylar era.
Featured Soloist
David Park (Piano)
The undisputed centerpiece of these performances was the appearance of piano soloist David Park, who delivered a stirring rendition of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor. Known as one of the most formidable "warhorses" of the Romantic period, the concerto requires a soloist of immense physical stamina and poetic sensitivity. Park’s interpretation of the work’s iconic opening fanfares and its thunderous, lightning-fast cadenzas showcased a level of artistry that belied his age. The synergy between Park and the orchestra was palpable, particularly in the delicate second movement and the fiery, folk-inspired finale. This collaboration not only highlighted Park’s individual brilliance but also served as a testament to CYS’s enduring mission: providing a world-class platform for the Bay Area's most gifted young soloists to perform the pillars of classical music alongside an elite symphony of their peers.
May 1993 Concert
The California Youth Symphony brought its 41st season to a triumphant close with two grand finale performances held on May 16, 1993, at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center and May 23, 1993, at the Flint Center in Cupertino. Under the inspired direction of Maestro Leo Eylar, the orchestra presented a diverse and demanding program that balanced beloved classics with the excitement of contemporary music. The concert opened with the exuberant energy of Dvořák’s Carnival Overture, op. 92, immediately showcasing the ensemble's rhythmic precision. This spirit of virtuosity continued as the orchestra featured several outstanding soloists from within its own ranks and the professional community, including Michael Abouav, who performed the first movement of Hummel’s Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra, and Pamina Kim, who delivered a compelling interpretation of the first movement of Saint-Saëns’s Violin Concerto No. 3, op. 61.
A significant milestone of this concert series was the world premiere of Maestro Leo Eylar’s own composition, The Temptation of St. Anthony. This modern work featured the combined talents of guest soloists Peter Nowlen on horn and Kathleen Foster on piano, providing a sophisticated and rare opportunity for the young musicians to participate in the debut of a new symphonic work. The second half of the program explored the dramatic storytelling of Richard Wagner through excerpts from Die Meistersinger, including the solemn Prelude to Act III and the festive Procession of the Meistersingers. The entire season reached a thunderous and evocative conclusion with Ottorino Respighi’s Pines of Rome, a masterpiece of orchestration that allowed every section of the symphony to shine. This ambitious finale not only celebrated the technical growth the students achieved over the year but also solidified the CYS reputation for tackling professional-level repertoire with maturity and passion.
A Legacy Reunited: The 40th Anniversary Alumni Celebration
On Saturday, August 1, 1992, the California Youth Symphony reached a sentimental and artistic milestone with its 40th Anniversary Reunion Concert. Held at the Dinkelspiel Auditorium on the Stanford University campus, the event served as a grand homecoming for musicians who had been part of the CYS family since its inception in 1952. Under the baton of Music Director Leo Eylar, the alumni orchestra performed a sophisticated program featuring Debussy’s Prélude à l'après-midi d'un Faune and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 in G Major. This gathering was not merely a performance but a profound testament to the enduring bond of the CYS community, as alumni arrived from across the country to spend a day making music together once more.
The reunion brought together generations of performers, with alumni ages ranging from 19 to 59. A particularly poignant moment was the presence of CYS founder and founding conductor Aaron Sten, who traveled from Sacramento to witness the blossom of the organization he led from 1952 to 1979. The event also honored the late Dr. Lauren Jakey, with his daughter, Amelia Jakey—herself a CYS alumna—noting that the ability of these musicians to deliver an exciting, polished concert with only two hours of rehearsal was a true tribute to the high standards instilled by the symphony over the years.
Maestro Leo Eylar described the reunion as "one of the most moving experiences" of his career, moved by the visible commitment and devotion of so many professionals and non-professionals alike. By celebrating four decades of music, the 1992 reunion solidified the CYS mission: that the discipline and passion cultivated in youth create a lifelong community. Today, this event remains a cherished chapter in our history, reminding us that every student who takes the CYS stage becomes part of a permanent, national legacy of excellence.
