Season 43

1994-1995

Roster

Seniors

A Historic Triumph: The 1994 Vienna International Victory

In July 1994, the California Youth Symphony reached a pinnacle of international acclaim during its landmark 10th overseas tour. Traveling through the cultural capitals of Central Europe—Salzburg, Prague, Vienna, and Budapest—the orchestra, led by Music Director Leo Eylar, demonstrated a level of artistry that resonated far beyond the borders of the San Francisco Peninsula.

First Prize on the World Stage

The defining moment of the tour took place at the prestigious International Youth and Music Festival in Vienna. Competing against elite ensembles from around the globe, CYS was awarded the First Prize in the Youth Orchestra category. In addition to the top honor, the symphony received the coveted City of Vienna Award for Musical Excellence, a distinction rarely bestowed upon youth ensembles. Bernard Keeffe, the Festival Music Director from the BBC in London, lauded the performance as "outstanding" and "extremely impressive," noting the orchestra's professional-grade precision and emotional maturity.

Musical Ambassadors in Europe

The tour’s repertoire was as challenging as it was diverse, featuring masterworks such as Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade and Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis. To satisfy the festival's requirement for a work by a composer from the orchestra’s home country, CYS performed Samuel Barber’s Overture to "The School for Scandal", which became a signature piece of the tour. These works filled the legendary halls of Europe, from the newly renovated Rudolfinum-Dvořák Hall in Prague to the historic Vigadó Hall in Budapest, establishing our students as world-class musical ambassadors.

A Lasting Legacy: The First CYS CD

The sheer brilliance of the 1994 tour inspired a major milestone in the organization's history. Moved by the extraordinary quality of the performances in Vienna, Maestro Eylar proposed a bold idea during the tour's farewell celebration: to capture the orchestra’s sound in a professional recording. This led to the production of CYS’s very first compact disc, ensuring that the "Vienna Standard" of 1994 would be preserved for future generations. Today, this victory remains a cornerstone of the CYS legacy, representing the tireless dedication of our musicians, the vision of our leadership, and the enduring support of our community.