Season 44
1995-1996
Roster
Seniors
Music in the Air: The 1995 CYS Summer Camp at Redwood Glen
In August 1995, following the immense momentum of their international success in Vienna, CYS gathered 110 musicians for a week of intensive training at Redwood Glen. Nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains near La Honda, the camp provided a unique sanctuary where the sounds of the orchestra blended seamlessly with the natural surroundings. This "Symphony in the Redwoods" was far more than a simple retreat; it was a rigorous artistic endeavor where young instrumentalists between the ages of 11 and 18 dedicated themselves to mastering professional-level repertoire, far removed from the distractions of their daily lives in the city.
The artistic heart of the camp was defined by a grueling schedule that included seven hours of daily rehearsals and specialized sectional coaching. Under the exacting leadership of Camp Director Jason Klein and Assistant Conductor Amy Lee, the ensemble was pushed to its technical limits to prepare for the upcoming 43rd season. Klein famously noted during the week that the potential of these young musicians was boundless, constrained only by the complexity of the challenges the faculty dared to set for them. This dedication was visible throughout the camp, from musicians like Adam Logie studying scores in the forest light to cellists Cornelia Rinderknecht and Connie Sheu practicing in the early morning mist. Even the physical toll of the sessions, such as the sore fingers described by bassist Ching-Pei Hu, was met with a shared commitment to the high standards of the orchestra.
Beyond the music stands, the 1995 camp served as a vital foundation for the lifelong friendships that anchor the CYS community. The rustic cabins and shared meals fostered a spirit of camaraderie as students balanced their intense musical focus with traditional camp activities like volleyball, square dancing, and late-night social hours. Spontaneous moments of joy—such as Kenneth Hsu and Erik Mann breaking into a playful duet between rehearsals—highlighted the vibrant personality and spirit of the group. The camp concluded with a sense of unified purpose, captured in the iconic group photo at the Redwood Glen sign, marking a successful start to a new year of musical excellence and reinforcing the deep personal bonds that make CYS a true family.
A Season of World Premieres and "Titanic" Visions (November 1994 Concert)
Concert Program Overview
CYS launched its 44th season in November 1995 with a program of extraordinary ambition and creative daring. Performing on November 12 at the Flint Center and November 19 at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center, the 110-member ensemble presented the World Premiere of Leo Eylar’s Rhapsody for Orchestra. Written in just 13 days during July 1995, the Rhapsody was described by Eylar as a "brilliant showpiece" designed to highlight every section of the orchestra. Unlike his previous, more introspective commissions, this work was "unabashedly extroverted," crackling with energy and complex rhythms. The program reached its dramatic peak with Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 ("Titan"), a massive work that required the full "Mahlerian" scale of the ensemble. The concerts were a critical triumph; reviewer Jim Barnhart famously compared Maestro Eylar’s conducting to the "sorcerer in the movie Fantasia," praising the orchestra as "musical athletes" who achieved a level of technical proficiency rarely heard in a youth ensemble.
Soloist Profile: Anna Gingis and the Internal Virtuosos
The November series featured a brilliant performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor by the 18-year-old Russian emigré Anna Gingis. A winner of the 1995 CYS Young Artist Competition and a student of Hans Boepple, Gingis delivered an interpretation that critics described as "brilliant," showcasing a degree of technical mastery that stunned the audience. In addition to the featured piano soloist, Eylar’s Rhapsody for Orchestra turned the spotlight inward, featuring several of the symphony's own principal players as soloists. These included Ken Morse (trumpet), Mieko Hatano (French horn), Trevor Murphy (clarinet), and Katie Buckley (harp). Notably, Eylar wrote the prominent harp part specifically for the 16-year-old Buckley, collaborating with her to ensure the lines were written in the most effective register for the instrument. This synergy between composer and performers exemplified the CYS commitment to making contemporary music a living, breathing part of the students' artistic education.
Rhythmic Vitality: The March 1996 Concert Series
In March 1996, CYS continued its 44th season with a series of performances at the Flint Center in Cupertino and the San Mateo Performing Arts Center. Under the inspired leadership of Music Director Leo Eylar, the 110-member ensemble demonstrated a level of technical precision and artistic depth that challenged the boundaries of a youth orchestra. The program opened with the rhythmic vitality of William Walton’s Johannesburg Festival Overture, a work celebrated for its complex African-inspired rhythms and festive brass fanfares. The centerpiece of the orchestral program, however, was Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances. Critics were quick to praise the performance, noting that Maestro Eylar drew a "velvet" string sound and a sophisticated variety of dynamic nuances from his players that, as one reviewer put it, "could put many an adult orchestra to shame."
The highlight of the March series was the featured performance by 16-year-old pianist Christopher Guerriero, a winner of the 1996 CYS Young Artist Competition. Guerriero took center stage to perform Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, delivering an interpretation marked by technical poise and lyrical sensitivity. Rather than leaning into over-sentimentalized romanticism, Guerriero was noted for his "gentle and tender" approach, with critics remarking on how he seemed to "caress the keys" to create a shimmering, intimate atmosphere. His seamless interaction with the orchestra, particularly during the dialogue between the piano and strings in the second movement, showcased a professional level of collaborative musicianship. This concert not only highlighted the individual brilliance of CYS soloists but also reinforced the orchestra's reputation for tackling the most demanding works of the symphonic repertoire with world-class artistry.
Season Finale: A Grand Display of "Pictures at an Exhibition" (May 1996 Concert)
CYS brought its 44th season to a magnificent close in May 1996, with performances at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center on May 12 and the Flint Center in Cupertino on May 19. Under the baton of Maestro Leo Eylar, the program was a vibrant celebration of orchestral color and technical mastery, designed to showcase the full range of the 110-member ensemble. The finale opened with the wit and rhythmic sparkle of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide Overture, setting an energetic tone for the afternoon. The concert reached its grand climax with Modest Mussorgsky’s monumental Pictures at an Exhibition (arranged by Ravel), a work of professional-level difficulty that allowed every section of the orchestra to shine, from the iconic solo trumpet opening to the thunderous, brass-led finale of "The Great Gate of Kiev."
The spotlight of the season finale was shared by two extraordinary student soloists, both winners of the 1996 CYS Senior Soloist Competition. Su-Wen Ueng took center stage for a graceful and virtuosic performance of Vincenzo Bellini’s Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra, demonstrating a lyrical maturity and breath control that captured the Italian operatic style of the work. Joining her in the soloist circle was cellist Aaron Jang, a standout leader within the orchestra, who performed Camille Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor. Jang’s interpretation of this Romantic masterpiece was marked by both fiery technical precision and deep emotional resonance, providing a sophisticated contrast to the lighter Bellini concerto. For many of the graduating seniors, this performance served as a poignant farewell, solidifying a year that began with a world premiere and ended with a display of the high-caliber artistry that had become the hallmark of the Eylar era.
Bridge Across the Pacific: The 1996 Asia Tour (Japan & Taiwan)
In the summer of 1996, CYS embarked on a momentous two-week concert tour of Japan and Taiwan, marking its return to the international stage following the historic victory in Vienna two years prior. This journey was particularly significant for the ensemble’s identity; with approximately two-thirds of the 103 touring musicians being of Asian descent, the tour offered many students a profound opportunity to connect with their cultural heritage through the universal language of music. Before departing, the orchestra presented a grand "Tour Preview" concert on June 16 at the Foothill College Theatre, featuring guest pianist Richard Cionco in a thundering performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3. This preview set the stage for an ambitious six-concert itinerary that would showcase the orchestra’s technical power and artistic maturity to audiences across East Asia.
The tour was defined by deep collaboration and a poignant humanitarian spirit, particularly during the group’s time in Japan. CYS participated in joint performances with the Okayama Youth Symphony and the Kobe New Philharmonic Junior Orchestra, fostering a unique cross-cultural dialogue between young musicians of similar ages but different backgrounds. The connection to Kobe was especially moving; only a year earlier, the CYS community had raised over $1,000 to assist the Kobe ensemble following a devastating earthquake. As trumpeter Ken Morse noted at the time, the trip was a chance to "play for and with people from halfway around the world," proving that even when language barriers existed, the shared discipline of the symphony allowed for seamless friendship and mutual respect.
Artistically, the 1996 tour served as a definitive showcase for the "Eylar Era" sound. Under the baton of Maestro Leo Eylar, the orchestra traveled with a massive repertoire of masterworks, including Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, and Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances. The program also featured Eylar’s own Rhapsody for Orchestra, a work designed to highlight the individual virtuosity of the CYS sections. By bridging the gap between the San Francisco Peninsula and the cultural centers of Osaka and Taipei, the 103 young ambassadors of CYS solidified the orchestra’s reputation as a world-class institution, leaving a legacy of musical excellence and international goodwill that continues to define our mission today.
