Sesson 45
1996-1997
Roster
Seniors
A Musical Bridge to the East: The 1996 Asia Tour (Japan & Taiwan)
In the summer of 1996, from June 18 to July 3, the California Youth Symphony embarked on a landmark two-week concert tour of Japan and Taiwan.
A Connection Born of Compassion
The tour held deep humanitarian significance, particularly the visit to Kobe, Japan. A year earlier, the CYS community had raised $1,000 to assist the Kobe New Philharmonic Junior Orchestra after a devastating earthquake. This gesture was personal: the Kobe ensemble's chairperson, Setsu Hayashi, was a former CYS member. Deeply moved, she helped facilitate the invitation for CYS to perform in Japan. This "full circle" moment highlighted the lifelong bond CYS creates among its alumni across the globe.
The Tour Preview & Repertoire
Before departing, the orchestra performed a high-stakes "Tour Preview" on June 16 at the Foothill College Theatre. The highlight was a performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 featuring guest soloist Richard Cionco. The tour repertoire also featured:
Mussorgsky (arr. Ravel): Pictures at an Exhibition
Mahler: Symphony No. 1 ("Titan")
Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances
Leo Eylar: Rhapsody for Orchestra (A piece composed by Eylar specifically to showcase the virtuosity of the CYS sections).
Cultural Exchange and Collaborative Performance
The tour included six major concerts across Okayama, Osaka, Kobe, and Taipei. A defining feature of the trip was the joint rehearsals and concerts with local youth ensembles, including the Okayama Youth Symphony and the Kobe New Philharmonic. For the 103 CYS members—nearly two-thirds of whom were of Asian descent—the tour was a "cultural homecoming," allowing them to connect with their heritage through shared musical discipline.
Highlights of the Journey
The orchestra was formally received by the Mayor of Okayama, with student representative Miyuki Nakashima facilitating the exchange between the two cultures.
Performances were held at the prestigious Okayama Concert Hall, Osaka’s Mielparque Hall, and Konan Women's College in Kobe.
Between rehearsals, students visited Japan’s most storied sites, including Nijo Castle and the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, and the Kasuga Shrine in Nara.
This 1996 tour remains a cornerstone of CYS history, proving that music transcends language barriers and creates lasting friendships that can withstand even the most difficult of times.
Summer 1996 Redwood Camp
November 1996 Concert
Following the triumphant 1996 Asia Tour, the California Youth Symphony launched its 45th Anniversary Season in November 1996 with an ambitious program that balanced delicate Romanticism with massive, cosmic orchestration. Under the direction of Leo Eylar, the orchestra performed on November 10 at the Flint Center in Cupertino and on November 17 at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center.
Concert Program Overview: From Folklore to the Cosmos
The concert opened with Antonín Dvořák’s late symphonic poem, The Wood Dove (op. 110). Based on a Czech folk ballad, the piece allowed the CYS woodwinds and strings to demonstrate their narrative and emotional range, capturing the work's haunting atmosphere and dramatic orchestration.
Following the Dvořák, the mood shifted to the refined and virtuosic with César Franck’s Symphonic Variations for Piano and Orchestra. This work acted as a sophisticated bridge between the opener and the grand finale, featuring intricate interplay between the soloist and the ensemble.
The centerpiece of the afternoon—and a significant undertaking for any youth orchestra—was a complete performance of Gustav Holst’s monumental suite, The Planets. Spanning seven movements from the aggressive rhythms of "Mars, the Bringer of War" to the ethereal, fading voices of "Neptune, the Mystic," the performance showcased the sheer power and technical precision of the 120-member orchestra, particularly the expanded brass and percussion sections.
Featured Soloist : Megumi Yanai
The November series featured pianist Megumi Yanai as the guest soloist for Franck’s Symphonic Variations. Yanai, recognized for her technical fluidity and expressive depth, navigated the work’s shifting moods—from its brooding opening to its sparkling, dance-like conclusion—with remarkable grace. Her collaboration with Maestro Eylar and the orchestra highlighted the high caliber of soloists that have become a hallmark of the CYS concert experience.
A Milestone of Harmony: The 45th Anniversary Concert (March 1997)
The 1996-1997 season marked a historic milestone for the California Youth Symphony as it celebrated its 45th anniversary. The centerpiece of this celebration was the March 1997 concert series held at the Flint Center in Cupertino and the San Mateo Performing Arts Center. This event was not only a showcase of musical excellence but also a profound symbol of international friendship. Following CYS’s 1996 tour to Japan, fifteen young musicians and conductor Hiroyuki Takeda from the Kobe New Philharmonic Junior Orchestra traveled to the Bay Area to perform alongside the 120 members of CYS. This heartwarming collaboration, born out of CYS’s support for Kobe following the 1995 earthquake, allowed students from both nations to bridge cultural and language divides through the shared discipline of symphonic music.
Under the inspired baton of Music Director Leo Eylar, the anniversary program featured an ambitious selection of 19th and 20th-century masterpieces that tested the full range of the ensemble. The concerts opened with the rhythmic power and urban grit of Leonard Bernstein’s Suite from "On the Waterfront," showcasing the orchestra’s robust brass and percussion sections. The program’s emotional peak was Tchaikovsky’s deeply profound Symphony No. 6 ("Pathétique"). The orchestra’s performance was met with significant critical acclaim; reviewers were particularly struck by the "velvet-like" discipline of the string section and the maturity of the interpretation. Reports from the time noted that the ensemble achieved a level of professional nuance and dynamic range that put many adult orchestras to shame, solidifying CYS’s reputation as a premier institution during the "Eylar Era."
A major highlight of the series was the featured soloist, 16-year-old violinist Kenneth Hsu, a winner of the 1996 CYS Young Artist Competition. A junior at Lynbrook High School, Hsu delivered a virtuosic and deeply convincing performance of Brahms’ demanding Violin Concerto in D major, a work typically reserved for seasoned professionals. Beyond his technical mastery on stage, Hsu embodied the "scholar-artist" ideal championed by CYS; at the time of the performance, he maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA while dedicating hours each day to his instrument. His poise and artistic depth served as a shining example of the high academic and musical standards that have defined California Youth Symphony members for decades.
A Sensational Season Finale: The 45th Anniversary Grand Finale (May 1997 Concert)
The California Youth Symphony concluded its landmark 45th anniversary season in May 1997 with a pair of sensational concerts at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center and the Flint Center. Under the baton of Maestro Leo Eylar, the "Season Finale" was a celebration of the extraordinary technical and artistic heights the orchestra had reached. The program was a brilliant showcase of contrast, moving from the regal elegance of Beethoven to the lush impressionism of Debussy, and culminating in the complex, avant-garde rhythms of Stravinsky. As is tradition, the concert also served as a poignant farewell, featuring the formal introduction of the season’s graduating seniors as they prepared to embark on their next chapters at prestigious universities across the country.
Program Overview: Masterpieces of Virtuosity
The first half of the concert featured three "crown jewels" of the orchestra as soloists. The afternoon opened with the regal first movement of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 ("Emperor"), followed by the ethereal and shimmering textures of Debussy’s Sacred and Profane Dances for Harp and Orchestra. The solo portion concluded with the fiery and volatile Sarasate’s "Carmen" Fantasy, a work of extreme violin virtuosity.
Following the intermission, Maestro Eylar led the orchestra through two monumental works of the 20th century. The second half began with the hauntingly beautiful "Adagietto" from Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, a movement scored only for strings and harp, which Eylar described as one of the most "beautiful and tender" pieces ever composed. The season reached its grand climax with Stravinsky’s Petrouchka. Navigating the work’s bitonality and shifting meters with "incredible panache," the 120-member ensemble proved why they were considered a "treasure of the Peninsula," delivering a performance that rivaled professional standards.
Featured Soloists: The Class of 1997
The 1997 finale put the spotlight on three remarkable seniors, each a winner of the CYS Young Artist Competition:
Alice Kao (Piano): A senior at Piedmont High School, Alice commanded the stage with "effortless command" and "fiery octaves" during the Beethoven concerto. Her performance was praised for its fluid trills and an artistic maturity that captured the composer's intended fury and force.
Katie Buckley (Harp): A "natural" on her instrument since age 12, Katie had toured the world with CYS before her senior year. Performing the Debussy Dances, she was noted for her "delicate power" and ability to project her 47-string harp over a full string ensemble. Following graduation from Valley Christian High School, Katie attended the prestigious Eastman School of Music on a scholarship.
Erik Mann (Violin): A Palo Alto High School senior, Erik delivered a "stellar performance" of the Gypsy-style Carmen Fantasy. Inspired to play at age six after seeing a violin on TV, Erik displayed amazing dexterity with double stops and harmonics. A true multi-talent, he went on to pursue a double degree in music and engineering, continuing the CYS legacy of the "scholar-artist."
