Season 48
1999-2000
Summer 1999 Redwood Camp
November 1999 Concert
November 1999 concerts set a high artistic bar for the millennium year, featuring a demanding program that spanned from the jazz-influenced Americana of Gershwin to the dramatic intensity of Prokofiev. Under the direction of Leo Eylar, the California Youth Symphony presented this program twice: first at the Flint Center in Cupertino on November 7, and again at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center on November 21.
The first half of the concert opened with George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess - A Symphonic Portrait, arranged by Robert Russell Bennett. This piece provided a lush, melodic start to the season, weaving together the beloved themes of the 1935 opera into a cohesive orchestral suite. The spotlight then shifted to the exceptional young talent within the orchestra’s ranks, featuring violinist Kyoko Kaneda as the soloist for Henri Vieuxtemps’ Concerto No. 5 in A Minor. Kaneda’s performance of this technically formidable work—moving through the rigorous Allegro non troppo, the lyrical Adagio, and the spirited Allegro con fuoco—was a testament to the high caliber of musicianship CYS continues to foster.
Following the intermission, the orchestra tackled one of the most evocative scores of the 20th century: excerpts from Serge Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. The selection took the audience through the narrative arc of Shakespeare’s tragedy, beginning with the rhythmic power of "Montagues and Capulets" and the lightness of "Juliet the Young Girl." The suite continued with the solemnity of "Friar Lawrence," the playful "Masks," and the romantic "Balcony Scene," before concluding with the driving, chaotic energy of "Tybalt’s Death." This ambitious program not only demonstrated the orchestra’s versatility but also served as a powerful introduction to a season that would eventually take these young musicians across the Atlantic.
Special Event Spotlight: Benefit Pops Concert (January 2000)
A pivotal moment of the season occurred on the evening of Friday, January 28, 2000, in Palo Alto. To support the significant costs of the upcoming European tour and recording sessions, CYS hosted a Benefit Pops Concert that drew together local music lovers and patrons. The program was a vibrant celebration of the American musical vernacular, featuring the "Symphonic Dances" from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story, Richard Rodgers’ Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, and Robert Russell Bennett’s symphonic arrangement of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. This "All-American" repertoire was specifically chosen to represent the energy and heritage of the United States as the orchestra prepared to represent the Bay Area on the international stage.
A Historic Collaboration with Hans Boepple
The centerpiece of the evening was a rare and historic appearance by the distinguished pianist Hans Boepple. At the time the Chair of the Music Department at Santa Clara University, Professor Boepple joined CYS as a guest soloist to tackle George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. The performance was particularly significant as it marked the first time in thirty-four years that Boepple had performed this cornerstone of American music in public. In an interview with the San Mateo County Times, Boepple described the work as a tricky but beautiful fusion of American jazz and 19th-century European romanticism. His participation was a profound gesture of support for the next generation of performers; he praised CYS as "the ultimate honors orchestra," noting that many of his own college students had risen through the symphony’s ranks.
Preserving our Musical Heritage
The success of the Benefit Pops Concert ensured that our students could participate in a life-changing cultural exchange in Europe, where they shared the American masterworks rehearsed during this season with international audiences. Today, we look back at Season 48 as a period of immense growth and artistic maturity. We invite our alumni from the class of 2000 and the patrons who attended this benefit to share their memories and photographs from this era. By preserving these stories, we continue to honor the legacy of excellence that has defined the California Youth Symphony for over seven decades.
March 2000 Concert
The momentum of Season 48 continued into the spring of 2000 with a series of powerful performances that further showcased the technical depth of the orchestra. The second major concert set of the season took place on Sunday, March 12, at the Flint Center in Cupertino, followed by a repeat performance on March 19 at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center. Under the direction of Leo Eylar, the program opened with the grand, heroic sweeps of Richard Wagner’s Rienzi Overture, setting a majestic tone for the afternoon.
The highlight of the first half was Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16, featuring the exceptionally gifted pianist Katherine Lee. As noted in the San Francisco Examiner, Lee’s appearance was highly anticipated by the Bay Area music community. Her interpretation of the Grieg concerto—a work famous for its dramatic opening flourishes and lyrical, folk-inspired melodies—demonstrated a sophisticated emotional range that captivated the audience through the virtuosic Allegro molto moderato and the serene Adagio.
Following the intermission, the symphony shifted toward more rhythmic and evocative 20th-century repertoire. The orchestra performed Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, a work that demands incredible precision and "swing" from a youth ensemble, followed by the lush and exotic Polovetsian Dances by Alexander Borodin. This selection of high-energy, dance-centric works served as a perfect showcase for the orchestra's sectional cohesion and rhythmic vitality.
