Season 52
2003-2004
Senior Orchestra Roster
Prep Program Roster
Seniors
November 2003 Concert
Concert Program Overview
The California Youth Symphony’s November 2003 concert presents a vibrant journey through musical history, blending energetic modern works with timeless classical masterpieces. The program opens with Berlioz’s Roman Carnival Overture, a virtuoso piece famous for its fiery energy and festive Italian dance rhythms. This is followed by John Adams’ Short Ride in a Fast Machine, a joyfully exuberant work that captures the thrill and intensity of a high-speed sports car ride through its persistent, driving beat.
The centerpiece of the concert is Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, a work celebrated for its gentle, serene character and its unique opening where the piano leads the orchestra in a calm musical conversation. The evening concludes with Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances, his final major composition. These dances offer a profound exploration of life and the awareness of death, treated with the composer’s signature intelligence and grace. Together, these pieces showcase the orchestra’s versatility and technical mastery.
Featured Soloist: Emily Wang
The soloist for this concert is the exceptionally talented fifteen-year-old pianist Emily Wang. Emily was the piano winner of the 2003 California Youth Symphony Young Artist Competition held at Stanford University. She began her musical journey at the age of four and has been studying with Professor Hans Boepple since she was seven.
Emily has earned widespread recognition for her keyboard talents, winning numerous state-level competitions and becoming a national finalist in the MTNA Junior Baldwin Competition. Her impressive background includes performances with the Santa Cruz County Symphony and the Pacific Chamber Symphony. Currently a junior at Palo Alto High School, Emily is not only a dedicated performer but also shares her passion for music as a teacher.
December Wind Prep Groups Concert
March 2004 Concert
The 2003-2004 season stood as a landmark period for the California Youth Symphony, marking our continued dedication to musical excellence in our 52nd year. Under the inspired leadership of Music Director Leo Eylar, our young musicians embraced a challenging repertoire that pushed the boundaries of their technical and emotional capabilities. Beyond the concert stage, this season was highlighted by a prestigious honor: CYS was selected as one of a handful of youth orchestras nationwide to inaugurate the new National Public Radio (NPR) series, "Youth Orchestras of America". This recognition, based on the high quality of our concert recordings, allowed our music and interviews to reach a national audience.
The Titan and the Waltz: Masterworks in Concert
The March 2004 concert series was the busiest performance period of the season, featuring a pair of concerts on March 14 at the Flint Center and March 21 at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center. The orchestra tackled the immense scale of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, a work that serves as a profound metaphor for life, from the quiet awakening of nature to a titanic struggle with fate. The program opened with the vivid and swirling energy of Maurice Ravel’s La Valse, a piece inspired by the Imperial Court of Vienna that portrays the dramatic and frenzied end of an era through its lush orchestration.
Spotlight on a Rising Star: Jessica Ling
A centerpiece of the March concerts was the breathtaking performance of Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto by sixteen-year-old violin prodigy Jessica Ling. As a winner of the 2003 CYS Young Artist Competition, Jessica brought both lyrical beauty and fiery precision to the stage. Her mastery of the concerto’s notoriously difficult "perpetual motion" finale was a testament to her extraordinary talent and the high caliber of young artists nurtured within our symphony.
Community Impact and Future Growth
The spirit of CYS extended beyond the concert hall this season through dedicated community service. Several musicians volunteered their time to perform for senior citizens at the Sunrise Assisted Living Center, demonstrating the orchestra's commitment to sharing the joy of music with all generations. Furthermore, our "Scouts at the Symphony" program continued to engage young audiences, providing scouts with special participation patches and an educational introduction to orchestral music.
Season Finale: A Celebration of Mastery and Heritage (May 2004 Concert)
CYS concluded its 52nd season in May 2004 with a vibrant program that celebrated musical storytelling and technical mastery. Under the expert direction of Maestro Leo Eylar, the concert began with the rhythmic energy of Manuel de Falla’s Three Dances from "The Three-Cornered Hat", bringing the spirit of Spanish folk traditions to the stage. The program also featured the rare and expressive Concerto for Horn and Orchestra by Othmar Schoeck, followed by the fiery and virtuosic Zigeunerweisen by Pablo de Sarasate.
The grand finale of the afternoon was a performance of Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, brilliantly arranged for orchestra by Maurice Ravel. This monumental work took the audience on a musical "stroll" through an art gallery, capturing diverse scenes ranging from the playful "Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks" to the majestic and powerful "Great Gate of Kiev." It was a spectacular conclusion to a season that showcased the orchestra’s ability to handle both delicate melodies and grand orchestral textures.
Featured Soloists
Yoni Kahn, Horn
Yoni Kahn, a winner of the 2004 CYS Young Artist Competition, was the featured soloist for Schoeck’s Horn Concerto. At the time of this performance, Yoni was a senior at Gunn High School in Palo Alto. A remarkably talented musician, he served as the principal horn for both CYS and the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra. His performance highlighted the horn's unique ability to be both lyrical and powerful. In addition to his musical success, Yoni was an exceptional student with plans to attend Northwestern University to pursue a double major in Physics and Music Performance.
Timothy Van, Violin
The orchestra also presented violinist Timothy Van, who performed the challenging and spirited Zigeunerweisen. Timothy, a sophomore at Lynbrook High School, was another standout winner of the 2004 Young Artist Competition. He began his violin studies at the age of five and quickly gained recognition, winning top prizes in various competitions, including the U.S. Open Music Competition. His performance of the Sarasate masterpiece demonstrated his impressive technical skill and his ability to convey the soulful, gypsy-inspired character of the music.
Direct to Italy: The 15th International Tour
Following the regular season, the CYS Orchestra embarked on its 15th international tour, traveling to Italy in late June 2004 to present five concerts. A unique highlight of this journey was a special invitation to perform at an international film convention in Stresa. In honor of this invitation, the orchestra prepared "A Celebration of Movie Music," featuring iconic scores from Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, and Pirates of the Caribbean. This innovative program was previewed for our local audience on June 20 at the Spangenberg Theatre in Palo Alto before the orchestra departed for Europe.
Tour Guest Soloist: Natsuki Fukasawa
For the Italian tour and the local preview concert, CYS was joined by the internationally renowned, Japanese-born pianist Natsuki Fukasawa. A graduate of the Juilliard School and a Fulbright Scholar, Ms. Fukasawa performed George Gershwin’s Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra. Her playing, described by The Washington Post as "powerful and convincing," provided a brilliant American centerpiece for our performances abroad, perfectly bridging the worlds of classical mastery and cinematic flair.
