Senior Orchestra Roster
Associate Orchestra Roster
Seniors
56th Season: First Concert Overview (November, 2007)
Concert Program Overview
Under the expert direction of Maestro Leo Eylar, CYS Senior Orchestra opened its 56th season with a program rich in color and atmospheric storytelling. The performance began with Maurice Ravel’s Rapsodie espagnole, a masterful four-movement work inspired by the composer's Spanish heritage. From the mysterious, quiet opening of the "Prélude à la nuit" to the exhilarating finale of the "Feria," the orchestra captured the vibrant essence of an Iberian holiday. The first half of the concert concluded with Sergei Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, a brilliantly structured set of variations for piano and orchestra that features the famous, romantic 18th Variation.
Following the intermission, the program continued with Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s monumental symphonic suite, Scheherazade. This work, inspired by the legendary episodes of A Thousand and One Arabian Nights, uses a recurring violin solo to represent the clever Scheherazade as she tells her tales to the Sultan. Through lush orchestration and exotic melodies, the orchestra transported the audience into stories of Sinbad’s ship, the prince and princess, and the grand festival at Baghdad, concluding the afternoon in a spectacular blaze of musical color.
Featured Soloist: Angela Hwang
The orchestra was proud to feature sixteen-year-old pianist Angela Hwang as the soloist for Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody. Angela, a junior at Saratoga High School at the time of the performance, began her piano studies at age five and was currently a student of Professor Hans Boepple. She earned the opportunity to perform with the Senior Orchestra after winning the piano division of the 2007 CYS Young Artist Competition.
Angela’s impressive list of accomplishments includes first-place honors at the San Jose Youth Symphony Young Artist Competition and the MTAC Regional Concerto Competition. An active and dedicated young musician, she also attended California Summer Music to enhance her chamber music skills. Her performance of Rachmaninov's challenging work highlighted both her technical brilliance and her deep musical sensitivity, marking a high point for the start of the 2007-2008 season.
March 2008 Senior Orchestra Concert
Under the baton of Maestro Leo Eylar, CYS Senior Orchestra performed a vibrant program featuring some of the most iconic works of the 20th century. The concert opened with George Gershwin’s An American in Paris, a picturesque tone poem that captures the energy of the French capital through the use of unique orchestral effects, including authentic taxi horns. This was followed by Sergei Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, a masterpiece known for its "new simplicity" and lyrical second theme, which the composer wrote while traveling across Europe and North Africa.
After the intermission, the orchestra performed Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 1 in F minor. Completed when the composer was just 19 years old as his graduation exercise, this symphony is celebrated for its modern yet accessible style and light-hearted mood. Its successful premiere in 1926 launched Shostakovich’s international career, establishing him as a major figure in the world of classical music.
Featured Soloist: Vivian Fu
The orchestra was proud to feature sixteen-year-old violinist Vivian Fu as the soloist for the Prokofiev concerto. A junior at Saratoga High School with a perfect 4.0 GPA, Vivian was one of the two winners of the 2007 CYS Young Artist Competition. She began her musical studies at age five and has since earned numerous accolades, including being a national semi-finalist in the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) Competition.
Vivian has a rich history of performance and study, having spent multiple summers at the Aspen Music Festival and School under the tutelage of Won-Bin Yim. At the time of this concert, she was a student of Axel Strauss at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Her performance showcased not only her technical mastery but also her deep musical maturity, reflecting the high standards of the CYS program.
May 2008 Associate Orchestra Concert
55th Season: Final Concert Overview (May, 2008)
CYS Senior Orchestra concluded its landmark 55th season with a program that celebrated modern masterpieces and orchestral brilliance under the direction of Maestro Leo Eylar. The performance opened with John Adams’ "The Chairman Dances: Foxtrot for Orchestra," a playful and rhythmic work that reimagines a scene from the opera Nixon in China. The first half of the concert also featured Dmitri Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1, a deeply personal and symphonic work known for its emotional gravity and recurring musical signature.
Featured Soloist: Zenas Hsu
CYS was proud to present violinist Zenas Hsu as the featured soloist for this concert series. Born in San Jose, Zenas began his violin studies at the age of five and continued his training at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. By the time of this performance, he had won numerous awards and appeared as a soloist with several orchestras in the Bay Area.
A junior at Lynbrook High School at the time, Zenas served as the associate concertmaster for the CYS Senior Orchestra. His performance of the Shostakovich concerto demonstrated incredible maturity, handling the dark, brooding "Nocturne" and the whirling, energetic "Burlesca" with equal skill. Following this successful season, Zenas was accepted into the highly selective Curtis Institute in Philadelphia to continue his violin studies. His contribution to the 2006-2007 season remains a highlight in CYS history.
