Season 16
1967-1968
Roster
Seniors
November 1967 Concert
Concert Program Overview
The CYS's 16th Season - First Concert was conducted by Aaron Sten and presented on two Sundays: November 5, 1967, at San Mateo High School, and November 12, 1967, at Foothill College Gym. Both performances began promptly at 2:30 p.m., with a note advising that latecomers would not be seated during the opening number. The program commenced with Smetana's Overture to "The Bartered Bride," followed by Prokofiev's Symphony No. 7, Opus 131, which included four movements: Moderato, Allegretto-Allegro, Andante Expressivo, and Vivace. Following the Intermission, the orchestra performed Bloch's Concerto Grosso for String Orchestra and Piano Obligatto, featuring the young soloist Noel Benkman. The concert concluded with Ippolitov-Ivanov's Caucasian Sketches.
Featured Soloist: Noel Benkman (Piano)
Noel Benkman is a 17-year-old pianist from Belmont who is already an accomplished musician. He started his piano studies at the age of nine with Mrs. Ruth Carl in Burlingame, who later introduced him to his current instructor, Thomas La Ratta of San Mateo. Having just graduated from Carlmont High School in Belmont, he is now a scholarship student at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he is majoring in Piano Performance; he is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter E. Benkman. His early career highlights include receiving the Elks Club Competition Award in San Mateo in 1964 and appearing as a soloist in the Music Teachers’ Association Music Festival in 1964, 1965, and 1966. In 1966, he also won a first-place scholarship in a competition sponsored by the San Mateo branch of Links, Inc. He has made several television and recital appearances, including on KCSM-TV in 1965 in a series called "Young Artists in Recital" and again in the spring of 1967. Furthermore, earlier that year, he performed in three solo recitals sponsored by Unitarian Churches in both San Mateo and Palo Alto, as well as a performance at the College of Notre Dame.
May 1968 Concert
Concert Program Overview
CYS presented its 16th Season - Third Concert, under the direction of Conductor Aaron Sten, on two Sundays in May 1968. The first performance took place on May 19 at San Mateo High School, followed by a second concert on May 26 at Foothill College Gym. Both events began at 2:30 p.m., with a reminder that latecomers would not be seated during the opening piece. The program was dominated by a major work, Mahler's Symphony in D Major, No. 1, which was listed with its German tempo markings and English translations: Langsam, schleppend wie ein Naturlaut (slow, heavy, natural sound); Kraftig bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell (strong, lively—but not too fast); Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen (solemn, and with dignity); and Sturmisch bewegt (stormy—lively). Following the Intermission, the orchestra lightened the mood with two pieces by Smetana: the Overture to "The Bartered Bride" and Three Dances from "The Bartered Bride," specifically the Polka, Furiant, and Dance of the Comedians. The concert was presented by the California Youth Symphony Association, whose President was Lester A. Roberts.
Featured Soloist: Frank Stroshane (Piano)
The guest soloist for this concert was Frank Stroshane, an 18-year-old senior at San Carlos High School (SCHS) and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Stroshane of Redwood City. He won the honor of appearing at the concert following the 1967 youth symphony auditions. Stroshane performed with the California Youth Symphony in the first movement of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto in B flat Minor (opus 23), under the direction of Conductor Aaron Sten. He currently studies piano with Stephanie Hadatsch of Redwood City and also maintains an interest in the Russian language, mathematics, and science. The program also featured a number showcasing the percussion section, directed by Richard Peterson, a charter member of the symphony for 16 years and a former assistant conductor on the symphony tours of Japan and Mexico.
Concert Review
The review by Dorothy Nichols praised the California Youth Symphony for successfully playing a large-scale orchestral program, noting that the symphony "moves through it swiftly—its standard seems to continue rising." While the printed program in the review box mentioned the Mahler and Smetana pieces, Nichols's column focused on the concert's initial presentation, which included Jean Sibelius's "Pohjola's Daughter," noting the dark color, broad sweep of the strings, and brasses in a performance that achieved "fine" sound quality. The review also highlighted the performance of the Mozart G Minor Symphony which, though a challenge, showed that the players carried off the speed of the last movement without compromise. Conductor Aaron Sten's interpretation was noted for being particularly "illuminating" in its tempo, giving the music a grace and relaxation that was charming. Soloist Frank Stroshane, a San Carlos High School senior and "Tchaikovsky fan," was praised for his performance of the Tchaikovsky concerto's first movement. Nichols stated that the romantic emotion of the concerto was "within the grasp of the young and the orchestra seemed to enjoy playing it." She noted Stroshane's considerable strength and clear technique, adding that his "musical feeling... came right out hard." The balance between the piano and the orchestra's wind and string sections, particularly in the lush passages of Tchaikovsky, was also commended, though the review humorously admitted that the reviewer sometimes preferred the star-spangled banner to an overflowing stage of squeaking instruments.
