By Lora Oehlberg
Town Crier Editorial Intern
Renowned orchestra celebrates 50th anniversary with benefit concert
California Youth Symphony conductor Leo Eylar will lead the group into its 50th season this weekend, continuing its November concert series 2:30 p.m., Sunday at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center.
The founder of the Peninsula Symphony Orchestra, Aaron Stern, started CYS in 1952 when inspired to create an orchestra composed entirely of school-age children.
“I learn and enjoy the freshness of musical approach,” Eylar said. “There are times when you conduct professionally when it’s very hard to rouse the orchestra or get some sort of excitement. I’m constantly learning the joy and power of music since I’m constantly seeing it expressed for the first time in my players.”
Since its founding, CYS has added an Associate Orchestra, a brass ensemble, a percussion ensemble and various preparatory groups to its ranks, continuing to help young musicians develop their talent within an ensemble. Many of these CYS musicians call Los Altos and Los Altos Hills home.
“It doesn’t matter if I think I sound great when I practice at home. When I’m in the group and how I play with the rest of the orchestra, that’s what matters. Playing in a symphony is working with a team and making sure that we give the best product,” said oboist Stephanie Lin, who is also a student at Los Altos High School.
Since 1954, the symphony has held the Young Artist Competition, where two outstanding, young soloists from the Bay Area are chosen to perform with the orchestra during the next concert season. One of last season’s winners, Adrian Tam of Berkeley, will be performing Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 at this Sunday’s concert.
Two documentaries based on the group’s 1963 Japan tour, the first overseas tour by an American youth orchestra, were broadcast on national television. Over the past 50 years, CYS has also traveled to Mexico, Australia, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, London, Wales, France, Hungary, Taiwan, Germany, Spain and Austria. This summer, the group will tour again in France.
“We’re going to play the Mahler 5th in France, but it’s also in our first concert to prepare for it. Throughout the year we’ll perform parts of the tour music. At the end of the year, we’ll compile it so we’re ready,” said Albert Hwang, a student at Los Altos High School who has played cello with CYS for six years.
The orchestra has grown in size, from the 22 students at the first rehearsal to 450 students throughout all levels, and artistically, and expects to improve in the future.
“I’m sure it will be even better. If you look where the orchestra was 10 years ago and where it is today, we’ve gotten way better, and I expect that to continue throughout many more years,” Eylar said.
The San Mateo Performing Arts Center is located at 650 N. Delaware in San Mateo. All proceeds and donations of the November concerts will be donated to The Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund established for the victims of the September 11 attack.
The annual free holiday concert will take place 2:30 p.m., Dec. 9, at Spangenberg Theatre in Palo Alto.
For more information, call 325-6666.
