California Youth Symphony

California Youth Symphony (CYS) is a San Francisco Bay Area symphony orchestra for young musicians of high school age and younger. It was founded in 1952 by Aaron Sten and in 1963 became the first United States youth orchestra to tour abroad, performing twelve concerts in Japan. Since then, the orchestra has toured Mexico, Australia, and several countries in Europe and Asia. In 1994, the orchestra placed first in the International Youth and Music Festival Competition in Vienna. The orchestra has also collaborated with youth orchestras in Japan and in Switzerland. Leo Eylar has been musical director since 1990. The California Youth Symphony Senior Orchestra's Co-Concertmasters are currently Miles Shen and Darren Hau, with Tammy Lian as Assistant Concertmaster.
==History and tours==
The California Youth Symphony, or CYS for short, is one of the first youth symphony orchestras established in California and comprises some of the state's most musically talented youth. It was founded in 1952, and since 1963 has toured several countries around the globe, a semi-annual tradition, and most recently completed a tour to Japan with performances of Gershwin's An American in Paris, Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, and Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini.
==Repertoire==
CYS is notable for its challenging repertoire that includes works by Igor Stravinsky, Béla Bartók, Dmitri Shostakovich, Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, Sergei Prokofiev, and many ohers. CYS has also premiered many modern works, including music director Leo Eylar's Rhapsody for Orchestra, a piece nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. In the 2008-2009 season, the Senior Orchestra performed several great orchestral works: notably, Daphnis et Chloé by Ravel, Feste Romane by Respighi, Porgy and Bess Suite by Gershwin, and Symphonic Metamorphoses by Hindemith. In the 2009-2010 season the Senior Orchestra has performed George Gershwin's Cuban Overture, Sergei Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances, and Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1, featuring 11-year-old soloist Alex Chien. In March 2010 the Orchestra will perform Jennifer Higdon's Blue Cathedral, Respighi's Pines of Rome, de Falla's Three Cornered Hat and the famous Violin Concerto by Tchaikovsky, with soloist Stella Chen. Both Stella Chen and November soloist Alex Chien were winners of the annual CYS Young Artist Competition. The season concludes in May with Walton's Johannesburg Festival Overture, Aaron Copland's Billy the Kid, as well as pieces featuring the winners of the annual Senior Soloist Competition: The Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1, Michael Tan, cello; Fantaisie by Georges Hue, Michelle Huang, flute; and the Khachaturian Violin Concerto, Miles Shen, violin.
CYS has also recorded a number of CDs, the most recent one recorded live during their 2008 tour of Japan. More information regarding CYS recordings is available on the California Youth Symphony website, listed below. Sound samples are also available on the same page.
==Related ensembles==
The CYS comprises several ensembles. In addition to the CYS Orchestra, there is an intermediate level Associate Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, Flute Ensemble and Preparatory Ensembles for strings and winds. Overall, CYS musicians number over 500 from the greater San Francisco Bay Area, ranging from elementary school students to high school seniors. Composer-conductor Leo Eylar conducts the Associate Orchestra and the Senior Orchestra, the CYS premier orchestra.
===Wind Preparatory Ensembles===
There are two Wind Preparatory (Wind Prep, for short) Ensembles that function as large symphonic bands, and mainly comprise middle school students, along with some high school students. The Wind Preparatory Ensembles are under the direction of Rosita Amador. They are entitled "preparatory" because they serve to prepare the younger wind players for the more advanced full orchestras. The orchestration is typical, including flutes, oboes, clarinets, saxophones, bassoons, trumpets, French horns, trombones, and (tubas) (in relatively accurate score order). The group performs two concerts a year.
===CYS Junior and Intermediate Preparatory String Ensembles===
With Junior and Intermediate levels, the CYS String Preparatory Program provides string music instruction and ensemble experiences for younger musicians and prepares them to advance to the CYS Associate Orchestra. Under the direction of Kati Kyme, the CYS Intermediate String Ensemble performs 2 concerts per year.
===Associate Orchestra===
The Associate Orchestra CYS' intermediate level symphony-orchestra. Members of the 2nd Wind Prep Ensemble and the Intermediate Strings usually graduate to this orchestra, should they choose to stay in the institution, therefore rendering it a sort of convergent ensemble. The Associate Orchestra plays medium-difficult repertoire, and has typical orchestration.
 	
This ensemble serves as an arena for younger, less-experienced musicians to gain incomparable experience in the world of performance and to prepare them for advancement to the CYS Senior Orchestra. The repertoire is varied and serves as a valuable introduction to the orchestral experience. The CYS Associate Orchestra performs 3-4 concerts per year. Members attend a summer day camp in August.
===Senior Orchestra===
The CYS Senior Orchestra is CYS' premier ensemble. It collectivizes some the most advanced players from the other CYS ensembles, as well as those not in CYS at all. It tours semiannually, under the baton of Maestro Leo Eylar, former co-concertmaster of the San Jose Symphony. The full Senior Orchestra roster is as provided: 
===Flute Choir===
Under the direction of Rosita Amador, the CYS Flute Ensemble provides flute instruction for younger players, preparing them to advance to the CYS Associate Orchestra. The group performs two concerts per year.
===Percussion Ensemble===
Under the direction of Artie Storch, the CYS Percussion Ensemble is a unique forum for talented musicians through grade 12. Members of the Ensemble study an exciting repertoire and perform in the Ensemble's 2-3 CYS concerts each year and at other music events around the Bay Area. In addition, students learn about and improve their techniques on a variety of percussion instruments. Membership is open to both members of the CYS orchestras and to other musicians.
==Auditions==
Newcomers must audition to get in and those that are already in the symphony do not need to audition yearly to stay in. CYS members can promote to higher levels. The CYS levels of advancement might be portrayed as follows:
CYS Flute Ensemble/Wind Prep I/Beginning Strings-->CYS Flute Ensemble/Wind Prep II/Intermediate Strings-->Associate Orchestra-->CYS Senior Orchestra
Non-Convergent (not part of the general promotion system): CYS Percussion Ensemble
CYS attracts some of the Bay Area's most talented young musicians, at all levels. It is a non-profit organization.
==External links==
* The California Youth Symphony Orchestra
* Young Artist Competition
* CYS Critique
* CYS Ensembles and other news
Category:Youth orchestras
Category:American orchestras
Category:Musical groups established in 1952