June 12, 2008

Youth Symphony impresses community during Almaden Community
Center performance

On Sunday June 8, the San Jose Youth Symphony’s Avant Flute Choir, conducted by Teressa Orazco-Peterson, opened to a standing-room only audience at the Almaden Library and Community Center with a rousing performance of Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumble Bee.”

Offering three more old-world classics as well as the “Pink Panther Suite” by Henry Mancini and closing with Rossini’s the “William Tell Overture,” this stunning performance was the first of a two-part performance from San Jose’s world renowned Youth Symphony led by Music Director and Conductor Yair Samet. Over the course of the afternoon, a packed room of San Jose residents enjoyed a free performance of amazing music and incredible talent by the SJYS’s Avant Flute Choir and the SJYS’s Concert Orchestra.

“The level of talent these young people exhibit is simply spectacular. I am so pleased that District 10 received the honor of hosting the San Jose Youth Symphony’s final performance during their 56th season.” –Councilmember Nancy Pyle

“The level of talent these young people exhibit is simply spectacular. I am so pleased that District 10 received the honor of hosting the San Jose Youth Symphony’s final performance during their 56th season. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us during their 57th,” said District 10 Councilmember Nancy Pyle, who has followed the Youth Symphony through its entire season.

The Avant Flute Choir consists of 14 talented high school students playing under the auspices of the San Jose Youth Symphony. Following a brief intermission, Ben Jones conducted the Concert Orchestra, complete with violins, viola, cello, bass, oboe, flute, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, tuba and percussion. Performing selections from Ravel, Mozart, Devorak, and Frescobaldi including Tocatta and Symphony No. 9, this second act was just as impressive as the first.

Jones, conductor of the Concert Orchestra, has been with the SJYS only one season and has done a remarkable job with his group. Teresa Orozco-Petersen, the SJYS’s flute choir conductor, has been with the symphony for several years and continues to work magic with the musicians. Erin Fraboni, a Philharmonic Orchestra member was "amazed at how well the Concert Orchestra performed and that their music was very challenging."

Samet commented on how pleased he was with the children's performance and how much Jones and Fraboni had accomplished with their students, “The community center was full thanks to Councilmember Pyle's e-mail distribution. We hope the Almaden community will join SJYS next season at the California Theatre and other local venues. We will begin our next concert season in December 2008.”

Perhaps Tom McMahon, an Almaden resident since 1967 and teacher at the Almaden Senior Center for 12 years, summed it up best when he stated “Kudos to those who made this afternoon so enjoyable. Congratulations to the parents who shared the talent of their children with us in such a great way. They are good, a solid credit to American youth and their parents.”

For more information regarding the San Jose Youth Symphony, visit http://www.sjys.org/ or call (408) 885-9220.