Sat December 7, 2013
San Jose Youth Symphony (SJYS) Philharmonic Orchestra presents its 2013-2014 Season Opener
SEE EVENT DETAILS
PROGRAM
Wagner - Overture To The Meistersinger
Reinecke - Flute Concerto in D Major, William Yeh, flute
Gounod - Ballet Music from Faust
Glier - Harp Concerto in E-Flat Major, Joyce Chen, harp
Rimsky-Korsakov - Capriccio Espagnol
San Jose, CA - October 2013 - The San Jose Youth Symphony's Philharmonic Orchestra, under the artistic leadership of Music Director and Conductor Yair Samet, presents its 2013-2014 Season Opener to be held on Saturday,December 7, 2013, at 2:30pm at the California Theatre, 345 S. 1st Street, San Jose, CA 95113.
The program will open with Wagner's The Overture To The Meistersinger; Gounod's Ballet Music from Faust; and will conclude with the one the most beloved orchestral pieces, RimskyKorsakov's Capriccio Espagnol. This concert will also showcase winners from the 2013 Young Artists' Competition, proudly sponsored by the San Jose Symphony Foundation. Two outstanding young soloists will be featured: William Yeh, flutist, performing Reinecke's Flute Concerto in D Major; and Joyce Chen, harpist, performing Gliere's Harp Concerto in E-Flat Major.
WILLIAM YEH, FLUTIST
William Yeh is a senior at Fremont High School. William has been playing flute for about five years and is currently studying with Darin Ishimatsu. He joined San Jose Youth Symphony in 2012, only playing with the Philharmonic Orchestra. William has participated in the 2012 Santa Clara County Honor Band, 2013 All-Northern Honor Band, along with the 2013 California All-State Honor Band. Besides musical activities, William has been running track and field for six years and is treasurer for high schools environment club, Acting to Protect the Environment.
JOYCE CHEN, HARPIST
Joyce Chen is a senior at Lynbrook High School. Since Joyce was seven, she has studied harp under Daphanie Lin. She chose the harp after watching a Tom and Jerry episode that had Tom playing the harp. In 2008, Joyce joined San Jose Youth Symphony and has been the SJYS philharmonic orchestra's principal harpist for the past three years. She won the Holy Names University Concerto Competition in Spring 2013 and was selected to play at the Branch Honor Recital at the California Music Teacher Association Convention in Summer 2013. Joyce has also had master classes with Linda Wood Rollo. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering at the zoo.
YAIR SAMET, MUSIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR
Versatile and highly acclaimed conductor Yair Samet enjoys a widespread international career spanning three continents. He is consistently cited for his high level of artistry and exceptional knowledge of the repertoire.
Mr. Samet was appointed first associate conductor of the San Jose Symphony Orchestra in 1994. In addition, he was nominated Music Director and Conductor of the San Jose Youth Symphony, with whom he has toured Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Japan, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Spain, Poland, Chile and Argentina.
Mr. Samet has conducted the famed Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra on tour in Germany, the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra in Serbia, the Saarländisches Staatsorchester in Saarbrucken, Germany, the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra in China, and the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra in Bosnia. In addition, he conducted the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra and the St. Petersburg Glinka Capella at Finland's Tampere International Music Festival. In Israel he conducted the Haifa Symphony, the Rishon Le-Zion Symphony Orchestra, and the Israeli Sinfonietta.
He has performed with renowned artists such as Pinchas ukerman, Vadim Repin, David Shifrin, Han-Na Chang, Helene Grimaud, Lara St. John, Raphael Wallfisch, Jon Nakamatsu, and Jon Kimura Parker.
In addition to his professional conducting accolades, Mr. Samet also serves on the music faculty of the University of California Santa Cruz as principal guest conductor, leading the UCSC Symphony Orchestra in concerts annually.
Born in Jerusalem, Yair Samet attended the Rubin Academy High School of Music and Arts where he studied piano and bassoon, and was invited as the institution's youngest student to join the composition department under the guidance of internationally renowned composer Mark Kopitman. As a teenager, Mr. Samet performed frequently as soloist and chamber musician throughout Israel and for Israeli National Television.
Throughout his undergraduate and graduate studies, Yair Samet was the recipient of three scholarships from the American Israel Cultural Foundation. He began his formal orchestral conducting and musicology studies at Tel-Aviv University during which he founded the Young Israel Chamber Orchestra, a group he led for 4 years. Mr. Samet made his professional conducting debut in his early twenties with the Rishon Le-Zion Orchestra, a privilege offered only to finalists of Israel's International Course for Conductors under the direction of Maestro Noam Sheriff.
Having earned a national reputation as a gifted young conductor and musician, the Young Israel Philharmonic, a wing of the famed Israel Philharmonic, created the position of assistant conductor for him in 1989. This unique distinction allowed him to view closely the work of conductors such as Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta, Kurt Masur and Claudio Abbado. Mr. Samet completed his graduate studies in conducting and composition in the United States at Indiana University where he directed the Indiana University String Orchestra and conducted each of the University's five orchestras.
SAN JOSE YOUTH SYMPHONY
The San Jose Youth Symphony (SJYS) is one of the oldest and finest youth orchestras on the West Coast of the U.S. Founded six decades ago as part of the former San Jose Symphony, SJYS has a rich tradition of musical performance and education.
The mission of SJYS is to provide the youth of our culturally diverse community with exceptional orchestral music education and performance experiences that foster and encourage the study, appreciation and love of music throughout the entire community.
The musicians of SJYS, ranging in age from 8 to 21, are chosen from more than 400 applicants through our annual auditions. The SJYS comprises eight distinct performing ensembles: two full orchestras, a Chamber orchestra, a flute choir, two string ensembles, a wind and a percussion ensemble. Each orchestra and ensemble performs a scheduled series of concerts every season. SJYS ensembles rehearse weekly from September through early June. In addition, all musicians participate in a weeklong summer camp every August. Each ensemble receives sectional coaching from professional musicians to supplement their work with SJYS artistic staff. As part of its outreach activities, SJYS offers after school instrumental lessons at local schools in San Jose through its Music Matters program. This season, SJYS is launching its brand-new, related outreach program, Bass Buzz, which will be offering double bass classes to local, middle school and early-high school students.
The Philharmonic Orchestra is the premiere ensemble of SJYS, led by Music Director and Conductor Yair Samet, former Associate Conductor of the San Jose Symphony Orchestra.
The orchestra performs its three subscription concerts at the California Theatre in downtown San Jose. It also performs numerous concerts for various organizations throughout the community and numerous city events, among them an annual concert at Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph as part of the "Season of Hope" Holiday performance series, City Hall events, the San Jose Holiday Parade, the Rotary and the Kiwanis Clubs, Santa Clara University Christmas Celebration, Stanford and the Los Gatos Hospitals, the Child's Advocate, and senior homes and homeless shelters.
The Philharmonic Orchestra has collaborated with both local and international leading arts groups, including the San Jose Symphony Orchestra, the Asian Youth Orchestra, the Ireland National Youth Orchestra, the Okayama Youth Orchestra, San Jose Taiko, Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra, Mariachi Cobre, San Jose Children's Musical Theater, and the Latin Jazz Ensemble from San Jose State University.
Every other year, the Philharmonic Orchestra embarks on an international concert tour, most recently to Italy, Germany and Austria, for two weeks last June and July. Among its several exciting concerts the Philharmonic Orchestra performed at the renowned Mozarteum Concert Hall in Salzburg. In the summer of 2005, the Philharmonic Orchestra performed six concerts in Spain with world renowned pianist Jon Nakamatsu, culminating in a performance at one of Europe's most prestigious musical events - the Granada International Music Festival. In the summer of 2007 the Philharmonic Orchestra performed five concerts on their Eastern European concert tour, performing in the Dvorak Concert Hall and the Liszt Academy of Music, two of Europe's finest concert halls.
Past international concert tours have included concerts in Ireland, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Japan, Chile and Argentina, performing in venues including the National Symphony Hall in Dublin, Ireland, the Mozartsaal in Stuttgart, Germany, the Music Conservatory Hall in Brussels, Belgium, the famed Chofu Green Hall in Tokyo, the Shimin Kaykan Civic Hall in Okayama, and the Archaic Hall in Amagasaki, Japan. The finale of the 2001 International Tour was a performance for a sold-out audience at Dublin's National Concert Hall.
Joint performances on tours have included the Ireland National Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Music Conservatory Orchestra of Munich, Germany, the Okayama Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Okayama University orchestra, and the Archaic Wind Symphony in Amagasaki, Japan.
HOW TO GET TICKETS: Tickets can be purchased in advance either online at https://www.sjys.org or by calling the SJYS Office at (408) 885-9220, or at the box office one hour before the concert.
show less
Wagner - Overture To The Meistersinger
Reinecke - Flute Concerto in D Major, William Yeh, flute
Gounod - Ballet Music from Faust
Glier - Harp Concerto in E-Flat Major, Joyce Chen, harp
Rimsky-Korsakov - Capriccio Espagnol
San Jose, CA - October 2013 - The San Jose Youth Symphony's Philharmonic Orchestra, under the artistic leadership of Music Director and Conductor Yair Samet, presents its 2013-2014 Season Opener to be held on Saturday,December 7, 2013, at 2:30pm at the California Theatre, 345 S. 1st Street, San Jose, CA 95113.
The program will open with Wagner's The Overture To The Meistersinger; Gounod's Ballet Music from Faust; and will conclude with the one the most beloved orchestral pieces, RimskyKorsakov's Capriccio Espagnol. This concert will also showcase winners from the 2013 Young Artists' Competition, proudly sponsored by the San Jose Symphony Foundation. Two outstanding young soloists will be featured: William Yeh, flutist, performing Reinecke's Flute Concerto in D Major; and Joyce Chen, harpist, performing Gliere's Harp Concerto in E-Flat Major.
WILLIAM YEH, FLUTIST
William Yeh is a senior at Fremont High School. William has been playing flute for about five years and is currently studying with Darin Ishimatsu. He joined San Jose Youth Symphony in 2012, only playing with the Philharmonic Orchestra. William has participated in the 2012 Santa Clara County Honor Band, 2013 All-Northern Honor Band, along with the 2013 California All-State Honor Band. Besides musical activities, William has been running track and field for six years and is treasurer for high schools environment club, Acting to Protect the Environment.
JOYCE CHEN, HARPIST
Joyce Chen is a senior at Lynbrook High School. Since Joyce was seven, she has studied harp under Daphanie Lin. She chose the harp after watching a Tom and Jerry episode that had Tom playing the harp. In 2008, Joyce joined San Jose Youth Symphony and has been the SJYS philharmonic orchestra's principal harpist for the past three years. She won the Holy Names University Concerto Competition in Spring 2013 and was selected to play at the Branch Honor Recital at the California Music Teacher Association Convention in Summer 2013. Joyce has also had master classes with Linda Wood Rollo. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering at the zoo.
YAIR SAMET, MUSIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR
Versatile and highly acclaimed conductor Yair Samet enjoys a widespread international career spanning three continents. He is consistently cited for his high level of artistry and exceptional knowledge of the repertoire.
Mr. Samet was appointed first associate conductor of the San Jose Symphony Orchestra in 1994. In addition, he was nominated Music Director and Conductor of the San Jose Youth Symphony, with whom he has toured Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Japan, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Spain, Poland, Chile and Argentina.
Mr. Samet has conducted the famed Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra on tour in Germany, the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra in Serbia, the Saarländisches Staatsorchester in Saarbrucken, Germany, the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra in China, and the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra in Bosnia. In addition, he conducted the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra and the St. Petersburg Glinka Capella at Finland's Tampere International Music Festival. In Israel he conducted the Haifa Symphony, the Rishon Le-Zion Symphony Orchestra, and the Israeli Sinfonietta.
He has performed with renowned artists such as Pinchas ukerman, Vadim Repin, David Shifrin, Han-Na Chang, Helene Grimaud, Lara St. John, Raphael Wallfisch, Jon Nakamatsu, and Jon Kimura Parker.
In addition to his professional conducting accolades, Mr. Samet also serves on the music faculty of the University of California Santa Cruz as principal guest conductor, leading the UCSC Symphony Orchestra in concerts annually.
Born in Jerusalem, Yair Samet attended the Rubin Academy High School of Music and Arts where he studied piano and bassoon, and was invited as the institution's youngest student to join the composition department under the guidance of internationally renowned composer Mark Kopitman. As a teenager, Mr. Samet performed frequently as soloist and chamber musician throughout Israel and for Israeli National Television.
Throughout his undergraduate and graduate studies, Yair Samet was the recipient of three scholarships from the American Israel Cultural Foundation. He began his formal orchestral conducting and musicology studies at Tel-Aviv University during which he founded the Young Israel Chamber Orchestra, a group he led for 4 years. Mr. Samet made his professional conducting debut in his early twenties with the Rishon Le-Zion Orchestra, a privilege offered only to finalists of Israel's International Course for Conductors under the direction of Maestro Noam Sheriff.
Having earned a national reputation as a gifted young conductor and musician, the Young Israel Philharmonic, a wing of the famed Israel Philharmonic, created the position of assistant conductor for him in 1989. This unique distinction allowed him to view closely the work of conductors such as Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta, Kurt Masur and Claudio Abbado. Mr. Samet completed his graduate studies in conducting and composition in the United States at Indiana University where he directed the Indiana University String Orchestra and conducted each of the University's five orchestras.
SAN JOSE YOUTH SYMPHONY
The San Jose Youth Symphony (SJYS) is one of the oldest and finest youth orchestras on the West Coast of the U.S. Founded six decades ago as part of the former San Jose Symphony, SJYS has a rich tradition of musical performance and education.
The mission of SJYS is to provide the youth of our culturally diverse community with exceptional orchestral music education and performance experiences that foster and encourage the study, appreciation and love of music throughout the entire community.
The musicians of SJYS, ranging in age from 8 to 21, are chosen from more than 400 applicants through our annual auditions. The SJYS comprises eight distinct performing ensembles: two full orchestras, a Chamber orchestra, a flute choir, two string ensembles, a wind and a percussion ensemble. Each orchestra and ensemble performs a scheduled series of concerts every season. SJYS ensembles rehearse weekly from September through early June. In addition, all musicians participate in a weeklong summer camp every August. Each ensemble receives sectional coaching from professional musicians to supplement their work with SJYS artistic staff. As part of its outreach activities, SJYS offers after school instrumental lessons at local schools in San Jose through its Music Matters program. This season, SJYS is launching its brand-new, related outreach program, Bass Buzz, which will be offering double bass classes to local, middle school and early-high school students.
The Philharmonic Orchestra is the premiere ensemble of SJYS, led by Music Director and Conductor Yair Samet, former Associate Conductor of the San Jose Symphony Orchestra.
The orchestra performs its three subscription concerts at the California Theatre in downtown San Jose. It also performs numerous concerts for various organizations throughout the community and numerous city events, among them an annual concert at Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph as part of the "Season of Hope" Holiday performance series, City Hall events, the San Jose Holiday Parade, the Rotary and the Kiwanis Clubs, Santa Clara University Christmas Celebration, Stanford and the Los Gatos Hospitals, the Child's Advocate, and senior homes and homeless shelters.
The Philharmonic Orchestra has collaborated with both local and international leading arts groups, including the San Jose Symphony Orchestra, the Asian Youth Orchestra, the Ireland National Youth Orchestra, the Okayama Youth Orchestra, San Jose Taiko, Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra, Mariachi Cobre, San Jose Children's Musical Theater, and the Latin Jazz Ensemble from San Jose State University.
Every other year, the Philharmonic Orchestra embarks on an international concert tour, most recently to Italy, Germany and Austria, for two weeks last June and July. Among its several exciting concerts the Philharmonic Orchestra performed at the renowned Mozarteum Concert Hall in Salzburg. In the summer of 2005, the Philharmonic Orchestra performed six concerts in Spain with world renowned pianist Jon Nakamatsu, culminating in a performance at one of Europe's most prestigious musical events - the Granada International Music Festival. In the summer of 2007 the Philharmonic Orchestra performed five concerts on their Eastern European concert tour, performing in the Dvorak Concert Hall and the Liszt Academy of Music, two of Europe's finest concert halls.
Past international concert tours have included concerts in Ireland, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Japan, Chile and Argentina, performing in venues including the National Symphony Hall in Dublin, Ireland, the Mozartsaal in Stuttgart, Germany, the Music Conservatory Hall in Brussels, Belgium, the famed Chofu Green Hall in Tokyo, the Shimin Kaykan Civic Hall in Okayama, and the Archaic Hall in Amagasaki, Japan. The finale of the 2001 International Tour was a performance for a sold-out audience at Dublin's National Concert Hall.
Joint performances on tours have included the Ireland National Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Music Conservatory Orchestra of Munich, Germany, the Okayama Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Okayama University orchestra, and the Archaic Wind Symphony in Amagasaki, Japan.
HOW TO GET TICKETS: Tickets can be purchased in advance either online at https://www.sjys.org or by calling the SJYS Office at (408) 885-9220, or at the box office one hour before the concert.
PROGRAM
Wagner - Overture To The Meistersinger
Reinecke - Flute Concerto in D Major, William Yeh, flute
Gounod - Ballet Music from Faust
Glier - Harp Concerto in E-Flat Major, Joyce Chen, harp
Rimsky-Korsakov - Capriccio Espagnol
San Jose, CA - October 2013 - The San Jose Youth Symphony's Philharmonic Orchestra, under the artistic leadership of Music Director and Conductor Yair Samet, presents its 2013-2014 Season Opener to be held on Saturday,December 7, 2013, at 2:30pm at the California Theatre, 345 S. 1st Street, San Jose, CA 95113.
The program will open with Wagner's The Overture To The Meistersinger; Gounod's Ballet Music from Faust; and will conclude with the one the most beloved orchestral pieces, RimskyKorsakov's Capriccio Espagnol. This concert will also showcase winners from the 2013 Young Artists' Competition, proudly sponsored by the San Jose Symphony Foundation. Two outstanding young soloists will be featured: William Yeh, flutist, performing Reinecke's Flute Concerto in D Major; and Joyce Chen, harpist, performing Gliere's Harp Concerto in E-Flat Major.
WILLIAM YEH, FLUTIST
William Yeh is a senior at Fremont High School. William has been playing flute for about five years and is currently studying with Darin Ishimatsu. He joined San Jose Youth Symphony in 2012, only playing with the Philharmonic Orchestra. William has participated in the 2012 Santa Clara County Honor Band, 2013 All-Northern Honor Band, along with the 2013 California All-State Honor Band. Besides musical activities, William has been running track and field for six years and is treasurer for high schools environment club, Acting to Protect the Environment.
JOYCE CHEN, HARPIST
Joyce Chen is a senior at Lynbrook High School. Since Joyce was seven, she has studied harp under Daphanie Lin. She chose the harp after watching a Tom and Jerry episode that had Tom playing the harp. In 2008, Joyce joined San Jose Youth Symphony and has been the SJYS philharmonic orchestra's principal harpist for the past three years. She won the Holy Names University Concerto Competition in Spring 2013 and was selected to play at the Branch Honor Recital at the California Music Teacher Association Convention in Summer 2013. Joyce has also had master classes with Linda Wood Rollo. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering at the zoo.
YAIR SAMET, MUSIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR
Versatile and highly acclaimed conductor Yair Samet enjoys a widespread international career spanning three continents. He is consistently cited for his high level of artistry and exceptional knowledge of the repertoire.
Mr. Samet was appointed first associate conductor of the San Jose Symphony Orchestra in 1994. In addition, he was nominated Music Director and Conductor of the San Jose Youth Symphony, with whom he has toured Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Japan, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Spain, Poland, Chile and Argentina.
Mr. Samet has conducted the famed Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra on tour in Germany, the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra in Serbia, the Saarländisches Staatsorchester in Saarbrucken, Germany, the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra in China, and the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra in Bosnia. In addition, he conducted the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra and the St. Petersburg Glinka Capella at Finland's Tampere International Music Festival. In Israel he conducted the Haifa Symphony, the Rishon Le-Zion Symphony Orchestra, and the Israeli Sinfonietta.
He has performed with renowned artists such as Pinchas ukerman, Vadim Repin, David Shifrin, Han-Na Chang, Helene Grimaud, Lara St. John, Raphael Wallfisch, Jon Nakamatsu, and Jon Kimura Parker.
In addition to his professional conducting accolades, Mr. Samet also serves on the music faculty of the University of California Santa Cruz as principal guest conductor, leading the UCSC Symphony Orchestra in concerts annually.
Born in Jerusalem, Yair Samet attended the Rubin Academy High School of Music and Arts where he studied piano and bassoon, and was invited as the institution's youngest student to join the composition department under the guidance of internationally renowned composer Mark Kopitman. As a teenager, Mr. Samet performed frequently as soloist and chamber musician throughout Israel and for Israeli National Television.
Throughout his undergraduate and graduate studies, Yair Samet was the recipient of three scholarships from the American Israel Cultural Foundation. He began his formal orchestral conducting and musicology studies at Tel-Aviv University during which he founded the Young Israel Chamber Orchestra, a group he led for 4 years. Mr. Samet made his professional conducting debut in his early twenties with the Rishon Le-Zion Orchestra, a privilege offered only to finalists of Israel's International Course for Conductors under the direction of Maestro Noam Sheriff.
Having earned a national reputation as a gifted young conductor and musician, the Young Israel Philharmonic, a wing of the famed Israel Philharmonic, created the position of assistant conductor for him in 1989. This unique distinction allowed him to view closely the work of conductors such as Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta, Kurt Masur and Claudio Abbado. Mr. Samet completed his graduate studies in conducting and composition in the United States at Indiana University where he directed the Indiana University String Orchestra and conducted each of the University's five orchestras.
SAN JOSE YOUTH SYMPHONY
The San Jose Youth Symphony (SJYS) is one of the oldest and finest youth orchestras on the West Coast of the U.S. Founded six decades ago as part of the former San Jose Symphony, SJYS has a rich tradition of musical performance and education.
The mission of SJYS is to provide the youth of our culturally diverse community with exceptional orchestral music education and performance experiences that foster and encourage the study, appreciation and love of music throughout the entire community.
The musicians of SJYS, ranging in age from 8 to 21, are chosen from more than 400 applicants through our annual auditions. The SJYS comprises eight distinct performing ensembles: two full orchestras, a Chamber orchestra, a flute choir, two string ensembles, a wind and a percussion ensemble. Each orchestra and ensemble performs a scheduled series of concerts every season. SJYS ensembles rehearse weekly from September through early June. In addition, all musicians participate in a weeklong summer camp every August. Each ensemble receives sectional coaching from professional musicians to supplement their work with SJYS artistic staff. As part of its outreach activities, SJYS offers after school instrumental lessons at local schools in San Jose through its Music Matters program. This season, SJYS is launching its brand-new, related outreach program, Bass Buzz, which will be offering double bass classes to local, middle school and early-high school students.
The Philharmonic Orchestra is the premiere ensemble of SJYS, led by Music Director and Conductor Yair Samet, former Associate Conductor of the San Jose Symphony Orchestra.
The orchestra performs its three subscription concerts at the California Theatre in downtown San Jose. It also performs numerous concerts for various organizations throughout the community and numerous city events, among them an annual concert at Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph as part of the "Season of Hope" Holiday performance series, City Hall events, the San Jose Holiday Parade, the Rotary and the Kiwanis Clubs, Santa Clara University Christmas Celebration, Stanford and the Los Gatos Hospitals, the Child's Advocate, and senior homes and homeless shelters.
The Philharmonic Orchestra has collaborated with both local and international leading arts groups, including the San Jose Symphony Orchestra, the Asian Youth Orchestra, the Ireland National Youth Orchestra, the Okayama Youth Orchestra, San Jose Taiko, Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra, Mariachi Cobre, San Jose Children's Musical Theater, and the Latin Jazz Ensemble from San Jose State University.
Every other year, the Philharmonic Orchestra embarks on an international concert tour, most recently to Italy, Germany and Austria, for two weeks last June and July. Among its several exciting concerts the Philharmonic Orchestra performed at the renowned Mozarteum Concert Hall in Salzburg. In the summer of 2005, the Philharmonic Orchestra performed six concerts in Spain with world renowned pianist Jon Nakamatsu, culminating in a performance at one of Europe's most prestigious musical events - the Granada International Music Festival. In the summer of 2007 the Philharmonic Orchestra performed five concerts on their Eastern European concert tour, performing in the Dvorak Concert Hall and the Liszt Academy of Music, two of Europe's finest concert halls.
Past international concert tours have included concerts in Ireland, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Japan, Chile and Argentina, performing in venues including the National Symphony Hall in Dublin, Ireland, the Mozartsaal in Stuttgart, Germany, the Music Conservatory Hall in Brussels, Belgium, the famed Chofu Green Hall in Tokyo, the Shimin Kaykan Civic Hall in Okayama, and the Archaic Hall in Amagasaki, Japan. The finale of the 2001 International Tour was a performance for a sold-out audience at Dublin's National Concert Hall.
Joint performances on tours have included the Ireland National Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Music Conservatory Orchestra of Munich, Germany, the Okayama Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Okayama University orchestra, and the Archaic Wind Symphony in Amagasaki, Japan.
HOW TO GET TICKETS: Tickets can be purchased in advance either online at https://www.sjys.org or by calling the SJYS Office at (408) 885-9220, or at the box office one hour before the concert.
read more
Wagner - Overture To The Meistersinger
Reinecke - Flute Concerto in D Major, William Yeh, flute
Gounod - Ballet Music from Faust
Glier - Harp Concerto in E-Flat Major, Joyce Chen, harp
Rimsky-Korsakov - Capriccio Espagnol
San Jose, CA - October 2013 - The San Jose Youth Symphony's Philharmonic Orchestra, under the artistic leadership of Music Director and Conductor Yair Samet, presents its 2013-2014 Season Opener to be held on Saturday,December 7, 2013, at 2:30pm at the California Theatre, 345 S. 1st Street, San Jose, CA 95113.
The program will open with Wagner's The Overture To The Meistersinger; Gounod's Ballet Music from Faust; and will conclude with the one the most beloved orchestral pieces, RimskyKorsakov's Capriccio Espagnol. This concert will also showcase winners from the 2013 Young Artists' Competition, proudly sponsored by the San Jose Symphony Foundation. Two outstanding young soloists will be featured: William Yeh, flutist, performing Reinecke's Flute Concerto in D Major; and Joyce Chen, harpist, performing Gliere's Harp Concerto in E-Flat Major.
WILLIAM YEH, FLUTIST
William Yeh is a senior at Fremont High School. William has been playing flute for about five years and is currently studying with Darin Ishimatsu. He joined San Jose Youth Symphony in 2012, only playing with the Philharmonic Orchestra. William has participated in the 2012 Santa Clara County Honor Band, 2013 All-Northern Honor Band, along with the 2013 California All-State Honor Band. Besides musical activities, William has been running track and field for six years and is treasurer for high schools environment club, Acting to Protect the Environment.
JOYCE CHEN, HARPIST
Joyce Chen is a senior at Lynbrook High School. Since Joyce was seven, she has studied harp under Daphanie Lin. She chose the harp after watching a Tom and Jerry episode that had Tom playing the harp. In 2008, Joyce joined San Jose Youth Symphony and has been the SJYS philharmonic orchestra's principal harpist for the past three years. She won the Holy Names University Concerto Competition in Spring 2013 and was selected to play at the Branch Honor Recital at the California Music Teacher Association Convention in Summer 2013. Joyce has also had master classes with Linda Wood Rollo. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering at the zoo.
YAIR SAMET, MUSIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR
Versatile and highly acclaimed conductor Yair Samet enjoys a widespread international career spanning three continents. He is consistently cited for his high level of artistry and exceptional knowledge of the repertoire.
Mr. Samet was appointed first associate conductor of the San Jose Symphony Orchestra in 1994. In addition, he was nominated Music Director and Conductor of the San Jose Youth Symphony, with whom he has toured Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Japan, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Spain, Poland, Chile and Argentina.
Mr. Samet has conducted the famed Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra on tour in Germany, the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra in Serbia, the Saarländisches Staatsorchester in Saarbrucken, Germany, the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra in China, and the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra in Bosnia. In addition, he conducted the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra and the St. Petersburg Glinka Capella at Finland's Tampere International Music Festival. In Israel he conducted the Haifa Symphony, the Rishon Le-Zion Symphony Orchestra, and the Israeli Sinfonietta.
He has performed with renowned artists such as Pinchas ukerman, Vadim Repin, David Shifrin, Han-Na Chang, Helene Grimaud, Lara St. John, Raphael Wallfisch, Jon Nakamatsu, and Jon Kimura Parker.
In addition to his professional conducting accolades, Mr. Samet also serves on the music faculty of the University of California Santa Cruz as principal guest conductor, leading the UCSC Symphony Orchestra in concerts annually.
Born in Jerusalem, Yair Samet attended the Rubin Academy High School of Music and Arts where he studied piano and bassoon, and was invited as the institution's youngest student to join the composition department under the guidance of internationally renowned composer Mark Kopitman. As a teenager, Mr. Samet performed frequently as soloist and chamber musician throughout Israel and for Israeli National Television.
Throughout his undergraduate and graduate studies, Yair Samet was the recipient of three scholarships from the American Israel Cultural Foundation. He began his formal orchestral conducting and musicology studies at Tel-Aviv University during which he founded the Young Israel Chamber Orchestra, a group he led for 4 years. Mr. Samet made his professional conducting debut in his early twenties with the Rishon Le-Zion Orchestra, a privilege offered only to finalists of Israel's International Course for Conductors under the direction of Maestro Noam Sheriff.
Having earned a national reputation as a gifted young conductor and musician, the Young Israel Philharmonic, a wing of the famed Israel Philharmonic, created the position of assistant conductor for him in 1989. This unique distinction allowed him to view closely the work of conductors such as Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta, Kurt Masur and Claudio Abbado. Mr. Samet completed his graduate studies in conducting and composition in the United States at Indiana University where he directed the Indiana University String Orchestra and conducted each of the University's five orchestras.
SAN JOSE YOUTH SYMPHONY
The San Jose Youth Symphony (SJYS) is one of the oldest and finest youth orchestras on the West Coast of the U.S. Founded six decades ago as part of the former San Jose Symphony, SJYS has a rich tradition of musical performance and education.
The mission of SJYS is to provide the youth of our culturally diverse community with exceptional orchestral music education and performance experiences that foster and encourage the study, appreciation and love of music throughout the entire community.
The musicians of SJYS, ranging in age from 8 to 21, are chosen from more than 400 applicants through our annual auditions. The SJYS comprises eight distinct performing ensembles: two full orchestras, a Chamber orchestra, a flute choir, two string ensembles, a wind and a percussion ensemble. Each orchestra and ensemble performs a scheduled series of concerts every season. SJYS ensembles rehearse weekly from September through early June. In addition, all musicians participate in a weeklong summer camp every August. Each ensemble receives sectional coaching from professional musicians to supplement their work with SJYS artistic staff. As part of its outreach activities, SJYS offers after school instrumental lessons at local schools in San Jose through its Music Matters program. This season, SJYS is launching its brand-new, related outreach program, Bass Buzz, which will be offering double bass classes to local, middle school and early-high school students.
The Philharmonic Orchestra is the premiere ensemble of SJYS, led by Music Director and Conductor Yair Samet, former Associate Conductor of the San Jose Symphony Orchestra.
The orchestra performs its three subscription concerts at the California Theatre in downtown San Jose. It also performs numerous concerts for various organizations throughout the community and numerous city events, among them an annual concert at Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph as part of the "Season of Hope" Holiday performance series, City Hall events, the San Jose Holiday Parade, the Rotary and the Kiwanis Clubs, Santa Clara University Christmas Celebration, Stanford and the Los Gatos Hospitals, the Child's Advocate, and senior homes and homeless shelters.
The Philharmonic Orchestra has collaborated with both local and international leading arts groups, including the San Jose Symphony Orchestra, the Asian Youth Orchestra, the Ireland National Youth Orchestra, the Okayama Youth Orchestra, San Jose Taiko, Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra, Mariachi Cobre, San Jose Children's Musical Theater, and the Latin Jazz Ensemble from San Jose State University.
Every other year, the Philharmonic Orchestra embarks on an international concert tour, most recently to Italy, Germany and Austria, for two weeks last June and July. Among its several exciting concerts the Philharmonic Orchestra performed at the renowned Mozarteum Concert Hall in Salzburg. In the summer of 2005, the Philharmonic Orchestra performed six concerts in Spain with world renowned pianist Jon Nakamatsu, culminating in a performance at one of Europe's most prestigious musical events - the Granada International Music Festival. In the summer of 2007 the Philharmonic Orchestra performed five concerts on their Eastern European concert tour, performing in the Dvorak Concert Hall and the Liszt Academy of Music, two of Europe's finest concert halls.
Past international concert tours have included concerts in Ireland, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Japan, Chile and Argentina, performing in venues including the National Symphony Hall in Dublin, Ireland, the Mozartsaal in Stuttgart, Germany, the Music Conservatory Hall in Brussels, Belgium, the famed Chofu Green Hall in Tokyo, the Shimin Kaykan Civic Hall in Okayama, and the Archaic Hall in Amagasaki, Japan. The finale of the 2001 International Tour was a performance for a sold-out audience at Dublin's National Concert Hall.
Joint performances on tours have included the Ireland National Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Music Conservatory Orchestra of Munich, Germany, the Okayama Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Okayama University orchestra, and the Archaic Wind Symphony in Amagasaki, Japan.
HOW TO GET TICKETS: Tickets can be purchased in advance either online at https://www.sjys.org or by calling the SJYS Office at (408) 885-9220, or at the box office one hour before the concert.
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California Theatre in San Jose
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345 South First Street, San Jose, CA 95113
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