ECYS
The El Camino Youth Symphony (ECYS) is a youth orchestra located in Palo Alto, California.
More than 400 K-12 students from over 100 schools from San Francisco to Santa Cruz train and perform in five orchestras and four ensembles, led by the award-winning, internationally recognized Symphony Orchestra. The Symphony Orchestra is comprised of talented musicians ranging from middle-schoolers to high-schoolers from throughout the Bay Area. The orchestra studies under the baton of Dr.Camilla Kolchinsky, a conductor and master teacher who challenges the musicians to reach a high level of achievement. The current concertmistress of the Symphony is Joy Lin.
Soloists
In addition to featuring outstanding student soloists from then annual Concerto Competition, soloists of international stature are invited to perform as guest soloists with the Senior Symphony. The featured artist for March 2006 was Robert Chen, concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. David Kim, concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, performed the Bruch Scottish Fantasy with the Symphony in the October 2006 Benefit Concerts, to standing ovations. Both Robert Chen and David Kim have conducted a Masterclass for ECYS, along with their performances. In 2005 pianist Rueibin Chen performed. In 2002-2003 ECYS presented violinist Alexander Barantshik, concertmaster of the San Francisco Symphony, and pianist Jon Nakamatsu. In recent years the Symphony has performed with pianists Barbara Nissman and Vladimir Viardo, cellist Michail Gelfandbein, and violinists Philip Quint and Bin Huang.
Outreach Program
The ECYS Performance Outreach Program is a great opportunity for ECYS musicians to be in a chamber music group (quartet, trio, quintet, duet, etc.) to provide performances for the community. ECYS chamber musicians earn community service and get to represent ECYS in performances and competitions.
This program is offered to members of Symphony, Sinfonietta, Galbraith Honor Strings, and the El Camino Flute Ensemble.
The ensembles rehearse with a professional coach from mid-September through mid-May.
International Tours
The Symphony has a long tradition of international tours, in recent years touring during the summer every two years. Recent tours have included England, Scotland, Austria, France and Italy. In the Summer of 2005 the Symphony performed in Central Europe with violinist Daphne Wang (who played the Barber Violin Concerto), where they received standing ovations in Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Germany. In 2007, the Symphony will be touring the Baltic, visiting countries: Finland, Estonia, and Russia. The featured soloist will be piano prodigy Chloe Pang, who will be playing Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin.
Annual Retreat
Each August the Symphony launches its season with a week-long retreat at UC Santa Cruz, where the season program is previewed and the instrumentalists work intensively with sectional coaches and the conductor. Seating auditions are also held there, and there is also the traditional trip to the Boardwalk.
Program
The Symphony rehearses weekly throughout the school year, beginning in mid-August and concluding late in May or the first week of June. During the tour years, the Symphony has the Bon Voyages Concerts around the near-end of June, being a preview of the Tour concerts. Prior to each concert program, there are two dress rehearsals.