FINALE CONCERT
MONDAY | MAY 11, 2026 | 7PM
Renée & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR
Dear Friends & Supporters of Orange County Youth Symphony,
Thank you for joining us today for our final concert of the 2025-26 season, and for your continued support of both the Orange County Youth Symphony (OCYS) and the Orange County Youth String Ensemble (OCYSE). Your encouragement of these talented young musicians means everything to us.
A heartfelt thank-you goes to the parents and families of our musicians, whose dedication from weekly rehearsal drop-offs to countless hours of support at home makes all of this possible.
This has been a wonderful season, with highlights including our fall concert, our performances for fifth-grade students throughout the region, and today’s celebratory season finale. We are thrilled to feature two of our outstanding young artists as concerto soloists today: Doyoon Lee, clarinet, and Gracie Park, viola—both exceptional musicians who represent the very best of what OCYS has to offer.
Our program today showcases repertoire we are deeply proud of and we are especially excited to share that much of what you will hear this afternoon will travel with us to France this June, as we embark on our upcoming summer tour. We look forward to representing Orange County on an international stage and creating memories that will last a lifetime.
I am deeply grateful to our musicians, their families, our dedicated OCYS staff, and all who have contributed to our shared artistic vision this season. The road ahead is bright, and we are honored to have you with us on this journey.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support. It means the world to us!
Musically yours,
JOHANNES M. STOSCH
Music Director & OCYS Conductor | Orange County Youth Symphony
FROM THE VP OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
It is hard to believe that the 25/26 season is coming to a close for the Orange County Youth Symphony and String Ensemble (OCYS/E), and what an incredible year it has been! From retreats and social events that brought students closer together to performances on Orange County’s most acoustically rich stages, this season has been filled with memorable experiences. Our young musicians have used music to connect with and inspire others, including performances at Pretend City Children’s Museum, community centers and even for thousands of elementary students at our Concerts for 5th Grade. OCYS/E also had the unique opportunity to engage directly with Philharmonic Society presented artists, including coaching with the Canadian Brass and members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
These students have grown not only as musicians, but also as leaders, and it has been rewarding to witness their growth throughout the years. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the parents, caregivers, and dedicated music educators whose support and belief in the power of music make these special experiences possible.
We look forward to sharing this special finale concert with you!
Warmly,
KATHERINE YANG
Vice President of Education and Community Engagement | Philharmonic Society of Orange County
Thank you to our community partner for their continuous support.
Waltz No. 2
Renée & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
ORANGE COUNTY YOUTH STRING ENSEMBLE
Lucy Lu, conductor
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906 - 1975) (arr. Paul Lavender)
Suite for Strings FLETCHER (1879 - 1932)
I. Folk Tune
II. Fiddle Dance
Perseus NEWBOLD (b. 1974)
Danse Bacchanale from SAINT-SAËNS (1835 - 1921)
Samson and Delilah (arr. Jamin Hoffman)
ORANGE COUNTY YOUTH SYMPHONY
Johannes Müller Stosch, music director/conductor
The Petite Suite, L. 65 DEBUSSY (1862 - 1918)
Concertino in E-flat major, Op. 26 WEBER (1786 - 1826)
Doyoon Lee, clarinet (Concerto Winner)
Romance in F major, Op. 85 BRUCH (1838 - 1920)
Gracie Park, viola (Concerto Winner)
Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36
III. Scherzo
TCHAIKOVSKY (1840 - 1893)
Russian Easter Overture RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844 - 1908)
ORANGE COUNTY YOUTH STRING ENSEMBLE PROGRAM NOTES
SHOSTAKOVICH (ARR. PAUL LAVENDER): WALTZ NO. 2
In the late 1950s an anonymous person, probably Shostakovich himself, arranged an orchestral suite from ballet, musical theater, and film music of the 1930s to 1950s, that was mistakenly identified for many years as the Suite for Jazz Orchestra, No. 2; it is now known correctly as the Suite for Variety Orchestra. Waltz No. 2 is the seventh of eight numbers in the Suite for Variety Orchestra.
For the broad public, the unassuming, slightly lascivious little Waltz No. 2 has become one of Shostakovich’s most recognizable (and most frequently rearranged) compositions.
Harlow Robinson
FLETCHER: SUITE FOR STRINGS, I. FOLK TUNE & II. FIDDLE DANCE
A long-time favorite for festival and contest, Percy Fletcher’s twomovement suite has been a choice teaching piece for school orchestras. In true English folk style, the first movement has multiple sections in varying styles and meters, and the second movement is rhythmic, energetic fiddle writing at its best.
NEWBOLD: PERSEUS
Take a journey with the legendary hero Perseus as he slays the snake-haired Medusa and rescues the princess Andromeda! From the opening rhythmic figures to the soaring melodies, this dynamic and stunning work will command the attention of your audience and plunge them into a whirlwind of adventure.
SAINT-SAËNS (ARR. JAMIN
HOFFMAN):
DANSE BACCHANALE FROM SAMSON AND DELILAH
This Bacchanale is located in the third act of Saint-Saëns’ opera, Samson and Dalila, and depicts the celebration of the victory of the Philistines over the Hebrews. It’s an ecstatic dance historically performed by priestesses and dedicated to Bacchus, the god of wine and feast in the Antique Roman civilization. The piece is based on an organic mixture made of Middle Eastern and European aesthetics. After an exotic introduction played by the solo oboe, the music gets very energetic and furious, and its rhythmic character is reinforced by the intensive use of percussion playing a famous rhythmic pattern notably featured in the William Tell Overture by Rossini, where it is meant to render the gallop of a horse. At some point, it calms down and takes a completely different turn to let us hear a waltz in the purest Romantic tradition. The exotic then rhythmic sections eventually push back in, and the piece ends on a triumphant blend of these two themes.
— Jordan Arbus
music captures perfectly a mood of water-borne serenity and languor, opening with a kind of musical sigh that made the Petite Suite immediately popular with a wide audience. In the second movement, Cortège (Retinue), Debussy happily conveys Verlaine’s outward textual playfulness as a lady and her escort of a liveried monkey and pageboy retire upstairs. Nor does he miss the less-than-pure thoughts on the minds of her companions as their mistress proceeds unaware. The final movement, Ballet, while not connected to specific poems, articulates broadly the nostalgia and the sparkle held in balance throughout the poems.
—Grant Hiroshima
WEBER: CONCERTINO IN E-FLAT MAJOR, OP. 26
Carl Maria von Weber succeeded in establishing himself as a pioneer of German opera. With the first performance of his Freischütz in Berlin in 1821 Weber was finally given unprecedented acclaim as the founder of German Romantic popular opera. It would, however, be wrong to limit Weber’s artistic importance to his operas. In the course of his short life he wrote some 300 compositions which comprise virtually all the musical genres of the early 19th century. Works for solo instruments and chamber music occupy a special position in his oeuvre.
In the one-movement Concertino, Weber proves his playful assuredness in handling the classical forms of the sonata, the concerto and the variation. Here he can demonstrate the sound training which he enjoyed under Abbé Vogler. However, he merely uses these forms as a framework in order to indulge his urge towards a free, rhapsodic, almost improvised, romantic flow of music even more effectively. At the same time, his wealth of sound and his penchant for interesting harmonic turns and unusual instrumental colouring find expression in a convincing manner.
—Jacco Nefs
ORANGE COUNTY YOUTH SYMPHONY PROGRAM NOTES
DEBUSSY: THE PETITE SUITE, L. 65
The first two movements of Debussy’s Petite Suite of 1889 are drawn from two poems of Paul Verlaine’s 1869 volume Fêtes galantes. The poems evoke the era of 18th-century aristocrats on country outings, the world depicted in the fanciful paintings of Fragonard and Watteau. Partiers assume the archetypal Commedia dell’Arte roles there are countesses and rogues, priests and knights, all engaged in an atmosphere of frivolity.
In En bateau (Sailing), revelers in a boat have their minds on romantic trysts as they sail at dusk on a dark lake. Debussy’s
BRUCH: ROMANCE IN F MAJOR, OP. 85
The F-major Romanze for viola and orchestra, Op. 85, belongs to a group of works composed between 1909 and 1911 for specific performers who were close to Bruch in various ways. The origin of the instrumental romance can be found in vocal ballads expressing extravagant and sentimental tales, and the genre found much popularity in the violin and cello schools of the 19th century. Beethoven wrote two Romanzen for solo violin and orchestra which, according to Grove Music Online, serve as “models of the balance between lyricism and virtuosic display that can be found in later works,” including Bruch’s Op. 85 Romance.
The delineation of lyric and virtuosic writing can be seen quite clearly in the classic ABA ternary structure that Bruch employs in this work. After a brief two-bar orchestral introduction the solo viola enters with a lyrical theme reminiscent of his Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46, for violin and orchestra. Bruch loved to use folk melodies as source material for his compositions, and the character of the first A-section is indeed folk-like, especially the second theme which is stated in double-stops by the solo viola. The B-section begins with the orchestra playing the theme initially stated by the solo line at the beginning of the piece. The solo viola, meanwhile, plays an obligato line above which foreshadows the virtuosic passagework at the heart of the dramatic B-section. The stormy arpeggios and tremolando gradually give way to the lyrical sunlight of the second A-section.
—Jacco Nefs
TCHAIKOVSKY: SYMPHONY NO. 4 IN F MINOR, OP. 36, III. SCHERZO
“An artist lives a double life: an everyday human life and an artistic life, and the two do not always go hand in hand.” So wrote Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, whose often uneasy balances are well known: between a profoundly Russian spirit and European training, between heartfelt romanticism and reverence for Mozart’s classicism, and, most painfully, between homosexuality and society’s intolerance.
His Fourth Symphony is the first full expression of his artistic voice and represents a turning point on multiple levels: as a composer, toward mastery of technique; as a human, toward confronting his demons; as an artist, toward a more cosmopolitan idiom. He wrote much of the work in Italy, and a sense of warm lyricism balances the work’s dramatic and fantastic elements. “My Symphony is definitely the best work I have written so far,” Tchaikovsky wrote to his brother Modest in the fall of 1877.
The Scherzo illustrates Tchaikovsky’s gift for tonal effects, including pizzicato strings and unusual woodwind groupings. He said there were no “definite feelings” but rather “capricious arabesques” and “elusive images.” “I never compose in the abstract, i.e., a musical idea never appears without its appropriate external form…When I was writing the Scherzo of our Symphony, I imagined it exactly as you heard it. It is unthinkable played any other way than pizzicato.”
—Susan Key
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: RUSSIAN EASTER OVERTURE
In Russia, where winter drags on from October to late April, Easter has traditionally been celebrated with riotous and highly theatrical enthusiasm not only as a religious holiday, but also as a harbinger of long-awaited spring.
The experience of Russian Easter was one of Rimsky-Korsakov’s most vivid memories as a child growing up in a small town in Novgorod province. It was the sensations of wonder and magic he felt in witnessing the proceedings that Rimsky later sought to incorporate in the overture he called Svetlyi prazdnik (Bright Holiday). His inventively scored composition—moving deliberately from devotion to ecstasy and culminating in a skillful orchestral illustration of a multitude of bells ringing out the news of resurrection and eternal life—succeeds brilliantly on its own, and shows us Rimsky at his most imaginative and accomplished.
Rimsky-Korsakov opens the overture in the unusual meter of 5/2, with the statement of the first (and predominant) chant theme. The key of the opening section is gloomy D minor, transformed in the joyful coda into bright, affirmative D major. In addition to the chant themes, Rimsky-Korsakov uses two other kinds of musical material in the Easter Overture. One is rhapsodic solo passages for solo instruments (violin, flute, clarinet) that convey the “unearthly light” associated with the miracle of the Resurrection. These passages grow into what sound like pealing bells, a musical idea that gradually grows in importance as the composition progresses. For the sound of bells, Rimsky-Korsakov uses the strings playing détaché and pizzicato, then adds the brass in punctuated fanfares, then introduces the triangle and glockenspiel at the end for a dazzling display of kolokol’nost’—“bell-ness.” Rimsky was particularly proud of his achievement in this regard, and boasted to Yastrebtsev that one of his most important innovations as a composer was that “I invented the orchestral reproduction of the sound of bells.”
—Harlow Robinson
ORANGE COUNTY YOUTH SYMPHONY & STRING ENSEMBLE
Founded in 1970, the Orange County Youth Symphony (OCYS) and String Ensemble (OCYSE) is one of Southern California’s finest youth symphony programs. The diverse roster represents student musicians from nearly 60 middle school, high school, and college programs from San Clemente to Fullerton and beyond.
In its 50+ year history, OCYS has traveled the world representing Orange County’s best young adult musicians presenting performances in Austria, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United Nations, and New York. It has appeared and participated in many prestigious performances and projects, including U.S. and West Coast premieres by composers such as Mark-Anthony Turnage and Kurt Schwetsik and a season-long project with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 culminating in a documentary entitled Beethoven’s Ninth: Journey to Joy that was selected by PBS SoCal for multiple broadcasts. Most recently, the orchestra was presented in a side-by-side concert with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, performing for a nearly sold-out audience.
Additional highlights of past seasons include masterclasses with Ray Chen, Midori, Hilary Hahn, and Sheku Kanneh-Mason, as well as a mini residency by the Kronos Quartet. An annual tradition, OCYS serves as the featured orchestra for the Philharmonic Society’s acclaimed Concerts for Fifth Grade at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. This concert series has provided music education for nearly a million students for more than thirty years. Additionally, OCYS and OCYSE appear in their own performances in prestigious venues across Orange County.
JOHANNES MÜLLER STOSCH, MUSIC DIRECTOR/OCYS CONDUCTOR
Johannes Müller Stosch is a passionate educator, mentor, and conductor, dedicated to shaping the next generation of orchestral musicians. As Music Director and Conductor of the Orange County Youth Symphony (OCYS), he leads one of California’s premier youth orchestras, inspiring young musicians through exceptional training and transformative performance experiences. Since his appointment in 2019, he has expanded OCYS’s artistic vision, fostering excellence in symphonic repertoire, collaboration, and community engagement. In 2024, OCYS embarked on a landmark international tour, performing in Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic, showcasing the orchestra’s talent on the global stage.
Beyond his work with OCYS, Maestro Stosch serves as Director of Orchestral Activities at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music (California State University, Long Beach), where he has built one of Southern California’s most distinguished university orchestral programs. His leadership has enabled the Bob Cole Conservatory Symphony to tour internationally, performing in sold-out venues across Germany, the Czech Republic, and South Korea. Committed to music education at all levels, he cultivates an environment where young musicians thrive—whether they are preparing for professional careers or developing a lifelong appreciation for orchestral music.
Stosch also brings his expertise to the professional realm as Music Director and Conductor of the Holland Symphony Orchestra (Michigan), where he has led the ensemble to record growth in audience engagement, artistic excellence, and education initiatives over nearly two decades. His conducting extends across professional, university, and youth orchestras, shaping musicians at every stage of their development.
A sought-after guest conductor and clinician, Stosch regularly appears with orchestras worldwide, bringing his educational approach to masterclasses, workshops, and festival performances. His recent engagements include appearances at Mahidol University (Thailand), Kunming Philharmonic (China), Long Beach Symphony, Peninsula Symphony, Eastman School of Music, Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, UBC Symphony (Canada), and the University of Oregon. He has also worked with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Brockport Symphony (NY), and has held leadership roles at the Opera Theatre Festival in Lucca, Italy, and the Museumsinsel-Operafestival in Berlin, Germany.
A dedicated mentor to young musicians, Stosch’s approach blends technical mastery, expressive artistry, and a deep understanding of orchestral collaboration. Under his guidance, students and young artists develop the skills and confidence to succeed in conservatory, collegiate, and professional settings. His experience as an opera conductor, including productions at Cincinnati’s renowned College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), further enhances his ability to shape versatile, expressive musicians.
Stosch holds a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Orchestral Conducting from the Eastman School of Music (studying with Neil Varon), two Master of Music degrees from CCM (Conducting with Mark Gibson, Organ with Roberta Gary), and a Bachelor’s degree from the Schwob School of Music. His performances and commercial recordings have been featured on national public radio, reinforcing his impact as a conductor, educator, and advocate for young musicians.
LUCY
LU, CONDUCTOR ORANGE COUNTY YOUTH STRING ENSEMBLE
Lucy Lu is an active teacher, soloist, chamber and orchestral musician. Ms. Lu’s performances have taken her to numerous cities across the United States, China, and Europe, where she has played in some of the most prestigious concert halls. She served as Concertmaster of the Bellflower Symphony, Orchestra Collective of Orange Country and is currently the 1st violinist of Plaża String Quartet. Ms. Lu has performed with the Nie’Er Symphony Orchestra in China, Four Seasons Youth Orchestra, LA Chamber Choir, and Celestial Opera Company as a violin soloist and has performed at places such as the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, Irvine Barclay Theatre, Musco Center for the Arts, and Carpenter Performing Arts Center in the Los Angeles area. Ms. Lu also performs with the Dana Point Symphony Orchestra, Millennium Choir and Orchestra, Corona Symphony, La Mirada Symphony and Rio Honda Symphony Orchestra.
Ms. Lu founded Violinbaby Music Studio where she trains young violinists, many of whom are accepted into renowned music organizations such as The Colburn School, Seattle Youth Symphony, Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra and Claremont Youth Symphony Orchestra. Her students have placed at many international violin competitions, such as the MAP International Music Competition where she was awarded the Honorable Instructor of the MAP-IMC 2022.
Ms. Lu also coaches youth orchestras such as Orange County Youth Symphony, CSUN Youth Philharmonic, Arcadia High School Symphony Orchestra, Four Seasons Youth Orchestra and South Coast Youth Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Lu received her Master’s degree in violin performance from the Bob Cole Conservatory at California State University, Long Beach where she studied with Professor Linda Rose, Katia Popov and Moni Simeonov.
DOYOON LEE, CLARINET CONCERTO COMPETITION WINNER
Doyoon Lee is a junior at Portola High School and studies clarinet with Claire Chung. He began playing the clarinet in the fifth grade. He began his work with the Orange County Youth Symphony (OCYS) in 2021 and, after further musical development through other ensembles, returned to OCYS in 2024. He served as principal clarinetist in the Pacific Symphony Youth Concert Band for two years beginning in 2022, and has also held principal clarinet positions in various ensembles, gaining leadership and orchestral experience.
He has earned recognition in multiple regional competitions and has appeared as a soloist. He was featured in a Showcase Benefit Recital hosted by Christopher O’Riley, performing on a program highlighting young musicians. His experience includes a range of orchestral and solo repertoire, and he continues to be actively involved in both ensemble and solo performance, enjoying working with other musicians.
GRACIE PARK, VIOLA CONCERTO COMPETITION WINNER
Gracie Park is a 16 year-old violist and sophomore at the Orange County School of the Arts. She was selected as a member of Carnegie Hall’s NYO2 program this year and will be going to New York this summer to participate. As an active orchestral musician, Gracie has served as principal viola of the Pacific Symphony Santiago Strings Orchestra and has been a member of the All-State Orchestra for four consecutive years (2023-2026). She has been recognized in several competitions, including being named a first place winner in the American Protégé International Competition (2025), the Los Angeles Golden Classical Music Awards International Competition (2025), and the Southwestern Youth Music Festival (2024), as well as a finalist in the CalASTA Los Angeles Bowed Strings Competition (2025). She currently studies with Dennis Kim.
ORANGE
First Violin
COUNTY YOUTH SYMPHONY | Johannes Müller Stosch, music director
Tiffany Oh, concertmaster
Wesley Tsai, assistant concertmaster
Cadence Park
Andrew Hsia
Shayden Imaoka
Kayden Ishii
Yu Tung (Melo) Hung
Yue (Dora) Li
Yuna Jin
Woohyun (Roy) Roh
Gierry Rosario
Eric Kim
Claudia Cheng
Evangeline Apostolopoulos
Second Violin
Tyler Volpe, principal
Sol Hwang
Jason Wen
Shibo Zhu
Aiden Han
Kate Choi
Connor Wang
Alicia Wu
Abigail Blaga
Claire Claypool
Katelyn Chang
Ella Yang
Saoirse Murray
First Violin
Duy Dang
Allison Yun
Viola
Rebecca Park, principal
Gracie Park
Linjie (Lucy) Zhao
Sara Ning
Leona Lee
Thada (Ben) Sriprapundh
Megan Song
Joshua Lee
Grace Hsia
Yuchen (Lucas) Hu
Kiyone Tsuchida
Cello
Joey Zhou, principal
Emily Shen
Suah Jin
Aidan Chien
Jamie Chen
Kexin Cai
Ethan Choi
Grace Zhu
Louis Shen
Zhuotong (Diana) Wu
Hannah Yoon
Clarissa Lin
Rachna Rathore
Capella Zhang
Double Bass
Samuel Yamarik, principal
Zoey Chiang
Elena Abdollahi
Jennah DiMartino
Flute
Shune Okada, principal
Yewon (Luna) Lee
Jeffrey Li
Oboe
Noah Chun, principal
Joshua Lee
Zhiyuan Zhu
English Horn
Zhiyuan Zhu
Bassoon
Megan Liu, principal
Landon Moats
Clarinet
Eric Wong, principal
Doyoon Lee
Julien Zysman, principal
Ellie Monahan
Philip Huh
Karina Pancholy
Trumpet
Aidan Garcia, principal
Jameson Devey
Trombone
David Nguyen, principal
Gavin Bond
Ariston De Leon
Tuba
Bryan Woo
Harp
Leenah Yoon
Piano
Grace Hsia
Percussion
Jonathan Yu, principal
Yang Lu
Vihaan Sharma
Neil Sunny
French Horn
ORANGE COUNTY YOUTH STRING ENSEMBLE | Lucy Lu, conductor
Landon Han, concertmaster
Leah Vu, assistant concertmaster
Mu Hua (Naomi) Chang
Brenden Barraca
Sean Choi
Jane Park
Claire Kim
Logan (Kaeta) Arai
Claire Shin
Alidia Li
Eunice Lee
Bradley Park
Natalie Chang
Kayli Wu
Second Violin
Jenna Hang, principal
Tristen Lee
Hayley Shin
Leah Hang
Olivia Chao
Daigo Kihara
Ophelia Wu
Ariel Mualim
Lauren Kim
Elyse Pieratt
Leah Park
Max Rama
Erin Kang
Benjamin Kang
Viola
Natalie Wen, principal
Kylie Kim
Samantha Yee
Anish Pashikanti
Joel Lee
Ian (Rei) Ishii
Kaitlyn Chen
Elle (Ellie) Shueh
Cello
Kenji Kothari, principal
Hannah Oh
Ashley Kwon
Annie Lee
Elise Chang
Seowoo (Lia) Kim
Inara Yang
Isabelle Lee
Stephany Chow
Xinyao (Yoyo) Liu
Timothy Blaga
Beckett Chang
Yuhui (Jenny) Cao
Aria Yeh
Double Bass
Ryan Han, principal
Hanna Saeidi
We are thrilled to share our Orange County Youth Symphony and String Ensemble graduating seniors. Their dedication and passion are inspiring to us all, and we thank them for their commitment to music. As they embark on this new chapter of their lives, we extend our heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for their future endeavors.
Evangeline Apostolopoulos — University of Iowa
Abigail Blaga — Fullerton College
Jamie Chen — Washington University in St. Louis
Noah Chun — University of California, Los Angeles
Duy Dang — University of California, Berkeley
Jameson Devey — Orange County Flight Center
Jennah DiMartino — Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Aidan Garcia — Arizona State University
Sol Hwang — University of California, Berkeley
Eric Kim — Purdue University
Joshua Lee — University of California, Berkeley
Leona Lee — University of California, Los Angeles
Tyler Volpe — University of California, Los Angeles
Lucy Zhao — Virginia Tech
Zhiyuan Zhu — University of California, Berkeley
Julien Zysman — Bob Cole Conservatory at California State University, Long Beach
2026 DISTINGUISHED EDUCATOR AWARD - ANDY WALDUKAT
The Distinguished Educator Award was established in 2013 to honor those educators who go above and beyond the call of duty for their students and for our community. This year we are excited to honor Andy Waldukat, music director at Capistrano Valley High School.
A native of Berwyn, Illinois, Mr. Waldukat, received a Bachelor of Music from Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts and completed graduate studies in Educational Leadership.
Since 2005, Mr. Waldukat has served as Director of Instrumental Music at Capistrano Valley High School, where he also serves as Visual and Performing Arts Department Chair and director of the Capistrano Valley Black and Gold Brigade. During his tenure, the instrumental music program grew to include more than 250 students. His ensembles consistently earn superior ratings at festivals, and the marching band remains competitive throughout Southern California. The Advanced String Orchestra has performed at the California All-State Music Education Conference, and the Symphony Orchestra performs each spring at the Philharmonic Society’s High School Orchestra Festival.
Mr. Waldukat is an alumnus of the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, where he marched from 2000 to 2004. He has served as Corps Director of the Boston Crusaders and visual staff for the Cavaliers and Santa Clara Vanguard. He continues to work as a music consultant and visual clinician throughout Southern California and the Chicago metropolitan area.
He is an active guest conductor and clinician and has been selected Capistrano Valley High School’s “Teacher of the Year” by his peers and colleagues. He has conducted ensembles for the CUSD Superintendent’s Honor Concerts and the San Bernardino County Music Educators Association.
Past Recipients
2013: Steve Acciani
2014: Jim Thomas
2015: Cathy Olinger
2017: Jim Kollias
2018: Moni Simeonov
2019: Danielle Culhane
2023: Joslynne Blasdel, Brad Harris, and Scott Domingues
2024: Jackson Lai
2025: Dean McElroy
THANK YOU MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC DIRECTORS
We extend our deepest gratitude to these schools’ music directors for their unwavering support and dedication in nurturing the musical talents of our OCYS/E members. Their commitment to music education, countless hours of rehearsals, and performances have created a nurturing environment that fosters creativity, discipline, and teamwork, enabling their students to reach new heights of musical excellence.
SCHOOLS REPRESENTED IN ORANGE COUNTY YOUTH SYMPHONY AND STRING ENSEMBLE
Aliso Niguel High School
Arnold O. Beckman High School
Beacon Park School
Beechwood K-8 School
Cadence Park School
California Online Public School
California State University, Long Beach
Capistrano Valley High School
Carmenita Middle School
Cerritos High School
Chaparral Middle School (Diamond Bar)
Chino Hills High School
Corona del Mar Middle/High School
Crean Lutheran High School
Cypress High School
D. Russell Parks Junior High School
Diamond Bar High School
Esperanza High School
Excel Academy Charter School
Fairmont Preparatory Academy
Fountain Valley High School
Fred Newhart Middle School
Fullerton Union High School
Great Oak High School
Harbor Day School
Heritage Oak Private Education
Ignite Christian Academy
Irvine High School
Irvine Valley College
John F. Kennedy Middle College High School
Kraemer Middle School
Ladera Ranch Middle School
Legacy Magnet Academy
Los Alamitos High School
Mesa View Middle School
Northwood High School
Orange County School of the Arts
Orange Lutheran High School
Orchard Hills School
Oxford Academy
Polytechnic High School
Portola High School
Rancho San Joaquin Middle School
Robert C. Fisler Elementary School
Saddleback College
Sage Hill School
San Juan Hills High School
Santiago Canyon College
Sierra Vista Middle School
St. Margaret’s Episcopal School
Sunny Hills High School
Tesoro High School
Troy High School
University High School
University of California, Irvine (UCI)
Valencia High School
Valley High School
Villa Park High School
PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY OF ORANGE COUNTY
PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
Elaine Neuss*, Chair / CEO
John Flemming*, Deputy Board Chair
Donna L. Kendall*, Vice Chair
Stephen Amendt*, Secretary / Treasurer
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kathy Barrett, President, The Committees
Lauren Claus, Past President, The Committees
Kathy Cobb-Woll, President-Elect, The Committees
Hung Fan, Laguna Beach Music Festival Chair
Jean Felder, Artistic and Marketing Chair
Margaret M. Gates*, Development Chair
Benny Ishii, Orange County Youth Symphony Chair
Kari Kerr, Nominating and Governance Chair
Marlene Nielsen, Board of Governors
Mirella Reznic
June Shillman
Douglas H. Smith*, Member at Large
PRESIDENT & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Tommy Phillips
IN MEMORIAM
Sabra Bordas
Douglas T. Burch, Jr.
Jane Grier
*Executive Committee
PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
PRESIDENT AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Tommy Phillips
MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
Jean Hsu, Chief Operating Officer / Vice President of Communications
Marie Songco-Torres, Senior Marketing & Public Relations Manager
Rosiana Falzon, Marketing & Public Relations Associate
DEVELOPMENT
Kimberley Monday, Vice President of Development
Halim Kim, Senior Director of Development
Zach Edwards, Board Liason & Development Coordinator
ARTISTIC OPERATIONS
Emily Persinko, Artistic Operations Manager
Hana Kurihara, Concert Production Coordinator
EDUCATION
Katherine Yang, Vice President of Education & Community Engagement
Courtney McKinnon, Associate Director of Volunteer & Education Services
Jennifer Niedringhaus-Lopez, Senior Manager of Education & Community Engagement
Chloe Hopper, Education Associate & OCYS Coordinator
Penny Arroyo, Huntington Harbour Office Manager & Finance Coordinator
Hitesh Benny, Education & Community Engagement Intern
FINANCE
Roan Alombro, Vice President of Finance
Fay Hu, Finance and HR Associate
PATRON SERVICES
Jonathan Mariott, Director of Patron Services
Angelica Nicolas, Marketing and Patron Services Manager
Randy Polevoi, Musical Concierge
ORANGE COUNTY YOUTH SYMPHONY & STRINGS ENSEMBLE
Johannes Müller Stosch, Music Director & OCYS Conductor
Lucy Lu, OCYSE Conductor & OCYS Strings Coach
Danielle Culhane, Operations & Personnel Manager