Music Director

Gene WIE appears internationally as a conductor, chamber musician, and teacher, dividing his time equally between the classroom and concert stage. His performances on violin, viola, clarinet, and saxophone have taken him across the United States, Canada, Europe, and the South Pacific. Concertizing for five years as first violinist of the Elegie Quartet, he has also performed as principal clarinet of the South Orange County Chamber Orchestra and Blackbird Music Project, and as a viola substitute with the Pacific Symphony. In addition to his work with CYOSC, he is Orchestra Director at St. Margaret's Episcopal School in San Juan Capistrano, and instructor of Music Technology at the Orange County High School of the Arts where he previously conducted the Junior Conservatory String Orchestra and Senior Conservatory Concert Orchestra, directed the String Masterclass, and taught Chamber Music. He spends his summers teaching and playing chamber music at numerous festivals including ChamberArtsFest (USA/Europe) and The Viola Workout (Colorado). His personal website can be found at: www.genewie.com.

 

Assistant Director

Jennifer VISICK is a graduate of the Claire Trevor School of the Arts at the University of California, Irvine where she earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Viola Performance. In addition to her duties as the Assistant Director of Community Youth Orchestra of Southern California, she performs frequently with local orchestras and in worship services for Bethany Church, and was a founding member of the Elegie String Quartet. She has an extensive private studio in Monrovia and Sierra Madre, and is on the faculty of the Pasadena Suzuki Music Program and Sky Mountain Charter School. Her instructors have included John Scanlon, Jerzy Kosmala, Yvonne Creanga, Laura Kuennen-Poper, and Margaret Shimizu, and she has taken Suzuki Teacher Training through Book Six under the guidance of Elizabeth Stuen-Walker, Edward Kreitman, Ed Sprunger, Susan Kempter, and Lorraine Fink. A proponent of life-long learning, Jennifer pursues ongoing studies in music education specializing in injury-prevention for musicians. She is a member of the Suzuki Associate of the Americas, Suzuki Music Association of California-Los Angeles Branch, and the International, American, and Southern California Viola Societies. Her personal website can be found at: www.freewebs.com/visick.

 

Head String Coach

Sorah MYUNG is an experienced professional performer and teacher of violin and viola with an extensive private studio, and currently works with orchestra programs at Irvine High School and St. Margaret's Episcopal School. She earned her Master of Music degree in Violin Performance at Yale University where she was the recipient of the Charles Ives Scholarship, and her Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance from Oberlin Conservatory. She also completed post-graduate work at DePaul University.  Among her many performance credits are appearances with the AIMS Summer Festival (Austria), Mozart Classical Orchestra, Santa Monica Symphony, Northwest Indiana Symphony, Illinois Philharmonic, and New World Symphony (Florida). Her primary teachers have included Ilya Kaler, Rami Solomonow, Erick Friedman, Marilyn McDonald, and members of the Tokyo String Quartet. Her personal website can be found at: www.sorahmyung.com

 

Music Staff (2010-2011)

Our music staff is a cross-section of both young artists from major programs throughout Southern California as well as established professionals. They work with students in all of our current ensembles, and also perform with them for outreach events.

Chika EMORI (violin/viola) earned her Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance from California State University at Long Beach, where she is now currently completing a California teaching credential in mathematics. In addition to teaching numerous private students, she has also served as String Specialist for the South Bay Youth Orchestra and Assistant Director for the South Bay Youth Chamber Ensemble. A frequent concerto competition winner throughout her high school and college years, she has performed with the Los Angeles Doctors Symphony, CSU Long Beach Symphony, Colburn Orchestra da Camera, and many others throughout the Southern California Region on violin and viola.

Ann-Marie KAWAI (double bass) is earning her Bachelor of Music degree in Double Bass Performance and Music Education from Chapman University Conservatory of Music in Orange. She is a student of David Black and Christine Allen. She has performed with the Chapman Chamber Orchestra, Orange County Youth Symphony, La Primavera, and California State Orchestras. She can be found volunteering at local middle schools and high schools during her free time, as well as being an active member in jazz combos.

Marissa GOHL (cello) earned her Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Chapman University in Orange, where she was a student of Richard Treat and Roger Lebow. She recently completed her California teaching credential, and is now studying with Joseph Mendoes. She has performed with the Chapman Symphony and Chamber Orchestra, Orange County Symphony of Anaheim, and the Montage Civic Orchestra. In addition to teaching private lessons, she can be found during the day peddling Belgian Chocolates at Godiva Chocolatier at South Coast Plaza.

Tasha MINER (violin) earned Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Violin Performance from Eastern Michigan University. She has taught private lessons and orchestral ensembles in K-12, college, and private settings and has appeared with the EMU Symphony and EMU Collegium Musicum Chamber Ensemble. In her secondary school years she was concertmaster of the Waterford Kettering High School orchestras, and attended Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Michigan Youth Arts Festival and the Interlochen Music Festival. She is a member of the North American Music Teacher's Association (NAMTA). Her personal website can be found at: www.minermusics.com

Melisandra TETERIS (orchestra manager) is completing her Bachelor of Music degree in French Horn Performance at California State University, Long Beach.

 

Employment

If you are interested in joining our organization, please send an email expressing your interest and current resume to the music director so that we may set up an interview. These are paid positions with a registered non-profit organization. Minimum qualifications include a in-progress or completed Bachelor's degree in music performance (or equivalent experience/training), and at least two years prior experience teaching instrumental music, either privately or in a group setting.

We also have a unique opportunity for a college undergraduate or exceptional high school student. Our conducting internship gives a student the opportunity to rehearse and perform several works throughout the year under the guidance of the music director, and get in valuable "stick time" with a live ensemble. This training is difficult to come by for most aspiring conductors, and we are pleased to be able to help prospective teachers in Orange County hone their skills. This is an unpaid internship position with a registered non-profit organization, and interested parties should contact the music director.

 

 

Past Staff Members and Guest Artists (since 2006)

Thank you for your work with our young musicians!

Nathan BRENTON, cello
B.M. in progress, California State University, Fullerton

Susan BUSH, violin/assistant director
B.A. University of Southern California

Amy COTE, violin
M.M. Arizona State University

Jennifer ESTRIN, violin
M.M. Indiana University

David FITZPATRICK, oboe
B.M. in progress, University of California, Los Angeles

Matt HARE, double bass/guest conductor
D.M.A. University of Iowa

Charles HEBENSTREIT, viola
Appears with Pacific, Redlands, Santa Barbara Symphonies

Adriana HERNANDEZ, violin
B.M. Chapman University

John KAO, viola
CYOSC Coach 1999-2006

Mischa LAKIROVICH, violin/associate conductor
M.M. Juilliard School

Danielle LEONE, flute
B.M. University of California, Irvine

Steven LIU, double bass
M.F.A. University of California, Irvine

Ben MAKINO, guest conductor
Blackbird Music Project

Kathleen MANGUSING, violin/viola
B.M. Chapman University

Celeste MARKEY, clarinet
B.M. University of California, Irvine

Chris MCCARTHY, cello/bass
B.M. in progress, California State University, Long Beach

Corinne OLSEN, violin/viola
M.M. California State University, Long Beach

Lisa QUISPE, violin
B.M. State University of New York, Potsdam

Michael REPPER, piano/student conductor
Orange County High School of the Arts

Phillip TRIGGS, viola
B.M. Chapman University, Opera Pacific

Ryan WEBBER, trombone/associate conductor
B.M. University of California, Irvine

Michael WHANG, trombone
Director of Bands, Santa Margarita Catholic High School

Kevin WISEMAN, double bass/associate conductor
B.M. University of California, Irvine