Meet Our Team
Community Youth Orchestra of Southern California is a 501(c) not-for-profit public charity organization that presents innovative music education programs that serve students of all ages and ability levels, engages musicians in meaningful community service through mentorship, and fosters a positive collaborative environment for music-making that strives to unite people from many diverse backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We are first and foremost a program that focuses on the musical journey of the student, and meet the incredible challenges of empowering their learning with innovation and flexibility in the twenty-first century. CYOSC is led by a diverse team of teachers, parents, and artistic visionaries.
Executive Director
Christine JelbertChristine earned a B.Mus. from The University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, and served in professional positions at McKinsey & Co. and the University of Cambridge (UK). While living in Singapore, she started Music 'n Movement, a business teaching music to very young children. She came across CYOSC when searching for an orchestral home for her children, and is delighted to be part of the team. She has also worked as a piano accompanist for the Academy program.
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Board President
Jennifer VisickJenny is a private instructor and professional performer of violin and viola who has been a member of the non-profit for well over a decade in various capacities as a coach, ensemble conductor, and Academy Director. An experienced coordinator of educational music programs, she also served for many years as vice president of CYOSC's Board of Directors. She has significant experience as a Registered Suzuki Teacher and administrator for the Pasadena Suzuki Music Program.
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Founder
Robert LauMr. Lau founded CYOSC in 1990, creating an independent non-profit youth orchestra from its roots in the Irvine Chinese School. A longtime conductor and teacher in the Orange County area, Mr. Lau was a visionary devoted to the musical and personal development of young people as well as the preservation of Chinese cultural music, and the orchestra performed many settings of repertoire from his homeland that he arranged and orchestrated. He served as the orchestra's President and Music Director from 1990-2005.
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Administration and Operations
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Katya Chan
Board of Directors - Secretary Gene Wie Director of Information Technology |
Rie Okimura
Board of Directors - Manager Adam Sloma Information Technology Associate |
Ann Wu
Board of Directors - Treasurer A. Chocholaty, S. Mar, G. Wie Artistic Advisory Committee |
Fall Semester 2021 Instructors and Teaching Staff
April Chocholaty
Remote Ensemble Coach
Remote Ensemble Coach
Fall Semester 2021 Instructors and Teaching Staff
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Academy Teacher
Eriko Tsuji |
Sinfonietta Conductor
Ash Miner |
Sinfonia Conductor
Holly Fischer |
Symphony Conductor
Joseph Kaye |
CSP Coordinator
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Acknowledgements
We are grateful for the support of the following organizations, donors, and volunteers over our past thirty years:
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Orchestra Endowment
Open Mind Foundation Supporters O'Melveny & Myers Focalpoint Film Jennifer Lynn Photography Nick Yoon Photography WebAdvanced.com Studio Wie Doug Fischer Memorial Scholarship Fund Donate |
2018-2020 Season Contributors
Hennings-Fischer Foundation Healey Foundation Morey's Music Store M&R Weisshaar and Son Roger Foster, Violinmaker Artistic and Community Partners The City of Irvine Irvine Barclay Theatre Irvine Chinese School South Coast Chinese Cultural Center Master Chorale of Saddleback Valley The Arts at St. Margaret's MusiShare, Inc. |