2019 YMCO Summer Institute
The 2019 YMCO Summer Institute came to an end on Saturday, July 20th with an exciting performance of "MAMBO! A Celebration of Bernstein's Westside Store," held at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. This year, the summer institute was held at Claremont Middle School in Oakland, CA.
The choral orchestra kicked off the night with Bernstein's choral piece, "Take Care of this House," alongside world-renowned mezzo-soprano, Frederica von Stade, and then marched to their instruments to perform Danzon No. 2 (Arturo Marquez), West Side Story Medley, and Mambo. Mambo received an encore and a standing ovation!
The graduating seniors were then presented with special awards from the office of US Congresswoman Barbara Lee. We are proud to say that all 7 graduating seniors will be attending four-year universities on full or substantial scholarship in the fall.
Frederica von Stade then sang Bernstein's "Somewhere" with rising senior, Ajani Harris, followed by several solo performances from the Opera/Musical Theater group. The night came to an exciting ending when the Jazz Big Band started doing the mambo onstage!
This performance was recorded and will be shared once the editing has been finalized.
In the meantime, please scroll down for photos and videos from this year's summer camp. Stay tuned for the fall!
Photo Gallery
Video Gallery
2019 Summer Institute
Choral Orchestra Members
Flute
Nathan Belcher
Astrid Chopp
Vyoma Oza*
Quincy Schreiber
Clarinet
Ruth Belayneh
Luna Cisneros
Valen Dotta
Heleena Getahun
Ryan Pham
Jordan Spencer
Bassoon
Heriberto Velez
French Horn
Ajani Harris
Abel Mahari
Trumpet
Emilio Bracken-Serra
Sebastian Borg
Giovanni Garcia
Julian Gonzales-Gutierrez
Israel Rangel-Mejia
Trombone
Gus Goldstone
Jerry Okina
Mateo Shul
Saxophone
Jocelyn Bailey
Paulos Thomas
Tuba
Francisco Tapia
Violin
Leilani Andres
Khristle Jordan
Ginnia Liu
Cymona Nguyen
Alondra Pacas
Raymond Smith
Alyssa Tan
Nathan Uy
Rachel White
Renata Volchinskaya
Viola
Erma Espinueva
Trinity Harper
Vincent Hu
Haile Rosengren
Tristan Williams**
Wesley Zhao
Cello
Kayin Beth
Brissa Mejia*
Leonela Mejia
Lyla Pham*
Bass
Lucila de Anda-Castaneda
Tip Hood
Yafeu Tyhimba*
Percussion
Kieran Bracken-Serra
Luis Peralta
Nimah Rowden
Genius Wesley
2019 Summer Institute
Jazz Big Band Members
Jocelyn Bailey, saxophone
Ajani Harris, tenor saxophone
Heleena Getahun, clarinet/saxophone
Paulos Thomas, tenor saxophone
Heriberto Velez, baritone saxophone
Taijee Shavers, baritone saxophone
Quincy Schreiber, alto saxophone/flute
Raymond Smith, tenor Saxophone
Jordan Spencer, clarinet
Gus Goldstone, trombone
Jerry Okina, trombone
Mateo Shul, trombone
Francisco Tapia, trombone
Sebastian Borg, trumpet
Emilio Bracken-Serra, trumpet
Giovanni Garcia, trumpet
Ryan Pham, trumpet
Julian Gonzalez, trumpet
Luis Peralta, piano
Lucila de Anda, bass
Tip Hood, bass
Yafeu Tyhimba,* bass
Nimah Rowden, percussion
Genius Wesley, percussion
Kieran Bracken-Serra, percussion
2019 Summer Institute
Opera/ Musical Theater Members
Leilani Andres, soprano
Erma Espinueva, soprano
Ajani Harris, tenor
Khristle Jordan, soprano
Abel Mahari, tenor
Cymona Nguyen, soprano
Elliott Nguyen,* bass
Ryan Pham, treble
Israel Rangel-Mejia, treble
Vivian Stover,* mezzo-soprano
Alyssa Tan, soprano
Olivia Stapp, Stage Director
James Meredith, Artistic Director/Pianist
YMCO Director of Vocal Studies
2019 Summer Institute
Staff Members
Daisy Newman, Executive Director
Geechi Taylor, Director of Operations/ Jazz Big Band Conductor
Jaymes Kirksey, Choral Orchestra Conductor/ Violin Instructor
James Meredith, Artistic Director/Pianist/ YMCO Director of Vocal Studies
Brissa Mejia, Alumni Instructor
Vyoma Oza, Alumni Instructor
Vivian Stover, Alumni Instructor
Yafeu Tyhimba, Alumni Instructor
Tristan Williams, Viola Instructor