Ian Spaulding has traded in his tennis racquet for an oboe this summer and will soon be traveling to Belgium, The Netherlands and Ireland with the San Jose Symphony Youth Orchestra.
The recent Mountain View High graduate and all-league tennis player has never been out of the United States, so he’s anticipating a fun musical and cultural experience before heading off to Cal-Berkeley to study chemical engineering in the fall.
But first, the group – which includes Los Altos residents Shantonu Sen, Kevin Mason and Spaulding – is slated to perform a bon voyage concert 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at Villa Montalvo’s Garden Theatre in Saratoga. Under the direction of Maestro Yair Samet, the concert will feature the works of Tchaikovsky, Gershwin, Dvorak and Copland.
“We’re going to perform every piece we’ll play on the tour,” said Sen, a 16-year-old Mountain View High student. “We’re going to show off what we can do, and the songs we’ll represent our city with.”
On the three-hour concert, the principal bassoon player continued: “It’s very grueling, very tiring on the mouth. But it’s great music.”
Spaulding, 17, cites his favorite pieces as Dvorak’s “New World Symphony” and Tchaikovsky’s “March Slave” because of their nice melodies and loud and soft intervals. Sen favors Dvorak’s “Symphony No. 9” for its emotional and thunderous qualities.
Speaking of quality, Samet said: “This tour is the result of our rapid progress. Our repertoire is at the professional level, so it’s very demanding and challenging for these young musicians.”
And Val Mason said her son Kevin, 19, aspires to perform with a professional symphony someday and is currently studying with the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. A percussionist, Mason has had stints with youth symphonies for six years and spends summers as an instructor at music camps.
“It’s his life,” Val said. “I think he’s got a tremendous work ethic and loves what he does. He’ll perform at the drop of a hat.”
The 89-member orchestra’s schedule includes performances in Brussels, The Hague, Cork, Listowel, Tralee and a special 4th of July show in San Jose’s sister city, Dublin – hence the title of the “Spirit of Independence” tour.
“This tour promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the young musicians,” said Ray O’Flaherty, tour organizer. “The kids are particularly excited about the Irish leg of the tour, where they will stay with Irish families and enjoy a personal introduction to Ireland.”
Tickets for tomorrow night’s concert are $10 for adults, $6 for students and seniors and $25 for families. They can be purchased at the San Jose Symphony box office, 495 Almaden Blvd. in San Jose, or at Villa Montalvo.
