2002-2003

Anthony Anderson, trumpet

Anthony began playing trumpet in the fourth grade, and played jazz for many years with the Oaktown Jazz Ensemble, Jessica Jones Jazz Ensemble, and in the world famous Berkeley High School Jazz Ensemble, with whom he toured Europe, playing the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and the Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy. He has been a member of OYO for one year and recently has been playing classical music almost exclusively. Anthony has performed professionally with the Schola Cantorum Orchestra and the Diablo Symphony. He is currently wait-listed at DePaul University and is also considering accepting a full scholarship to SF State University. Currently he is volunteering at the Berkeley animal shelter because he loves working with animals. “MUSIC IS MY LIFE!”

Jesse Barrett, oboe

Jesse has been in OYO for two years. Prior to that he was first chair for two years in Diablo Wind Symphony. Jesse is graduating from College Park High School in Pleasant Hill with honors. He received a Governor’s Scholarship for STAR testing. Besides his strong academic record Jesse has been active in the theatre at College Park. He has had lead roles in “Grease” and “Cinderella,” as well as singing, dancing and acting in many other productions. Jesse has been accepted into the Music Conservatory at University of the Pacific and has received a generous scholarship. He will be attending this fall, majoring in music performance and music therapy.

Anna-Louise Burdett, clarinet

Anna-Louise is seventeen and a senior at Bentley School. Born in London, England, she moved to the Bay Area four years ago. Anna-Louise has been a member of OYO for two years. Last year she won second place in the Pacific Chamber Symphony’s Annual Concerto Competition and was awarded an Arts Scholarship by her school. Anna-Louise enjoys traveling and her work with Guide Dogs for the Blind, for whom she has been a Foster-Carer and Puppy-Raiser. She is also keen on drama and is currently interning at the California Shakespeare Theater. Next year she will attend Northwestern University where she will major in Clarinet Performance.

Jessica Karadi, violin

Jessica, a survivor of 2 years of OYO, is about to graduate from Acalanes. She likes to set music to her life and when she cannot do that, she reads and studies the things that make the world turn: probably physics, maybe some T.S. Eliot if she’s feeling cheery, mostly things more vegetative. She enjoys bad documentaries, Bjork’s music videos and admiring herself in the mirror. Narcissistic, arrogant and overbearing, Jessica takes a very low bow, and does a little modern jig. Oh yeah, Jessica also plays the violin and is going to UC Berkeley with the other hippies.

Katherine Kim, viola

Kat has been a member of OYO for the last two years. In June she will graduate from James Logan High School. During her high school career she was the team captain of the Gymnastics Team, and also participated in Track & Field and Cross-country Running. She loves math and science and has participated in such geeky activities as Robotics, Science Bowl, and the American Mathematics Contest. Her love of science and math is almost as strong as her love of music. Kat has been playing the viola since she was in 4th grade, and has participated in various school, youth, and chamber orchestras. She is currently studying with Ted Seitz, a member of the San Jose symphony. In the fall, she will attend Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering in Needham, MA, where she will major in Computer Engineering. She plans to continue playing the Viola in college and hopefully for the rest of her life.

Chris Kong, percussion

Chris has been the principal percussionist in OYO for two years, having played with the Diablo Wind Symphony the previous year. He will graduate with highest honors from Castro Valley High School, where he has performed with the Wind Ensemble, Lab and All-Star Jazz Bands, Symphony Orchestra, and A Cappella Choir. An experienced pianist, Chris performed Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” as a Concerto Concert soloist with the CVHS Symphony Orchestra last May. Over the years, he has also played clarinet, flute, and, beginning in eighth grade, percussion. Chris has been very active playing in the pit orchestra for school musicals as well as acting as rehearsal accompanist. He has also played a large role in the student-directed Pops Concert, arranging music and leading a small pit band as Musical Director for A Night at the Tonys and Let’s Go to the Movies! Next year, Chris will attend the University of the Pacific, where he plans to major in Piano Performance. “No day but today!”

Robin Lassonde, trombone

Robin, a 1.5-year OYO member, has played trombone for three years. She played flute during her freshman year, learned to play trombone over the summer, and held the principal trombone seat for the next three years in her school’s wind ensemble, jazz band and orchestra. After graduating from Head Royce, she will attend the University of Chicago with a National Merit Scholarship. She plans to major in mathematics and play in the university’s orchestra and wind ensemble. Robin’s favorite musicians are Aimee Man and Jimmy Bosch. She has played soccer forever.

Leila Martin, harp

A member of OYO for 3 years, Leila will graduate from Miramonte High School, and will attend UC Davis in the fall, where she will major in political science, setting her on her way to the American Foreign Service. Besides orchestra, Leila has been a member of the Piedmont Choirs since she was ten. Her interests are focused around music, but she loves spending time with her friends and taking care of children. She plans to continue with music in college, both instrumentally and vocally, by pursuing a minor in music.

Rachel Meresman, cello

This is Rachel’s second year with OYO. She has been playing the cello for over ten years and currently studies with Irene Sharp. In June, Rachel will graduate from The College Preparatory School and will attend Oberlin College in the fall. Over the past few years, Rachel has participated in The Crowden School’s after school chamber music program and has attended California Chamber Music for three summers. She has also played the cello for several of her high school’s productions.

Meenah Paik, violin

After two years with OYO, Meenah will graduate from Foothill High School in Pleasanton this June. In addition to violin, which she has played for 14 years, Meenah has played piano and has participated in several school activities, including the “We, the People” competition civics team, swim team, science club, and the multi-cultural club. She has received National Merit Commendation as well as the Governor’s Scholarship award and the Westinghouse Family Scholarship. She plans to attend UCLA in the fall to study Pre-Med, but will continue her studies in violin and hopes to join the UCLA Symphony.

Lewis Patzner, cello, trombone

A three-year victim of OYO, and second-generation OYO member, Lewis will graduate The College Preparatory School and enroll at Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore. He has performed with OYO with both the trombone and the cello in concert and in chamber groups. Lewis has expanded his musical experiences to include classical, jazz, rock and metal. This summer Lewis will be playing on telegraph with his older brother, performing original stingmetal compositions.

Andrew Reiter, french horn

A member of OYO for one year, A.J. will graduate from Acalanes High School in June. A.J. studies the French Horn with Gary Jagard and also plays with the YPSO. In addition to his horn playing, he has studied the piano under Bette Covington since second grade. Next fall, he plans on attending Carleton College, and while he has yet to begin thinking about a major, fully intends to continue his musical interests while there. A.J. enjoys many other pursuits besides music, most notably computers, Latin-American literature and culture, and cross country running.

Sean Sevilla, french horn

Sean joined OYO in his senior year at Acalanes High School where he was in Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble. He began studying the French horn during his first year at the Stanley Intermediate School. Sean has been a member of the Berkeley Youth Orchestra, and the Contra Costa County Honor Bands for three years. Outside of school, Sean volunteers at the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue where he served as the Captain of the Explorer Unit for two years and was recognized as Explorer of the Year in 2001 and 2002. He has also helped the family in raising six puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. Sean plans to attend UC Berkeley in the fall, where he plans to major in materials science engineering and plans to continue playing with the OYO and volunteering for Search and Rescue. He also hopes to play with the Bear marching band and the university orchestra.

Jay Sinha, french horn

Jay will graduate from Benicia High School in early June. This is his first year in OYO. He has been in the Benicia High School Panther Marching Band and Wind Ensemble for three years. In those three years he’s also been a member of the Solano Couty Honor Band, the All-Northern Honor Band, and the All-State Honor Band. In the fall he’ll be attending Diablo Valley College for a year. He believes he is going to Study English literature or a related subject though he hasn’t considered where he will continue his studies the next fall.

Halley Tsai, violin

Halley, a 2-year OYO member, will graduate from Albany High School this June. His interests span sports to astronomy; he is a zealous fan of the San Francisco Giants, detests the Oakland Athletics, and hopes to spend his retirement with a monkey on Mars. He will attend the University of California, Berkeley, in the fall, planning to major in molecular and cell biology, with an emphasis in neurobiology as a pre-medical student. Finally, he lives by John Wooden’s aphorism, “be quick - but don’t hurry.”

Pénélope Turgeon, flute

Penelope Turgeon spent one season with the Oakland Youth Orchestra. She will be graduating from James Logan High School in Union City, where she has been a 4-year member and section leader of the wind symphony and marching band. She has also participated in her school musicals and is a current band librarian. Her musical experiences outside of school are with regional and state honor bands, wind band festivals, and student recitals. In March, she was the recipient of a music award, the 2003 Estelle and Herbert Graulich Memorial Scholarship from the New Haven Unified School District Foundation, for her dedication to music in the past and in the future. Penelope will be attending UCLA next year as a flute performance major.

Jonathan Zeno, viola

Jon, with three years membership in OYO, will graduate Patten Academy and enroll at California State University at Hayward.