Berkeley's Young People's Symphony Orchestra Opens Its 90th Season

The Young People's Symphony Orchestra, founded in Berkeley in 1936, opens its 90th season on Saturday, Nov. 7, at First Church Berkeley. The program pairs Dmitri Shostakovich's Festive Overture with Claude Debussy's Nocturnes and Johannes Brahms's Symphony No. 1.

The ensemble, whose members range in age from 11 to 21, ranks as the second-oldest youth orchestra among the hundreds operating in the United States. Only the Portland Youth Philharmonic is older. Russian émigré Jacques Gershkovitch launched that ensemble in 1924.

David Ramadanoff has directed YPSO since 1988. He said he is "very proud to be part of an organization that has been providing young people the opportunity to play great music for 90 seasons. During my years as music director, it has been exciting and heartwarming to have helped this orchestra develop into an outstanding ensemble capable of playing the wonderful and challenging music we have programmed this season."

What has kept it alive for nine decades?

The orchestra performs in major Bay Area concert halls, but its reach extends far beyond California. YPSO has appeared at the Sydney Opera House, Dvořák Hall of the Rudolfinum in Prague, the Slovak Radio Concert Hall in Bratislava and the Musikverein in Vienna, as well as in New Zealand and China.

The players describe the ensemble as a community as much as a training ground. Concertmaster Carolyn Ren, an 11th-grade student, recalled the 2024 Japan tour from her first season with the orchestra.

"By the end of the tour, though, I felt like I was part of not just a youth orchestra but a tight-knit community, something that feels rare to come by these days," Ren told SF Classical Voice. "One of the most magical things about playing together, whether in a foreign concert hall or the old church during rehearsals, is working toward something larger than ourselves and experiencing those small, magical moments when the music all comes together."

Titus Cheung, a 10th-grade student and principal second violin, said the experience has reshaped his musicianship: "Playing with YPSO has transformed how I listen — not only to my own sound, but to the entire orchestra around me. It has taught me accountability and patience, and shown me that true musical strength lies less in solo technique than in listening carefully and blending with the ensemble."

Clarinetist Mai Ha Nghiem, a 12th-grade student, highlighted the season's opener. "From Sweden to Berkeley, YPSO has given me opportunities to play both challenging and fun music, especially in this 90th season with Shostakovich's Festive Overture," she said. "The piece brings a demanding, vigorous excitement to our weekly rehearsals, so I can't wait to see how it will sound in a concert hall!"

What does the season hold?

The season continues on Feb. 20, 2027, with Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture, Gabriela Lena Frank's Three Latin American Dances and music by Ralph Vaughan Williams. The Spring Concert on May 1, 2027, includes Giuseppe Verdi's Overture to La forza del destino and Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No. 6.

The June 6, 2027, 90th Anniversary Pops Concert will invite alumni from across the orchestra's history to play alongside current musicians. The program is expected to feature Arturo Márquez's Danzón No. 2 and a selection of audience favorites.

For families considering auditioning, the numbers are concrete. Full tuition for the 2026–2027 season is $2,250, with financial aid and custom payment plans available. Season tickets range from $70 to $100; individual tickets cost $25 to $35 and are on sale on the YPSO website. A ninety-year-old institution with international tours and alumni reunions on the calendar, YPSO shows no sign of slowing its tempo.