Personnel
Robert Sage has been Music Director of CYSO since 2014. Dr. Sage is also Music Director of the Claremont Symphony Orchestra and has performed a substantial portion of the symphonic and piano concerto literature with them. He received his Master's and Doctoral degrees in Piano Performance from the University of Southern California.
Gloria Cangahuala has been Executive Director of CYSO since 2014. An accomplished musician, she has played both piano and violin since the age of four. She is currently concertmaster of the Claremont Symphony Orchestra and has been the featured piano soloist twice with CSO. She graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Information Technology and a Minor in Music and holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
After serving as Assistant Instructor of Prelude String Ensemble during the 2017-18 season, Taylor Harb took over in July 2018 as PSE's new Director. She succeeds former director Pat Kuenning, who founded PSE in 2014 and retired in June 2018. Ms. Harb has her degree in music education and her teaching credential from California State University, Fullerton. She started playing piano at age three and cello at age nine. She was a member of the cello section of Claremont Youth Symphony Orchestra for seven years and is currently a cellist with the Claremont Symphony Orchestra. She teaches orchestra and choir at Wiltsey Middle School in Ontario.
About CYSO
The Claremont Symphony Orchestra Association founded CYSO in 1983 to provide an orchestral music experience for young people in Claremont and the surrounding cities. At the time, state-wide budget cuts were forcing schools to cut or reduce services, and programs in Music and Art were among the first to be negatively affected. The CSO Board conceived CYSO as both a supplement to school music programs and as a playing opportunity for students whose schools no longer offered orchestra classes.
CYSO is composed of approximately 90 students ranging in age from sixth through 12th grade. Current members represent 46 different schools (including homeschool) across 25 communities in the Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties. Communities represented include Alta Loma, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Chino, Chino Hills, Claremont, Corona, Covina, Diamond Bar, Eastvale, Fontana, Glendora, La Puente, La Verne, Loma Linda, Montclair, Ontario, Pomona, Rancho Cucamonga, Rowland Heights, San Bernardino, San Marino, Temple City, Upland, and Walnut.
CYSO performs two free concerts annually in Bridges Hall of Music on the campus of Pomona College in Claremont, California. The orchestra is led by Music Director Robert Sage and managed by Executive Director Gloria Cangahuala.
CYSO is composed of approximately 90 students ranging in age from sixth through 12th grade. Current members represent 46 different schools (including homeschool) across 25 communities in the Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties. Communities represented include Alta Loma, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Chino, Chino Hills, Claremont, Corona, Covina, Diamond Bar, Eastvale, Fontana, Glendora, La Puente, La Verne, Loma Linda, Montclair, Ontario, Pomona, Rancho Cucamonga, Rowland Heights, San Bernardino, San Marino, Temple City, Upland, and Walnut.
CYSO performs two free concerts annually in Bridges Hall of Music on the campus of Pomona College in Claremont, California. The orchestra is led by Music Director Robert Sage and managed by Executive Director Gloria Cangahuala.
About PSE
Prelude String Ensemble (PSE) is a preparatory string orchestra ensemble working in partnership with CYSO. Established in 2014, PSE is for elementary and middle school-aged string students (violin, viola, cello, bass) with a minimum of one year experience who would like to gain experience playing in a mixed string ensemble, improve their sight-reading skills, and prepare for future placement with CYSO. PSE is composed of approximately 40 students.
Since its founding, PSE has seen a number of its string members “graduate” to CYSO. The ensemble is led by Director Taylor Harb.
Since its founding, PSE has seen a number of its string members “graduate” to CYSO. The ensemble is led by Director Taylor Harb.