Photograph by Robert Scheer
Su-Wen Ueng's musical training began when she was 5 years old. She will perfrom Bellini's Oboe Concerto May 19 at Flint Center.
By ANNE GELHAUS
In addition to their regular commencement exercises, a quintet of seniors from the Fremont Union High School District willgo through a different sort of graduation exercise May 19, when the musicians play their last concert with the California Youth Symphony.
This musical group includes first violinists Gabriel Tang and Stacey Kenfield, both seniors at Homestead High School, and violinist Andrea Tu and flutist June Lee, both seniors at Monta Vista High School.
The "valedictorian" among these CYS graduates is Monta Vista senior Su-Wen Ueng, principal oboist with the orchestra. Ueng won a competition among other high school seniors in the woodwinds section and was chosen as a soloist for the upcoming concert. She'll perform the Oboe Concerto by Bellini.
Ueng has played the oboe since age 10, but her musical training began at age 5.
"My mom made me choose between piano and violin lessons," she says.
Ueng opted for the former and then picked up the oboe five years later. While she still studies both instruments, she says the oboe is her favorite, partly because she can play it in ensembles like the CYS.
"After all these years, I enjoy it," she adds. "I'll practice without my mom pushing me."
In addition to performing with the CYS, Ueng plays in Monta Vista's symphonic band, and last year, she played trombone in the high school marching band.
In January, Ueng soloed with the Santa Clara County Honor Band, which led to her being named principal oboist in the California All-State Band.
Ueng says her CYS experience opened the door to these other musical opportunities.
"The orchestra's really good quality," she adds. "I used to play in another youth orchestra; after I came to the CYS [two years ago], my playing improved because we do hard pieces, and the conductor makes you work hard. Socially, it's a good chance to meet new friends from other schools."
Ueng says conductor Leo Eylar expects CYS members to adopt a professional rehearsal and performance ethic.
"He demands a lot," she adds. "He's pretty strict about practicing. From CYS, I learned how to play in an orchestra and listen to what's going on as I'm playing."
Last year, Eylar wrote Ueng a letter complimenting her on her improved playing.
"He said that at first, he didn't know whether I'd be able to handle first chair, but that I'd become one of the best oboists he'd ever worked with," Ueng recalls with a shy pride.
Ueng is no slouch in the academic arena, either: She's an honor student at Monta Vista, where she's on the tennis team and the Interact Service Club. She's her school representative in the NASA-Ames Student Space and Biology Research Program. She plans to study engineering at Stanford University next fall, where she hopes to maintain her current schedule of academics and extracurricular music.
Ueng says she wants to continue playing the oboe throughout her adult life.
The CYS consists of 110 musicians between the ages of 12 and 18, from 39 schools in the greater Bay Area. Tickets for the May 19 concert are $6 for adults, $3 for students and seniors. For more information, call (415)325-6666.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, May 15, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.