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A B o u t
Pacific SymPhony
Santiago StringS
20 • pacific symphony
aBout Pacific SymPhony Santiago StringS
“My three years in Pacific Symphony Santiago Strings were a period of huge growth in leadership,
musicianship and professionalism, all of which have been and will be crucially important to success in all
aspects of my life.” — Philip Sheegog, cello
The 2010-11 season marked the 20th anniversary of Pacific symphony santiago strings
(Psss). Psss is composed of string musicians in grades 6 through 9 who live and study
in orange county. the ensemble is conducted by irene Kroesen, a respected veteran
teacher of the irvine unified school district. in 2007, santiago strings came under the Pacific
symphony umbrella to become one of three Pacific symphony youth ensembles.
Psss performs each year at the annual orange county suzuki Festival in november and in a joint
concert with Prelude chamber strings in late november at concordia university. in addition, the
ensemble appears annually at disneyland and presents their final concert at the Renée and Henry
segerstrom concert Hall located at segerstrom center for the Arts. in the spring, the group
benefits from a three-day retreat consisting of challenging and intensive rehearsals and clinics.
Psss provides an experience that nurtures the confidence, poise and musical sensitivity of young
musicians through the study and performance of outstanding string orchestra literature.
Psss rehearses every tuesday evening from 7–8:45 p.m. at Bernardo yorba middle school in
yorba linda. Weekly rehearsals start in september and end in may each season. members are
selected through auditions that take place annually in late June.
sponsored by the orange county chapter of the suzuki music Association of california/los
Angeles Branch, Psss was founded by lonnie Bosserman and margie chan in 1991 and was
known as the santiago strings youth orchestra before joining the Pacific symphony family in
2007. Bosserman and chan started the ensemble to provide a supportive and challenging musical
opportunity for young string musicians in orange county.
members enjoy the following benefits:
• in-depth study of challenging string orchestra repertoire
• conducting clinics with maxim eshkenazy and carl st.clair
• coaching by professional musicians of Pacific symphony
• Annual performance in the world-renowned Renée and Henry segerstrom concert Hall
• Annual weekend retreat
• Access to Pacific symphony rehearsals to observe how a professional orchestra rehearses
• exposure to nationally recognized soloists
• Free admission to classical connections concerts with Pacific symphony
aBout PSye
pacific symphony youth ensembles
Focusing on music education, the Pacific symphony youth ensembles (Psye) program
serves the community by providing the highest level of performance opportunities available
to young instrumentalists between the ages of 11 and 18 from throughout orange
county. it is one of the flagship education programs of Pacific symphony.
Pacific symphony youth ensembles are made up of three groups: Pacific symphony youth
orchestra, Pacific symphony youth Wind ensemble and Pacific symphony santiago strings.
All three ensembles benefit from the artistic vision of Pacific symphony music director carl
st.clair, who acts as the artistic advisor for all activities. the ensembles perform in the worldclass
Renée and Henry segerstrom concert Hall at segerstrom center for the Arts, as well
as at other venues around southern california. students enjoy a variety of interactions with
symphony musicians including sectionals, master classes and side-by-side performances.
Pacific symphony youth orchestra is led by music director maxim eshkenazy who also serves
as the assistant conductor of Pacific symphony. Joshua Roach is music director of Pacific
symphony youth Wind ensemble and irene Kroesen leads Pacific symphony santiago strings.
the Psye management team is led by melissa craig, director.