Program
Overture to The Magic Flute, K. 620 (1791)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
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Oboe Concerto in C Major, Hob. VIIg:C1 (ca. 1765)
II. Andante
Joseph Haydn, attr.
Addilyn Found, oboe
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Violin Concerto no. 2 in D Minor, Op. 22 (1862)
II. Romance (Andante non troppo)
Henryk Wieniawski
Liam Chao, violin
Piano Concerto no. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37 (1803)
I. Allegro con brio
Ludwig van Beethoven
Hiroshi Corro, piano
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~ Intermission ~
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Pohádka (A Fairy Tale), Op. 16 (1900)
Josef Suk
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Adventures on Earth, from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
John Williams
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Martín Alexander Arellano
Conductor
Martín Alexander Arellano is an award-winning conductor and composer of Nicaraguan & Mexican descent. He grew up between both the Los Angeles area and the Central Valley of California. Alex is the Conductor of the Santa Clarita Symphony Orchestra and current Music Director of the North Bay Chamber Orchestra in Tampa, FL as well as the Central California Wind Ensemble based in Turlock, CA. Alex holds conducting degrees from the Strasbourg Conservatoire in France and the University of Iowa in the US.
Alex is a multi-laureate of the American Prize in Music—winning in Opera Conducting, and placing in Community Orchestra, Musical Theater, and Wind Ensemble Conducting between 2024 & 2025. In 2023, he received the second jury prize at the Opéra de Baugé International Conducting Competition in France.
2025-26 YOUNG SOLOIST COMPETITION
Addilyn Found
Oboe
Addilyn Found is a fifteen year old oboist currently attending Santiago High School in Corona, CA. She began studying music at age ten and has played the oboe for nearly four years. She studies both the oboe and english horn under her private lesson teacher Stephanie Marquez, the principal oboist at California State University of Fullerton. Last summer, Addi performed as the principal oboist in the symphony at the summer festival FOOSA and recently played with the All-Southern wind ensemble on english horn. She is also the principal oboist of the Claremont Young Musicians Intermezzo Orchestra and plays in her schools top ensembles: the Festival Winds and the Symphony Orchestra. In addition to these ensembles, she has formed and continues to play with her wind quintet at Santiago where her musical journey unfolds.
Liam Chao
Violin
Liam Chao began his journey with the violin at the age of 11. He taught himself to read music the first two weeks of his junior high orchestra experience quickly moving from beginning strings to string orchestra under the tutelage of the After School Music Conservatory. This culminated in his winning of his junior high’s Director’s Award. He is a student of Lauren Deutsch Wu and has been a member of the prestigious Los Angeles Youth Orchestra since 2023, moving up from the Ruth Boren Concert Orchestra to the Symphony Orchestra. He has performed in concert halls in Austria and Prague as well as Southern California and is looking forward to a summer performance in Carnegie hall.
Hiroshi Corro
Piano
Hiroshi Corro started learning piano when he was 3 years old with his mother. In 2024 and 2025, he won first place in many competitions such as Etude Club Music Competition in Berkeley, Avanti Steinway Piano Competition in Arizona State University, San Francisco International Piano Competition, CAPMT (California Association of Professional Music Teachers) Honors and Contemporary Competition, and the Golden State Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition. This fall, Hiroshi performed his Mendelssohn piano concerto with them in San Mateo, CA. He will also play his Mendelsohn Concerto with Southern California Philharmonic in May 2026 and Beethoven 3rd Concerto with Santa Clarita Symphony Orchestra in March 2026. He was “first alternate winner” of the Music Teachers Association of California Concerto Competition 2023 and MTNA Solo Competition in 2024. In 2023 Summer, Hiroshi participated in the John Perry Summer Academy and had master classes with John Perry, Mina Perry, Sasha Starcevich, Boris Slutsky, and Jean David Coen. He had a lesson with Dr Steven Spooner during 2024. In Summer 2024, he participated in the Piano Texas Junior Program and had lessons with Igor Resnianski and Tamas Ungar. In Summer 2025, he participated in SouthEastern Piano Festival in South Carolina and Mannes Summer Music Festival in New York. Besides playing solo works, he also enjoys playing piano trios with string players. Recently, he performed the Dumky Trio by Dvorak and will perform Mendelssohn Piano Trio Op 49 in Berkeley, CA. When he has free time, he enjoys playing video games, skateboarding and playing soccer with his siblings. He speaks Spanish and Japanese fluently.
Santa Clarita Symphony Orchestra
Thank you to the sponsors listed in italics.
Violin 1
Xaman Kryger, Concertmaster
Andrea Ayers (Jeremy Ayers)
Cassie Borrish
Bess Knight (Chuck & Bess Knight)
Gabriel Ramirez
Karla Torres-Vazquez
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Violin 2
Ashley Rose, Principal (Greg & Cassie Borish)
Mark Goodman
Ethan Lindsey
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Viola
Lisa Curtis Saunders, Acting Principal (Mike Wertz, Realty Executives)
Katie Adler
Katie Boyle
Hailey Simmons (Mary Roberti)
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Cello
Stephen Hyde, Principal (Richard Smykle)
Alex Bozman
Susy Christiansen
Leslie Marshall
Jean Wertz
Double Bass
Eric Alehouse, Principal
Zachary Pickens
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Flute
Ashley Turner, Principal
Vicki Galarneau (Vicki Galarneau)
Megan Lee, Piccolo
Oboe
Julie Vazquez (Marcus Vazquez)​
Sarah Bloxham, English Horn
Clarinet
Shannon Thomas, Principal
Lyndsi Gutierrez (Sandra Wilcher)
Bassoon
Nathaniel Edison, Principal
Peggi Stoffel
French Horn
J.R. Hills, Principal (Cathy and Phil Lichtenberger)
Lori Howell (J.R. Hills)
Hannah Mitchell
Edward House
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Trumpet
Ben Sanchez, Principal
Dylan Weddle
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Trombone
Steven Reynolds, Acting Principal
David Santamaria
Caden Piro, Bass Trombone
Tuba
Jeffrey Rice, Principal
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Harp
Kenneth Pasewark​
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Piano
Patrick Karamian
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Timpani
Darryl Ball, Principal
Percussion
Alysa Branda
German Canto
Brian Pridemore
Sandra Wilcher​
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About the Music
Magic Flute Overture (1791)
Wolfgang A. Mozart (1756-1791)
Mozart’s Overture to the opera The Magic Flute is the ultimate musical "curtain-raiser." Before the singers ever take the stage, the Overture acts to capture the audience's attention and serve as a preview, blending the opera’s deep mysteries with its high-speed joy. The story itself is a wild adventure involving a lost prince, a captured princess, and a giant serpent. To save the day, our hero must pass a series of dangerous tests to join a secret society—a plot inspired by the Freemasons, a real-life organization to which Mozart belonged. The three grand, heavy chords that open this piece are known as the "Masonic Knocks," representing the literal strikes a person would make on a door to be admitted into a secret meeting.
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Originally written for a rowdy, everyday theater crowd in Vienna rather than a royal palace, this music perfectly balances "solemn" drama with whimsical fun. Once the opening knocks have sounded, the music takes off in a high-speed chase. One instrument starts a busy, scurrying melody, and the rest of the orchestra "catches" it, passing the theme around like a whispered secret. This playful energy reflects the lighter, magical side of the story.
This Overture remains one of the most beloved pieces of music ever written—a perfect blend of a "spark of genius" and pure, infectious fun.
Concerto for Oboe (1790)
Franz Josef Haydn (1732-1809), attr.
The "Haydn Oboe Concerto" is one of the great mysteries of the classical repertoire. For centuries, it was celebrated as a masterpiece by the "Father of the Symphony," but modern detective work suggests a different story. When a long-lost catalog of Haydn’s works was discovered in 2008, this concerto was missing. Most experts now believe the piece was actually written by a peer of Haydn’s named Ignaz Malzat. Because they worked in the same circles at the same time, their musical styles are remarkably similar—making it easy to see why the world gave Haydn the credit for so long.
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This specific movement is a masterclass in delicate, singing melodies. Instead of a grand orchestral display, the music feels like a graceful song, with the oboe acting as a lead vocalist. As you listen, notice how the orchestra provides a soft, pulsing backdrop that allows the soloist to float above the texture. The music is filled with elegant turns and expressive pauses, capturing a sense of calm and poise. Today’s performance is a true showcase of our soloist’s artistry, requiring immense breath control and a sensitive touch to bring this beautiful, lyrical "song without words" to life.
Concerto for Violin No. 2 (1862)
Henryk Wieniawski (1835-1880)
Henryk Wieniawski was one of the greatest "rock star" violinists of the 1800s, known for his staggering technical ability and fiery stage presence. While he wrote many pieces designed to show off fast fingers and flashy bow work, his Violin Concerto No. 2—and specifically this second movement, titled "Romance"—shows his deeply soulful side. Written in 1862, this movement has become one of the most beloved pieces in the violin repertoire because it moves away from athletic displays and focuses entirely on the heart.
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As the title suggests, the music feels like a long, tender breath. Listen for the way the soloist enters with a gentle, swaying theme that sounds almost like a lullaby. The orchestra stays hushed and supportive, acting as a velvet cushion for the violin’s soaring voice. This performance is a true test of our soloist’s sensitivity, requiring a warm, singing tone and a delicate touch to capture the movement's atmosphere of quiet, nostalgic beauty.
Concerto for Piano No. 3 (1795)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1872)
Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto marks a turning point in his life. Before this, his concertos were light and elegant, much like the music of his teachers. However, around 1800, he began to embrace a darker, more powerful style. You can hear this immediately in the opening notes: it’s moody, restless, and bold. This isn't just background music; it is a musical drama where the piano and the orchestra often seem to be in a high-stakes tug-of-war.
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As you listen, notice how the orchestra builds a long, tense introduction before the piano makes its grand entrance with a series of forceful, climbing scales. The movement is defined by this contrast between "stormy" sections and moments of sudden, quiet beauty. Toward the very end, the orchestra will drop away entirely, leaving our soloist to perform a "cadenza"—a dazzling, unaccompanied solo where the pianist explores the main themes with incredible speed and power. This performance is a true test of our soloist’s stamina and command, capturing the fiery spirit that made Beethoven a legend.
Pohádka “Fairy Tale” (1901)
Joseph Suk (1874-1935)
Joseph Suk’s Pohádka is a vibrant musical journey through a world of magic, star-crossed lovers, and supernatural curses. Extracted from his music for the play Radúz and Mahulena, the suite follows a prince and princess from rival kingdoms who must overcome the dark sorcery of a wicked queen. Suk was deeply in love with the daughter of his mentor, Antonín DvoÅ™ák, at the time he wrote this; that personal passion radiates through the score, transforming a simple folk legend into a sweeping, cinematic experience of raw emotional highs and chilling shadows.
As you listen, keep an ear out for the solo violin, which acts as the "voice" of the lovers' devotion. This tender, recurring melody is the emotional heart of the piece, appearing in moments of quiet intimacy before returning for a massive, triumphant finish. Contrast this warmth with the jagged, heavy brass sections that signal the Queen’s curse and the rhythmic, dance-like energy of the village festival in the second movement. By the time the finale reaches its glowing conclusion, the music has fully transformed from a haunting mystery into a celebration of love’s power to break any spell.
This work remains a cornerstone of Czech Romanticism, blending Suk's signature melodic warmth with the dramatic, folk-inspired storytelling traditions of his homeland.
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Adventures on Earth from "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" (1982)
John Williams (b. 1932)
If any piece of music captures the essence of pure childhood wonder, it is John Williams’ iconic score for E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. This selection, "Adventures on Earth," accompanies the film’s climactic finale: the high-stakes bicycle chase and the bittersweet farewell between a young boy and his alien friend.
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Williams does far more than provide background music; he acts as the primary storyteller. The piece begins with the frantic, rhythmic energy of the chase—the punchy strings and driving brass mirroring the desperate pedaling of children outrunning the "grown-ups." Then, in a moment of cinematic magic, the orchestration "lifts off" into the soaring Flying Theme. Even without the silver screen, Williams’ writing is so vivid that you can almost feel the wind in your hair as the bicycles take flight.
This performance is supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Department of Arts and Culture.
Corporate Sponsors
Individual Sponsors
Mezzo forte
Greg and Cassie Borish
Chuck and Bess Knight
Thomas Sederberg
Richard Smykle
Mike Wertz, Realty Executives Valencia
Mezzo piano
Jeremy Ayers
Huong Le
Thang Nguyen
Mary Roberti
Sandra Wilcher
Piano
J.R. Hills
Donald Trepczyk
Pianissimo
Waldo Cruz
Jennifer Gregg
Rita Hughes
Rebecca Kellogg
Megan Lee
Colleen O-Lear
Cristina Ramirez
Julie Vazquez
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SUPPORT THE ARTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Please consider supporting SCSO with a tax-deductible gift.*
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There are many ways to support SCSO, but no matter how you give, your contribution benefits our programming, our community programs, our artists, and our community.
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Direct Donations
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Corporate Sponsorships
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Ralph Rewards
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Donate Your Vehicle
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Volunteer your time
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*Santa Clarita Symphony Orchestra is a Section 501(c)3 nonprofit (EIN: 88-4299007) and your gift may qualify as a charitable deduction for federal income tax purposes.
Thank you!
Thank you to our donors and sponsors; your generosity has directly supported music in Santa Clarita and has made this concert possible.
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Thank you to the William S. Hart School District for their support and use of their facilities for our rehearsals.
Special thanks go out to the Canyon High School Performing Arts Center and to Don Pittman for his generous time and talent.
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Big thanks go out to our volunteers, our board members, and all the talented musicians who make this orchestra a strong and vibrant part of our community.
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And the biggest thanks go to you, our audience members, for joining us for this special concert. We hope to see you at our next performance!