The YSO Legacy - 1995-2000

Shinik Hahm begins his Eight-Year Term as Music Director

Yale Camerata and YSO perform Mozart’s “Requiem” in St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Joined by Yale Camerata under Marguerite Brooks, the YSO performed Mozart’s Requiem for a packed audience at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.

From Maestro Hahm’s own recollections: “Our concert in St. Patrick Cathedral in NYC with Yale Camerata performing Mozart Requiem recalls a moving event mixed with perilous moments.  There were more than 5,000 audience gathered around the cathedral and the traffic on 5th avenue and Rockefeller plaza was a total mess.  The fire marshal came backstage and told me that we could not perform with this overwhelming audience.  While the management and the fire marshal debated the situation, I snuck onto the stage and began the Requiem. The concert was a huge success.”

https://yso.yalecollege.yale.edu/gallery/february-2-1997-concert-st-patricks-cathedral

As a post-script, this concert served as Manager Brian Robinson’s first interaction with the orchestra, who happened upon the concert on his way home from a shift at F.A.O. Schwarz.

Orchestra Tours Korea

In May of 1997, Maestro Hahm took the orchestra on the first of two sojourns to Korea, covering four major cities and an imposing repertoire of nine major orchestral works, including Barber’s Overture to the School for Scandal and Bernstein’s Candide Overture.

https://yso.yalecollege.yale.edu/gallery/may-1997-tour-korea

“I remember standing around a banquet hall full of food with everyone after a concert early in the trip, nearly fainting from hunger, listening to endless speeches from dignitaries….after about an hour, Shinik got up and took the mic, superstar that he was, and said succinctly, “On behalf of Yale Symphony, I would like to say that we are all very hungry.”

“I also recall running into the ocean in pusan, with a huge group, under a full moon on a beautiful evening; and how audiences would cry silently when we played the song about the mountain in north korea, which was so moving. We played it after the national anthem at most concerts I can recall.”

-Rachel Golub ’98

The YSO Gives its Avery Fisher Hall Debut

In February of 2000, the YSO debuted in the home of the New York Philharmonic. Joined by the Yale Camerata under Marguerite Brooks, the orchestra performed Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with Dong-Suk Kang, and Brahms’ Ein Deutches Requiem.

https://yso.yalecollege.yale.edu/gallery/february-27-2000-concert-avery-fisher-hall