By Tiffani Smith

The West Covina Symphony Orchestra (WCSO), under the leadership of Maestra Sylvia Lee Mann, Founder and Artistic Director of the symphony, is enhancing our music and culture in the San Gabriel Valley.  The WCSO is a community orchestra that offers concerts and educational outreach programs to the San Gabriel Valley community and beyond.  Additionally, they offer performance opportunities for musicians in Southern California.

With hard work, perseverance, passion, self-funding and sacrifice, the WCSO and Dr. Sylvia Lee Mann continue to illustrate the significant role arts and music play in West Covina and the SGV.  Music and art are the life and blood of society that continue to bring us together.  Consequently, the WCSO has worked hard to bring music and arts back to its communities, schools and people.

The symphony presents four main “classical” concerts each year, four chamber music concerts, and at least three to four “special events” annually.  I received the great honor of attending the West Covina Symphony Orchestra and Biocalth Foundation’s East Meets West Concert at the Sophia B. Clarke Theater at Mount San Antonio College.  The concert presented and celebrated diverse cultures and coming together of people of all ages from a variety of backgrounds.  The concert showcased the cultures, communities and music from African-Americans, Latino, Chinese, and Classic “Americana” composers and performers.

Michael Antonovich, Supervisor of the LA County 5^th District, known for his leadership skills and continued support of music and the arts, appeared as the featured Guest Conductor for “Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Philip Sousa.  The East Meets West program featured an all-star cast of artists:  the beautiful and breathtaking 15 year old violinist Kristie Su; Soprano and composer Jennifer Lindsay; Mezzo-soprano Sophia Li Wen; 16 year old Soprano Andrea Yamamoto; WCSO Mariachi Ensemble and the Los Angeles Chinese Musicians Ensemble Chorus.  In addition to the world premier of Jennifer Lindsay’s “End of Days” from her debut CD “Songs in the Dark”, the West Covina Symphony Orchestra presentation of East Meets West also included the tremendously talented flutist Aleksandr Haskin and the entertaining Mariachi Los Solecitos with “Mariachi King” Jose Hernandez.

The East Meets West program is a significant illustration of what the West Covina Symphony Orchestra brings to the San Gabriel Valley and beyond: culture, music, art, and community.  It is essential the San Gabriel Valley community help the West Covina Symphony Orchestra reach its goal to sell out all the seats at their events.   With the leadership of Dr. Sylvia Lee Mann, being honored as the West Covina’s Community Hero, the WSCO will attain success but with our support, we can aid the WCSO in maintaining their mission and purpose “to enrich its community by engaging audiences and inspiring a love of music through exciting live symphony performances, chamber music performances, innovative programming, and educational outreach”. May we all be inspired one musical note at a time.

For more information on the extraordinary events with the WCSO like the Sunday, October 3, 2010 “Tchaikovsky Tchaikovsky Tchaikovsky” and more visit, WestCovinaSymphony.com or call 626.771.0462.