SEASON 65 GRADUATING SENIORS
Congratulations to our graduating seniors! We hope music will remain an important part of your lives, whether it be the foundation of your career path or treasured avocation.
Thank you for creating fabulous music with SYS and welcome to your new role as SYS Alumni!
Read about a few of our seniors who shared with us their future plans and special SYS memories.
Seniors can submit photos and future plans using the SYS 2020 Graduate form.
Ned Harlan – Trombone
Ned graduated from South Salem High School. He was a member of SYS for 6 years performing in Philharmonia and Youth Symphony. Ned won the Larry Garrett Youth Symphony Concerto Competition in 2019.
What are your plans for next year?
I plan to attend San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Share a special SYS memory
Performing Pictures and Tchaikovsky 5 and playing ultimate frisbee on the beach at Newport.
Nathan Maxwell-Bass Trombone
Nathan graduated from North Salem High School. He was a member of SYS for 3 years performing in Philharmonia and Youth Symphony.
What are your plans for next year?
I plan to work for a year, then go on a mission for my church. I will continue to play in Youth Symphony for a year while I work.
Share a special SYS memory
Playing ultimate Frisbee on the Newport Beach with Mr. Harris-Clippinger when I was in 8th grade.
Aly McCandless – Violin
Aly graduated from Lighthouse Christian Academy. She was a member of SYS for 4 years performing in Amadeus Players, Philharmonia and Youth Symphony.
What are your plans for next year?
I will be attending Linfield University to major in Nursing and minor in Music.
Share a special SYS memory
My favorite memory with SYS is when all of us in Philharmonia were able to play a piece in its entirety together. It was my first time playing in a full orchestra, and I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading on my face listening to us all making music together. That was the first time music felt alive to me, and I’ll always remember that feeling!
Nicholas Weathers – Clarinet
Nicholas graduated from McNary High School. He was a member of SYS for 5 years performing in Philharmonia and Youth Symphony.
What are your plans for next year?
I will be attending the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Share a special SYS memory
Laughing during rehearsals, making friends, and making great music.
Joseph Xavier Graney – French Horn
Joseph graduated from South Salem High School. He was a member of SYS for 6 years performing in Philharmonia and Youth Symphony.
What are your plans for next year?
I will be attending Kunst Uni Graz in Graz, Austria to pursue a degree and career in Horn performance.
Share a special SYS memory
My favorite memory was seeing the look on Mr. Harris-Clippinger’s face as I returned from throwing up both ways on my first trip to Newport in Philharmonia for the children’s concert. I’m sure he will never forget that, and I will never shed my title of being “the kid that threw up.”
Joseph To – Trombone
Joseph graduated from McKay High School. He was a member of SYS for 1 year performing in Youth Symphony.
What are your plans for next year?
Joseph will be attending the honors college at the University of Oregon to major in mathematics and computer science in hopes of becoming a data scientist.
Share a special SYS memory
The standing ovation we received after performing Pictures at an Exhibition.
Daisy Cervantes Navarro – Violin
Daisy graduated from McKay High School. She was a member of SYS for 2 years performing in Youth Symphony.
What are your plans for next year?
I will be studying psychology at Saint Lous University in Madrid, Spain, in hopes of becoming a neuropsychiatrist.
Share a special SYS memory
One of my favorite memories was participating in the concerto competition amongst such talented musicians.
Pete Amawattana – Cello
Pete graduated from South Salem High School. He was a member of SYS for 6 years performing in Mozart Players, Philharmonia and Youth Symphony.
What are your plans for next year?
I will be attending the University of Oregon – Music Education.
Share a special SYS memory
Evan Doster – French Horn
Evan graduated from McKay High School. He was a member of SYS for 3.5 years performing in Youth Symphony.
What are your plans for next year?
I will be majoring in Horn Performance and Physics at the University of Oregon.
Share a special SYS memory
Playing Mars by Holst On my first day in SYS. Being able to experience the thrill of the moment and the importance of my part in the ensemble was the inspiration that I needed to get better on the horn. The experience as a whole, has and always will be the reason why I will remain playing the horn all of my life.
Brynn Dempster – Oboe
Brynn graduated from South Salem High School. She was a member of SYS for 4 years performing in Philharmonia and Youth Symphony.
What are your plans for next year?
I will be attending Central Washington University – Music Education
Share a special SYS memory
One of my special memories of SYS is making a weird video montage my first year of Salem Youth Symphony with the woodwind section.
Amanda Hayes – Cello
Amanda graduated from Sprague High School. She was a member of SYS for 6 years performing in Philharmonia and Youth Symphony.
What are your plans for next year?
To serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and then attend BYU-Provo to pursue a degree in Cello performance.
Share a special SYS memory
My favorite memory was when I got to play with my Brother Samuel and Ishaan who won the Larry Garrett concerto competition in 2017 and got to perform their Clarinet concerto. It was nice to be able to share that memory with him because I hold family in a very special place.
I have also enjoyed performing movie music like Star Wars or Pirates of the Caribbean for the kids when we’ve traveled to Newport. I love watching their faces light up and get excited to play music.
My final memory is getting to play music like Pictures at an Exhibition or anything that had a remarkable majestic ending. Loud brass and full orchestra really makes me realize how grateful I am for music in my life. I’m grateful for Mr.Harris-Clipenger and all that he sacrifices and puts into the program. He is a conductor like no other and I’m glad like I got to play under his direction.
Full list of Season 65 Graduating Seniors
Pete Amawattana
Joshua Arce
Adrian Cervantes
Daisy Cervantes
Julie Chen
Brynn Dempster
Evan Doster
Elijah Durbin
Daniel Dyer
Nathan Eggert
Iris Fu
Priscila Garcia Vasquez
Joseph Graney
Ned Harlan
Amanda Hayes
Avery Haymowicz
Nathan Maxwell
Alyssa McCandless
Marie McCausland
Amee Mike
Danny Okada
Abi Swain
Joseph To
Sam Toledo
Nicholas Weathers