Rylan Yang (12) recalls facing a sea of nearly 2000 faces as he stood confidently on stage, his shiny golden French horn raised to his lips, poised and ready to play. A mix of nervous adrenaline and excitement rushed through his veins as he prepared to begin his solo, the first performance of many to come as part of the Golden State Youth Orchestra’s summer tour of Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. 

“The first performance was the most special,” Rylan said. “[I got to experience] the feeling of just being able to fill up an entire hall for minutes on end, which is something most people never get to do. There was definitely that adrenaline rush going into it, but the longer I played, the steadier things got.” 

Rylan first began his journey in music in kindergarten, when he started playing piano. However, he didn’t truly find his niche until he picked up the French horn in sixth grade, eventually joining the middle school band as well as several orchestras in ninth grade. Through spending almost four years in the Harker orchestra and earning the position of principal French hornist, Rylan gained an appreciation for the sense of community fostered in the organization. 

“The fun part of orchestra is being part of a community,” Rylan said. “Everyone’s really supportive, and everyone gets to know each other. We all get to make music together combining our individual talents.” 

Upper school instrumental music teacher Jaco Wong, who works with Rylan in orchestra, praised not only his musical talents but also his ability to uplift his peers. Although the French horn is a solo instrument, Rylan finds a way to give back to the group and contribute to the program. 

“He is one of the best high school horn players I’ve ever met,” Wong said. “His skill is excellent, and so is his ability to lead both a small group and a bigger rehearsal. He is a good observer and a good listener, and he is able to help his peers in a humble and positive way.” 

Although Rylan enjoys performing as part of a group, he also highlights the opportunities for individual creativity music offers. Whether dabbling in composing or putting his own spin on the pieces he performs, Rylan makes each of his performances his own. 

“Preparing a piece is a lot of listening to different people playing the solo in the past and then trying to pick the best from each interpretation, and then paying homage to the composer while developing my own sound,” Rylan said. “It’s building upon a lot of what people have done, but adding some flavor to it.” 

Karolyn Cheng (‘22) first met Rylan in a music theory class and played alongside him in the Harker orchestra for three years, often frequenting local concerts together. She commented on his dedication to his activities and the work ethic his passion fuels. 

“He’s definitely very hard working,” Karolyn said. “He’s always on top of his stuff, he doesn’t really procrastinate, and he cares a lot about what he does. Some people do things because they have to or they do it halfheartedly, but he definitely puts a lot of care into what he does.”

Rylan enjoys cultivating the communities around him both inside and outside of music. He frequently gives back to others through his work as president of the Rolling Hills 4-H chapter, a community-based, youth-led organization. Since joining the group at around seven years old, Rylan has participated in and organized various festivals, donation drives and service events. One of his favorite memories from his time with the organization comes from its annual partnership with Family Giving Tree. 

“We got to help younger kids find toys that might fulfill the wishes of other kids in need,” Rylan said. “It was nostalgic, going through that experience vicariously through these younger members. We’re trying to do good for other younger kids who might not be as fortunate as we are.”

Anthony Tong (12), who first met and became friends with Rylan in freshman year, noted his sense of compassion, which also drives his work in volunteering. 

“He really cares for people,” Anthony said. “He is really empathetic. He spends a lot of time thinking about what he could do to be a better friend to others and his friends.”

All in all, Rylan credits his experiences in music and volunteering for instilling a strong sense of perseverance and teamwork in him. Whether faced with a tricky new musical piece to learn or a particularly difficult course in school, Rylan remains committed to overcoming obstacles.   

“Whenever I stick my mind to something, I try to get it done,” Rylan said. “In music, whenever I’m stuck on something technically or some performance block, I’ll try to work at that for long stretches of time. I’ll try to really only focus on what’s giving me trouble and see what else I can do.”