America’s Finest Teen Instrumentalists Form Carnegie Hall’s Three National Youth Ensembles This July.

AMERICA’S FINEST TEEN INSTRUMENTALISTS
COME TOGETHER IN NEW YORK TO
FORM CARNEGIE HALL’S
THREE NATIONAL YOUTH ENSEMBLES
WITH MORE THAN
200 TALENTED YOUNG MUSICIANS
TRAINING AND PERFORMING
ALONGSIDE WORLD-CLASS ARTISTS
The National Youth Orchestra of the
United States of America,
NYO2, and NYO Jazz Gather This July
For Intensive Training Residency

Carnegie Hall Concerts by NYO Jazz
with Sean Jones and Jazzmeia Horn on July 28;
NYO-USA with Daniel Harding
and Alisa Weilerstein on July 29; and
NYO2 with Mei-Ann Chen and Aaron Diehl on August 1

NYO2 Travels to Miami Beach for Residency
with New World Symphony;
NYO-USA Returns to Europe;
and NYO Jazz Embarks on First-Ever Tour of US

(New York, NY, June 6, 2022)—This July, Carnegie Hall will bring together more than 200 of the finest teen musicians from across the country to perform as part of its three acclaimed national youth ensembles: the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA), NYO2, and NYO Jazz. All three ensembles will take part in an intensive training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York (SUNY) before performing at Carnegie Hall and embarking on tours across the country and around the world, serving as America’s dynamic musical ambassadors. In total, 212 musicians will take part in this year’s program, representing 40 US states plus Puerto Rico. This summer marks the first time since 2019 that the ensembles will perform at Carnegie Hall and embark on performance tours. Since launching NYO-USA in 2013, Carnegie Hall has built on the program’s success by introducing two additional ensembles–NYO2, a sister orchestra for younger musicians, in 2016, and NYO Jazz in 2018. Each of these highly-selective programs—free to all participants—is dedicated to the proposition that talented young musicians thrive when they have the opportunity to expand their musical, social, and cultural horizons and share their artistry with audiences around the globe. On July 16, the musicians will arrive at Purchase College, SUNY from across the country to begin their training residency. NYO-USA and NYO2 musicians will work with leading players from America’s top professional orchestras, and NYO Jazz players will work with a stellar faculty comprised of some of the finest jazz artists on the scene today as they prepare for their annual Carnegie Hall performances and tours. In addition to full ensemble rehearsals, the young musicians will take part in sectional rehearsals, master classes, private lessons, chamber music, and other seminars on essential music skills. During the residency, there will be opportunities for exchange activities among the three ensembles, giving classical and jazz instrumentalists the chance to collaborate and learn from each other. “We are thrilled to bring top-quality musicians of NYO-USA, NYO2, and NYO Jazz together again for an extraordinary summer of music-making,” said Clive Gillinson, Carnegie Hall’s Executive and Artistic Director. “This summer is especially meaningful as it’s the first time since 2019 that the ensembles will perform at Carnegie Hall and embark on tours across the United States and the world, acting as musical ambassadors for our country. The musicians featured in the three ensembles remind us of the incredible musical talent in the USA, coming from almost every part of the country. They are not only superb players but also fine citizens of the world, dedicated to connecting with people across cultures.” New music has always been a key component of the national youth ensembles. This summer, two new works written by NYO-USA’s 2022 apprentice composers Yuri Lee and Taki Salameh will be performed during the residency. The young composers will work with celebrated American composer Sean Shepherd, who was commissioned to write a new work, Magiya, for NYO-USA’s inaugural season in 2013, and serves as the composition program director and mentor/coach to the apprentices. NYO Jazz will play a diverse program including a new work by Brooklyn-based composer and Secret Society bandleader Darcy James Argue (commissioned by Carnegie Hall); a piece inspired by the life and work of activist Ida B. Wells by bassist Endea Owens; and a new arrangement of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by John Clayton, as they share this uniquely American music on tour across the country. Additional repertoire highlights this summer include NYO-USA performing Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 and Elgar’s Cello Concerto and NYO2 performing Jessie Montgomery’s Soul Force, Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, and Gershwin’s Piano Concerto. On June 24, NYO Jazz will release its first full-length studio album, We’re Still Here, featuring Artistic Director and bandleader/trumpeter Sean Jones and special guest Melissa Aldana on tenor saxophone, plus an appearance by trombonist Wycliffe Gordon. We’re Still Here features four new works written for the band since its inception, a range of classic and contemporary charts that are hallmarks of its live concerts, and works exploring themes that include social justice, resilience, and the power of music to spark joy. The album was recorded during the ensemble’s summer 2021 training residency at Purchase College, SUNY, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. A summer that began with the disappointment of a year without touring evolved into the opportunity to create this 97-minute showcase of the incredible artistry and enormous versatility of this ensemble, a recording reaching audiences around the world just as the ensemble resumes touring this summer 2022. Upcoming Summer 2022 Performances All three ensembles take the Carnegie Hall stage in the span of five days, starting with NYO Jazz led by Artistic Director and Bandleader Sean Jones and featuring Grammy Award-nominated vocalist Jazzmeia Horn on Thursday, July 28 at 8:00 p.m., followed by NYO-USA with Daniel Harding and cellist Alisa Weilerstein on Friday, July 29 at 8:00 p.m., and concluding with NYO2 conducted by Mei-Ann Chen and featuring pianist Aaron Diehl on Monday, August 1 at 8:00 p.m. Following NYO-USA’s Carnegie Hall performance, the orchestra returns to Europe, making debuts at the Ravello Festival and the Lucerne Festival, as well as returning to the Young Euro Classic Festival in Berlin and the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. NYO Jazz will tour the United States for the first time, joined by vocalist Jazzmeia Horn, with performances in Cleveland, Chautauqua, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Detroit, Madison, and Washington, D.C. NYO2 returns to Miami Beach, Florida through a continued partnership with the New World Symphony, America’s Orchestral Academy (NWS) for a five-day residency, including a performance at the New World Center with pianist Aaron Diehl. As part of their travel schedule, all three ensembles have the exciting opportunity to tour the cities in which they will be performing and engage with local musicians. See below for more information about each ensemble’s residency and tour this summer: National Youth Orchestra of the USA— Summer 2022 Details This summer’s NYO-USA is comprised of 109 members—ages 16–19 and hailing from 34 US states—who have been recognized by Carnegie Hall as being among the finest players in the country, following a comprehensive national audition process. This summer’s roster will feature 29 musicians from previous seasons as well as 33 musicians who gained experience through NYO2. Click here for a full list of musicians, including hometowns. In preparation for its array of performance activities in the New York area and abroad, NYO-USA will once again work with an impressive list of principal players from many of the nation’s top professional orchestras during its training residency. James Ross, music director of the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, returns to lead the NYO-USA faculty for a tenth consecutive year. Other all-star faculty joining include violinist Elisa Barston (Seattle Symphony), oboist Titus Underwood (Nashville Symphony), trumpeter Esteban Batallán (Chicago Symphony Orchestra), and many more. Click here for a complete list of NYO-USA guest artists and faculty. Conductor Daniel Harding and NYO-USA take center stage at Carnegie Hall for the orchestra’s annual concert in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage on Friday, July 29 at 8:00 p.m. The program will include Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, and Elgar’s Cello Concerto featuring renowned cellist Alisa Weilerstein. The orchestra then departs to Europe for debut performances as part of Italy’s Ravello Festival (August 7) and Switzerland’s Lucerne Festival (August 10). NYO-USA also returns to the Concertgebouw Amsterdam (August 2)—where their performance in 2016 was heralded as “downright fantastic” (de Folkskrant)—and kicks off the Young Euro Classic series at Konzerthaus Berlin (August 5). This summer marks the first time NYO-USA will be able to perform at the Hall and tour internationally since 2019. NYO2—Summer 2022 Details The 81 members of NYO2 2019—ages 14–17 and coming from 27 US states plus Puerto Rico—have been recognized as exceptionally talented musicians who not only embody a very high level of artistry, but who also come from a wide range of backgrounds, representing a bright future for American orchestral music. Fourteen musicians will be returning to NYO2 from past seasons, and 33 prior members of NYO2 have been accepted for NYO-USA this summer. Click here for the full list of NYO2 musicians, including hometowns.. Joseph Young, Music Director of the Berkeley Symphony and Artistic Director of Ensembles at the Peabody Institute, returns as NYO2’s resident conductor, and the students will also have the opportunity to work with James Ross and leading players from professional orchestras across the country. Click here for a full list of NYO2 guest artists and faculty. For the third time, the musicians of NYO2 will travel to Miami Beach for a five-day residency made possible through a continued partnership with the New World Symphony, America’s Orchestral Academy (NWS). As part of their training, NYO2 players will work with NWS Fellows leading up to a performance at the New World Center led by conductor Mei-Ann Chen on Saturday, July 30 at 7:30 p.m. The program includes Jessie Montgomery’s Soul Force, Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, and Gershwin’s Piano Concerto, featuring pianist Aaron Diehl as soloist. The New World Center concert will be livestreamed for audiences everywhere. Following their Miami residency, the NYO2 musicians return to New York for a culminating performance at Carnegie Hall on Monday, August 1 at 8:00 p.m. NYO Jazz—Summer 2022 Details NYO Jazz returns in 2022 for its fifth year, following the June 24 release of its first-ever album, We’re Still Here, this summer. The 22 members of NYO Jazz 2022—ages 16–19 and hailing from around the country—have been recognized by Carnegie Hall as being among the finest jazz players in the country following a comprehensive and highly selective audition process. Click here for the full list of NYO Jazz musicians, including hometowns. Led by Artistic Director and Bandleader Sean Jones, NYO Jazz players will have the opportunity to work with some of America’s top jazz artists as part of in-depth training workshops, including bassist Luques Curtis, trumpeter Tanya Darby, trombonist Marshall Gilkes, drummer Allison Miller, pianist Shamie Royston, saxophonist Lauren Sevian, ensemble coach Reginald Thomas, and guitarist Dan Wilson. Click here for a full list of NYO Jazz faculty. NYO Jazz performs at Carnegie Hall on Thursday, July 28 at 8:00 p.m., led by Jones and featuring Grammy Award-nominated vocalist Jazzmeia Horn for a program to include new works by Darcy James Argue (commissioned by Carnegie Hall) and Endea Owens; a new arrangement of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by John Clayton; selections from Ms. Horn’s new Grammy Award-nominated album Dear Love; as well as big band classics by Bob Brookmeyer, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, and Mary Lou Williams. Following their New York appearance, NYO Jazz will embark on its first-ever US tour, with performances at: Cleveland, OH on July 30 (Tri-C Metro Auditorium); Chautauqua, NY on August 1 (Chautauqua Amphitheater); Pittsburgh, PA on August 2 (The August Wilson African American Cultural Center); Chicago, IL on August 4 (Navy Pier, Lake Stage in Polk Bros Park); Detroit, MI on August 5 (Orchestra Hall, The Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center); Madison, WI on August 7 (Wisconsin Union Theater); and Washington, D.C. on August 9 (The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts). CARNEGIE HALL PERFORMANCE LISTINGS: Thursday, July 28 at 8:00 p.m. Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage NYO JAZZ Sean Jones, Artistic Director, Bandleader, and Trumpet with Special Guest Jazzmeia Horn, Vocalist Program to include works by Bob Brookmeyer, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, and Mary Lou Williams, new works by Darcy James Argue (commissioned by Carnegie Hall) and Endea Owens, a new arrangement by John Clayton, and selections from Jazzmeia Horn’s Grammy Award-nominated album Dear Love. Tickets: $20–$40 _________________________________________ Friday, July 29 at 8:00 p.m. Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Daniel Harding, Conductor Alisa Weilerstein, Cello ELGAR Cello Concerto in E Minor G. MAHLER Symphony No. 5 Sponsored by United Airlines, Airline Partner to the National Youth Ensembles Tickets: $20–$60 _________________________________________ Monday, August 1 at 8:00 p.m. Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage NYO2 Mei-Ann Chen, Conductor Aaron Diehl, Piano with Fellows of the New World Symphony, America’s Orchestral Academy JESSIE MONTGOMERY Soul Force GERSHWIN Piano Concerto in F RACHMANINOFF Symphonic Dances Tickets: $20–$40 * * * * NYO-USA Supporters Lead Donors: Hope and Robert F. Smith, Marina Kellen French and the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation, The Kovner Foundation, Beatrice Santo Domingo, and Nicola and Beatrice Bulgari. Global Ambassadors: Michael ByungJu Kim and Kyung Ah Park, Hope and Robert F. Smith, and Maggie and Richard Tsai. Major funding has been provided by Mercedes T. Bass Charitable Corporation, Ronald E. Blaylock and Petra Pope, Lorraine Buch Fund for Young Artists, Estate of Joan Eliasoph, Mr. and Mrs. Anthony B. Evnin and the A.E. Charitable Foundation, Clive and Anya Gillinson, The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, Marc Haas Foundation, The Carl Jacobs Foundation, Melanie and Jean E. Salata, JMCMRJ Sorrell Foundation, Joyce and George Wein Foundation, Inc., and United Airlines, Airline Partner to the National Youth Ensembles. Additional funding has been provided by the Alphadyne Foundation, Sarah Arison, The Jack Benny Family Foundation, Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation, Mary Anne Huntsman Morgan and The Huntsman Foundation, IAC, Stella and Robert Jones, Martha and Robert Lipp, Lauren and Ezra Merkin, Beth and Joshua Nash, The Netherland-America Foundation, The Morton H. Meyerson Family Foundation, Linda Wachner, David S. Winter, and Judy Francis Zankel. Founder Patrons: Blavatnik Family Foundation; Nicola and Beatrice Bulgari; The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation; Marina Kellen French and the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation; The Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Family Foundation; Ronald O. Perelman; Robertson Foundation; Beatrice Santo Domingo; Hope and Robert F. Smith; Sarah Billinghurst Solomon and Howard Solomon; and Joan and Sanford I. Weill and the Weill Family Foundation. NYO2 Supporters Lead Donors: Hope and Robert F. Smith, Marina Kellen French and the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation, The Kovner Foundation, and Beatrice Santo Domingo. Global Ambassadors: Michael ByungJu Kim and Kyung Ah Park, Hope and Robert F. Smith, and Maggie and Richard Tsai. Leadership support for NYO2 is provided by Clarissa Alcock Bronfman and Edgar Bronfman, Jr., Estate of Joan Eliasoph, and Mellon Foundation. Major support for NYO2 is provided by the Mercedes T. Bass Charitable Corporation, Ronald E. Blaylock and Petra Pope, Mr. and Mrs. Anthony B. Evnin and the A.E. Charitable Foundation, Clive and Anya Gillinson, the Marc Haas Foundation, Beth and Joshua Nash, Melanie and Jean E. Salata, Sarah Billinghurst Solomon and Howard Solomon, and Joyce and George Wein Foundation, Inc. Founder Patron: Beatrice Santo Domingo. With additional funding provided by Alphadyne Foundation, Sarah Arison, Ernst & Young LLP, Stella and Robert Jones, Martha and Robert Lipp, Andrew J. Martin-Weber, Lauren and Ezra Merkin, the Morton H. Meyerson Family Foundation, Linda Wachner, David S. Winter, and Judy Francis Zankel. Public support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts. NYO Jazz Supporters Lead Donors: Hope and Robert F. Smith, Marina Kellen French and the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation, The Kovner Foundation, and Beatrice Santo Domingo. Global Ambassadors: Michael ByungJu Kim and Kyung Ah Park, Hope and Robert F. Smith, and Maggie and Richard Tsai. Major support has been provided by the Mercedes T. Bass Charitable Corporation, Ronald E. Blaylock and Petra Pope, Estate of Joan Eliasoph, Mr. and Mrs. Anthony B. Evnin and the A.E. Charitable Foundation, Clive and Anya Gillinson, Marc Haas Foundation, Melanie and Jean E. Salata, Sarah Billinghurst Solomon and Howard Solomon, and Joyce and George Wein Foundation, Inc. Additional support has been provided by the Alphadyne Foundation, Sarah Arison, Stella and Robert Jones, Martha and Robert Lipp, Lauren and Ezra Merkin, Beth and Joshua Nash, Linda Wachner, David S. Winter, and Judy Francis Zankel.