Carnegie Hall

This June and July, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute brings together 187 of the best young musicians from across the country for a summer of extraordinary music-making. The acclaimed National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA), now in its fourth year, features 109 musicians ages 16-19. They are joined this summer by 78 of their peers who are members of NYO2, a new program for ages 14-17, created with a particular focus on attracting talented students from communities underserved by and underrepresented in the classical orchestral field. In total, the musicians of NYO-USA and NYO2 come from 41 US states plus Puerto Rico. Both programs are free to all participants.

Each program will begin with an intensive training residency on the campus of Purchase College, State University of New York, with NYO2 students arriving on June 18 and NYO-USA participants joining them one week later on June 25. While in residence at Purchase College, the young players will study with professional musicians from many of the country’s leading orchestras.

NYO2—following a series of master classes, private lessons, chamber music readings, and orchestral rehearsals—will culminate in a weekend of activities in Philadelphia, PA, including a free side-by-side performance at Verizon Hall on Saturday, July 2 at 6:00 p.m. with The Philadelphia Orchestra and conductor Giancarlo Guerrero. Throughout the residency, NYO2 musicians will have the special opportunity to work closely with select members of The Philadelphia Orchestra, an organization with its own deep commitment to education and artist training, thanks to a new partnership formed between Carnegie Hall and the orchestra, as well as with additional faculty from top US orchestras.

Following its own training residency at Purchase College, NYO-USA will embark on a six-concert tour from July 13–25. This year, NYO-USA will prepare two programs, first performing music by Mozart and Bruckner with conductor Christoph Eschenbach and pianist Emanuel Ax at The Performing Arts Center in Purchase, NY on Wednesday, July 13 at 8:00 p.m. and at Carnegie Hall on Thursday, July 14 at 8:00 p.m. The orchestra then departs for Europe, for performances under the baton of Valery Gergiev with pianist Denis Matsuev in Amsterdam, Montpellier, Copenhagen, and Prague of music by Debussy, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, and Mendelssohn.

“We are thrilled to bring NYO-USA and NYO2 together for the first time this year, offering nearly 200 young musicians from all across the country the opportunity to learn from each other as well as from an extraordinary faculty and embark on a wonderful summer of music-making,” said Clive Gillinson, Carnegie Hall’s Executive and Artistic Director. “We hope to empower these talented young players to further develop their musicianship and use music to connect with audiences and people around the globe.”

National Youth Orchestra of the USA 2016—Details
The members of the 2016 NYO-USA—ages 16-19, hailing from 33 US states—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 38 returning musicians from previous seasons. Click here for a full list of musicians.

In its training residency at Purchase College, SUNY, NYO-USA will gear up for a six-concert tour led by two renowned conductors: Christoph Eschenbach and Valery Gergiev. Mr. Eschenbach will lead the orchestra in a program to include Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat Major, K. 482 featuring acclaimed pianist Emanuel Ax as soloist alongside Bruckner’s Symphony No. 6 in A Major at the Performing Arts Center in Purchase, New York on Wednesday, July 13 at 8:00 p.m. and at Carnegie Hall on Thursday, July 14 at 8:00 p.m. The orchestra’s Carnegie Hall concert will be recorded by WQXR Radio for later broadcast.

Following the New York appearances, NYO-USA will fly to Europe, joining Mr. Gergiev and pianist Denis Matsuev for a tour of some of the continent’s music capitals, including performances at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Holland (July 21), part of Robeco SummerNights at the Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam; the Opéra Berlioz in Montpellier, France (July 22), part of the Radio France Festival; Tivoli Hall in Copenhagen, Denmark (July 24), part of the Tivoli Festival; and Smetana Hall in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic (July 25). The orchestra’s European tour repertoire will feature Debussy’s Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune; Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 (Amsterdam, Montpellier, Copenhagen); Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, “Italian” (Prague only); and Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 4 and selections from Romeo and Juliet. NYO-USA’s July 21 concert at the Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam will be streamed live online for free by medici.tv.

NYO-USA’s touring activities will allow America’s finest young musicians to share their artistry with American and European audiences while also experiencing the richness of European culture and music. As part of their travel schedule, NYO-USA players will have the opportunity to tour cities, interact with local young musicians, and participate in informal community performances. In addition, NYO-USA musicians will join their peers in NYO2 for a weekend of activities in Philadelphia, from July 2 to 4.

In order to prepare two complete concert programs with separate conductors and soloists, NYO-USA musicians will have a longer residency at Purchase College, rehearsing for three full weeks leading up to the tour while working with principal players from many of the country’s finest professional orchestras. James Ross, director of orchestral activities at the University of Maryland, returns to lead the NYO-USA faculty for a fourth consecutive year. Click here for a complete list of NYO-USA faculty.

For the first time, two young musicians have been selected as apprentice composers for NYO-USA. During the Purchase residency, they will have the opportunity to have their music workshopped with musicians from the orchestra, providing experience with orchestration and writing for larger forces and creating opportunities for dialogue between instrumentalists and composers who are peers. Celebrated American composer Sean Shepherd (whose work Magiya was commissioned by Carnegie Hall for the inaugural NYO-USA in 2013) will serve as mentor and teacher for the young composers. The apprentice composers join an apprentice orchestra manager, apprentice librarian, and two apprentice conductors as members of the 2016 NYO-USA.

NYO2 2016—Details
The inaugural class of NYO2—ages 14-17, coming from 27 US states as well as Puerto Rico—features talented students from diverse backgrounds, many of whom have not had access to highly selective training opportunities in their own communities. Like NYO-USA, NYO2 musicians were selected following a comprehensive online audition process. In addition, Carnegie Hall asked high school educators and local youth orchestra directors for nominations of potential NYO2 candidates who would most benefit from focused training and participation in an inspiring community of their peers in order to take their playing to the next level. Click here for a full list of musicians.

In addition to coaching sessions with Philadelphia Orchestra members during their training residency at Purchase College, NYO2 musicians will have side-by-side opportunities with their peers in NYO-USA as well as access to individual instruction and workshops designed to cultivate arts leadership skills to enable them to serve their communities through music. Click here for a full list of NYO2 faculty from The Philadelphia Orchestra and other ensembles.

The finale of the NYO2 musicians’ 2016 season will be a weekend in Philadelphia from July 1–4, highlighted by a free concert at Verizon Hall on Saturday, July 2 at 6:00 p.m. Mr. Guerrero will lead NYO2 in a program to include Respighi’s Pines of Rome in a side-by-side performance with The Philadelphia Orchestra. The evening will also include Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien, Op. 45, performed by NYO2 and Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, Op. 45, performed by The Philadelphia Orchestra.

During their visit to Philadelphia, NYO2 musicians will also have the opportunity to mentor younger students from the Philadelphia Music Alliance for Youth (PMAY) at the Curtis Institute of Music, visit the National Constitution Center, and participate in The Philadelphia Orchestra’s annual Neighborhood Concert at Penn’s Landing on Friday, July 1. In addition, members of NYO-USA’s brass section will perform at the Philadelphia Phillies’ postgame festivities on Saturday, July 2. The weekend will also include a massive side-by-side performance at the 23rd Street Armory on the morning of Sunday, July 3 at 12:00 p.m. featuring NYO2, NYO-USA, and members of The Philadelphia Orchestra, as well as local instrumentalists from Philadelphia-area youth orchestras.

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About the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America
Each summer, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute brings together the finest young musicians from across the country (ages 16-19) to form the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA). Following a comprehensive audition process and a two-week training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York, with faculty made up of principal players from top professional orchestras, these remarkable teenagers embark on a tour to some of the great music capitals of the world, serving as America’s dynamic music ambassadors.

Launched in summer 2013 to great acclaim, the first-ever National Youth Orchestra of the USA presented concerts with conductor Valery Gergiev and violinist Joshua Bell to enthusiastic audiences at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC; St. Petersburg and Moscow in Russia; and at the BBC Proms in London. The 2014 orchestra, led by American conductor David Robertson with violinist Gil Shaham as soloist, made its debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City, followed by a coast-to-coast US tour to Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts; Boone, North Carolina; Chicago, Illinois; Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Sonoma County, California; and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, California. In 2015, NYO-USA, with conductor Charles Dutoit and pianist YUNDI, made its debut in China, performing at some of the country’s greatest concert halls in many regions of the country, including concerts in Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Xi’an, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong.

In summer 2017, NYO-USA will make its debut in South America, performing under the baton of conductor Marin Alsop. For more information, visit carnegiehall.org/nyousa.

About NYO2 
Created by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, NYO2 brings together outstanding young American instrumentalists ages 14–17 for a two-week, intensive summer training program at Purchase College, SUNY. An extension of the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA), NYO2 offers an opportunity for participants to play alongside exceptionally talented peers and learn from a world-class faculty. The program aims to expand the pool of young musicians across the country equipped with the tools to succeed at the highest level, particularly those who will bring greater diversity to classical orchestral music and/or those who have not had access to highly selective training opportunities outside of their local community. As a central part of NYO2, participants will have the opportunity to work closely with select members of The Philadelphia Orchestra, and NYO2’s 2016 season culminates with the young musicians performing in an exciting side-by-side performance with members of The Philadelphia Orchestra at Verizon Hall in Philadelphia on July 2. For more information, visit carnegiehall.org/nyo2.

About The Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is one of the preeminent orchestras in the world, renowned for its distinctive sound, desired for its keen ability to capture the hearts and imaginations of audiences, and admired for a legacy of imagination and innovation on and off the concert stage. Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s highly collaborative style, deeply-rooted musical curiosity, and boundless enthusiasm, paired with a fresh approach to orchestral programming, have been heralded by critics and audiences alike since his inaugural season in 2012. The Orchestra is transforming its rich tradition of achievement, sustaining the highest level of artistic quality, but also challenging—and exceeding—that level by creating powerful musical experiences for audiences at home and around the world. The Philadelphia Orchestra has a decades-long tradition of presenting learning and community engagement opportunities for listeners of all ages across the Delaware Valley. Current initiatives that take musicians off the traditional concert stage and into the community include the highly-successful PopUP Concerts and PlayINs, SingINs, and ConductINs. For more information, visit philorch.org.

PROGRAM INFORMATION: NYO2 IN PHILADELPHIA

Saturday, July 2 at 6:00 p.m.
Verizon Hall
NYO2
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
Giancarlo Guerrero, Conductor

SERGEI RACHMANINOFF Symphonic Dances, Op. 45
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY Capriccio Italien, Op. 45
OTTORINO RESPIGHI Pines of Rome

Tickets: Free

Sunday, July 3 at 12:00 p.m.
23rd Street Armory
NYO-USA
NYO2
MEMBERS OF THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
James Ross, Conductor
Lio Kuokman, Conductor

GEORGES BIZET “Farandole,” from L’Arlésienne, Suite No. 2
NIKOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Capriccio espagnol
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY Finale from Symphony No. 4

Full Orchestra Side-by-Side Performance with local instrumentalists from Philadelphia-area youth orchestras. 

Free event. No tickets required.

PROGRAM INFORMATION: NYO-USA NEW YORK CONCERTS

Wednesday, July 13 at 8:00 p.m.
Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center, Purchase College, SUNY
NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Christoph Eschenbach, Conductor
Emanuel Ax, Piano

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat Major, K. 482
ANTON BRUCKNER Symphony No. 6 in A Major

Tickets: $16.25 – $55


Thursday, July 14 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Christoph Eschenbach, Conductor
Emanuel Ax, Piano

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat Major, K. 482
ANTON BRUCKNER Symphony No. 6 in A Major

Tickets: $13–60

PROGRAM INFORMATION: NYO-USA 2016 EUROPEAN TOUR

Thursday, July 21 at 8:00 p.m.
Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam
NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Valery Gergiev, Conductor
Denis Matsuev, Piano

CLAUDE DEBUSSY Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 30
SERGEI PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 4 in C Major, Op. 112
SERGEI PROKOFIEV Selections from Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64bis and Op. 64ter
·· Masks
·· Montagues and Capulets


Friday, July 22, 2016 at 8:00 p.m.
Opéra Berlioz
NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Valery Gergiev, Conductor
Denis Matsuev, Piano

CLAUDE DEBUSSY Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 30
SERGEI PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 4 in C Major, Op. 112
SERGEI PROKOFIEV Selections from Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64bis and Op. 64ter
·· Masks
·· Montagues and Capulets


Sunday, July 24 at 5:00 p.m.
Tivoli Hall
NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Valery Gergiev, Conductor
Denis Matsuev, Piano

CLAUDE DEBUSSY Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 30
SERGEI PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 4 in C Major, Op. 112
SERGEI PROKOFIEV Selections from Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64bis and Op. 64ter
·· Masks
·· Montagues and Capulets


Monday, July 25 at 8:00 p.m.
Smetana Hall
NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Valery Gergiev, Conductor

CLAUDE DEBUSSY Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
FELIX MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90, “Italian”
SERGEI PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 4 in C Major, Op. 112
SERGEI PROKOFIEV Selections from Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64bis and Op. 64ter
·· Masks
·· Montagues and Capulets

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Support for NYO-USA Summer Tour:

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; Robert F. Smith; Sarah Billinghurst Solomon and Howard Solomon; and Joan and Sanford I. Weill and the Weill Family Foundation.

Additional funding has been provided by The Jack Benny Family Foundation; Andrew and Margaret Paul; and Jolyon Stern and Nelle Nugent.

Leadership support for NYO2 is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

NYO2 Founder Patron: Beatrice Santo Domingo.

 

What the press have said about NYO-USA: 

“The performance exuded vitality and confidence.” — The New York Times 

“This very large orchestra not only played with ferocious spirit and genuine personality, but it also produced refined performances notable for credible polish.” — Los Angeles Times 

“It was the kind of night that reassures classical music lovers that the art form will survive well into the future.” — Musical America 

“Throughout, the playing was of the highest caliber: controlled, precise, crisp, and nuanced, with perfect ensemble.” — Classical Voice North America

“Carnegie Hall may have created the best music camp ever.” — National Public Radio 

“With their debut this week it already seems safe to say that the future of classical music in America is stronger than it was even one month ago!” — The Times, London 

“The whole ensemble played with electric commitment.” — The Guardian 

To learn more about NYO-USA, visit carnegiehall.org/nyousa.
To learn more about NYO2, visit carnegiehall.org/NYO2.
Like NYO-USA and NYO2 on Facebook at facebook.com/nyousa.
Follow on Twitter at #NYOUSA and #NYO2.
See more on YouTube at youtube.com/carnegiehall. 

 

Ticket Information

Tickets for NYO-USA’s Carnegie Hall concert, priced $13–$60, are available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, 154 West 57th Street, or can be charged to major credit cards by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800 or by visiting the Carnegie Hall website, carnegiehall.org.

Tickets for NYO-USA’s Purchase College performance, priced $16.25–$55, are available by calling 914-251-6200 or visiting The Performing Arts Center’s website at artscenter.org.

Tickets for the NYO2 side-by-side concert with The Philadelphia Orchestra at Verizon Hall are free and available at philorch.org, by phone at 215-893-1999, and at the Kimmel Center Box Office. Seating is general admission and first come, first served.

The side-by-side performance by NYO-USA, NYO2, and members of The Philadelphia Orchestra with young musicians from Philadelphia-area youth orchestras at the 23rd Street Armory is a free event open to the public. Seating is general admission and first come, first served. Tickets are not required. For more information, please visit philorch.org.