(New York, NY, March 7, 2023)—Carnegie Hall today announced the names of the 109 outstanding young musicians selected from across the country for the tenth annual National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA). The members of the 2023 orchestra—ages 16–19, hailing from 31 US states plus Puerto Rico—have been recognized by Carnegie Hall as being among the finest players in the country following a comprehensive and highly selective audition process. This summer’s orchestra features 13 musicians who previously played with NYO-USA, as well as 35 musicians who gained experience through NYO2, a program for younger players ages 14–17. NYO-USA and NYO2 are offered free of charge, ensuring that all invited musicians have the opportunity to take part.
See below or click here for the names, instruments, and hometowns of the members of the 2023 National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America.
This summer, NYO-USA musicians will travel to New York in early July for an intensive two-week training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York (SUNY). Acclaimed conductor Sir Andrew Davis leads NYO-USA at the orchestra’s annual Carnegie Hall concert (July 14), and throughout its North American tour with stops in Groton, Massachusetts; Joliette, Quebec; Dallas, Texas; Jackson, Wyoming; Stanford, California; San Diego, California; and more. Violinist Gil Shaham is the guest soloist for NYO-USA’s performance at Carnegie Hall and for five performances on tour; Hilary Hahn joins as guest soloist for two tour performances. NYO-USA’s tour repertoire includes a new work written for the ensemble by Valerie Coleman, commissioned by Carnegie Hall; Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique; and Barber’s and Tchaikovsky’s violin concertos.
Tickets for the Carnegie Hall concert will go on sale for the general public on Monday, April 24. Tickets can be purchased at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800, or at carnegiehall.org. Discounted student tickets will be available online for verified Student Insiders only – all other youth tickets must be purchased at the box office or over the phone.
In 2023, Carnegie Hall celebrates ten years since the launch of NYO-USA and the establishment of its national youth ensembles program which also includes NYO2 and NYO Jazz.
"We’re thrilled to announce the talented musicians who will join NYO-USA for its tenth anniversary season,” said Clive Gillinson, Carnegie Hall’s Executive and Artistic Director. “This summer promises to be unforgettable, as these superb young musicians come together to train with some of the best professional musicians in the country and explore a fantastic range of repertoire. They will perform on some of the finest stages across North America, and we’re thrilled that Sir Andrew Davis, Gil Shaham, and Hilary Hahn will join to lend their insight and artistry.”
During NYO-USA’s intensive training residency in July at Purchase College, (SUNY), the musicians will work with principal players from some of the finest professional orchestras. Sarah Ioannides, music director of Symphony Tacoma, joins NYO-USA as its resident conductor for the first time this summer. Having worked with NYO-USA since its inception, James Ross, music director of the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, returns to the residency as orchestra director, working closely this summer with NYO2. The faculty will oversee rehearsals during the orchestra’s residency in Purchase, also working with the musicians in master classes and sectionals, all leading up to the launch of NYO-USA’s annual tour. Two apprentice composers will also compose new works for the orchestra, working closely with celebrated American composer Sean Shepherd who serves as the composition program director and mentor/coach to the apprentices.
NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
2023 Orchestra Roster
* Prior NYO-USA member
+ Prior NYO2 member
Alabama
Diana Nazarenko, Viola (Birmingham)
Arkansas
John David Sharp II, Viola (Lowell)+
California
Sarah Son, Violin (Davis)
Kyle Yang, Violin (Diamond Bar)+
Nathan Puopolo, Bass (Fresno)+
Minjae Jaden Kim, Violin (Irvine)+
Rubi Lee, Violin (Irvine)
Jiin Yun, Cello (Irvine)
Daniel De La Cruz, Viola (Laguna Niguel)
Spencer Quarles, Viola (Los Angeles)+
Yuli Choi, Violin (Palo Alto)+
Jenna Seohyeong Kang, Violin (Palo Alto)*
Michelle Koo, Viola (Palo Alto)+
Honor Frisco, Violin (Palos Verdes Estates)+
Huisun Hong, Cello (Pleasanton)
Nolan Smith, Bassoon (Pleasanton)
Eunseo Oh, Violin (San Jose)
Daniel Yim, Cello (San Jose)+
Kerrie Zhu, Violin (San Mateo)
Shannon Ma, Violin (Saratoga)*
Tejas Tirthapura, Viola (Saratoga)
Connecticut
Emily DeNucci, Flute (West Hartford)
Florida
Leonardo Rincon, Violin (Boynton Beach)+
Corinne Turgeon, Cello (Boynton Beach)
Sarah Biesack, Violin (Melbourne)+
Robert Aguila, Violin (Miami)+
Ian Barnett, Violin (Pinecrest)
Jeremiah La Fayette, Viola (Tampa)
Georgia
Tendekai Mawokomatanda, Bass (Atlanta)+
Bria Rives, Bass (Fayetteville)*
Anh Ho, Timpani and Percussion (Lawrenceville)
Ashley Na, Oboe (Suwanee)
Hawaii
Celina Lim, Cello (Honolulu)+
Illinois
Hope Hyink, Viola (Carbondale)
Ophir Dahari, Violin (Chicago)
Kevin Reyes, Timpani and Percussion (Chicago)+
Lisa Kazami, Violin (Hoffman Estates)+
Iowa
Adam Zeithamel, Cello (Iowa City)
Kentucky
Christian Jeon, Tuba (Louisville)
Adam Kolers, Oboe (Louisville)*
Louisiana
Daniel Lee, Violin (Kenner)*
Massachusetts
Eric Zhu, Viola (Boston)
Kaitlyn Kaminuma, Violin (Chelmsford)+
Joylyn Kim, Violin (Lexington)
Maryland
Eleanor Ohm, Bass (Bethesda)+
Yunah Kwon, Apprentice Orchestra Librarian (Ellicott City)
Jackson Bernal, Bassoon (Potomac)+
Lucy Chen, Apprentice Composer (Potomac)
Tehya Shapiro, Trumpet (Towson)
Michigan
Benjamin Graham, Viola (Grosse Pointe Woods)
Minnesota
Timothy Pinkerton, Violin (Bemidji)
Andrei Bancos, Clarinet/Piano (Rochester)
Missouri
Abigail Konopik, Horn (St. Louis)
New Jersey
Michelle Kwon, Cello (Closter)
Lili Masoudi-Namazi, Apprentice Composer (Cranford)
Nicholas Chung, Cello (Fort Lee)
Olivia Oh, Violin (Fort Lee)
Juhee Kim, Viola (Palisades Park)
Nicholas Yoo, Violin (Ramsey)+
New York
Louis Roy, Horn (Buffalo)
Daniel Choi, Oboe (Pleasantville)+*
Aurora Miller, Violin (New York)
Diogo Muggiati-Feldman, Trumpet (New York)+
Sadie Goodman, Flute (South Salem)+
Yuri Lee, Violin (Tuckahoe)*
Nevada
Cassandra Valenti, Bassoon (Las Vegas)+
Audrey Lim, Viola (Reno)+
North Carolina
Sean Darney, Bass (Cary)
John-Paul Hernandez, Violin (Farmville)
Ohio
Moshi Tang, Violin (Lyndhurst)*
Kwabena Owusu, Cello (Solon)
Oklahoma
Sophie Deng, Cello (Stillwater)+
Oregon
Katelyn Nguyen, Bassoon (Portland)
Diego Fernandez, Flute (Salem)
Pennsylvania
Izaiah Cheeran, Oboe (Philadelphia)+*
Julin Cheung, Flute (Philadelphia)+
Maya Lindsey, Harp (Philadelphia)
Miro Raj, Violin (Philadelphia)
Puerto Rico
Antonio Avilés Figueroa, Violin (Toa Baja)+
South Carolina
Devin O'Brien, Bass (Mount Pleasant)
Tennessee
Orlandis Maise, Trombone (Antioch)+*
Derek Miles Woods, Horn (Nashville)
Texas
Z Campbell, Viola (Austin)
Topher Meeks, Trumpet (Austin)
Vera Romero, Horn (Austin)
Samuel Wood, Horn (Colleyville)
Noah Urquidi, Bass Trombone (Corpus Christi)
Christopher Dechant, Clarinet (Dallas)
Oliver Lampson, Trumpet (Houston)
Joseph Escobar, Cello (Katy)*
Diego Solis, Horn (Laredo)*
Dylan Khangsar, Timpani and Percussion (Lewisville)
Devin Drinan, Trombone (McKinney)*
Charles “C.J.” Butera, Timpani and Percussion (Missouri City)+
Ian Chen, Viola (Plano, TX)+
Chancellor Joseph, Tuba (Richmond)
Samantha Washecka, Violin (Round Rock)
Vincent Garcia-Hettinger, Cello (San Antonio)
Brandon X Garza, Violin (San Antonio)+
Ayi Ekhaese, Violin (Sugar Land)+
Virginia
Kyle Ryu, Cello (Burke)
Sam Woolsey, Timpani and Percussion (Blacksburg)+
Joshua Thrush, Bass (Vienna)
Vermont
Marisa Kono, Apprentice Orchestra Manager (Shelburne)
Washington
Minoo Jang, Oboe (Bellevue)
Annie Song, Violin (Bellevue)
Veronica Pavlovic, Clarinet (Seattle)
Ava Yeh, Harp (Seattle)
Wisconsin
Jasper Chambreau, Bass (Madison)
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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 some of 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 multi-week training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York, with faculty made up of principal players from top professional US 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. As part of their travel schedule, NYO-USA musicians also have the opportunity to meet and collaborate with local young musicians and experience the richness of the local culture.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary season this summer, NYO-USA has been praised for “exuding vitality and confidence” (
The New York Times) in its performances. Following annual concerts at Carnegie Hall, NYO-USA has performed on landmark stages around the world including in the United Kingdom, China, Mexico, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Colombia, and more as well as across the United States. Last summer, the orchestra returned to touring for the first time since the pandemic, performing across Europe including debuts at the Lucerne Festival and Ravello Festival.
NYO-USA is one of Carnegie Hall’s three acclaimed national youth ensembles, which also includes
NYO2 for outstanding classical musicians (ages 14–17), and
NYO Jazz for the nation’s finest jazz instrumentalists (ages 16–19). Over the last decade, well over a thousand young musicians have performed in the three ensembles, creating a unique musical community, spotlighting musical excellence found across the United States and transforming countless lives.
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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 Ronald E. Blaylock and Petra Pope, Lorraine Buch Fund for Young Artists, Estate of Joan Eliasoph, Clive and Anya Gillinson, The Carl Jacobs Foundation, Melanie and Jean E. Salata, JMCMRJ Sorrell Foundation, 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, Mary Anne Huntsman Morgan and The Huntsman Foundation, IAC, Stella and Robert Jones, Martha and Robert Lipp, Beth and Joshua Nash, The Netherland-America Foundation, The Morton H. Meyerson Family Foundation, 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.
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To learn more about NYO-USA, visit carnegiehall.org/nyousa.
Like NYO-USA on Facebook at facebook.com/nyousa.
Follow NYO-USA on Instagram at instagram.com/nyo.usa.
See more from NYO-USA on YouTube at youtube.com/nyousa.
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