Carnegie Hall

NYO Jazz was created for outstanding young American jazz musicians as a sister ensemble to the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA) for orchestral musicians ages 16–19, and NYO2 for ages 14–16. The ensemble exploded onto the scene in 2018, led by trumpeter and bandleader Sean Jones, and has continued to dazzle audiences around the world with big-band classics, new commissions, and two albums. In summer 2026, bandleader and trumpeter Kris Johnson leads NYO Jazz at Carnegie Hall and on tour with special guest vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater. The tour kicks off with a debut performance at the SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco followed by a return tour to Asia.

Since its inception, NYO Jazz’s tours have taken the big band across Europe, Asia, the United States, South Africa, and Latin America, where the musicians have not only received invitations to perform at some of the most celebrated venues and festivals, but have also had the opportunity to immerse themselves in new cultures, connecting with young people from different backgrounds. NYO Jazz offers an opportunity to share a uniquely American musical tradition with international audiences, leveraging the power of the arts to foster relationships and understanding, especially through peer-to-peer exchange with fellow young musicians and other students.

From the beginning, NYO Jazz has drawn exciting jazz experts to its residency and performances. Vocalists Dianne Reeves, Kurt Elling, Jazzmeia Horn, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Alicia Olatuja, and Luciana Souza have all joined the ensemble as guest soloists on the summer tours. The program also has a history of commissioning new works from great contemporary composers and jazz artists, including Darcy James Argue, Ayn Inserto, Jihye Lee, Dafnis Prieto, and Miguel Zenón. NYO Jazz alums Janelle Finton and Skylar Tang have been commissioned to write new arrangements through an NYO Jazz commissioning project, highlighting compositions from Terri Lyne Carrington’s New Standards: 101 Lead Sheets by Women Composers.

Since its inception, NYO Jazz has been completely free, ensuring equitable access for musicians across the country. All applicants audition via video and receive feedback from the professional musicians on the jury regardless of admission. Each summer, the band then comes together for an intensive training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York, where they are coached by top jazz professionals before embarking on a tour to great music capitals around the world.

“I believe that jazz musicians are some of the most equipped musicians on earth,” says Sean Jones. “They have to be able to play any type of music, which is why jazz so perfectly represents the United States, where all cultures can come together. It’s crucial that we continue to curate jazz music in our academic institutions and our performance venues like Carnegie Hall—it’s the most elegant way Americans can express who we are and our national identity.”

During its summer 2021 residency at Purchase College, NYO Jazz recorded its first full-length studio album, We’re Still Here. Named for one of NYO Jazz’s signature tunes by Wycliffe Gordon, the album features Carnegie Hall–commissioned works, a range of classic and contemporary jazz repertoire, and selections that explore themes that include social justice, resilience, and the power of music to spark joy. Released in June 2022, the album features Gordon and Melissa Aldana as guest artists. NYO Jazz released its first live album and second full-length album—Live in Johannesburg—in June 2025. Recorded at South Africa’s historic Market Theatre, the album features bandleader and trumpeter Sean Jones with vocalist Alicia Olatuja and includes special appearances by South African artists Romy Brauteseth and Linda Sikhakhane. Both albums are available on any digital streaming platform.

For these young musicians, jazz isn’t just a pastime. The majority of the program’s alums have continued to pursue jazz and music in college and professionally. Summer Camargo, a trumpeter who played in NYO Jazz’s 2018 and 2019 ensembles, earned a spot in the Saturday Night Live Band. Trumpeter Nathaniel Williford (NYO Jazz 2022 and 2023) has been playing with the Harry Connick Jr. Big Band and Count Basie Orchestra, and numerous alums have been performing and touring with leading professional ensembles and artists, including Theo Croker’s band, Michael Feinstein, the Wynton Marsalis Septet, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. Whether on tour or playing in a house band, this community of young musicians continues to grow and promote the next generation of jazz.

Photography: NYO Jazz 2021 by Chris Lee, 2021 NYO Jazz Album Recording by Chris Lee, NYO Jazz 2018 Rehearsal with Miguel Zenón by Jennifer Taylor, all other photography by Todd Rosenberg