Carnegie Hall Announces Teen Musicians Selected for 2021 National Youth Ensembles: National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America, NYO2, and NYO Jazz
Created by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, Prestigious National Programs Recognize Finest Young Musicians from Across the Country
200+ of the Country’s Outstanding Orchestral and Jazz Musicians will Gather this Summer at Purchase College, SUNY for a Month-Long Musical Residency
Carlos Miguel Prieto Leads NYO-USA and Mei-Ann Chen Leads NYO2 as Guest Conductors; Sean Jones Returns as Artistic Director and Bandleader of NYO Jazz
(New York, NY, April 15, 2021)—Carnegie Hall today announced the more than 200 outstanding young musicians selected from across the country for the Hall’s three national youth ensembles: National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA), NYO2, and NYO Jazz. The members of the 2021 ensembles—hailing from 41 US states—have been recognized by Carnegie Hall as being among the finest players in the country following a comprehensive and highly selective audition process. The Hall’s national youth ensembles are offered free of charge, ensuring that all invited musicians have the opportunity to take part. All program activities for summer 2021 are expected to take place in-person in the New York area with strict health protocols in place.
“The musicians selected to be a part of Carnegie Hall’s three national youth ensembles are among the very best players in the nation,” said Clive Gillinson, Carnegie Hall’s Executive and Artistic Director. “After a challenging year in which most young musicians haven’t been able to play together, we are very happy to be able to convene these groups again in person for an unforgettable summer of music-making. This will be an opportunity for these wonderful young players to connect with their peers, explore music together, and train with some of the top professional musicians in the country.”
See below or visit Carnegie Hall’s website for the names, instruments, and hometowns of the members of the 2021 National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America, NYO2, and NYO Jazz.
This July, the 200+ musicians will gather at Purchase College, State University of New York (SUNY), for a month-long residency with meaningful mentorship and musical activities including private lessons, master classes, and performances, led by an all-star faculty made up of principal players from top American orchestras and esteemed jazz artists. Acclaimed conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto will lead NYO-USA and conductor Mei-Ann Chen returns to lead NYO2, a sister ensemble for younger teens. Artistic Director and Bandleader Sean Jones returns for the fourth year to lead NYO Jazz.
For the ninth year, James Ross, music director of the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, returns to lead the NYO-USA faculty as Orchestra Director. Joseph Young, Artistic Director of Ensembles at the Peabody Institute, will serve as Resident Conductor of NYO2. A faculty of outstanding professional musicians will coach the students of all three ensembles in full rehearsals, sectionals, and master classes. The residency will also provide an opportunity for the young musicians to collaborate with each other in smaller chamber ensembles and jazz combos, and to participate in other workshops on essential music skills. All three national youth orchestras will play new works written specifically for them and will create digital performances. Further details will be announced later this spring. Due to the ongoing effects of COVID-19, the national youth ensembles will not tour this summer and will not play at Carnegie Hall since the Hall remains closed until fall 2021.
* * * * *
NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
2021 Orchestra Roster
* Prior NYO-USA member
+ Prior NYO2 member
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Alabama |
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Emma Boyd, Violin |
(Madison) + |
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Solomon Sigmon, Clarinet |
(Huntsville) |
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Arizona |
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Jeremy Bryant, Trumpet |
(Tucson) * |
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Grant Thomas, Bass |
(Tucson) |
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California |
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Matthew Chang, Violin |
(Los Angeles) + |
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Melody Choi, Violin |
(San Jose) + * |
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Sarah Kave, Cello |
(Tarzana) + |
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Hannah Kim, Violin |
(Newport Beach) * |
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Irene Lee, Cello |
(Irvine) |
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Dara Moayer, Violin |
(Westlake Village) |
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Ingrid Nordberg, Viola |
(Walnut Creek) |
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Eunseo Oh, Violin |
(San Jose) |
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Matthew Sakiyama, Violin |
(Millbrae) + * |
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Julia Wang, Violin |
(Sunnyvale) * |
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Stacy Widyono, Violin |
(San Diego) |
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Sein Yun, Violin |
(Irvine) * |
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Colorado |
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AJ Hudson, Timpani and Percussion |
(Denver) * |
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Andrew S. Jung, Viola |
(Englewood) |
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Sophie Urban, Trumpet |
(Colorado Springs) |
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Connecticut |
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Tyler Tan, Violin |
(Cheshire) + * |
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Florida |
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Gisel Dominguez, Bass |
(Miami) * |
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Douglas Dyer, Violin |
(Rockledge) |
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Sophia Molina, Violin |
(Miami) * |
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Annabella Paolucci, Violin |
(West Palm Beach) * |
| William Ramos, Bassoon | (Palm Harbor) + * |
| Emily Singleton, Apprentice Composer |
(Gainesville) |
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Samuel Watson, Bassoon |
(Jacksonville) * |
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Georgia |
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Ryan Clever, Flute |
(Cumming) |
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Jonathan Fuller, Cello |
(Atlanta) |
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Juliyan Martinez, Clarinet |
(Powder Springs) * |
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Ansley Moe, Viola |
(Milledgeville) + |
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Bria Rives, Bass |
(Fayetteville) |
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Idaho |
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Fernando A. Perez, Flute |
(Boise) * |
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Illinois |
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Aidan Daniels, Violin |
(Frankfort) + |
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Noah Jung, Clarinet |
(Hoffman Estates) |
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Rafael Noriega, Bass Trombone |
(Chicago) + * |
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Indiana |
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Nathan Shepherd, Bassoon |
(Lanesville) + |
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Iowa |
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Britta Elsbernd, Apprentice Orchestra Manager |
(Mason City) |
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Dorothy Junginger, Viola |
(West Des Moines) * |
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Kansas |
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Kaleb Zhu, Oboe |
(Olathe) + |
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Kentucky |
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Jake Alford, Tuba |
(Lexington) * |
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Louisiana |
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Daniel Lee, Violin |
(New Orleans) |
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Maine |
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Colin Aponte, Violin |
(Blue Hill) + |
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Maryland |
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Amy Hwang, Flute |
(West Friendship) * |
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Asha Kline, Bassoon |
(Ellicott City) + * |
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Max Lu, Apprentice Composer |
(Dayton) * |
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Massachusetts |
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Zoey Long, Viola |
(Winchester) |
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Michigan |
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Andrew Burhans, Horn |
(Portage) |
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Missouri |
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Wendy Kleintank, Violin |
(Otterville) |
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Anna Tetreault, Apprentice Orchestra Librarian |
(St. Louis) |
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Nevada |
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Lourdes Pinney, Viola |
(Henderson) * |
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New Jersey |
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Dylan Hamme, Violin |
(Leonia) * |
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Claire Kho, Oboe |
(Cresskill) |
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Ashley Y. Park, Viola |
(Palisades Park) |
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Hannah Park, Violin |
(Tenafly) + |
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Samantha Strickland, Horn |
(Martinsville) |
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Tienne Yu, Violin |
(Freehold) + |
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New York |
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Serena Bangia, Timpani and Percussion |
(Buffalo) * |
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Lawrence Chai, Viola |
(Mount Sinai) + * |
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Alessandra Liebmann, Horn |
(Buffalo) * |
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Serin Isabelle Park, Violin |
(New York) |
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Daniel Simmons, Viola |
(Laurelton) + * |
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Henri Yoon, Cello |
(New York) |
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North Carolina |
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Sergey Blinov, Cello |
(Durham) * |
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Leena Hocutt Duarte, Violin |
(Cary) |
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Tristen Johnson, Cello |
(Raleigh) |
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Mack Jones, Viola |
(Greenville) |
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Sophia Knappe, Cello |
(Raleigh) * |
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Aaron Lipsky, Clarinet |
(Asheville) |
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Ohio |
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Dasara Beta, Trumpet |
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Oklahoma |
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Henry Ingels, Violin |
(Norman) * |
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Jaylin Vinson, Apprentice |
(Oklahoma City) + |
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Naomi Wharry, Trombone |
(Edmond) * |
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Sylvan Zhang, Violin |
(Stillwater) * |
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Oregon |
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Benjamin Frueh, Violin |
(Corvallis) |
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Thomas Green, Bass |
(Medford) + |
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Abigail Kim, Oboe |
(Portland) |
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Ben Price, Oboe |
(Portland) * |
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Kira Wang, Cello |
(Portland) |
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Pennsylvania |
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Peirce Ellis, Viola |
(Broomall) + * |
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South Carolina |
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Philip Rawlinson, Viola |
(Greenville) * |
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Will Rawlinson, Cello |
(Greenville) * |
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South Dakota |
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Anna Kruse, Apprentice |
(Huron)* |
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Tennessee |
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Ella Golden, Violin |
(Memphis) |
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Sasha Hitachi-Kizziah, Flute |
(Chattanooga) + * |
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Texas |
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Dillon Akerman, Timpani and Percussion |
(Mansfield) * |
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George Andrews IV, Horn |
(Sugar Land) |
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Matthew Averyt, Cello |
(San Antonio) |
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Olivia Bennett, Apprentice Composer |
(Houston) * |
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Glenn Choe, Timpani and Percussion |
(Cedar Park) + |
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Gina Gravagne, Viola |
(Waco) + |
| Ella Kaale, Apprentice Composer | (League City) |
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Elliot Kim, Violin |
(Austin) * |
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Grace Koh, Violin |
(Harker Heights) |
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Robert Kohler, Bass |
(McAllen) * |
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Christian Luevano, Bass |
(Denton) |
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Donovan McManus, Horn |
(Dallas) * |
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Cecilia O'Brien, Violin |
(Dallas) * |
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Keshav Srinivasan, Violin |
(Austin) |
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Maanas Varma, Viola |
(Flower Mound) |
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Andrew Zaharis, Trombone |
(Trophy Club) |
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Matthew Zhang, Cello |
(Houston) |
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Virginia |
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Ben J. D'Haiti, Trumpet |
(Oakton) * |
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Bryan Kim, Violin |
(Blacksburg) + |
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Washington |
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Eliot Lee, Bass |
(Seattle) * |
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Andrew Vinther, Bass |
(Lynnwood) |
* * * * *
NYO2 2021 Orchestra Roster
+ Prior NYO2 member
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Alabama |
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Lydia Hanje, Trumpet |
(Vestavia Hills) |
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Alaska |
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Luis Pedro Alasuuraq |
(Anchorage) + |
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Arizona |
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Vincent Claes, Cello |
(Phoenix) + |
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Diego Jaquez, Tuba |
(Tucson) |
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Seungchan Min, Violin |
(Chandler) |
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Arkansas |
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Connor Cowart, Horn |
(Bentonville) |
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Alan Sun, Clarinet |
(Conway) |
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California |
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Celina Chen, Cello |
(San Jose) |
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Yuli Choi, Violin |
(Cupertino) |
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Honor Frisco, Violin |
(Palos Verdes Estates) |
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Abigail Hong, Oboe |
(Diamond Bar) |
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Rachel Kim, Violin |
(Irvine) + |
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Jaden Kim, Violin |
(Irvine) |
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Michelle Koo, Viola |
(Palo Alto) |
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T'Yara Lesueur, Viola |
(San Diego) |
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Esteban Lindo, Bass |
(Los Angeles) |
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Erica Liu, Violin |
(San Jose) |
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Jennifer Son, Violin |
(San Ramon) |
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Josia Sulaiman, Bass |
(Riverside) |
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Ivan Wang, Cello |
(Trabuco Canyon) |
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Erica Wang, Flute |
(San Diego) |
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Cindy Xu, Viola |
(San Jose) + |
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Daniel Yoon, Cello |
(San Jose) |
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Florida |
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Robert Aguila, Violin |
(Miami) |
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Ashley Gomez, Violin |
(Miami)+ |
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Dante Jordan, Violin |
(Doral) + |
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William Mathangani, Viola |
(Tampa) |
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Leonardo Rincon, Violin
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(Boynton Beach) |
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Rodrigo Rodriguez Hernandez, Flute |
(Kissimmee) + |
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Georgia |
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Aliceyn Covington, Horn |
(Blairsville) + |
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Ivy Lee, Flute |
(Johns Creek) |
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Jack Ramu, Trumpet |
(Cumming) |
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Idaho |
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Claire Yoo, Violin |
(Idaho Falls) + |
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Illinois |
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Gabriel Hsieh, Percussion |
(Chicago) |
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Airi Ito, Violin |
(Elk Grove Village) |
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Kevin Reyes, Percussion |
(Chicago) |
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Kentucky |
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Maya Otterback, Percussion |
(La Grange) |
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Louisiana |
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Ayi Mariko Ekhaese, Violin |
(Houma) |
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Maryland |
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Jackson Bernal, Bassoon |
(Rockville) + |
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Bianca Wilson, Bass |
(Annapolis) |
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Justin Yi, Viola |
(Boyds) + |
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William Zhu, Bass Trombone |
(Potomac) |
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Massachusetts |
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Kaitlyn Kaminuma, Violin |
(Chelmsford) + |
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Minnesota |
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Izaiah Cheeran, Oboe |
(Apple Valley) + |
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Missouri |
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Roshen Chatwal, Horn |
(St. Louis) |
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New Jersey |
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Eleanor Ha, Bassoon |
(Upper Saddle River) + |
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New Mexico |
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Sofia Taylor, Violin |
(Albuquerque) |
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New York |
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Daniel Choi, Oboe |
(Pleasantville) |
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Christopher LeDoux, Trumpet |
(Staten Island)+ |
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Nevada |
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Audrey Lim, Viola |
(Reno) |
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North Carolina |
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Gavin Hardy, Bass |
(Winston-Salem) |
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Jaeyee Jung, Violin |
(Raleigh) |
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North Dakota |
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Sarah Hong, Violin |
(Grand Forks) |
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Ohio |
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Kunal Arora, Viola |
(Mason) |
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Elora Kares, Cello |
(Cleveland) |
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Oklahoma |
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London Faiye Stovall, Horn |
(Mustang) |
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Sophie Deng, Cello |
(Stillwater) |
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Pennsylvania |
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Abimelec Guerra, Bass |
(Stroudsburg) + |
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Grace Opong, Violin |
(Landenberg) |
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South Carolina |
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Preston Spisak, Percussion |
(Greenville) |
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Tennessee |
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Xayvion A. Davidson, Bassoon |
(La Vergne) |
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Orlandis Maise, Trombone |
(Antioch) |
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Texas |
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Michael Arizmendi, Trumpet |
(Brownsville) + |
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Daniel Castorena, Viola |
(Humble) |
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Sarah Goldberg, Trombone |
(Fort Worth) + |
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Samuel Igbo, Violin |
(Boerne) |
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Israel MacDonald, Bass |
(Alamo) |
| Sandhya Mahesh, Viola | (Pearland) |
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Benjamin Serur, Cello |
(Houston) |
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Ray Zhang, Viola |
(San Antonio) |
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Virginia |
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Benjamin Eubanks, Clarinet |
(Richmond) |
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Arianna Greggs, Violin |
(Norfolk) |
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Mira Kim, Clarinet |
(Fairfax) |
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Christian León, Horn |
(Manassas Park) |
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West Virginia |
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Camden Wentz, Cello |
(Buckhannon) |
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Wyoming |
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Michael Vitanza, Violin |
(Pinedale) + |
* * * * *
NYO Jazz 2021 Roster
* Prior NYO Jazz member
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Arizona |
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Cameron Davidson, Trumpet |
(Tucson) |
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Denali Kauffman, Trombone |
(Tucson) |
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California |
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Kai Burns, Guitar |
(Temple City) |
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Hannah Mayer, Piano |
(El Cerrito)* |
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Aidan McCarthy, Bass |
(Oakland)* |
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Gianna Pedregon, Violin |
(Whittier) |
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Oliver Tuttle, Trombone |
(Oakland) |
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Noa Zebley, Baritone |
(Concord) |
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Connecticut |
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Nathan King, Trumpet |
(Greenwich)* |
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Georgia |
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Darien Baldwin, Bass Trombone |
(Atlanta) |
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Illinois |
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Kellin Hanas, Trumpet |
(Wheaton) * |
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Indiana |
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Levi Rozek, Trumpet |
(Noblesville) |
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Maryland |
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Ebban Dorsey, Alto |
(Baltimore)* |
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Ephraim Dorsey, Tenor |
(Baltimore) |
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New Jersey |
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Koleby Royston, Drums |
(Piscataway) |
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Ryoma Takenaga, Bass |
(New Providence) |
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Ace Williams, Trumpet |
(Maplewood) |
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North Carolina |
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Emre Tekmen, Alto |
(Raleigh) |
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South Dakota |
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Emmanuel Michael, Guitar |
(Sioux Falls) * |
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Tennessee |
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Tyler Bullock II, Piano |
(Brentwood) |
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Braxton Hart, Trombone |
(Memphis) |
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Texas |
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Colman Burks, Drums |
(Plano) |
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Matthew Garcia, Tenor |
(Denton)* |
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Connor MacLeod, Alto |
(Plano) |
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Washington |
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Jonah Hieb, Trumpet |
(Seattle) |
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Kenji Wagner, Trombone |
(Seattle) |
* * * * *
About Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Ensembles
Each summer, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute brings together extraordinary teen classical and jazz musicians from across the country to form its highly-acclaimed national youth ensembles. Following a highly selective audition process and two-week training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York with faculty made up of principal players from top professional orchestras and leading jazz masters, these remarkable teenagers perform at Carnegie Hall and embark on tours to some of the great music capitals around the world, serving as dynamic music ambassadors.
Since launching the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (ages 16-19) in 2013, Carnegie Hall has built on the program’s success by introducing two additional ensembles. These include NYO2, a sister ensemble for younger teens (ages 14-17) 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. Since the program’s inception in 2013, the ensembles have performed in leading concert halls in 15 countries around the world, thrilling audiences across Europe, North America, South America, and Asia, collaborating with internationally-renowned conductors and guest soloists.
* * * * *
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: Hope and Robert F. Smith, and Maggie and Richard Tsai.
Major funding has been provided by The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, The Carl Jacobs Foundation, JMCMRJ Sorrell Foundation, and Joyce and George Wein Foundation, Inc.
Additional funding has been provided by Sarah Arison, The Jack Benny Family Foundation, Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation, Mary Anne Huntsman Morgan and The Huntsman Foundation, and IAC.
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: Hope and Robert F. Smith, and Maggie and Richard Tsai.
Leadership support for NYO2 is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Major support for NYO2 is provided by Sarah Billinghurst Solomon and Howard Solomon, and Joyce and George Wein Foundation, Inc.
Founder Patron: Beatrice Santo Domingo.
With additional funding provided by Ardian US Foundation, Sarah Arison, and Ernst & Young LLP.
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: Hope and Robert F. Smith, and Maggie and Richard Tsai.
Major support has been provided by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and Clive and Anya Gillinson, Sarah Billinghurst Solomon and Howard Solomon, and Joyce and George Wein Foundation, Inc.
Additional support has been provided by Sarah Arison, and Bank of America.
* * * * *
Like NYO-USA and NYO2 on Facebook at facebook.com/nyousa.
Like NYO Jazz on Facebook at facebook.com/NYOJazz.
Follow NYO-USA, NYO2, and NYO Jazz on Instagram at instagram.com/nyo.usa.
See more from the national youth ensembles on YouTube at youtube.com/nyousa.
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