Carnegie Hall

The 110 musicians of the 2020 National Youth Orchestra of the USA convened online for an intensive two-week program in July 2020, as they were unable to meet in person due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using digital tools such as Zoom and Google Classroom, each player had the opportunity for extensive interaction with NYO-USA’s outstanding faculty of musicians from America’s leading orchestras: a private lesson each week as well as several sectionals, studio and master classes, and more informal discussions. The full orchestra also met regularly for sessions led by Orchestra Director James Ross. Built around Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, which had been planned as part of NYO-USA’s original tour program, the series of workshops aimed to give students tools to engage with any piece of repertoire. Topics ranged from score study and listening to clapping, singing, conducting, and improvising on sections of the piece. Dancer Terese Capucilli (who created The Chosen One for Martha Graham’s staging of The Rite of Spring) introduced elements of the ballet’s choreography to students and encouraged them to experience the work through movement as a way to unlock greater freedom in their playing.

All 2020 participants in Carnegie Hall’s three national youth ensembles also had the chance to join a number of online discussion sessions and special events. These included a Q&A with Wynton Marsalis, a workshop (and impromptu mini-concert) by Jacob Collier, two panels on college auditions and digital tools to enhance practice led by Fellows of the New World Symphony, as well as sessions on new music, careers in music education, and orchestra administration. A panel of NYO-USA alumni working professionally in the orchestral world also shared their experiences and answered questions. Alumni offered students individual mentoring sessions and led organized social activities for students across NYO-USA, NYO2 and NYO Jazz.

NYO-USA participated in two imaginatively conceived virtual performances with each musician recording their part at home, featuring selections from Valerie Coleman’s Umoja and Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. These performances, directed by Emmy Award winner Habib Azar, were released online through Carnegie Hall’s and NYO-USA’s social media channels as well as in a live stream event in December 2020 that recapped the entire set of virtual orchestral performances from NYO-USA and NYO2.