Carnegie Hall

In July 2021, 106 gifted teen musicians of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA)—gathered at Purchase College, State University of New York, for an intensive four-week residency, alongside their peers in NYO2 and NYO Jazz. It was the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that many of the young players met in large ensembles to perform in person with fellow musicians. NYO-USA trombonist Andrew Zaharis spoke for many: “So far, my experience at the residency at Purchase College has been surreal. Being able to play with the greatest musicians from around the country and work with a world-class faculty has been a dream of mine for many years, and I am happy to see it finally come true, especially after such a long hiatus in group performances.” With program activities limited to the Purchase College campus, NYO-USA musicians benefited from additional contact with faculty members, including private lessons, master classes, score reading workshops, and listening sessions with outstanding professional musicians. NYO-USA was coached by leading players from America’s finest orchestras, and James Ross returned for the ninth year to lead the NYO-USA faculty as orchestra director. The young musicians focused on preparations for a culminating streaming performance at the end of their residency that featured all three national youth ensembles. Guest conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto led NYO-USA in Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique” for that broadcast. Additionally, NYO-USA and Maestro Prieto recorded concert films of Anna Clyne’s Sound and Fury, Moncayo’s Huapango, Revuelta’s Sensemayá, and excerpts from Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk Suite (arranged by James Conlon), each directed by Emmy Award winner Habib Azar.

Taking advantage of the extended residency at Purchase, the musicians of NYO-USA and NYO2 reconfigured as three reading orchestras of about 60 players, with rotating wind/brass/percussion players. Each ensemble participated in six reading sessions, giving students the chance to work on a much wider range of repertoire than is typically possible, with a focus on music by female and non-European composers.

New music continued to be an important part of the program; an expanded group of four apprentice composer worked with composition program director Sean Shepherd to create music written specifically for the ensembles.

TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique”
REVUELTAS Sensemayá
MONCAYO Huapango
ANNA CLYNE Sound and Fury
SHOSTAKOVICH Excerpts from Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk Suite