Carnegie Hall

Each summer since 2013, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute has brought together the brightest young American instrumentalists for intensive training and performances on some of the world’s greatest stages. In the years since the creation of the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA), two complementary ensembles have been added, each led by an all-star faculty of professional musicians. Collectively, the NYO programs comprise a broad range of musicians that reflects the exceptional talent and diversity of the country.

“It’s the closest thing you’ll ever get to attending Hogwarts in real life,” says Akshay Dinakar about his three years as a violinist in NYO-USA. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this summer, this free, audition-based, classical music training program for ages 16–19 has expanded the reach of its magic over the past decade by launching two other ensembles: NYO2 aimed at younger artists from backgrounds underrepresented in classical music, and NYO Jazz, a modern-day big band.

So far, NYO programs have changed the lives of nearly 1,300 gifted young musicians who’ve performed in 17 countries on four continents alongside some of the most accomplished artists in the industry, including guest conductors Christoph Eschenbach, Marin Alsop, and Michael Tilson Thomas, as well as violinist Joshua Bell, mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, pianist Emanuel Ax, and jazz vocalists Kurt Elling and Dianne Reeves.

“I was in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain as a kid from the age of about 16 to 19 myself, and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life,” says Clive Gillinson, the Hall’s executive and artistic director. When he arrived stateside in 2005, he was shocked that no comparable initiative existed here. “I thought, ‘We have to create one.’” he says. “When you bring together the most extraordinary young players in the country, they all inspire each other. Then they take what they learn into their own communities, so the impact spreads much further.”

Since the program is provided at no cost to participants, talent is the sole barrier to entry. The ensembles are remarkably diverse, yet there are attributes all members share—especially commitment, discipline, and a passion for music. “If you look at the world today where so often people are just not talking to each other, to have young people connecting and creating friendships is so important,” Gillinson adds.

NYO-USA: A Forever Family

“It was transformative for me, getting to be around other young people who were also dedicated to music,” says NYO-USA alum Joshua Elmore, now principal bassoonist of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. A native of Cleveland, Elmore discovered NYO via social media and notes that touring with the ensemble in 2015 not only marked his first time traveling abroad, but was also his first time on an airplane.

“It was a 13-and-a-half-hour trip from Newark to Beijing!” he recalls. Any trepidation he felt was offset by the connections he made. “The interpersonal relationships are what make the experience so meaningful,” he says. “I met some of my closest friends through NYO, and these are people whom I’ll be working with for the rest of my career.”

Not all participants go pro of course, yet the skills they gain while a part of NYO-USA are still invaluable. At the height of the pandemic shutdown, Matthew Garcia—a violist and recent Harvard University graduate—joined forces with fellow NYO-USA alums to launch Through the Staff, a nonprofit that provides virtual music lessons to aspiring musicians for free.

Growing up the child of Mexican immigrants in a small Texas town, Garcia saw the financial and geographic challenges many young instrumentalists face firsthand. His NYO-USA journey, which began with a one-season stint in NYO2, inspired him and his cohorts to help break down those obstacles.

“At NYO2, for the first time, I was in an orchestra and wasn’t one of the few people of color,” Garcia remembers. “I knew if I could succeed there, I could succeed anywhere.” Though he studied stem cell and regenerative biology, he credits “the lessons I learned from my time in the NYO programs as being instrumental in making sure I set myself on the right path.”

This summer’s NYO-USA consists of 108 outstanding musicians from 31 states plus Puerto Rico. The talented teens will rehearse at Purchase College, SUNY, before embarking on a tour of North America, including a stop at Carnegie Hall on July 14. Guest conductor Sir Andrew Davis leads a program that includes Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, violin concertos by Barber and Tchaikovsky with guest soloists Gil Shaham and Hilary Hahn, and a newly commissioned work, Giants of Light by Valerie Coleman. The ensemble’s 10th anniversary celebration continues into 2024 with an NYO-USA All-Stars concert in Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage in March.

“Before NYO, I was concerned with how I measured up against everyone else in the music world. After NYO, my thinking shifted to community,” says violinist Nikki Naghavi, a recent New England Conservatory grad and one of Through the Staff’s co-founders. “It was no longer about me; it was about us. NYO truly gave me so much inspiration to help make the world a better place. When I got in, I was so excited. I knew that it was going to be an unforgettable summer. I had no idea that I was joining a forever family.”

Dinakar—who was part of the inaugural NYO-USA in 2013, as well as in 2014 and 2016—shares a similar sentiment. Although the Stanford University graduate is pursuing a career as a product designer, his years as part of the NYO family continue to enhance his life, both professionally (he invented Stikato, a popular mobile music stand that sticks to walls) and personally. “I’ve seen an NYO couple get married. I’ve seen NYO alumni become principal players in major orchestras across the nation. I’ve seen NYO alumni get promotions at Google and Microsoft and other tech companies. Another 30 or 40 years from now, I know I’ll still feel a closeness with these folks.”

NYO2: Irreplicable Music Making

NYO2 2023 comprises 89 young musicians (ages 14–17) from 30 states and Puerto Rico. After a performance at Carnegie Hall on July 15, the ensemble travels to the Dominican Republic for its first-ever international residency and concerts. For conductor Joseph Young and first-time NYO2 bassist Liana Logan, this summer holds special significance—both professional and personal.

Conductor Joseph Young on NYO2

I was invited to be the resident conductor of NYO2 in 2018. In that capacity, I’ve prepared the students for their concerts and tours before handing them over to the guest conductor for that season. When it comes time for the performances, I watch from the audience, a proud mentor and teacher. This season is different. As the guest conductor, I get to make music with the young musicians in performance along with violinist Jennifer Koh. In addition to this being NYO2’s first time on an international tour, it is also my Carnegie Hall debut.

These young people love a challenge, which challenges me, as a teacher, to find the perfect balance between testing, shaping, motivating, and nurturing. The music making is often suffused with energy that I’ve found both infectious and irreplicable. In this sense, the role of maestro with NYO2 is very different than standing in front of a professional orchestra whose members often have a lifetime of experience.

With the upcoming trip to the Dominican Republic, this is the moment for the NYO2 musicians to take center stage as cultural ambassadors from the United States. They represent all young people who are into music. I hope they widen their perspectives regarding their place in the world—musically, personally, professionally.

I love watching as the light bulbs turn on for each of these musicians. Sometimes, it’s a technical light bulb, like when a violinist masters a difficult fingering or when a trumpet player nails the ending of Pétrouchka. But the best for me is when a “musical joy” light bulb flashes, like when the cello section connects with each other to create a warm, passionate sound. I’m watching musicians grow into artists before my eyes. The students are the ones doing the work, but I enjoy being the person who guides them to the light switch.

NYO2 Bassist Liana Logan on Traveling to the Dominican Republic

I am so proud to be part of NYO2. It’s a big accomplishment for me. I always set high standards for myself, and participating in this ensemble confirms that I am a skilled bassist. It has definitely boosted my confidence and will allow me to reach even higher.

My mother’s side of the family is Dominican. In general, Dominican people are very family oriented. I love the traditions, the music, and the culture. But because of traveling expenses, I do not get to see that side of the family often nor do they get to see any of my concerts in person. Being able to perform in the Dominican Republic with NYO2 is significant to me and my family—I will have several relatives attend the concert at the Teatro Nacional Eduardo Brito and my godmother will be at the Gran Teatro del Cibao concert.

This summer, I hope to gain more experience. The more programs and orchestras in which I am involved, the more opportunities that will arise. Last year, I was accepted to The New York Pops’ Kids on Stage orchestra. One of our outings was to see NYO-USA perform at Carnegie Hall. That was the first time I had heard of the national youth ensembles. After that, I inquired about how to apply to NYO2 and was accepted. I know that my future is music and I want to make the most of my musical career now so that I can build a strong foundation.

NYO Jazz: Expressing Our National Identity

Since its first summer in 2018, NYO Jazz has been at the forefront of enriching the jazz repertoire with new music through annual commissions and world premieres. Artistic Director Sean Jones is penning the commissioned work for 2023, “The 29ers,” inspired by jazz figures born on the 29th day of a given month, from Duke Ellington to Wycliffe Gordon (who wrote “We’re Still Here,” the unofficial NYO Jazz theme song) to Jones himself. In addition to performing with celebrated vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, NYO Jazz 2023 is also teaming with drummer Terri Lyne Carrington’s New Standards project to promote women’s compositional voices.

Sean Jones on Jazz Music

For me, music is all about honesty, vulnerability, sharing, challenging folks, and encouraging students to be themselves. Jazz music is the cultural, sonic depiction of our nation—it’s our native art form. When you have young musicians who are that talented, that vibrant performing our music all over the world, it gives us a sense of national pride—it truly represents E pluribus unum, “out of many, one.”

A lot of people say that jazz music is America’s classical music—you have to have a high level of virtuosity to be able to play it, plus a wonderful sense of spontaneity. It also encapsulates all of the rhythms of the Americas—Caribbean and Cuban rhythms, South American rhythms, North American rhythms like the Charleston, the shuffle, music of the Appalachians—all of which comes together with gospel and blues. I believe that jazz musicians are some of the most equipped musicians on earth—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.

Terri Lyne Carrington on Gender Justice in Jazz

For years, there has been a book widely disseminated from which everybody learns jazz standards—The Real Book—but there’s simply not enough gender representation. With New Standards, we make the point that there are women composers—no longer can a band director or anyone else say they weren’t able to find any jazz compositions by women.

But for something to become a standard, it needs to be recorded and performed in various settings, from a club date to a concert hall—everyone has to contribute to solving the issue of gender justice in jazz. NYO Jazz taking two of our new standards on tour—Carla Bley’s “Lawns” and Noriko Ueda’s “Uneven Pieces”—is important because it helps move the needle forward and gets the music played, developing a consciousness around it. So many of us—including myself—never really recognized the problem. We were existing in the structures that were passed down to us, but it’s time for a new paradigm and to set new standards.

After all this time of things being the way they’ve been, you can’t just expect gender equity in jazz. Everyone has to work harder to try to build equity into all of the institutions. And when young musicians across the entire gender spectrum are exposed to compositions by women, it’s setting an example for them. It’s showing inclusion, which at the end of the day is what really needs to happen.

Photography: NYO Jazz with Kurt Elling by Todd Rosenberg, Joseph Young and NYO2 by Fadi Kheir, Sean Jones and NYO Jazz by Todd Rosenberg, Terri Lyne Carrington by Jennifer Taylor, all other photography by Chris Lee.