Carnegie Hall

(NEW YORK, NY; June 24, 2025)—Carnegie Hall continues its summertime tradition shining a spotlight on 200+ extraordinary teen musicians from across the country with concerts by the Hall’s three acclaimed national youth ensembles: the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA), NYO2, and NYO Jazz. Each ensemble, collaborating with some of the world’s leading artists, takes to the famed Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage this July. In the 12 years since the establishment of Carnegie Hall’s national youth ensembles, more than 1,500 young musicians have participated in its free training, performances, touring, and cultural exchange opportunities.
 

 

On Sunday, July 20 at 7:00 p.m., NYO-USA—led by Gianandrea Noseda—performs Carlos Simon’s Festive Fanfare and Overture (co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall); Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E Minor featuring violinist Ray Chen; and Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2. This concert by NYO-USA in the Hall’s Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage will be heard by music lovers worldwide through the Carnegie Hall Live radio broadcast and digital series, created in partnership with WQXR.

Following their performance, NYO-USA embarks on a six-city Asian tour. The orchestra debuts in Japan at The Symphony Hall in Osaka (July 24) and Suntory Hall in Tokyo (July 26); returns to the Hong Kong Cultural Centre (July 28), the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing (July 30), and the Shanghai Oriental Art Center (August 3) featuring violinist Ray Chen; and closes its tour with guest soloist Clara-Jumi Kang at the Seoul Arts Center (August 6).
 

NYO Jazz—an extraordinary ensemble launched in 2018 showcasing the bright future of American jazz—performs at Carnegie Hall on Saturday, July 26 at 7:00 p.m. Led by artistic director and bandleader/trumpeter Sean Jones and featuring Grammy Award-winning vocalist Luciana Souza, the evening’s program explores works by John Clayton, Christine Jensen, Thad Jones, Christian McBride, and Vince Mendoza; features a special set highlighting Brazilian composers; and includes the world premiere of a work by Dafnis Prieto (commissioned by Carnegie Hall). The program also features the band’s first-ever arrangement commissioned by an alum: trumpeter Janelle Finton.

Following their New York appearance, NYO Jazz embarks on its first Latin American tour. In Brazil, the band performs at Cultura Artística in São Paulo (July 29), the Theatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro (July 31), and as part of the Amazonas Green Jazz Festival at the Teatro Amazonas in Manaus (August 2). The tour closes with two performances in the Dominican Republic at the Teatro Nacional Eduardo Brito in Santo Domingo (August 5) and Centro León in Santiago (August 6), both presented by Fundaciόn Sinfonía.

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 23 countries on five continents around the world, collaborating with internationally renowned conductors and guest soloists.

 

Program Information
Sunday, July 20 at 7:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Gianandrea Noseda, Conductor
Ray Chen, Violin

CARLOS SIMON Festive Fanfare and Overture (co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall)
FELIX MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto in E Minor
RACHMANINOFF Symphony No. 2

Sponsored by United Airlines, Airline Partner to the National Youth Ensembles

Tickets: $40–$85
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Saturday, July 26 at 7:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
NYO JAZZ
Sean Jones, Artistic Director, Bandleader, and Trumpet

with Special Guest
Luciana Souza, Vocals

NYO Jazz’s stylistic range is highlighted in pieces by John Clayton, Christine Jensen, Thad Jones, Christian McBride, and Vince Mendoza, plus newly commissioned music by Dafnis Prieto. The exciting program also features the band’s first-ever arrangement commissioned by an alum: trumpeter Janelle Finton.

Tickets: $25–$45
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Sunday, July 27 at 7:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
NYO2
Rafael Payare, Conductor
Alisa Weilerstein, Cello

JIMMY LÓPEZ Perú Negro
SHOSTAKOVICH Cello Concerto No. 1
PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 5

Tickets: $25–$45

 

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Ticket Information

Tickets for the Carnegie Hall concerts are available on the Carnegie Hall website, carnegiehall.org, by calling Carnegie Hall at 212-247-7800, or by visiting the Carnegie Hall Box Office at West 57th Street and Seventh Avenue.

For more information on discount ticket programs, including those for students, Notables members, and Bank of America customers, visit carnegiehall.org/discounts. Artists, programs, dates, and prices are subject to change.

 

Learn more about NYO-USA, NYO2, and NYO Jazz.
Like NYO-USA and NYO2 on Facebook.
Like NYO Jazz on Facebook.
Follow NYO-USA, NYO2, and NYO Jazz on Instagram.
See more on YouTube.
 

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NYO-USA
The Concert on July 20 is sponsored by United Airlines, Airline Partner to the National Youth Ensembles

Lead Donors: Hope and Robert F. Smith, The Kovner Foundation, and Beatrice Santo Domingo.

Global Ambassadors: Michael ByungJu Kim and Kyung Ah Park, Hope and Robert F. Smith, and Maggie and Richard Tsai.

Major funding has been provided by Ronald E. Blaylock and Petra Pope, Lorraine Buch Fund for Young Artists, the Mark and Anla Cheng Kingdon Foundation, Clive and Anya Gillinson, Pershing Square Philanthropies, Melanie and Jean E. Salata, JMCMRJ Sorrell Foundation, and the Victor and William Fung Foundation.

Additional funding has been provided by Sarah Arison, The Jack Benny Family Foundation, Mary I. and John E. Hull, Poongsan Corporation, and Xiaoshan Ren.

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.

NYO Jazz
Lead Donors: Hope and Robert F. Smith, The Kovner Foundation, and Beatrice Santo Domingo.

Global Ambassadors: Michael ByungJu Kim and Kyung Ah Park, Hope and Robert F. Smith, and Maggie and Richard Tsai.

Major support has been provided by Veronica Atkins, Ronald E. Blaylock and Petra Pope, the Mark and Anla Cheng Kingdon Foundation, Clive and Anya Gillinson, Pershing Square Philanthropies, Melanie and Jean E. Salata, and the Victor and William Fung Foundation.

United Airlines®, Airline Partner to the National Youth Ensembles.

Additional support has been provided by Sarah Arison, Mary I. and John E. Hull, and The Laufey Foundation.

NYO Jazz is made possible, in part, by an endowment grant from the Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme Foundation.

NYO2
Lead Donors: Hope and Robert F. Smith, The Kovner Foundation, and Beatrice Santo Domingo.

Public support for NYO2 is provided by Senate Leader Charles E. Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand through the U.S. Department of Education.

Global Ambassadors: Michael ByungJu Kim and Kyung Ah Park, Hope and Robert F. Smith, and Maggie and Richard Tsai.

Major support for NYO2 is provided by Veronica Atkins, Ronald E. Blaylock and Petra Pope, the Mark and Anla Cheng Kingdon Foundation, Clive and Anya Gillinson, Pershing Square Philanthropies, Melanie and Jean E. Salata, and the Victor and William Fung Foundation.

United Airlines®, Airline Partner to the National Youth Ensembles.

Founder Patron: Beatrice Santo Domingo.

With additional funding provided by Sarah Arison, Ernst & Young LLP, Mary I. and John E. Hull, and The Laufey Foundation.

Photography: Gianandrea Noseda by Tony Hitchcock, Ray Chen by Decca Records, Sean Jones by Todd Rosenberg, Luciana Souza by Kim Fox, Rafael Payare by J Henry Fair, Alisa Weilerstein by Evelyn Freja