National Youth Orchestra of the USA to Cap US Tour with Concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall, 8/4

The National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA)-a dynamic new orchestra created in 2013 by Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute featuring some of the best young musicians from across the country-caps its eight-concert, coast-to-coast U.S. tour with a concert at The Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles on Monday, August 4 at 7:30 p.m.

Led by renowned conductor (and Santa Monica native) David Robertson, the program includes Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto, Op. 15 with celebrated violinist Gil Shaham as soloist; Leonard Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story; Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition (orch. Ravel); and Samuel Adams's Radial Play, a new work commissioned by Carnegie Hall especially for NYO-USA.

Tickets for the August 4 concert, priced $26-$60, go on sale Tuesday, June 10 at Ticketmaster.com, by calling 800-745-3000, or in person at the Walt Disney Concert Hall Box Office. To watch an excerpt from the NYO-USA's 2013 BBC Proms debut, click here.

Featuring 120 of the top orchestral players ages 16-19 from across the country, the National Youth Orchestra of the USA wowed audiences around the world in 2013 with performances led by Valery Gergiev in New York, Washington DC, Moscow, St. Petersburg, and London. Following this incredible inaugural year, this year's NYO-USA will now be introduced to concertgoers nationwide with its first-ever U.S. tour from July 20 to August 4. (See below for complete tour schedule.) The members of the 2014 orchestra, hailing from 35 states plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico, have been recognized by Carnegie Hall as being among the finest players in the country, following a comprehensive audition process.

"We're thrilled to conclude NYO-USA's first U.S. tour with this special concert at Los Angeles's iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall," said Clive Gillinson, Carnegie Hall's Executive and Artistic Director. "The launch of this orchestra in 2013 exceeded all of our expectations and it is with great enthusiasm that we bring this wonderful group of musicians together for another summer of top music-making. We're certain that these players' spirit, dedication to coming together as an orchestra, and sheer talent will be an inspiration to music lovers everywhere."

The NYO-USA 2014 roster will include seven musicians from Southern California and sixteen total from California-the most of any state featured in the orchestra.

Southern California musicians in NYO-USA 2014 are: Carlos Aguilar, flute (Escondido); Liam Glendening, trombone (Redlands); Nathan Kirchhoff, bassoon (San Gabriel); Ryan Roberts, oboe (Santa Monica); Dalton Tran, clarinet (Irvine); Nathan Wong, viola (San Gabriel); and David Yoon, timpani/percussion (Irvine). Additional California musicians in the orchestra are: Matthew Chow, violin (Los Altos); Janice Gho, bass (Cupertino); Aaron Grisez, timpani/percussion (Fresno); Oliver Herbert, cello (San Francisco); Adrian Lin, timpani/percussion (Cupertino); Josephine Stockwell, viola (El Sobrante); Alexander van der Veen, violin (Palo Alto); Annie Wu, flute (Pleasanton); and Helen Wu, violin (Saratoga).

Prior to their tour, the NYO-USA players will arrive in New York on July 5 to begin a rigorous two-week training residency on the campus of Purchase College, State University of New York, located 40 minutes north of New York City. James Ross, director of orchestral activities at the University of Maryland, returns this summer to lead the NYO-USA faculty for a second year. Comprising some of the finest players and section leaders from America's greatest orchestras and music schools, the faculty will oversee rehearsals during the orchestra's residency in Purchase and will conduct master classes, chamber music readings, and other seminars on essential music skills, all leading up to the launch of the orchestra's national tour. This year's faculty includes Whitney Crockett, Principal Bassoon, and Thomas Hooten, Principal Trumpet, of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. For a complete list of orchestra members and faculty, visit carnegiehall.org/nyousa.

NYO-USA 2014 National Tour:

July 20 Purchase, NY Performing Arts Center, Purchase College, SUNY
July 22 New York, NY Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
July 24 Lenox, MA Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood Music Festival
July 26 Boone, NC Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, An Appalachian Summer Festival
July 28 Chicago, IL Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, Grant Park Music Festival
July 30 Teton Village, WY Walk Festival Hall, Grand Teton Music Festival
Aug 2 Rohnert Park, CA Weill Hall, Sonoma State University's Green Music Center
Aug 4 Los Angeles, CA The Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall

The orchestra's Carnegie Hall debut concert on July 22 will be heard by music lovers worldwide via the Carnegie Hall Live broadcast and digital series, created in partnership with WQXR and American Public Media. Funding for the Carnegie Hall Live broadcast series is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

While NYO-USA is in residence in Purchase, the NPR radio program From the Top will tape a special edition of the program featuring musicians of the orchestra to be aired during this summer's U.S. tour.

About the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America: Each summer, Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute brings together the brightest young musicians from across the country (ages-16-19) to form the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA). Following a comprehensive audition process and a two-week training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York, with faculty made up of principal players from top American orchestras, these remarkable teenagers embark on a tour to some of the great music capitals of the world, serving as dynamic music ambassadors.

Launched in summer 2013 to great critical acclaim, the first-ever National Youth Orchestra of the USA presented concerts with famed conductor Valery Gergiev and renowned violinist Joshua Bell for enthusiastic audiences in Washington DC; St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia; and at the BBC Proms in London, England. In summer 2015, the members of the National Youth Orchestra of the USA will add more stamps to their passports as the ensemble makes its first tour to China.

To learn more about NYO-USA, visit carnegiehall.org/nyousa.
Like NYO-USA on Facebook at facebook.com/nyousa.
Follow NYO-USA on Twitter at #NYOUSA.
See more from NYO-USA on YouTube at youtube.com/nyousa.

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