Carnegie Hall Announces Teen Musicians From Across US Selected For NYO Jazz 2024

Carnegie Hall has announced the names of 22 extraordinary young musicians chosen from across the country for NYO Jazz, anT (ages 16–19).

The members of NYO Jazz 2024—hailing from multiple regions of the country—have been recognized by Carnegie Hall as being among the finest players in the US following a comprehensive and highly competitive audition process. This summer's ensemble will feature five musicians who are returning to NYO Jazz, now in its seventh year. The musicians who make up the 2024 ensemble will have the opportunity to play alongside talented peers; learn from world-class jazz masters; and perform at Carnegie Hall and abroad, marking the first time one of the Hall's national youth ensembles tours to Africa. NYO Jazz is offered free of charge to all participants, ensuring that all invited musicians have the opportunity to take part.

See below or click here for the complete roster, including the names, instruments, and hometowns of the members of NYO Jazz 2024.

The musicians of NYO Jazz will travel to New York in early July for an intensive 10-day training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York. Led by artistic director Sean Jones, NYO Jazz players have the opportunity to train with some of America's most celebrated jazz artists who will lead in-depth training workshops and master classes. A highlight of the residency will be NYO Jazz's Carnegie Hall performance on Saturday, July 20 at 8:00 p.m. led by bandleader/trumpeter Sean Jones and featuring celebrated vocalist Alicia Olatuja as special guest.

Following their New York appearance, NYO Jazz—joined by Alicia Olatuja—will embark on its first-ever tour to South Africa from July 22 to August 5, with debut performances in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town. The complete tour schedule will be announced later this spring.

NYO Jazz's diverse repertoire showcases big band jazz as a limitless art form, one that bridges genres, generations, and borders. For NYO Jazz's 2024 concerts, Carnegie Hall has commissioned South African composer Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane to write a new work for the ensemble. The ensemble's program will also include big band classics by Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and Mary Lou Williams, as well as new arrangements.

“We are thrilled to welcome these brilliant young musicians to NYO Jazz's 2024 roster,” said Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall. “They have an exciting summer ahead of them as they train, perform, and tour alongside celebrated jazz artists. Their groundbreaking tour to South Africa will showcase the incredible depth of talent and the high level of musicianship found across the United States as they connect with audiences and other young people. South Africa is well-known for its own rich jazz tradition, so NYO Jazz's first-ever tour to the country promises to be filled with unforgettable musical exchange and discovery.”

Tickets

Tickets for NYO Jazz's concert at Carnegie Hall are now on sale for the general public. Tickets can be purchased at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800, or at carnegiehall.org. Discounted student tickets will be available online for verified Student Insiders only – all other youth tickets must be purchased at the box office or over the phone.

NYO JAZZ 2024 Roster

** Prior NYO Jazz member

California
Jordan Klein, Trombone (Agoura Hills)
Paloma Ximena, Tenor Saxophone (Carmichael)
Vincent Maclauchlan, Guitar (Oakland) **
Skylar Tang, Trumpet (San Francisco) **
Alex Hong, Trumpet (Walnut Creek)

Connecticut
Carter Bryan, Piano (Guilford)
Priyanka Magavi, Trombone (West Hartford)

Florida
Lucas Rivero, Trumpet (Miami)
Preston W. Rupert, Trumpet (Oviedo) **

Illinois
Ava Siu, Bass Trombone (Chicago)
Isaac Hanson, Alto Saxophone (Mahomet)
Miriam Goroff-Behel, Alto Saxophone (Wilmette)

Massachusetts
Ethan Kasparian Weisman, Baritone Saxophone (Lexington)

New Jersey
Benjamin Schwartz, Drums (Maplewood) **

New York
Ruby Farmer, Bass (Brooklyn) **
Jasper Zimmerman, Piano (Hastings-on-Hudson)

North Carolina
Gustavo Cruz, Tenor Saxophone (Cornelius)
Rayah Thomas, Bass (Durham)
Ethan Oliver, Drums (Garner)

Pennsylvania
Theodore Peebles, Trumpet (Philadelphia)

Texas
Miles Oppinger, Guitar (Houston)
Bishesh Paudel, Trombone (Houston)

About NYO Jazz

Each summer, NYO Jazz, led by artistic director Sean Jones, shines a spotlight on the depth of talent found among teen jazz players across the United States. The program offers talented young musicians, ages 16–19, the opportunity to perform as cultural ambassadors for their country, sharing a uniquely American musical genre with people around the world through an international tour. The members of NYO Jazz have been recognized by Carnegie Hall as being among the finest jazz musicians in the country, following a rigorous and highly competitive audition process.

Since its debut in 2018, NYO Jazz has performed at Carnegie Hall and embarked on acclaimed tours across Europe, Asia, and the United States. Guest artists in past seasons have included vocalists Dianne Reeves, Kurt Elling, Jazzmeia Horn, and Dee Bridgewater. As part of their travel schedule, NYO Jazz musicians also have opportunities to meet and collaborate with young local musicians and experience the richness of different cultures and music.

In 2021, during NYO Jazz's annual training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York, the band recorded its first full length studio album under the direction of artistic director and bandleader Sean Jones and featuring special guest saxophonist Melissa Aldana. It includes Carnegie Hall-commissioned works for the ensemble from each year of the program exploring themes including social justice, resilience, and the power of music to spark joy. The album, entitled We're Still Here, was released in June 2022.

NYO Jazz builds on the success of the acclaimed National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA) and its sister ensemble for younger musicians NYO2—created by Carnegie Hall in 2013 and 2016, respectively—to bring together the finest young classical musicians from across the country each summer for training, performances and touring. Each of these prestigious national 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.

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