Carnegie Hall National Youth Orchestra 2 To Make European Debut At The Edinburgh International Festival

This month, 89 outstanding teen musicians from across the United States come together as Carnegie Hall's NYO2 (National Youth Orchestra 2). Created in 2016 for outstanding American instrumentalists, ages 14–17, NYO2 is one of Hall's three acclaimed national youth ensembles that convene each summer in New York City for concerts at Carnegie Hall and tour performances.

Following an intensive two-week training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York (SUNY) and a performance in Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage on Sunday, July 27 at 7:00 p.m., NYO2 will embark on an exciting tour, performing two concerts as a resident orchestra at the prestigious Edinburgh International Festival.

This summer marks NYO2's debut performances in Europe, following the orchestra's first international concerts in 2023. On Sunday, August 3 at 7:30 p.m., Rafael Payare leads NYO2 in Jimmy López's Perú Negro, Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1 featuring cellist Alisa Weilerstein as guest soloist, and Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5 at Edinburgh's Usher Hall. The following day (Monday, August 4), NYO2's Resident Conductor José-Luis Novo and British conductor/composer Greg Lawson lead the orchestra in a Family Concert, featuring Scottish folk tunes and American classics. Joined by musical storyteller Lucy Drever, NYO2 will perform music by Copland, Joplin, Bernstein, Price, John Williams, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and much more in a program recommended for ages 7–11.

NYO2 musicians will be welcomed to the magnificent city by Edinburgh International Festival's Youth Collective and will connect with other Scottish young musicians. Cultural exchange is a key component of all three national youth ensembles programs, as these talented young players act as dynamic musical ambassadors for their country. Click here to watch a video on the impact of NYO's cultural exchange activities.

“We are very excited that NYO2 will reach new heights this summer as the ensemble makes its European debut, joining the renowned Edinburgh International Festival as a resident orchestra,” said Clive Gillinson, Carnegie Hall's Executive and Artistic Director. “These superb young musicians represent the best this country has to offer, and we're thrilled that they will have the opportunity to share their talents and gain new perspectives as Carnegie Hall inaugurates its new three-year creative partnership with the EIF.”

“We are incredibly excited to welcome the first-ever European tour of Carnegie Hall's National Youth Orchestra 2 as part of the 2025 Edinburgh International Festival,” said Nicola Benedetti, Edinburgh International Festival Director. “I am always inspired to witness the next generation of musicians bring such fresh energy and new perspectives to orchestral music. The International Festival is proud to offer an international platform to these outstanding young American instrumentalists—a diverse group of talents whose artistry and spirit reflect the future of classical music."

The members of the 2025 orchestra—hailing from 31 states plus Guam—have been recognized by Carnegie Hall as being among the finest players in the country following a comprehensive and highly selective audition process. Carnegie Hall's three national youth ensembles—which include the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America, NYO2, and NYO Jazz—are offered free of charge to participants, ensuring that all invited musicians can take part each summer. 

In preparation for their performances and tour, NYO2 musicians arrive from across the country on July 12 to begin their intensive training residency at Purchase College, SUNY, just north of New York City. NYO2 musicians work with leading players from America's top professional orchestras, receive one-on-one lessons, and take part in full ensemble and sectional rehearsals, master classes, and more. The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra's José-Luis Novo joins as 2025 resident conductor, preparing the ensemble ahead of the arrival of its guest conductor. Click here to see a full list of this summer's faculty, as well as bios for Rafael Payare and Alisa Weilerstein.

About NYO2

Created by Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute in summer 2016, NYO2 (National Youth Orchestra 2) brings together outstanding young American instrumentalists ages 14–17 for a summer orchestral training program that includes a residency and an exciting concert at Carnegie Hall. Running in conjunction with the summer residencies of the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA) and NYO Jazz at Purchase College, SUNY, NYO2 offers an opportunity for younger participants to play alongside exceptionally talented peers and learn from a world-class faculty. With a focus on actively recruiting talented young players from across the country, the program aims to expand the pool of young musicians equipped with the tools to succeed at the highest level, particularly those who come from communities in which fewer opportunities for high level musical training are available.

Since its inaugural season, NYO2 has captivated audiences around the world through annual performances at Carnegie Hall and residencies and performances in Miami Beach in partnership with the New World Symphony; The Philadelphia Orchestra's Kimmel Center; the Dominican Republic, presented by Fundación Sinfonía; and Dallas, Texas in partnership with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Over the past nine years, NYO2 has worked with renowned faculty, guest artists, and conductors that include Teddy Abrams, Mei-Ann Chen, Giancarlo Guerrero, Jennifer Koh, Anthony McGill, Gabriela Montero, Carlos Miguel Prieto, Gil Shaham, Esperanza Spalding, Joseph Young, and others. Described as “… not only a laudable educational project, but highly enjoyable and a lot of fun ... these teenagers had the technical mastery, musicianship, and panache to rival anyone” (New York Classical Review), NYO2 has performed at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, New World Center in Miami, the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, Teatro Nacional Eduardo Brito in Santo Domingo, Gran Teatro del Cibao in Santiago, and Carnegie Hall.

NYO2 is one of Carnegie Hall's three acclaimed national youth ensembles, which also include NYO-USA for outstanding classical musicians ages 16–19 and NYO Jazz for the nation's finest jazz instrumentalists ages 16–19. Each of these prestigious national programs—free to all participants—is dedicated to the proposition that talented young musicians thrive when given the opportunity to expand their musical, social, and cultural horizons and share their artistry with audiences around the globe.

To learn more about NYO2, visit carnegiehall.org/NYO2 or read “Five Things to Know About NYO2.”