Carnegie Hall's NYO Jazz Embarks On Debut Tour To Latin America

This July, Carnegie Hall's critically-acclaimed national youth jazz orchestra—NYO Jazz, led by artistic director/trumpeter Sean Jones—returns for its eighth season of music-making, culminating in a concert at Carnegie Hall on Saturday, July 26 followed by the band's first-ever Latin American tour from July 27–August 8.

This remarkable ensemble, created by Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute (WMI) in 2018, annually brings together 22 of the most outstanding teen jazz musicians from across the United States to train, perform, and tour with some of the world's greatest artists while also serving as music ambassadors, sharing America's greatest artform with audiences around the globe. This year, Grammy Award-winning vocalist Luciana Souza joins NYO Jazz for their annual Carnegie Hall concert and on tour.

NYO Jazz's historic visit to Latin America includes debut performances in Brazil in São Paulo (Cultural Artística on July 29 at 7:00 p.m.); Rio de Janeiro (Theatro Municipal on July 31 at 7:00 p.m.); and Manaus as part of the Amazonas Green Jazz Festival (Teatro Amazonas on August 2 at 8:00 p.m.). The tour closes with two performances in the Dominican Republic in Santo Domingo (Teatro Nacional Eduardo Brito on August 5 at 8:30 p.m.) and Santiago (Centro León on August 6 at 8:00 p.m.). This summer's slate of musical performances follows successful national and international tours by NYO Jazz to some of the most prestigious concert halls and music festivals across Europe, Asia, the United States, and South Africa.

For NYO Jazz's summer 2025 concerts, Carnegie Hall has commissioned a new work, titled "Hopes and Wishes," by Cuban American drummer and composer Dafnis Prieto. NYO Jazz's stylistic range will be further highlighted in pieces by John Clayton, Christian McBride, Vince Mendoza, Thad Jones, and Christine Jensen as well as Brazilian composers including Antônio Carlos Jobim and Ivan Lins and new arrangements written specifically for the ensemble. The exciting program also features the band's first-ever arrangement commissioned by an alum, trumpeter Janelle Finton, through an NYO Jazz commissioning project highlighting new arrangements of compositions from Terri Lyne Carrington's New Standards: 101 Lead Sheets by Women Composers.

NYO Jazz's 2025 tour offers America's finest young musicians the opportunity to experience the richness of Latin American culture and history while sharing their remarkable artistry with audiences throughout the country. Complementing their performances, the players' schedule will also include exciting opportunities for cultural exchange and peer-to-peer activities with local young people, an element that has become a hallmark of international tours by all three of Carnegie Hall's national youth ensembles. Click here to watch a video on the impact of cultural exchange within Carnegie Hall's national youth ensembles.

“We are thrilled for NYO Jazz to embark on its debut tour of Latin America this July with exciting performances in Brazil and the Dominican Republic,” said Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall. “Latin America's rich musical heritage, especially its deep-rooted jazz and Afro-Caribbean traditions, offers an extraordinary opportunity for cross-cultural exchange. We know this tour with be a transformative experience for these young players as they collaborate with local artists and connect with audiences through the universal language of music. We look forward to sharing the remarkable talent of NYO Jazz as we celebrate the powerful role that young people can play as they inspire music lovers of all ages.”

The members of the 2025 NYO Jazz ensemble—ages 16–19, hailing from multiple regions of the United States—have been recognized by Carnegie Hall as being among the finest players in the country, following a comprehensive and highly competitive audition process. Click here for the complete roster of musicians, including the names, instruments, and hometowns of the 2025 ensemble members. NYO Jazz is offered free of charge to all participants, ensuring that all invited musicians have the opportunity to take part.

In preparation for their performances and historic tour, the musicians will arrive in New York to begin an intensive two-week training residency (July 12–25). They will work with world-class jazz masters on the campus of Purchase College, State University of New York, located just north of New York City. Click here to see a full list of this year's faculty, as well as biographies for Sean Jones and Luciano Souza.

To learn more please visit: carnegiehall.org/NYOJazz.
 

NYO JAZZ – Summer 2025 Latin American Tour

NYO JAZZ
Sean Jones, Artistic Director and Bandleader/Trumpet

with Special Guest:
Luciana Souza, Vocals

Program to include a new Carnegie Hall-commissioned work by Cuban American drummer and composer Dafnis Prieto. NYO Jazz's stylistic range will be further highlighted in pieces by John Clayton, Christian McBride, Vince Mendoza, Thad Jones, and Christine Jensen as well as Brazilian composers including Antônio Carlos Jobim and Ivan Lins and new arrangements, showcasing jazz as a living and limitless art form. The exciting program also features the band's first-ever arrangement commissioned by an alum, trumpeter Janelle Finton, through an NYO Jazz commissioning project highlighting compositions from Terri Lyne Carrington's New Standards: 101 Lead Sheets by Women Composers.

The tour schedule is as follows:
(All concerts taking place at listed local times)

Tuesday, July 29 at 7:00 p.m.
Cultura Artística (São Paulo, Brazil)
_________________________________________

Thursday, July 31 at 7:00 p.m.
Theatro Municipal (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
_________________________________________

Saturday, August 2 at 8:00 p.m.
Teatro Amazonas (Manaus, Brazil)
_________________________________________

Tuesday, August 5 at 8:30 p.m.
Teatro Nacional Eduardo Brito (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)
_________________________________________

Wednesday, August 6 at 8:00 p.m.
Centro León (Santiago, Dominican Republic)