Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Ensembles to Embark on Global Tours Following July Performances

This July, Carnegie Hall once again showcases the exceptional talent of young American musicians through its acclaimed national youth ensembles—NYO-USA, NYO2, and NYO Jazz.

For the first time, all three groups will tour internationally during the same summer, with performances scheduled across Asia, South America, and Europe following their New York City appearances.

The ensembles begin with an intensive training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York, where participants—ranging in age from 14 to 19 and representing 40 states, Washington, D.C., and Guam—receive mentorship from top professional musicians. The programs, now in their second decade, have involved more than 1,500 musicians to date and continue to offer tuition-free opportunities for musical and cultural growth.

“It is a truly joyful experience to bring together America’s finest young musicians,” said Clive Gillinson, Carnegie Hall’s Executive and Artistic Director. “These young artists remind us of the bright future ahead as they share their love of music with audiences worldwide.”

Carnegie Hall Concert Schedule

Sunday, July 20 at 7:00 PM – NYO-USA
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
Gianandrea Noseda conducts NYO-USA in a program featuring violinist Ray Chen. The concert includes Carlos Simon’s Festive Fanfare and Overture (a Carnegie Hall co-commission), Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E Minor, and Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2.
Tickets: $40–$85

Saturday, July 26 at 7:00 PM – NYO Jazz
Led by bandleader Sean Jones, NYO Jazz returns with Grammy-winning vocalist Luciana Souza. The program includes works by Count Basie, Christian McBride, and Antônio Carlos Jobim, a premiere by Dafnis Prieto, and the band’s first alum-commissioned arrangement by trumpeter Janelle Finton.
Tickets: $25–$45

Sunday, July 27 at 7:00 PM – NYO2
NYO2, conducted by Rafael Payare with cellist Alisa Weilerstein, performs Jimmy López’s Perú Negro, Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1, and Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5.
Tickets: $25–$45

Tickets are available at carnegiehall.org, by phone at 212-247-7800, or in person at the Carnegie Hall Box Office.

Global Tours Across Three Continents

Following their Carnegie Hall concerts, each ensemble embarks on a landmark tour:

• NYO-USA travels to Asia, performing in Osaka, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Seoul with soloists Ray Chen and Clara-Jumi Kang.

• NYO2 joins the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland, performing two concerts at Usher Hall, including a family-friendly program of Scottish and American music.

• NYO Jazz tours Latin America for the first time, appearing in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Manaus, Santo Domingo, and Santiago.

Now in its eighth year, NYO Jazz features 23 players, while NYO2 includes 89 musicians aged 14–17. NYO-USA, the original flagship ensemble launched in 2013, features 96 players this season, including 29 alumni from NYO2.