NYO JAZZ to Make SFJAZZ Debut With Dee Dee Bridgewater
Kris Johnson will lead the teen ensemble at Miner Auditorium in San Francisco.
Carnegie Hall's NYO Jazz, the acclaimed national youth jazz program that nurtures and showcases the talents of exceptional American jazz instrumentalists ages 16-19, will make its debut at Miner Auditorium at SFJAZZ on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at 7:30 PM, prior to embarking on a tour to Asia. Led by celebrated trumpeter, bandleader, and educator Kris Johnson, the performance will feature Grammy and Tony Award-winning jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater as special guest. Tickets are Pay-What-You-Wish ($20–$75) and on sale now.
Following a comprehensive and highly competitive audition process, the intensive summer program gives young jazz musicians—recognized by Carnegie Hall as being among the finest players in the United States—the opportunity to play alongside talented peers, learn from world-class jazz artists, and perform at Carnegie Hall and at prestigious venues across the globe. Now in its ninth year, NYO Jazz is offered free of charge to all participants, ensuring that all invited musicians have the opportunity to take part.
Under Johnson's direction, the ensemble will perform a repertoire spanning classic works and contemporary compositions, including an arrangement by NYO Jazz and SFJAZZ High School All-Star alum Skylar Tang and a new Carnegie Hall commission by Jihye Lee, highlighting the extraordinary artistry of its members. Three-time Grammy Award winner and NEA Jazz Master, Dee Dee Bridgewater, will join the ensemble as a special guest artist. Renowned for her powerful voice, captivating Stage Presence, and lifelong dedication to jazz education and advocacy, Bridgewater has inspired generations of musicians and audiences around
the world.
NYO Jazz 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.
Since its debut in 2018, NYO Jazz has performed at Carnegie Hall and embarked on acclaimed tours across Europe, Asia, the United States, South Africa, and Latin America, led in past seasons by trumpeter and bandleader Sean Jones. The ensemble has been invited to perform at prestigious concert halls and music festivals, including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam; Konzerthaus in Berlin; National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing; The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC; The Market Theatre in Johannesburg; BBC Proms in London; Festival da Jazz in St. Moritz; Edinburgh International Festival; Amazonas Green Jazz Festival in Manaus; and Lucerne Festival, among many others.
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—programs 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 international touring. 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.
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