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. The members of NYO Jazz have been recognized by Carnegie Hall as 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 US. 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; BBC Proms in London; Festival da Jazz in St. Moritz; Edinburgh International Festival; and the Lucerne Festival, among many others. Guest artists in past seasons have included vocalists Dianne Reeves, Kurt Elling, Jazzmeia Horn, and Dee Dee Bridgewater. For NYO Jazz’s debut tour to South Africa this summer, which includes performances at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg, The Playhouse in Durban, and Artscape in Cape Town, the ensemble is joined by vocalist Alicia Olatuja as special guest and local South African artists join as soloists in each city. As part of their travel schedule, NYO Jazz musicians have opportunities to meet and collaborate with young local musicians and experience the richness of different cultures and music.
In 2021, the band recorded its first full-length studio album under Jones’s direction with special guest saxophonist Melissa Aldana. It includes Carnegie Hall–commissioned works for the ensemble from each year of the program, exploring themes that include social justice, resilience, and the power of music to spark joy. The album, entitled We’re Still Here, was released in 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—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.
