Created by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute in summer 2016, NYO2 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 residency of the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA) at Purchase College, State University of New York (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 that have been underserved by and underrepresented in the classical music field.
Since its inaugural season, NYO2 has captivated audiences around the world through annual performances at Carnegie Hall; three summers of residencies and performances in Miami Beach in partnership with the New World Symphony; vibrant digital video projects and performances streamed worldwide; and most recently, its first international residency and performances, presented by Fundación Sinfonía in the Dominican Republic. Over the past eight years, NYO2 has worked with renowned faculty, guest artists, and conductors who include Mei-Ann Chen, Giancarlo Guerrero, Jennifer Koh, Gabriela Montero, Carlos Miguel Prieto, Gil Shaham, Esperanza Spalding, and Joseph Young. 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 New World Center in Miami, 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, which celebrated its 10th anniversary season last summer; 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.
