Carnegie Hall

Congratulations, NYO2! Our incredibly talented young musicians brought their hard work and artistry to Dallas’s Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center last week alongside guest conductor Teddy Abrams and guest soloists Anthony McGill, Demarre McGill, Titus Underwood, and Andrew Brady.

The concert, which marked the conclusion of this summer’s NYO2 program, featured works by Bernstein, Tchaikovsky, and Stravinsky, and the second-ever performance of Dallas-based Jasmine Barnes’s concertante “KINSFOLKNEM,” which was co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall.

The following day, NYO2 musicians connected with young, local string players at a special side-by-side event led by NYO-USA alum and newly appointed assistant conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Shira Samuels-Shragg. 📷: Sylvia Elzafon

That’s a wrap on NYO Jazz in South Africa! Through eight concerts in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town, this summer’s musicians made unforgettable music in historic venues, collaborated with peers and professionals abroad, and immersed themselves in the rich culture of these three cities. Join us in taking a look back at the band’s first stop: Johannesburg! 📷: Todd Rosenberg

Whether in an intimate recital or a monumental concerto, a great violinist in full flight is thrilling.

Individual tickets to all performances as part of our 2024–2025 season are now available, which means there’s no better time to save your seats. Explore the season and upcoming violin concerts today: bit.ly/3Smxae9

📷: Steve J. Sherman

And just like that, we’ve wrapped up another fantastic summer of Carnegie Hall Citywide concerts! A big thank you to Northwell Health, Carnegie Hall’s Official Healthcare Partner, for their support of this program that brings free performances to audiences across New York City’s five boroughs!

That’s a wrap on World Orchestra Week! In the final performance as part of our historic weeklong celebration of international youth orchestras, the storied Afghan Youth Orchestra—which features young musicians ages 14–22 from the Afghanistan National Institute of Music—returned to Carnegie Hall for the first time in more than a decade alongside conductor Tiago Moreira da Silva.

A symbol of hope for the people of Afghanistan, where music is currently banned, the young musicians—joined by members of the EUYO - The European Union Youth Orchestra—performed on both Western and traditional Afghan instruments.

The program included works by William Harvey, Sarahang, Awalmir, and Abdul Wahab Madadi, plus Moreira da Silva’s own arrangements of works by Nainawaz, Brahms, Kodály, and popular artist Sediq Shubab. 📷: Jennifer Taylor Photography

The EUYO - The European Union Youth Orchestra returned to Carnegie Hall Tuesday night, rounding out day six of World Orchestra Week—and what a week it’s been! 🥰

Made up of 120 young musicians from all 27 European Union countries, the ensemble, led by conductor Iván Fischer, brought a work by Anna Clyne and Mahler’s epic Symphony No. 1 to our largest stage.

The orchestra was also joined by pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason for Dohnányi’s Variations on a Nursery Tune. 📷: Stephanie Berger Photography

The time is now! From August 7–11, Mastercard cardholders can access tickets to concerts in our 2024–2025 season ahead of the public. Explore upcoming events and learn more about this offer: bit.ly/3Y8gomE

Presale ends August 11 at 11:59 PM EDT. Exclusively for Mastercard cardholders. Limited quantities. Terms apply.

📷: Chris Lee Photographer

Welcome back, NYO-USA! (NYO USA / NYO2) 👏 For the fifth night of World Orchestra Week, Marin Alsop led our National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America in Barber’s Symphony No. 1 and Rimsky-Korsakov’s colorful “Scheherazade,” an audience favorite based on “One Thousand and One Nights.”

Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet joined the ensemble as soloist in Gershwin’s iconic “Rhapsody in Blue” as part of our ongoing centennial celebration of the iconic work. 📷: Chris Lee Photographer

700 young musicians playing together in one room? Yesterday, that’s exactly what happened! 🤩 In what was perhaps the largest feat as part of World Orchestra Week, all seven of our participating youth orchestras gathered at the Javits Center to play as one ensemble.

Led by conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the musicians read through works by Beethoven, Ginastera, and very fittingly—John Williams’ “Olympic Fanfare and Theme.” 📷: Fadi Kheir Photography

It’s hard to believe that we’re halfway through World Orchestra Week! Yesterday afternoon, the Beijing Youth Orchestra—an ensemble newly created by China’s National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA)—took to our largest stage with conductor Lü Jia.

The program featured selections from Bao Yuankai’s “Chinese Sights and Sounds,” Tchaikovsky’s beloved Symphony No. 5, and the New York premiere of Zhao Jiping’s P**a Concerto No. 2, which featured the inimitable p**a virtuoso Wu Man. 📷: Chris Lee

What a night at Carnegie Hall! Day three of World Orchestra Week featured the North American debut of the Africa United Youth Orchestra (AUYO), a new ensemble organized by the Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra that comprises stellar young musicians from several African countries, including South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Led by conductor William Eddins, the first half of the program—which highlighted works by South African composers—opened with Moerane’s “Fatše La Heso” (“My Country”). South African sopranos Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha and Goitsemang Oniccah Lehobye joined the orchestra for arias from Khumalo’s “uShaka KaSenzangakhona” (a dramatic work about the legendary King of the Zulus) and “Princess Magogo” (the first Zulu opera), along with Ndodana-Breen’s “Three Orchestral Songs on Poems of Ingrid Jonker.”

For the concert’s finale, AUYO was joined by members of NYO USA / NYO2 for Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World,” a beloved work that debuted in our Hall more than 130 years ago. 📷: Fadi Kheir

Gustavo Dudamel and the National Children’s Symphony of Venezuela! 🤩 In a sold-out concert as part of World Orchestra Week, the ensemble—made up of 170 students ages 11 through 17—performed John Adams’s “Short Ride in a Fast Machine,” Estévez’s symphonic poem “Mediodía en el llano,” Ginastera’s Four Dances from “Estancia,” and Shostakovich’s riveting Symphony No. 5 on our largest stage. 📷: Fadi Kheir

World Orchestra Week has officially begun! 🙌 NYO2 and conductor Teddy Abrams kicked off our weeklong celebration of international youth orchestras at Carnegie Hall.

In addition to beloved works by Bernstein, Tchaikovsky, and Stravinsky, the ensemble was joined by soloists Demarre McGill, Titus Underwood, Anthony McGill, and Andrew Brady for the world premiere of Jasmine Barnes’s “KINSFOLKNEM.”

Next stop for NYO2? The Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, where the ensemble’s performance will be livestreamed! Tune into our website or the NYO YouTube channel on Tuesday, August 6 at 7:30 PM to join us.

📷: Fadi Kheir

Not a fan of ticket fees? We’ve got good news! Members at our Associate level and above skip out on single-ticket fees for Carnegie Hall–presented events. Join today, and you’ll also receive early access to purchase single tickets for our upcoming season beginning August 5: bit.ly/462Pspk

📷: Evan Zimmermann / Met Opera

Welcome to New York, NYO-USA and NYO2! 👋 Our two orchestral national youth ensembles are currently gearing up to perform at Carnegie Hall next week, taking part in rehearsals, sectionals, master classes, and more.

Eight musicians from Polyphony, a Nazareth-based program that brings together Jewish and Arab musicians, have joined NYO-USA, training together ahead of their performance at the Hall as part of World Orchestra Week. Be sure to catch these young musicians on August 1 and 5 before NYO-USA heads off to South America and NYO2 to Dallas! ✈️

📷: Fadi Kheir