The National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America at Carnegie Hall. Photo courtesy of Carnegie Hall.
Carnegie Hall has announced the names of the 97 young musicians who will participate in the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA). The members of the 2026 orchestra—ages 16–19, hailing from 32 states plus the District of Columbia—have been chosen by Carnegie Hall following a highly selective audition process. This summer’s orchestra features 33 musicians who gained experience through Carnegie Hall’s NYO2, a program for younger players ages 14–16, and one musician who previously performed with NYO Jazz. All three of Carnegie Hall’s national youth ensembles are free of charge, ensuring that all invited musicians have the opportunity to take part. NYO-USA musicians will travel to New York in mid-July for an intensive two-week training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York. Conductor Karina Canellakis will lead NYO-USA at the orchestra’s annual Carnegie Hall concert (July 31), followed by a European tour featuring soloist Kirill Gerstein. The orchestra makes its debut with Britten Pears Arts as part of “Summer at Snape,” and returns to Berlin’s Young Euro Classic, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, and the Edinburgh International Festival. Visit https://www.carnegiehall.org/Education/Programs/National-Youth-Ensembles/NYO-USA/Orchestra-Roster for information about the members of the 2026 NYO-USA.
