The Score | Carnegie’s New Kids

Carnegie Hall’s Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA), established in 2013, now has a younger sibling called NYO2. The goal of the new program: “attracting talented young musicians from communities underserved by and underrepresented in the classical orchestral field.” The new youth orchestra was recruited via a comprehensive audition process that took into account the varied backgrounds and geographical circumstances of the musicians. Comprising 78 musicians aged 14 to 17, from 27 states and Puerto Rico, NYO2 convened for the first time last June for two weeks of training, mentoring, and performance at the State University of New York-Purchase. The youngsters then headed to Philadelphia for events that included a July 2 side-by-side concert with the Philadelphia Orchestra (above) led by Giancarlo Guerrero and a performance at the city’s 23rd Street Armory in collaboration with NYO-USA and musicians from Philadelphia-area youth orchestras.