Carnegie Hall Announces Musicians for 2013 National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America

Carnegie Hall today announced the names of the 120 exceptional young musicians from across America who have been specially selected to come together from June 30 through July 23, 2013 to create the first-ever National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America.

Hailing from 42 US states-from Eagle River, Alaska to Miami, Florida; from Seattle, Washington to Sioux Falls, South Dakota; from Honolulu, Hawaii to Kalamazoo, Michigan; from Los Angeles, California to Marietta, Georgia and beyond-these young orchestral players, ages 16-19, have been recognized by Carnegie Hall as being among the finest in the country following a comprehensive audition process.

See below for the complete state-by-state roster of the 2013 National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA), or for more information-including an interactive map of the musicians' hometowns-please visit carnegiehall.org/nyousa.

The musicians of the first National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America will travel to New York in late June 2013 for a rigorous two-week training residency on the campus of Purchase College, State University of New York, working with some of the country's best professional orchestral players. The young musicians will then have the opportunity to represent their country as the NYO-USA undertakes its inaugural international tour with stops at Washington DC's Kennedy Center, followed by dates in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and London.

Internationally-renowned conductor Valery Gergiev will lead the NYO-USA in its first year, with the ensemble joined this summer by acclaimed violinist Joshua Bell as soloist. The orchestra's concert program will include Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10 in E Minor, and a new work by young American composer Sean Shepherd, co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall especially for NYO-USA. Specific tour dates and venues for all cities will be announced in late spring 2013.

"We have been thrilled at the response to our creation of the NYO-USA program," said Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall. "We are very excited, but not surprised that there is such a depth of world class talent among young musicians across the United States, and we know this first roster will be wonderfully strong. With the energy and skill demonstrated by these young players, we fully expect that the music-making of this orchestra will be completely inspirational for participants and audiences alike."