Chris Lee
Sonic You T
he National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America made a big splash at its debut in July, capturing headlines and galvanizing audiences. The orchestra’s credentials alone were stellar: created by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, led by no less than Valery Gergiev, and featuring Joshua Bell as soloist. Following a highly competitive audition process, the orchestra brought together 120 outstanding musicians, ages 16 to 19, for a tuition-free two-week training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York, where faculty included principal players from several American orchestras. After an inaugural concert in Purchase, they hit the road, with performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, St. Petersburg’s brand-new
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Mariinsky II theater (see related article on page 58), and London’s Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms. Perhaps most impressive were the critical hosannas for the technical skill and youthful exuberance of these musicians. Not a bad way to start. In fact, the application process for NYOUSA’s second year is already under way (see carnegiehall.org for details). The National Youth Orchestra is just the tip of the youth-orchestra iceberg. Youth orchestras have been vital contributors to American cultural life for decades, and they are flourishing all over—from Bellevue, Washington to Flint, Michigan; from Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania to San Diego, California; from Miami, Florida to Anchorage, Alaska. Youth orchestras comprise vast grassroots enterprises that are highly community-oriented and draw fierce local dedication and support. New orchestras
are being created each year to meet the growing demand for music education and positive activities for young people. Their administrators are networked, their technology initiatives are growing, and their artistic product is better than ever. Helping to support all this activity is the League of American Orchestras’ Youth Orchestra Division, which plays an important role in the development of the field by offering specialized training, support, information, advice, and networking opportunities throughout the year. Approximately 175 youth orchestras belong to the Youth Orchestra Division. Many of these groups are independent, while others are affiliated with professional orchestras; an overwhelming majority of the orchestras offer scholarships in order to make the programs as accessible as possible; and around 30 percent of musicians in primary youthsymphony
fall 2013