THEME MUSIC - Adolphus Hailstork - Sonata da Chiesa
Jeff Spurgeon: Good evening from Carnegie Hall. Welcome to the first broadcast in seven consecutive days of live concert broadcasts that WQXR is bringing you from Carnegie Hall. This is the opening concert of World Orchestra Week, a historic showcase celebration of youth orchestras from around the world. Over the course of the next seven days, we're going to hear young musicians from the United States, from Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
These young players are collaborating with some of today's most recognized conductors and soloists. It's an exciting event, and you're here for the very beginning of it.
Backstage at Carnegie Hall, I'm Jeff Spurgeon, alongside Annie Bergen.
Annie Bergen: Hi Jeff, great to be here with you. What an exciting and ambitious event here at Carnegie this week.
This project is an extension of sorts of the National Youth Orchestras that Carnegie started more than ten years ago, but this time around they've invited international orchestras to experience the high-level music making and cultural exchanges that's been the hallmark of Carnegie's mission.
Tonight, our orchestra is NYO2. It's Carnegie Hall's project featuring outstanding younger musicians from across the U. S. ages 14 to 17. There are 89 members from 29 states. NYO2 are led tonight by the music director of the Louisville Orchestra, Teddy Abrams. Carnegie Hall's executive and artistic director, Clive Gillinson, told us a little more about the mission of this World Orchestra Week celebration.
Clive Gillinson: The purpose really is firstly to celebrate the best young musicians from all around the world because there's incredible work going on everywhere. And we really wanted to represent so many countries. So, I mean, you can see that it's from China, from Afghanistan, from Venezuela, from Europe, as well as our own orchestras.
So even though we couldn't represent every country, we wanted to try and do as comprehensive a first go at this as we possibly could. But also in addition, as we try to do with so much of our work, we wanted to reflect some of the areas where people have got real challenges. And so we have got Jewish and Palestinian musicians coming from Israel and Ukrainian young musicians coming from Ukraine.
Jeff Spurgeon: As Clive Gillinson mentioned, these musicians from these troubled areas of the world have been embedded in the orchestras that you will be hearing throughout the week in these broadcasts, some of these orchestras, and we'll tell you more about that as this week of broadcasts proceeds. This evening's program by NYO2 includes music by Leonard Bernstein and by Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky, and we'll also hear a world premiere, a work by the American composer Jasmine Barnes. Her piece, co commissioned by Carnegie Hall, features a group of professional principal players from leading U. S. orchestras. Flutist Demarre McGill, oboist Titus Underwood, clarinetist Anthony McGill, and bassoonist Andrew Brady. The conductor, Teddy Abrams, told us a little more about the young members of NYO2.
Teddy Abrams: They are coming here from all over the United States, and they're coming from a lot of different circumstances. I know Carnegie really emphasizes this notion that, that a youth orchestra can be the right place to start to build orchestras that reflect America as it is. That's exactly what we have here at that very highest level. Every musician deserves to be here. Every musician's playing at the most extraordinary level that you're going to find in 14- to 17-year-old kids. But the fact that they come from all over. There are urban and there are rural kids. There are kids that have had particular kind of experiences and kids that have had the exact opposite probably in their own upbringing. But they're finding their voice together. And that is the symbol for what music can really be in society. What it really means. This is where people should seek it if they need that inspiration and hope.
Annie Bergen: That's Teddy Abrams, who's leading our performance tonight. He is a bit of a wunderkind himself. Started improvising on the piano at age three and conducting at age ten. One of his mentors is conductor Michael Tilson Thomas. And for the last ten years, Teddy Abrams has been the much-celebrated music director of the Louisville Orchestra.
Jeff Spurgeon: This past year, Teddy Abrams won a Grammy for Best Classical Instrumental Solo for the American Project, a piece he wrote for pianist Yuja Wang, which was recorded with the Louisville Orchestra. And he was named Musical America's Conductor of the Year in 2022.
Carnegie's Clive Gillinson knew that Teddy was the perfect choice for this project.
Clive Gillinson: Teddy Abrams is doing terrific and really interesting work, and he's also really interested in nurturing young talent. So we felt he was a natural for doing this. And we also thought to bring in soloists who represent the best star players from around America would be something very inspiring for the orchestra themselves, as well as the audience. We're always trying to address more than one issue at a time, and this is again very much about how do you nurture American talent, put a real showcase for it, and put a spotlight on the greatest work going on. So all of that is represented by this concert.
Jeff Spurgeon: Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall.
Well, this program will begin with Leonard Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. Seems to me to be a real test of these young musicians, a familiar piece of orchestral music much beloved, and these young musicians are just 14 to 17 years of age. And they're all on stage now in the NYO uniform, red pants, black t-shirts, black Converse All Star sneakers, and out on stage is the concertmaster for the first half of this program from Atlanta, Georgia. Her name is Claire Cho, taking a deep bow before an obviously enthusiastic Carnegie Hall audience.
So, as the orchestra tunes, we're getting ready to hear the Symphonic Dances from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein, whose heart, I have to believe, would be so lifted so high by this project at Carnegie Hall.
When you think about it, Annie, this, this project's been going on now for more than a decade. It started out with NYO, the National Youth Orchestra of the United States, for 16- to 19-year-olds, NYO Jazz, and then NYO2 has been added. And so, another edition of these young players, about 90 of them all together in the orchestra, are all here in New York City on stage.
I got to hear Teddy Abrams speak to them, the musicians, in their rehearsal an hour or two ago, and the last thing he said to them was, make sure you have fun tonight. And so I think that we are all looking forward to a really fun experience with what I think will be a phenomenal group of young musicians that you're going to hear from Carnegie Hall.
Annie Bergen: It's true, Jeff. Each summer they come here, they work with major conductors and soloists, and they get coaching from top players and conservatory faculty during a residency at Purchase College.
And Teddy Abrams has now entered.
Jeff Spurgeon: To the cheers of the Carnegie Hall audience, he shakes hands with Concertmaster Claire Cho. NYO2 on its feet. He bows to this audience. Teddy Abrams, whose work is appreciated in many places. And now, here they are, NYO2, from Carnegie Hall, the start of World Orchestra Week.
MUSIC - BERNSTEIN Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
Jeff Spurgeon: And in a broadcast coming to you live from Carnegie Hall, you have just met NYO2, the younger of the National Youth Orchestras of the United States, created and supported by Carnegie Hall. Under the direction of Teddy Abrams, they brought you the Symphonic Dances from Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story.
And with that performance, we kick off a week-long celebration of youth orchestras. From this country and five continents around the world, World Orchestra Week is underway. Backstage at Carnegie Hall, I'm Jeff Spurgeon, alongside Annie Bergen.
Annie Bergen: What an amazing performance. Who would think that that we were hearing 14- to 17-year-olds and you can hear the applause and the cheering.
Jeff Spurgeon: These kids can't even drive, most of them.
Annie Bergen: And I can imagine Leonard Bernstein, such a music educator with his Young People's Concerts, being so proud of these kids.
Jeff Spurgeon: And now some individual introductions of sections. Teddy Abrams is asking various members of the orchestra to stand at various sections to receive applause. And they are, of course, are being also applauded by their colleagues in the orchestra.
Now the entire NYO2 is on its feet. Yes, wonderful performance of the Symphonic Dances.
Up next, we have a world premiere by an American composer, Jasmine Barnes. Barnes is a native of Baltimore and discovered her passion for composing at the age of 12. She studied at the Peabody Conservatory and then at Berkeley College of Music in Boston, and she's currently a professor at the University of Texas in Austin. Jasmine Barnes is known for blending classical traditions with contemporary music, such as jazz and gospel, and her compositions address themes of social justice, personal identity, and the human experience. We caught up with her recently, and she told us about the piece we're going to hear tonight, KINSFOLKNEM.
Jasmine Barnes: The story I chose was Black family gatherings. All of those gatherings are not always just the family, right? So that's where the "and them" comes from, KINSFOLKNEM. Because anybody that's a friend of the family will feel like family.
The first movement is the Sunday Dinner. After church kind of like a church sound world for it. And then the second movement is the Repast. So I kind of chose like funeral style. (voice fades out...)
Dhiren Sivapala: Hi my name is Dhiren Sivapala and I play the bassoon. [applause and cheers] Today we have the honor of kicking off the World Orchestra Week Festival for its very first time. It's crazy. [applause and cheers]
Pauline Lee: This festival welcomes seven youth orchestras from all around the world to perform at Carnegie Hall and share their music and culture. Three of these youth orchestras are here with us today. Will NYO USA please stand up and wave? [applause and cheers]
Dhiren Sivapala: And now can the African United Youth Orchestra also please stand. [applause and cheers]
Pauline Lee: Last but not least, can we have the National Children's Symphony of Venezuela please stand. [applause and cheers]
Later in this concert, we will be playing many classic works, such as Stravinsky's Firebird Suite and Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture. We also have the honor today of premiering a new composition by a living composer who has joined us in the audience today. Please help me welcome Jasmine Barnes. [applause and cheers]
Dhiren Sivapala: This piece that she composed is so unique. There's four woodwind there's four woodwind soloists playing the clarinet, oboe, flute, and the bassoon. And myself being a bassoon, a bassoonist, I feel so inspired by these four musicians. Seriously.
Pauline Lee: Lastly, we'd also like to acknowledge our amazing conductor, Maestro Teddy Abrams, for helping us prepare for this concert and our upcoming tour. [applause and cheers]
Thank you all! Thank you all for coming!
Dhiren Sivapala: Thank you!
Jeff Spurgeon: Violinist Pauline Lee from Omaha, and bassoonist Dhiren Sivapala from Boston, giving you a little overview of this concert by NYO2 as the stage was being changed. And you heard some comment from composer Jasmine Barnes before the students began their conversation from the stage.
But we are all set for this three-movement work. It's Jasmine Barnes, KINSFOLKNEM, the family, and the other people who come to the family gathering.
And, with the NYO2 family tonight, these four professional players, Demarre McGill on flute, Titus Underwood, oboist, Anthony McGill, clarinetist, and Andrew Brady, bassoonist, all principals of professional orchestras around the United States. Joining NYO2 on stage.
Annie Bergen: The first movement depicts a Sunday dinner, then we visit a Repast, and finally a family reunion. Now the world premiere of Jasmine Barnes KINSFOLKNEM, with NYO2 live from Carnegie Hall.
MUSIC - JASMINE BARNES KINSFOLKNEM
Jeff Spurgeon: A world premiere performed by NYO2 and four great professional soloists in this opening concert of Carnegie Hall's World Orchestra Week, NYO2, the younger of Carnegie Hall's national youth orchestras.
These musicians, 14 to 17 years of age, just performed the world premiere of a work by Jasmine Barnes called KINSFOLKNEM, invoking a Black family celebration where kinsfolk n’ ‘em are present. The four great soloists were Demarre McGill, the flutist, principal of the Seattle Symphony, oboist Titus Underwood of the Nashville Symphony, clarinetist Anthony McGill, New York Philharmonic Principal, and bassoonist Andrew Brady, principal of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
On stage now with the musicians and NYO2 and conductor Teddy Abrams, is the composer, Jasmine Arielle Barnes. A world premiere for this orchestra in this opening concert of World Orchestra Week.
Backstage at Carnegie Hall, I'm Jeff Spurgeon alongside Annie Bergen. What a celebration that piece is.
Annie Bergen: Oh that was so great. It had folks dancing, that last movement. [Yep.] Dancing here backstage.
Jeff Spurgeon: Yes. Really great. They've clearly heard a few rehearsals of the work and have caught the spirit of the thing fully.
Annie Bergen: Really, really beautiful piece. We're going to be hearing a lot from Jasmine Barnes.
Jeff Spurgeon: We should give a shout out too, to there was a wonderful moment with the quartet and a tuba in the end of the second movement, tuba player for NYO2, June Eickholt from Colleyville, Texas.
And now our four soloists are back out on stage. And we're going to get an encore from these great principal musicians, four African American principals in their sections of some great American orchestras. So, here they are again, Demarre and Anthony McGill, Titus Underwood, and Andrew Brady.
Annie Bergen: Jasmine Barnes embraces a variety of genres, formats, and instrumentations.
She's written five operas.
Back announce, speaker unknown: Arranged by Jasmine Barnes, Total Praise.
Annie Bergen: The encore is Total Praise.
MUSIC – SMALLWOOD: TOTAL PRAISE
Annie Bergen: That was Total Praise by Richard Smallwood, arranged by Jasmine Barnes and performed by our quartet, flutist Demarre McGill, oboist Titus Underwood, clarinetist Anthony McGill, and bassoonist Andrew Brady, getting some wonderful applause.
Jeff Spurgeon: Special encore in this concert. Backstage Titus Underwood told me that that Total Praise, which was written in the 1990s by Richard Smallwood, one of America's great gospel musicians, really is, is sort of a Beethoven 9 of gospel music. So very powerful piece, and in that special arrangement.
And with that, we've reached the end of this first half of this concert, the first concert in Carnegie Hall's World Orchestra Week, a performance featuring NYO2, the National Youth Orchestra, the second national youth orchestra of Carnegie Hall. For young players ages 14, 14 to 17. It is the most remarkable thing conducted by the music director of the Louisville Symphony, Teddy Abrams.
Annie Bergen: It's going to be an incredible week. Tomorrow night, we feature the National Children's Symphony of Venezuela, conducted by none other than Gustavo Dudamel. And then we're going to hear concerts from the Beijing Youth Orchestra, Africa United Youth Orchestra, the European Union Youth Orchestra, the Afghan Youth Orchestra, and NYO USA, those are the older young musicians, from the Carnegie led program with conductor Marin Alsop. A very exciting week indeed.
Jeff Spurgeon: It really is. And now as the NYO2 leaves the stage at the beginning of intermission, we'll get to talk with a couple of the members of the ensemble before they come back for performances of Music by Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky in the second half of this broadcast.
This is Classical New York, WQXR 105. 9 FM and HD Newark, 90. 3 FM WQXW Ossining, and WNYC FM HD2 New York.
Well, the first half of this concert was just quite a thrill, knowing that these, as I said, these, most of these kids can't even drive yet, but they played the, the Leonard Bernstein Symphonic Dances with real skill and, and beauty.
And then this world premiere of this brand-new composition, the wonderful KINSFOLKNEM.
And now, coming to the microphones here at Carnegie Hall. You're not a member of NYO2, Anthony McGill. You're a, you're a professional clarinetist.
Anthony McGill: Hi, hi, how are you?
Jeff Spurgeon: So glad that you could be with us tonight. What was it like doing this world premiere with a bunch of kids behind you?
Anthony McGill: Oh, this is amazing. I love playing Carnegie Hall and I love when it's with, with students. I played my first Carnegie Hall concert when I was a teenager as well, so this is really exciting. It's such a great night.
Jeff Spurgeon: It's amazing that you can really feel the energy of these young people. Because you are, you're not an old musician, but you're a veteran player. And then to come out and, and feel the energy from these kids,
Anthony McGill: they play, they played so great too. It's so exciting building up to this. And it's a world premiere, it's Carnegie Hall and so there's so much excitement and to come out here and play so well and to do a new world premiere as well. It's so, it's so great.
Annie Bergen: You yourself came up through youth orchestra?
Anthony McGill: Yeah. Yeah, I played in the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, and when I was in college, I played here with the New York Youth New York String Orchestra Seminar. I've also played here with the New York Youth Symphony. I've played with a lot of young groups here, and it's such an exciting thing, because I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for these orchestras.
Jeff Spurgeon: Talk a little bit about the Jasmine Barnes piece and how it came together. There's some gorgeous stuff in there.
Anthony McGill: Yeah, she's an amazing composer. I think Titus was the, the oboist was the one that was really familiar with her music, and we chose her and she just, she just made this amazing work without too much guidance from us. You know, this came from her heart, came from her spirit, and we just felt like it was just home for us. We just feel so comfortable playing the music. It's exciting.
Jeff Spurgeon: How much time did you have to rehearse it? I'm just curious because composers can turn things in.
Anthony McGill: We all live in like, you know, four different cities scattered around the country, right?
So we just got together this this week, earlier this week for a rehearsal, officially. We got the music maybe a few just a few weeks ago and had the rehearsals up at Purchase with the orchestra.
Jeff Spurgeon: Well, it's a wonderful piece. I, I hope that you take it on the road with, with these guys and other musicians. It's, there's some really beautiful…
Anthony McGill: Yeah, we're, we're planning, we have a, quite a few performances planned for it already. Of course, we're going to Dallas with these musicians. And then we're going to NOI who's a co commissioner, and Aspen next summer.
Jeff Spurgeon: Oh, that's wonderful.
Anthony McGill: So this'll be great.
Jeff Spurgeon: Yeah, and Dallas is the composer's hometown.
Anthony McGill: Yeah.
Jeff Spurgeon: So she'll get a warm reception there, too. Thank you, Anthony McGill. It's wonderful to talk to you, and so wonderful to hear you with your colleagues with NYO2.
Anthony McGill: Thanks so much.
Jeff Spurgeon: Thank you so much. Anthony McGill, Principal Clarinet of the New York Philharmonic who, with three great colleagues, brought you this world premiere of KINSFOLKNEM from NYO2 on this broadcast, coming to you from Carnegie Hall Live tonight.
And now we have our young musicians with us. And so we welcome violist Hazel Peebles and bassist Noah La Porte. Hazel is from New York City.
Hazel Peebles: Yes I am.
Jeff Spurgeon: Where do you live?
Hazel Peebles: I live in Harlem.
Jeff Spurgeon: In Harlem.
Hazel Peebles: Yeah.
Jeff Spurgeon: All right, and Noah La Porte's from Pasadena, California.
Noah La Porte: Yeah…
Jeff Spurgeon: Where in Pasadena? Because people will want to know.
Noah La Porte: About five minutes from the Rose Bowl.
Jeff Spurgeon: Okay. All right.
Annie Bergen: Welcome, both of you.
Jeff Spurgeon: So, how's your week been? When did you guys get into, well, Hazel, you got into New York some time ago, but Noah, when did you get into New York? When did you guys get together?
Noah La Porte: So, our first day of camp was July 20th, and that was our move in day, and then the day after we started our orchestra rehearsals.
Jeff Spurgeon: So you've been at it for a couple of, 10 days, yeah, a week and a half, a week and a half. You moved in, where did you move in?
Noah La Porte: We're staying at SUNY Purchase College.
Jeff Spurgeon: Okay, a couple, 40 minutes, 40 miles north of New York City, something like that. And Hazel, did you stay there too? I mean, because you could go back home.
Hazel Peebles: Yeah, we're all staying at SUNY Purchase as a collective.
Jeff Spurgeon: So you're all, yeah, so you get to not only rehearse together but to hang out a little bit.
Hazel Peebles: Yeah, you get to live with all your new friends, so it's fun.
Annie Bergen: What kind of workshops do they have you doing as part of being, what kind of workshops do they have you doing as part of the...
Jeff Spurgeon: your rehearsal process? How'd you get together? Did you do sectionals, I presume?
Hazel Peebles: We did a couple sectionals. We had some mentors come in for each, you know, section like violin, viola, cello, bass, all of the different sections and we worked with those. We had sectionals, we had a studio class. Every day we had an orchestra rehearsal or two, and sometimes we'd have a sectional in between those rehearsals. As of the last few days, we had double orchestra rehearsals because our mentors unfortunately had to leave a couple days ago, but we really appreciate all the work they put in for us.
Annie Bergen: Noah, you play bass. What about those rhythms in the Symphonic Dances?
Noah La Porte: I mean, they're iconic. It's the sound of New York, so we made sure to try and do our best to recreate it, and all the mambos and all the rhythms that Bernstein put together for us.
Jeff Spurgeon: Yeah, you got to spin the bass around a couple times.
Noah La Porte: Yeah, we did.
Jeff Spurgeon: And and all the string players, we didn't, Annie and I didn't explain, but in the moment of Mambo, all the string players rose up and shouted. Teddy Abrams turned around to tell the audience to participate in that as well.
Now, where do you go to school, Hazel?
Hazel Peebles: I go to Special Music School. It's actually kind of near here, so...
Jeff Spurgeon: What is it? The Kaufman?
Hazel Peebles: Yeah, the Kaufman Partnership Special Music School.
Jeff Spurgeon: Right, and Noah, what's your education in California? What do you do?
Noah La Porte: I go to Polytechnic School, but for my music endeavors, I go to Colburn School.
Jeff Spurgeon: Oh, wow. All right, and you've been in NYO2 before, so this is your second year.
Noah La Porte: Yes this is my second year.
Jeff Spurgeon: How is it different this year?
Noah La Porte: I would say this year I've kind of been a lot more open to meeting new people, so I have a whole new experience when you really try to make new friends.
Jeff Spurgeon: So what do we have to look forward to in the second half? What are you looking forward to in the Firebird or the Tchaikovsky?
Hazel Peebles: Well, I think the Tchaikovsky and Firebird are both very, well they're obviously very popular pieces in orchestral repertoire. And it's just very exciting to be able to finally, as a performer and as a string player, perform those pieces.
And they did take a lot of hard work, but I am very excited. I'm sure this one is too, about sharing. All of the hard work we put in with the audience.
Noah La Porte: Personally, I'm pretty excited for the encore that we'll be surprising the audience with by Alex Berko. It was kind of fun to have the composer in with us today to kind of go over the music with us as well.
Annie Bergen: Wonderful.
Jeff Spurgeon: That's a great, it's a great thing to have a living composer, to tell you. Because if you have questions, he can answer them. Whereas if the composer is not alive, you have to make it up and figure it out yourself.
Well, congratulations to both of you. You should have a couple of minutes to maybe get a photograph on stage or or just take a break. But thank you so much for talking to us.
Hazel Peebles: Thank you.
Jeff Spurgeon: This is great. Noah La Porte plays the bass in NYO2, and Hazel Peebles plays the viola. Noah from Pasadena, California, and Hazel from right here in New York City.
Annie Bergen: We're going to hear some music now composed and performed by our conductor Teddy Abrams. Abrams came to our WQXR performance space known as the Greene Space in Lower Manhattan back in 2019 where he played his own composition. This piece is called The Border with Teddy Abrams at the piano.
MUSIC: ABRAMS: THE BORDER
Annie Bergen: A piece by our conductor, Teddy Abrams. He wrote and played that piece, The Border, recorded in The Greene Space at WQXR in New York City about a couple years ago. That's an incredible piece of music. And Teddy Abrams is our conductor tonight with NYO2 at Carnegie Hall for the opening night of World Orchestra Week.
Jeff Spurgeon: We are in the midst of intermission and typically when a professional symphony orchestra is in intermission, they're not on stage, or a couple of them might be out there playing. Tonight, NYO2, these 14- to 17-year-olds from 29 states across the country are on stage at Carnegie Hall, very excitedly taking pictures, and who can blame them for this, for enjoying this amazing experience in that way.
We have a few minutes left in intermission. A little more now from, from our a couple of our artists whom you heard in that world premiere work of KINSFOLKNEM. Here are Anthony McGill, and Demarre McGill, clarinet and flute, they are brothers, with pianist Michael McHale, and an arrangement of some of Dvorak's Slavonic Dances.
MUSIC: DVORAK: SLAVONIC DANCES
Jeff Spurgeon: A bit of Slavonic dance music of Dvorak from clarinetist Anthony McGill, his brother, flutist Demarre McGill, and pianist Michael McHale.
So, the stage doors are closing here again at Carnegie Hall as we get ready for the second half of this concert by NYO2, 14- to 17-year-old musicians chosen by audition from across the United States.
Twenty-nine states have representatives in this second of Carnegie Hall's National Youth Orchestras. NYO2 was created to also offer a chance for this kind of musical experience to kids in some underrepresented communities and places where maybe there isn't as much of a basis of music education as there is in some other places. That's part of the special outreach of Carnegie Hall in NYO2.
We heard one of the members with whom we spoke earlier who's enjoying his second year of experience in this orchestra, and perhaps as these young people develop their musicianship they can then proceed on to NYO, the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America, an ensemble among seven that you are hearing this week in live broadcasts from Carnegie Hall on WQXR for Carnegie's World Orchestra Week.
Annie Bergen: Well, there are two more pieces left on our program, works by Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky. We asked Teddy Abrams about how he decided on the repertoire for tonight's program.
Teddy Abrams: I worked with a wonderful team at Carnegie. It's very challenging, and part of the challenge for me is that a) I had never worked with the NYO2 program before, but also it's a different group of young people every year, so you're kind of predicting where people's comfort levels are going to be.
I decided to challenge them either way not knowing exactly how they would sound or what their experience level would be. I figured, let's just play the best repertoire we can, even if it's really tough and it's going to throw us a lot of curveballs. That's the whole point here. This is music that they're going to encounter for the rest of their lives. They're going to keep playing West Side Story and Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet as long as they live. So but maybe we should make this the special first experience with it, even if it's hard.
Jeff Spurgeon: Conductor Teddy Abrams, who leads NYO2 in this concert talking about the choice of repertoire, which Abrams did not shy away from bringing you Leonard Bernstein's Symphonic Dances. Familiar orchestral music by Bernstein, and in the second half of the program by Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky. We began this concert With Bernstein's West Side Story, a telling of the Romeo and Juliet tale. The second half of this concert by NYO2 will be another version of that tale, this time by Tchaikovsky, his Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture.
Tchaikovsky seemed to be attracted to stories involving tales of love gone wrong. He turned the plots of Pushkin's Eugene Onegin and Queen of Spades into operas as well. Tchaikovsky, a gay man living in a conservative Russian society in his own time. A difficult and conflicted love life, even entering into a short lived and tragic marriage to Antonina Milyukova.
Annie Bergen: Not surprising that Romeo and Juliet, the tale, was a source of inspiration for Tchaikovsky. Russian scholar Alexander Poznansky speculates that Tchaikovsky's true love and part of his inspiration for the Romeo and Juliet Overture was a young man named Edward Zak. Zak was only 15 years old when Tchaikovsky wrote this work.
The Overture opens with a serene theme for Friar Lawrence followed by themes of violence. You've got the Capulets and Montagues and the love between Romeo and Juliet.
Jeff Spurgeon: And so we are awaiting perhaps a special guest who will make an appearance before the second half of this concert and so the stage door is not quite closed and you hear NYO2 out on stage getting warmed up and ready.
We should tell you too that the programs of the National Youth Orchestra, NYO Jazz, NYO2, are all provided to the students who play in these orchestras at no cost. So the program is very generously underwritten by people who really believe in music education and really reaching out to young people across the country.
This is the 10th or 11th season maybe not counting the pandemic of the National Youth Orchestra and these orchestras, NYO, NYO2, and NYO Jazz, are going on tour. In fact, NYO Jazz is in South Africa at the current time. So their tour is already underway. But these very special programs at Carnegie Hall, we want to emphasize to you, are provided at students to students without cost. So if you have a young musician in your household who might want to experience what you're hearing tonight, well, carnegiehall.org is the website and you can learn more about all of these ensembles there.
Annie Bergen: And we're getting set to hear Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture. Tchaikovsky deeply inspired by Shakespeare. He wrote other compositions based on Shakespeare's work, The Tempest and Hamlet. And it took him a while to get this Overture together. He went through a couple of revisions before its final version in 1880.
Jeff Spurgeon: And now things are quiet backstage and the stage door is open and we do have a special guest who is going to offer a few remarks.
He is a distinguished member of the United States government and Carnegie Hall, we know, feels a debt to him and his U. S. Senate colleague for their support of this World Orchestra Week, a festival bringing orchestras from many foreign countries to the United States for a great celebration of young people making music together in the world.
And so the audience lights have gone down, you hear applause from the audience, they are anticipating things. But now going on stage at Carnegie Hall is one of the U. S. Senators from New York, Chuck Schumer. And he's been invited on stage to make a few remarks tonight. So, a few arrangements here are being made, made backstage. Annie and I are just a few feet away, so the logistics continue to unroll at this time.
Unknown Speaker: Welcome Senator Schumer, who's done so much for Carnegie Hall and New York State.
[Applause and cheers]
Senator Chuck Schumer: Thank you. (Am I on the right mic?)
Well, what a great night to be here, and aren't these young musicians just amazing?! [Applause and cheers]
Let's give them a great round of applause. I'm so pleased and so honored to welcome 700 young musicians coming from around the world to the great state of New York for World Orchestra Week, kicking off tonight at the one and only Carnegie Hall. [Applause and cheers]
Now we wouldn't be here tonight without Carnegie Hall's wonderful leadership. I want to thank Sir Clive Gillinson, the executive director and artistic director who does so much making sure that Carnegie Hall, one of the most storied musical venues in the whole world, lives up to and even exceeds its great reputation every day.
I also want to thank my good friend, Robert Smith, who chairs the Board of Trustees. As many of you know, Robert's a very successful businessman. One of the most profitable, he runs one of the most profitable investment funds in the world, Vista Equity Partners. And he could have made his money and just gone on and had a great life for himself, a comfortable private life, but that's not Robert, I know him well.
Instead, he has leveraged his business success into huge public philanthropy by giving back to institutions like Carnegie Hall to serve our community. Let's have a round of applause for Robert Smith, because he does so well. [Applause and cheers]
So, we're here tonight to celebrate NYO2, an amazing program focused on recruiting young musicians from communities underrepresented in classical music to intensively train and perform as part of a free orchestra program every summer with the National Youth Orchestra of the United States. I know what this is like. I, I came from a home where there was no classical music. My father was an exterminator. He never went to college. And I took a music appreciation course in high school and I got to love classical music. Well, you're getting that music appreciation course every day, every week, 10 times over. And that is a great thing.
I believe everybody (applause) and we all know the old joke about the best way to get to Carnegie Hall. It's persisted, but it's true. This is where the best of the best come to show off their talents, and if you want to be the best, as you all know, great orchestra kids, you have to practice. So everyone deserves to practice, practice, practice their way to the top, no matter their background.
And that's why I was so proud I was, I got Carnegie Hall one million dollars in federal programs (applause) to support the NYU Pro, NYO2 program. And that's helped pay for all of the expenses here. As majority leader, senior senator from New York, I love the arts. I always support arts and the culture. When the pandemic hit New York, I was proud to support the arts. You know, everything was closing up because no one could perform. No one, there was no one going to theaters and music venues, etc. So I supported the arts with the Shuttered Venue Operators Program called SVOG. We got over 2 billion in grants to arts institutions in New York. Everything from the New York Philharmonic to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to all the smaller stages and galleries. And Carnegie Hall got the maximum 10 million, which helped Carnegie Hall get through our world. (applause)
So let me close on an optimistic note. There's no sugarcoating it. These are difficult and chaotic times. Many of us worry about the future of our nation and the world. During these times, we need the arts. The arts more than ever. And to some who want to cut Federal government funding to the arts like this, I have two words for them. Bach Off. Johann Sebastian Bach Off. As long as I'm Majority Leader, you won't cut these arts programs at all. So thank you. Have a great second half of the concert. We love Carnegie Hall. We love these young musicians. We love NYO2. Enjoy the rest of the night, everybody. (applause and cheers)
Annie Bergen: A few words from the Senior Senator from New York, Chuck Schumer. Here at Carnegie Hall. In front of the NYO2 Orchestra.
Jeff Spurgeon: That was quite a statement. I was concerned about what the two words might be, but Bach, Bach Off was an excellent one.
Annie Bergen: I don't think you can use that one, Jeff.
Jeff Spurgeon: I know that Clive Gillinson would also like to extend thanks to the Junior Senator from New York, Kirsten Gillibrand, for her support of World Orchestra Week as well.
Well a little political stumping, but not inappropriate considering the support that Carnegie Hall has received on this occasion as World Orchestra Week begins.
And so now the stage door opens and out goes the concert master for the second part of this concert, Euisun Hong from Pleasanton, California. And so he takes a bow before the audience here at Carnegie Hall. And that applause echoed by his colleagues in NYO2 on stage.
As the orchestra tunes and gets prepared to bring you Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture. And then, following that, Stravinsky's amazingly colorful and rich Firebird.
So, these young 14- to 17-year-olds gathered for about 10 days up at Purchase New York for their rehearsal are not playing simple works. These are great orchestral staples. People know the music and there are parts in them that are wonderfully challenging for the players. And here they are, 14 to 17 years old from 29 states across the U.S. to make this music tonight.
And now the stage door opens and out walks Teddy Abrams, conductor of NYO2 this year. NYO2, the members on its feet. All of them standing. Very handsome in those red slacks, aren't they? T shirts bordered with white, black t shirts bordered with white, and their Converse All Star sneakers. And it's Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet from NY02 as World Orchestra Week gets underway at Carnegie Hall.
MUSIC: TCHAIKOVSKY Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture
Jeff Spurgeon: One of the great works of the Romantic orchestral repertoire, the Fantasy Overture, Romeo and Juliet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
You heard that performance coming to you live from Carnegie Hall in New York City. A performance by NYO2, the younger of the two National Youth Orchestra ensembles created by Carnegie Hall.
Those musicians are between the ages of 14 and 17 and played that great work under the direction of Teddy Abrams, who was the conductor this year. of NYO2. Teddy Abrams is also the music director of the Louisville Orchestra and is here this year at Carnegie Hall for performances with NYO2. And backstage at Carnegie Hall, I'm Jeff Spurgeon. Annie Bergen is alongside as well.
Annie Bergen: Oh, it's such a gorgeous love theme from Romeo and Juliet. Really just Tchaikovsky took him a while, he had to revise the piece a couple times, but then ultimately gave us such a gorgeous, seasoned piece.
Jeff Spurgeon: Stage door open again, a few musicians coming out, a little bit of, little bit of stage change happening, and then we're going to turn to the next work in this program and our final piece on this program by Igor Stravinsky. His Firebird Suite, written in 1910, one of the great creations of Sergei Diaghilev for the Ballet Russe.
Out on stage now, let's see, Music Librarian moving a few things around, and Teddy Abrams is coming to the podium, and we're expecting a couple of words from him before the Stravinsky gets underway.
Teddy Abrams: Well, as we get to the close of our program, I just want to give a huge congratulations to these extraordinary musicians in NYO2! [applause and cheers] They are unbelievable.
It's hard to express how moving this has been, and I made some remarks to the musicians at the close of our dress rehearsal, but I said something to the effect that this program, this particular orchestra, but all the orchestras that you'll see throughout this incredible festival is a real reflection of the greatest things that people can do.
The orchestra remains a model for the greatest of humanity's contributions, culture, art, but also the relationships between us on stage are paramount. And these are relationships that have been forged now in just a short while, a week and a half, and musicians coming from all over the United States from every possible background. Working together in this way to produce something that is truly unified, I think it is absolutely the model of what we can do as a people, as a nation. And thank you to Carnegie Hall! [applause and cheers]
I often say that music is a universal language, but it's not good enough to simply leave it at that. You have to do something about it. And this program right here is absolutely an expression of that universality. It's when you do something with the power of music. So I commend Carnegie Hall and the incredible staff that put this together. I can't wait to see all the amazing other young musicians that have come from all over this planet to make music right here. And congratulations to every single young musician that is a part of this because you guys are absolutely stars and it really, it really does give me hope. It really does and it should give you all hope too.
So congratulations NYO2! [applause and cheers]
MUSIC: STRAVINSKY The Firebird Suite (1919 version)
Annie Bergen: Music of Igor Stravinsky, the 1919 version of the ballet, Firebird Suite, performed by NYO2, live at Carnegie Hall, conducted by Teddy Abrams. These talented young musicians ranging in age from 14 to 17. NYO2, they are one of Carnegie Hall's three young ensembles, getting a tremendous round of applause from the audience and the conductor as well, cheering on these talented musicians and singling out the various sections.
Jeff Spurgeon: Teddy Abrams told us there were a few reasons why he wanted to put Stravinsky on the end of this particular concert.
Teddy Abrams: Stravinsky's Firebird is also interconnected thematically, but, but on a musical level, like the same tritones that you hear in the Bernstein that, you know, that's actually the main motif is this tritone, is this kind of eerie juxtaposition of two tones. That's used by Stravinsky as kind of the Ur theme in the Firebird.
So there are thematic links musically, there are thematic links in the content and the storytelling of the music that we're playing. And, you know, family keeps coming back too. That's a big part of Jasmine's work. It's all about family and family relationships and, and a sense of connection to, to people that you grew up with and, and that, that form lifelong bonds and family and, of course, in a, in both a beautiful way and a dangerous way, we find that in the Romeo and Juliet story or the West Side Story too. So there, there are these interlinked themes, hopefully, that, that come through and make the program so cohesive.
Jeff Spurgeon: Stravinsky, Jasmine Barnes, Leonard Bernstein. Three composers on this program tonight, and Teddy Abrams back on the podium with NYO2. We're going to get an encore on this concert.
Teddy Abrams: One more piece for you here, a little encore.
It's called Unstrung by the very much living and present composer Alex Berko. So this is, this is a little taste of Kentucky that I wanted to bring with me here to New York and to share with you all. So this is Unstrung. Thank you again for being here. Thank you for supporting your great NYO2!
MUSIC: BERKO: UNSTRUNG
Jeff Spurgeon: From Carnegie Hall, that was NYO2, performing Unstrung by a Louisville based composer named Alex Berko, friend of Louisville Symphony conductor, music director Teddy Abrams, who conducted that performance. And Teddy told us a little bit about this piece.
Teddy Abrams: I really wanted to showcase this piece because this brings a little bit of Kentucky with me, and I also think Alex is one of the most exciting young composers. Alex is not that much older than the students in NYO. He's in his mid-twenties right now. Phenomenally talented. It's deconstructed Bluegrass, so it's not exactly a straight up bluegrass, but it's like all the essence and the most familiar parts of Bluegrass style without it ever being an actual Bluegrass tune. So, you know, the strumming, the articulation that you find in, in Bluegrass violin playing the, the way a Bluegrass bass player would pizz(icato). All these things are brought together in a very groovy piece, but it's not a tune that he's over. So it's, it's unique to his style, and I hope that the students really enjoy playing it.
Jeff Spurgeon: Conductor Teddy Abrams, speaking of the work you just heard, Unstrung, a composition of Alex Berko played. by NYO2, the second of the National Youth Orchestras, an enterprise for several years now, of Carnegie Hall. And NYO2, students of 14 to 17 years of age, playing a very challenging program tonight to open World Orchestra Week at Carnegie Hall.
And that concludes this first concert. I'm Jeff Spurgeon with Annie Bergen backstage at Carnegie Hall. Some applause from the Carnegie staff for Teddy Abrams, as the musicians on stage prepare to savor a little bit of the afterglow of
Teddy Abrams: Congratulations, everyone!
Jeff Spurgeon: There we hear Teddy Abrams, their performance at Carnegie Hall.
Annie Bergen: They're all being, they're shaking hands with Teddy Abrams as they come backstage. Getting a round of applause.
Jeff Spurgeon: Imagine the excitement of being a teenager. Ten days in clinics north of New York, rehearsals not only with Teddy Abrams, but with a faculty of nearly two dozen musicians, professional musicians from orchestras around the country, who led sectional rehearsals and helped individuals and put these, helped to put these performances together. A marvelous 10-day experience culminating with this concert here at Carnegie.
And NYO2 will play this music again. They've got a concert in three or four days, 5th of August I believe, in Dallas. So if you're listening in that area and would like to experience the excitement of this amazing youth orchestra, you have a chance to do that next week.
Annie Bergen: NYO2 is one of Carnegie's three young ensembles. The other two are NYO Jazz and the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America, and they're part of this weeklong festival. We're going to hear them on Monday night with conductor Marin Alsop and guest soloist pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet.
Jeff Spurgeon: And to the microphones right now is Teddy Abrams. Congratulations on what must have been a really exciting performance. As you said, you so appreciated the excitement of working with these young people. How has it been over these 10 days? Because, because it's been a journey, I think, to bring these kids together from all around the country and turn them into, as you said, a cohesive group of people all communicating together.
Teddy Abrams: Well, and I have to give a huge shout out to the team of people that actually prepared the orchestra. Some amazing conductors and coaches did the first week, which must have been very intense ensemble building. And then I joined the group on Monday and we had seven rehearsals. Actually, that's a lot. That's a very heavy rehearsal schedule. Big, full, three hour rehearsals. And we just developed this, this really special rapport. I feel almost embarrassed commenting on it because I'm so in it. But really, these are some of the most remarkable young people. They are so bright and energetic, hopeful, and positive. I mean, they just radiate this positivity, and I feel very, very, very renewed.
Jeff Spurgeon: And you expressed that hopefulness in the remarks you made at the stage as well. And then, they got the added thrill of a world premiere, Jasmine Barnes' piece, and working with those four great wind players.
Teddy Abrams: I mean, that is very, very special for them to get to experience the full breadth of this music, that they're playing classics, things that they're going to play for the rest of their lives. And then also play new music that hopefully becomes a part of the repertoire for the rest of their lives. But it's very important. We established this early on, that kids understand that music is alive. It's being written, but we have to further that ourselves. That's on us as instrumentalists, as conductors, as administrators. All of us have to work together to ensure that music is vital and this demonstrates it. You know, by doing a world premiere, by doing a couple of living composers, even the encore is a very much living composer.
Jeff Spurgeon: How much of this that you've experienced in these few days with NYO2 is a reflection of your own youth orchestra experience? Did you have something like this, as good as this, maybe better than this? How was it?
Teddy Abrams: I was very lucky in the San Francisco Bay Area where I grew up to have played in three different youth orchestras. I played in the Berkeley Youth Orchestra, the Oakland Youth Orchestra, and then the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra for seven seasons, and that was one of the finest youth orchestras in the world. It still is very much, but at that time, the youth orchestra could play in a way that if you were doing a blind test, you might not be able to tell that it wasn't the San Francisco Symphony itself. And so I toured with them. We played in the Musikverein, we played at the Concertgebouw, we played all over the world, And so it was hugely formative. I, I would not be the musician I am today without the San Francisco Symphony. So a shout out also to Alasdair Neale and Edwin Outwater, who are my two Youth Orchestra music directors because they inspired me and now I get to hopefully return the favor.
Jeff Spurgeon: Yeah, you've passed that legacy on. That's a, that's a real honor.
Thank you, Teddy Abrams. Congratulations on your work with NYO2.
Teddy Abrams: Thank you so much. Thanks for covering this and broadcasting. That's very special for all of us.
Jeff Spurgeon: We're happy to. Are you going to Dallas with the orchestra then in 5 days?
Teddy Abrams: Yes, we're going to Dallas. Our big tour coming up. Yeah, we're excited. It's a beautiful hall down there.
Jeff Spurgeon: And you'll get to perform in Jasmine Barnes' hometown, too.
Teddy Abrams: That's exactly right. Yes, and a couple of the musicians are from Dallas, too, so that should be pretty fun.
Jeff Spurgeon: Thank you, Teddy Abrams.
Alright, and so we have come to the conclusion of this concert tonight, with great thanks to express to Clive Gillinson and the staff of Carnegie Hall.
WQXR recording engineers Edward Haber, George Wellington, Bill Siegmund, Duke Marcos, and Ray Mandel-Muller.
Our WQXR Production Team: Eileen Delahunty, Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Laura Boyman, Maria Shaughnessy, and Christine Herskovits.
Annie Bergen: And make sure you tune in tomorrow night for a concert by the National Children's Symphony of Venezuela and conductor Gustavo Dudamel, with works by John Adams, Estevez, Ginastera, and Shostakovich. That's tomorrow night at 7 on WQXR.
This is Classical New York, WQXR 105. 9 FM and HD Newark, 90. 3 FM, WQXW Ossining, and WNYC FM HD 2 New York.
Jeff Spurgeon: Well, if you've ever wondered about the more than 100 years of history that has taken place at Carnegie Hall, including this concert tonight, you're in luck. There is now a podcast for that called If This Hall Could Talk, made in collaboration with WQXR.
Each episode takes a close look at an object from the collections of the Rose Archives at Carnegie Hall, a ticket stub to Carnegie's opening night concert in 1891. A tribute concert for Martin Luther King Jr. in 1961, and, and a great deal more. Hosted by Broadway star Jessica Vosk and featuring the voices of historical experts, who take you on a tour through significant moments in our cultural history. Check it out. The podcast is If This Hall Could Talk, available, as they say, wherever you get podcasts.
Thank you so much for listening tonight. I'm Jeff Spurgeon.
Annie Bergen: And I'm Annie Bergen. We return now to our downtown studios with music by Johann Michael Haydn, the Serenade in D major, performed by the Virtuosi Saxoniae; Ludwig Guttler conducting.
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