(New York, NY)—Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA) and NYO2—made up of some of the finest teen musicians from across the country, ages 14-19, representing 44 U.S. states and Puerto Rico—will welcome hundreds of New York–area music students to join them in a collaborative musical celebration in New York City this Saturday, July 15 from 11:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

This special side-by-side music-making experience will take place at 583 Park Avenue, a spacious converted church located on New York’s Upper East Side. Aspiring young orchestral players at both an intermediate and advanced level have been invited to play alongside teen musicians selected by Carnegie Hall to form the NYO-USA and NYO2 this summer. Celebrated conductors James Ross, NYO-USA orchestra director, and Giancarlo Guerrero, NYO2 conductor, will lead open rehearsals for the combined forces, leading two mega orchestras (comprising 250–300 musicians each).

Beginning at 11:00 a.m., intermediate level New York-area music students join musicians of NYO-USA and NYO2 for arrangements of works by Verdi, Artés, Bernstein, and Holst. Starting at 2:00 p.m., advanced level New York-area players join NYO-USA and NYO2 for a piece by Márquez, and two movements from Saint-Saëns’s Symphony No. 3, featuring organist Raymond Nagem.

Since NYO-USA was founded in 2013, side-by-side performances with young peer musicians have been a hallmark of the program, creating opportunities for musical exchange, fun, and learning. In previous summers, NYO-USA has engaged in collaborative events with local youth in places including Philadelphia, PA; St. Petersburg, Russia; and Guangzhou, China. This will be the first side-by-side event with young musicians in New York City.

This Saturday’s event is part of a three-week intensive training residency by NYO2 and NYO-USA at Purchase College, State University of New York. NYO2 makes its Carnegie Hall debut in a concert featuring members of The Philadelphia Orchestra and bassist Esperanza Spalding on Thursday, July 20 at 7:30 p.m., led by Giancarlo Guerrero. The following night, the NYO-USA performs at Carnegie Hall, led by Marin Alsop, on Friday, July 21 at 8:00 p.m.

On July 23, NYO-USA departs for its first-ever Latin American tour with concerts over two weeks in Mexico, Ecuador, and Colombia. In addition to NYO-USA’s own performances, the tour will include side-by-side rehearsals or concerts with local young musicians in all three countries.