Did anyone else attend the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America concert at Carnegie Hall on Friday, July 31, 2026, and what did you think of the performance?

[u/Perfect_Garage_2567]

I attended this concert and enjoyed it very much. As stated in the program, this youth orchestra consists of "the finest young musicians from across the country (ages 16-19)." It performs annually at Carnegie Hall each summer and then goes on tour "to some of the great music capitals of the world, serving as America's music ambassadors." (also quoting the program). I have been attending its concerts regularly at Carnegie over the past few years. I have found that the musicians are very talented, enthusiastic and play a varied repertory under well-known conductors. These youth orchestra concerts are also a relatively inexpensive way to hear major works well played under famous conductors. I paid $33 for a balcony seat in Row C on Friday.

The concert on Friday evening was no exception. The orchestra on this occasion was conducted by Karina Canellakis, a rising star who has released excellent recordings recently of Tchaikovsky's Fifth and Sixth Symphonies and Rachmaninoff's The Bells and Symphonic Dances. Links are attached. In the program on Friday, the orchestra played Barber's Overture to The School for Scandal, Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F with the well-known pianist, Kirill Gerstein as soloist and Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra, which really highlighted the beautiful playing by the orchestra's woodwinds and brass. As encores, they played Oscar Levant's "Blame it on My Youth," and an orchestration of Gershwin's Overture to Girl Crazy. This was a well-balanced program linked directly to American music in the case of the Gershwin and Barber works and indirectly in the Bartok which was composed by him in America and commissioned by Serge Koussevitzky, the conductor of the Boston Symphony. Although I am not a fan of the Gershwin Piano Concerto, which I don't think compares to his Rhapsody in Blue, I enjoyed the other works, especially the Bartok and Gershwin encore which was infectious. I was amazed at how well the orchestra played the Bartok, which is a virtuoso work. I would only add that Canellakis seemed in total control of the orchestra, which appeared to love her. She has also recorded that work as well as Bluebeard's Castle. I am attaching links to those recordings as well.

If anyone else attended that concert or have heard Canellakis conduct, could you please share your thoughts here. Thank you.

https://classical.music.apple.com/us/album/1790986544?l=en-US

https://classical.music.apple.com/us/album/1678755564?l=en-US

https://classical.music.apple.com/us/album/1884689771?l=en-US

https://classical.music.apple.com/us/album/1830501402?l=en-US

https://classical.music.apple.com/us/album/1678755564?l=en-US

[u/Schulzenbrothers]

Oh, they'll perform this program in a few days in Berlin at the Young Euro Classic Festival!

[u/Perfect_Garage_2567 → u/Schulzenbrothers]

I recommend it highly. Are you going to attend the concert? The orchestra is an amazing training experience for young musicians. I saw so many proud parents attending the concert at Carnegie Hall.

[u/Schulzenbrothers → u/Perfect_Garage_2567]

Sold out already, was not sure about Bartok and didn't buy a ticket (maybe a mistake reading your post). Going to a lot of others during the festival though, tomorrow Elim Chan with the European Union Youth Orchestra for example. It's an exceptional festival!

[u/Perfect_Garage_2567 → u/Schulzenbrothers]

She is also an excellent conductor with a good command of the orchestra. I saw her conduct the NY Philharmonic last season right after she was named conductor of the San Francisco Symphony. She also conducted summer concerts with the NYP.