National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America Plays Carnegie Hall

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Parent Category: Film and the Arts

Category: Reviews

Published on Wednesday, 19 July 2023 14:47

Written by Jack Angstreich

National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America, photo by Chris Lee.

At Carnegie Hall on the evening of Friday, July 14th, I had the exceptional pleasure to attend a terrific concert featuring the uncommonly talented musicians of the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America under the direction of the celebrated Sir Andrew Davis.

The program began auspiciously with a sterling account of the world premiere of Valerie Coleman’s awesome Giants of Light which was commissioned by Carnegie Hall and is notable especially for its impressive orchestration and which builds to a stirring climax. I here reproduce in its entirety the composer’s note on the piece:

Giants of Light is a celebration commissioned by Carnegie Hall to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA). Light is a metaphor for truth, knowledge, and humanity. The role of light is to illuminate a path for all walks of life to tread, and provide a sense of safety within every space it occupies. The concept of light is also youthful and nourishes the world, so it is fitting that NYO-USA is depicted in this work as an embodiment of light that provides impactful guidance and enrichment to its young artists.

At the start of Giants of Light, we hear the violin section in a youthful shout of declaration, one that is fearless and joyful, and it sings, scuttles, and bops within a virtuosic dance. Each instrument group joins the dance in its own way, as it turns into a soulful song. The song winds down into a more personal, introspective vision of hope and inspiration that can always be found at the heart of aspiring young artists. It was a special joy to write a short dialogue between flute solo and cello that floats over what I intended to be an effervescent shimmer of sound. In this section, the trombone has the last say, emerging with its amber tone from the English horn’s tender moment.

It seemed fitting to incorporate a sense of folk-song traditions, as the performers in NYO-USA come from all parts of the United States (and I am from Kentucky). Led by a solo violin, the following section weaves a tale of these “giants to be” as they journey to New York City, while little sparks of light symbolize their energy and excitement. To me, there is a thin line between bluegrass and music from the African continent, and so why not pair the two together? As the music progresses, soloists and instrumental groups briefly contribute, representing the beautiful elements of diversity within this great nation. We spectators witness all these chirps, wails of blues and jazz, sights and sounds that quickly pass by on our journey, eventually arriving at the moment of reaching Carnegie Hall!

I could not conceive of a more suitable musical moment that conveys the almost sacred pinnacle of craft of being at Carnegie Hall than a hymn. It starts in a revered tone that builds intensity within each cycle, with the trumpets leading a descant that gives way to a blaze of fierce exclamation, led by the brass.

The moment makes a final statement: This young generation of artistic thinkers are truly giants, and as they arrive into the next level of their craft, we acknowledge their full inheritance of stewardship towards humanity and the earth. May they do much better than those that came before them!

The renowned soloist Gil Shaham then entered the stage for a marvelous performance of Samuel Barber’s extraordinary Violin Concerto. The initial Allegro movement is song-like and melodious with some suspenseful moments and ends quietly while the ensuing Andante is enchanting if solemn, with some urgent passages, and also concludes softly. The bravura finale is brisk, propulsive, spiky—even turbulent—and virtuosic. Enthusiastic applause elicited an enjoyable encore from Shaham: the “Isolation Rag” by contemporary composer Scott Wheeler.

The second half of the program was at least equally superb: an impeccable realization of Hector Berlioz’s incomparable Symphony fantastique. The first movement opens with a slow introduction but eventually becomes unsettled, while closing serenely. The second movement, titled “A Ball,” is a charming waltz that becomes more passionate and the succeeding “Scene in the Country” becomes increasingly dramatic for much of its length while containing some of the work’s most beautiful writing. The “March to the Scaffold” that follows is intensely exciting and the “Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath” that ends the symphony is uncanny and eccentric but tumultuous and enthralling, leading to a stunning conclusion. A standing ovation drew forth another wonderful encore: the final movement, “March,” from Paul Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber.

Another pleasurable evening was had at the same venue the following night featuring the National Youth Orchestra’s precocious sister ensemble for high school students, NYO2, under the accomplished direction of Joseph Young.

This program also opened promisingly with a delightful version of Leonard Bernstein’s irresistible Three Dance Episodes from On the Town. The first section, “The Great Lover Displays Himself,” is distinctive for its brashness and the next, “Lonely Town,” is bluesy but not without grandeur; the ending “Times Square Ballet” is jazzy and tuneful.

Another famed soloist, Jennifer Koh, then joined the musicians to laudably play another outstanding violin concerto—here that of Jean Sibelius. The initial Allegro moderato movement is mysterious at the outset and grows in intensity, preceding a meditative slow movement and a dynamicfinale.

The second half of the event was maybe even stronger: a splendid performance of selections from Sergei Prokofiev’s glorious three Suites excerptedfrom his glorious score for the ballet, Romeo and Juliet. Another standing ovation was rewarded with two fabulous encores: the first was Carlos Simon's “Holy Dance” from Four Black American Dances and the second was a merengue, Tono Abreu's Caña Brava.

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