Akshay Dinakar, a senior at Shawnee Mission East High School in Prairie Village, Kan., has been invited to play with the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA).
Carnegie Hall on Tuesday announced the 144 musicians, ages 16-19, chosen after an extensive audition process. They're considered to be some of the finest players in the country.
Nearly 40 of these young musicians are returning to perform with the National Youth Orchestra. A violinist since the age of 3, Dinakar was also selected in 2013 when the tour included stops in Washington, D.C., Moscow, St. Petersburg, and London.
This year, from July 10-26, the orchestra will play nine concerts in New York, including Carnegie Hall in New York City, and across China.
"The orchestra’s first tour to China will be an amazing opportunity for musical and cultural discovery, and I am confident that these talented, dedicated musicians will inspire audiences with their music-making and return home with new knowledge and enthusiasm to share with their peers," said Clive Gillinson, executive and artistic director for Carnegie Hall.
In late June, the musicians will arrive in New York for a two-week training residency. The tour marks the premiere of a new work by Chinese composer Tan Dun, commissioned by Carnegie Hall. The program also includes Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 and Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique.
