Performers
NYO2
Mei-Ann Chen, Conductor
Tessa Lark, Violin

Program
ARTURO MÁRQUEZ Danzón No. 2

GABRIELA LENA FRANK "The Mestizo Waltz" from Three Latin American Dances

MICHAEL TORKE Sky

GERSHWIN An American in Paris

RESPIGHI Pines of Rome

Mei-Ann Chen conducts the 2026 edition of Carnegie Hall’s NYO2, “a superbly talented youth orchestra” (New York Classical Review) that shows “a bright future for classical music” (Musical America). Among other highlights, the performance features Gershwin’s beloved An American in Paris, which received its world premiere at the Hall in 1928; Respighi’s picturesque Italian tone poem, Pines of Rome; and Michael Torke’s Sky, a 2019 Pulitzer Prize finalist that blends bluegrass and Irish fiddle traditions with classical music. This evening’s performance of Sky features Tessa Lark, the renowned soloist for whom it was originally composed, and whose recording of the piece was Grammy-nominated for Best Classical Instrumental Solo.

Lead Donors: Hope and Robert F. Smith and Beatrice Santo Domingo.

Global Ambassadors: Michael ByungJu Kim and Kyung Ah Park, Hope and Robert F. Smith, and Maggie and Richard Tsai.

Major support for NYO2 is provided by Ronald E. Blaylock and Petra Pope, the Mark and Anla Cheng Kingdon Foundation, Clive and Anya Gillinson, Pershing Square Philanthropies, and the Victor and William Fung Foundation.

United Airlines®, Airline Partner to the National Youth Ensembles.

Founder Patron: Beatrice Santo Domingo.

With additional funding provided by Sarah Arison, Ernst & Young LLP, Mary I. and John E. Hull, and The Laufey Foundation.

Andrew Carnegie Foundation
Lead support for United in Sound: America at 250 is provided by Hope and Robert F. Smith and Andrew Carnegie Foundation.

Major Corporate Sponsor: Bank of America
Additional support provided by the Hearst Foundations.

National Endowment for the Arts: arts.gov

United in Sound: America at 250 is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.