A pair of collaborative performances between Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra 2 (NYO2) and Dominican Republic’s Fundación Sinfonía have concluded to overwhelming acclaim, with both shows at the Dominican cities of Santiago and Santo Domingo selling out completely. The tour stands as the latest milestone in the two organizations’ ongoing partnership, which centers on advancing classical music access, fostering cross-cultural artistic exchange, and elevating the next generation of musical performers.
Helmed by acclaimed conductor Mei-Ann Chen and featuring Grammy-nominated virtuoso violinist Tessa Lark, the ensemble brought together over 90 emerging young American musicians for performances at two iconic local venues: Santiago’s Gran Teatro del Cibao and the Eduardo Brito National Theater’s Carlos Piantini Hall in Santo Domingo. The carefully curated concert program showcased a diverse range of works from both established and contemporary composers, including selections from Arturo Márquez, Gabriela Lena Frank, Michael Torke, George Gershwin and Ottorino Respighi.
Following the main program, audiences at both locations greeted two encore pieces with standing ovations and thunderous applause: Taiwanese composer Tyzen Hsiao’s *The Angel from Formosa* and Dominican musical legend Juan Luis Guerra’s beloved *La Bilirrubina*. Beyond the core performances, the tour included a particularly meaningful collaborative moment: young local Dominican musicians were invited to share the stage with NYO2, giving these emerging artists the rare chance to build orchestral experience performing alongside one of the world’s most prominent youth ensembles.
Aligned with its core educational outreach mission, Fundación Sinfonía also arranged a major access initiative for the tour, distributing hundreds of complimentary tickets to music students from conservatories, music academies, and arts institutions across the Dominican Republic. This effort opened the door for hundreds of aspiring young performers to experience a world-class classical performance that many would not have been able to access otherwise.
As the third official collaborative project between Carnegie Hall and Fundación Sinfonía, the 2024 tour has deepened the longstanding artistic partnership between the two groups, while creating new, transformative opportunities for young musical talent in the Dominican Republic and strengthening the cultural bond between the United States and the Caribbean nation.