The Connection

Tyler Cunningham, 18-year-old senior and percussionist at Langley High School, will join 113 other young musicians from around the country selected to form the 2015 National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA). NYO-USA was created in 2013 by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute for musicians ages 16-19. Students are selected based on technical ability, emotional and social maturity, and personal statements among other criteria.

This year, NYO-USA will be led by renowned Swiss conductor Charles Dutoit, Conductor Laureate of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Artistic Director of London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The Orchestra will also be joined onstage by internationally acclaimed pianist Yundi Li, who has been praised as “one of the pioneers of musical education in China.” The Orchestra will also have the chance to perform a new work by sought-after Chinese classical composer, Tan Dun, who composed the music for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. They will perform at the Performing Arts Center in Purchase, New York, and at Carnegie Hall, followed by a seven-city tour throughout China where NYO-USA will make its Asia debut.

“I never want to settle for okay.”

--Tyler Cunningham

A talented musician, Cunningham will be joining NYO-USA for the second time, an accomplishment he does not take lightly.

“Last year I was completely shocked and also overwhelmed with joy,” he said. “I heard so much about orchestra in the inaugural year because the program started in 2013. And this year I really wanted to get accepted because I already knew what I was getting into last year.” Cunningham began playing the drums in the fifth grade at Colvin Run Elementary School.

THREE YEARS LATER he added private lessons to his schedule. The secret to his success is simply motivation.

“I never want to settle for okay. I have extraordinary experiences like NYO [and] have been surrounded by fantastic players and that inspires me to be better than my very best,” he said.

In late June, he will travel to New York along with other members of the orchestra for a two-week training residency at Purchase College. The musicians will be housed in Purchase College’s newest dorm, “Fort Awesome,” where they will have a chance to get to know each other during those two weeks. These two weeks are critical for Cunningham and for the Orchestra as a whole.

“A big challenge, especially for ensembles that are only together for a short amount of time, is getting used to the ensemble,” said Cunningham. “When you’re with an orchestra for a certain number of years, you get to understand the ebb and flow of the orchestra. But with a group like this, which is very temporary, the most difficult part is finding stability very quickly between the orchestra and finding your place more quickly.” Carnegie Hall recognizes these musicians as some of the finest players in the country.

“I’ve listened to so many of the works and Yundi is just such a phenomenal player that getting to work with this artist is going to also help influence my own playing and mold me into a more mature musician,” said Cunningham. This will be his first trip to China.

AS A PERCUSSIONIST in the orchestra, he will also have the chance to work with principal percussionist player and timpani player of The Philadelphia Orchestra, Christopher Devineyand Don S. Liuzzi, respectively. “I hope to one day teach percussion privately, play in an orchestra, and stay active in chamber music,” said Cunningham. In the future he plans to attend college for percussion performance.

The National Youth Orchestra’s 2015 musical repertoire will include Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, "Emperor," and Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique.