After submitting his audition tape in late fall, senior Sean Byrne waited months to hear the verdict and learn his fate. It was not until Feb. 1 that he confirmed the good news to the Facebook universe in just three words: “National. Youth. Orchestra.”
“The National Youth Orchestra of the USA is a new program run by Carnegie Hall in New York,” Byrne said. “With money donated from the Weill Institute, Carnegie has designed a tuition-free program in which an orchestra of about 120 members will rehearse together for two weeks in Purchase, New York, and then take a week long concert tour. The orchestra will perform in Washington DC, Moscow, St. Petersburg, and London.”
Byrne, a viola player, was accepted into the NYO after completing an extensive application on his behalf.
“It required a fair amount of writing as well as recorded material,” Byrne said. “The recorded material included three excerpts from standard orchestral repertoire and a solo of my choice, all of which I recorded on stage at Powell Hall in St. Louis. After a few months to consider application material, the NYO contacted all accepted musicians in early February.”
Byrne is familiar with success in the orchestra. According to orchestra instructor Mrs. Winifred Crock, Byrne has been a member of the All-State Orchestra since his freshman year of high school. Yet even despite his past triumphs, Byrne believes that being selected to the NYO is arguably his greatest feat to date.
“I still can’t really believe I was accepted into the orchestra; despite months of preparing the audition materials, I was still up against violists across the country,” Byrne said. “Now that I’m in though, I’m really excited to be able to meet other dedicated musicians and perform in faraway places.”
Crock believes that Byrne was more than deserving of his acceptance to the NYO.
“He plays musically and technically at a very high level, and very consistently, and that’s what makes the difference,” Crock said.
According to Byrne, he began his musical career in first grade when he auditioned for and joined the Shenandoah Valley Honors Orchestra. Since then, he has dedicated a huge chunk of his life to playing the viola and gives credit to that devotion for all he has recently accomplished.
“Support, practice, and years of experience are what led to my success,” Byrne said. “I must have taken my audition material to half a dozen different private teachers before recording it. On top of that, the pianist I recorded with was top-notch, and my mother was always there to keep me organized.”
Senior Adam McDonald, a fellow violinist in the orchestra, agrees that Byrne’s success is a result of the commitment he has shown towards music. The two met 12 years ago at music school, and they have been performing together ever since.
McDonald believes that playing alongside Byrne has allowed him to excel in the orchestra.
“The more I play with Sean, the easier it gets,” McDonald said. “We know each other’s rhythms, strengths, and weaknesses, and we can naturally balance together.”
For Byrne, these sorts of relationships have been a major contribution to the intense passion he has developed for the orchestra – a passion that he does not expect to disappear any time soon.
“I do intend to play viola throughout college – and hopefully the rest of my life,” Byrne said. “Music has always been something I love, and now that I don’t have to stress about college auditions or making a career out of it, I can play for fun and not stress about it.”
