Lansdale Student Selected For National Youth Orchestra Of The USA

LANSDALE, PA — A Lansdale student is among seven students from the Philadelphia area to be honored with an acceptance to the National Youth Orchestra of the United States, a select and prestigious music organization. Lansdale's Fiyi Adebekun, a violin player, will participate in the elite ensemble.

The Orchestra is selected by Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute.

Adebekun was chosen from the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, along with six other students: Allyson Cohen, violin, of Narberth, Isabella Egawa, violin, of Bala Cynwyd, Johnny May, violin, of Penn Valley and Joy Zhao, cello, of Chalfont. That's in addition to Conor McAvinue, violin, of Wilmington, Delaware and Daniel Kim, clarinet, of Skillman, New Jersey.

“We are very pleased for Fiyi, Allyson, Isabella, Johnny, Connor, Joy and Daniel to begin this journey as they join some of the finest young musicians in America for this year’s National Youth Orchestra,” said Louis Scaglione, president and music director for the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra. “Each year, our students are recognized but this is the greatest number of students we have had recognized for one session of NYO. This will be an indelible experience for them and I congratulate them all.”

The students will play live on air on July 19, appearing on NPR’s From the Top with Host Christopher O'Riley.

The orchestra then takes the Carnegie Hall stage for its annual concert on July 21. Buy tickets here.

After their New York performances, the group will fly to Latin America and tour and play in Mexico, Ecuador, and Colombia.

Image via Wendi Schweiger