New York String Orchestra Seminar Celebrates 50 Years

New York String Orchestra performing at Carnegie Hall in 2017. New York String Orchestra

With the holiday season in full swing, performing arts traditions abound in the city. This Christmas, the New York String Orchestra Seminar turns 50, celebrating half a century of mentoring talented young artists and giving them a boost onto the world stage.

Where else can you find an alumni list that includes so many of the most recognizable names in classical music? Among them are Yo Yo Ma, Gil Shaham, Anne Akiko Meyers, and David Finckel, and there is a good reason for that.

Musical Immersion

“There’s a kind of feeling making music with young people that’s almost impossible to achieve with professionals, because they play as if their life depends on it,” says conductor Jaime Laredo, the seminar’s artistic director.