6 Mass. Teens Selected For New National Youth Orchestra

Six Massachusetts teens have been selected for the new National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA). The musicians hail from Belmont, Brookline, Chelmsford, Conway and Lexington.

Eighteen-year-old clarinetist Tom Jeon, a senior at Lexington High School, is one of them.

Reached by phone in New York, where he was auditioning for Julliard, the wind player said he submitted a video performance to compete for his spot in the newly formed orchestra.

That was back in November. Now — kind of in shock — Jeon says he’s excited to work with conductor Valery Gergiev of the London Symphony Orchestra and famed violinist Joshua Bell.

“Maybe I’ll get to play the clarinet solo with Joshua Bell, or earn a compliment from Maestro Gergiev, so yeah, overall I’m just excited to be a part of the orchestra," Jeon said.

The state's other members are Enchi Chang of Belmont on violin, Elizabeth Sperry of Chelmsford on flute, Madison Freed of Brookline on clarinet, Leah Myer of Belmont on horn, and Brian Wendel of Conway on trombone.

One hundred and twenty musicians make up the NYO-USA, which was created by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute.

For the orchestra’s inaugural season, the young musicians will perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., before heading to Moscow, Saint Petersburg and London.