Celebrating its 50th Anniversary Season, the New York Youth Symphony is the most awarded youth program of its kind in the nation, recognized for its innovative, tuition-free educational programs for talented young musicians. Founded in 1963 as an orchestra to showcase the metropolitan area’s most gifted musicians, ages 12-22, its activities have since grown to encompass programs in chamber music, conducting, composition, and jazz. Through its commissioning program, First Music, the NYYS has commissioned over 100 works from young composers since 1984.

Celebrated by The Democrat and Chronicle as "an artist of vision" and a “percussion genius… presenting percussion in a stunning, thoughtful way,” Peter Ferry [b. 1991] is a young American solo percussionist advancing the classical and contemporary repertoire.

Broadway actress Christine Toy Johnson has become the role model she never had growing up as an Asian-American aspiring towards a career in the performing arts. Born and bred in the suburbs of New York City, Christine was a performer from an early age. She began modeling when she was four for national campaigns such as Buster Brown, Life Cereal and Scotchguard.

Composer/vocalist/violinist/writer Julien Touafek fuses diverse musical and artistic aesthetics with a 21st century sense of entrepreneurship to communicate, innovate, and inspire creativity as a means to success.