When the New York Youth Symphony recorded its first album during the dark days of the pandemic, violinist Jessica Jeon was 12, Noelia Carrasco was a high school student.
Sunday, they compete at the Grammy Awards, a surprise and a first.
The performance is a feat for this formation of young talents, which plays in the big leagues.
At the 65th awards ceremony of the American music industry, they will be in the running for the award for the "best orchestral performance" in classical music, notably in front of the prestigious philharmonic ensembles of Los Angeles or Berlin.
"
It's just incredible
", "
surreal
", still savors the cellist Noelia Carrasco, 19 years old.
When the news broke, “
I had to read it twice, because I didn't really take it in the first time
,” adds the New York University music student.
During the pandemic, which had transformed the megalopolis of the American East into a ghost town in 2020, the orchestra was faced with the cancellation of its performances at Carnegie Hall.
Its leader, Michael Repper then decided to organize a recording session for his students, in order to keep track of their work.
Read alsoMusic: these very young conductors who lead the orchestras with the baton
Due to sanitary restrictions, the recording could only be done in small groups, each of the young artists playing their score with witness tracks in the headphones, before the different parts were synchronized.
An atypical but “
fantastic
” experience for Repper.
"
I'm very proud that we managed to find a way to make this recording despite the pandemic
," he says.
In the wake of the death of George Floyd in May 2020, and waves of demonstrations in the United States against racism and police violence, the 32-year-old conductor had chosen pieces by black composers.
The album thus compiles the works of the pioneer Florence Price (1887-1953), or of the contemporaries Valerie Coleman and Jessie Montgomery.
For Michael Repper, it was important to highlight "
works that address systemic racism, from the point of view of black women in particular
".
As a person from a minority background, this choice "
really strengthened my connection with the repertoire
", explains Jessica Jeon, now 14 years old.
"
I always grew up listening only to Mozart, Bach, Beethoven... all white men
“, she says.
"
And I think I never really grew up knowing a composer of color
."
For Michael Repper, it was important to highlight "
works that address systemic racism, from the point of view of black women in particular
".
ANGELA WEISS / AFP
For 19-year-old violist Phoebe Ro, Valerie Coleman's song "
Umoja: Anthem of Unity
"
held
special meaning.
“
To be able to come together, especially during the period of isolation, to play and shine a light on the message of unity, it was really a very big honor
,” she explains.
Young musicians will not be able to attend the ceremony on Sunday in Los Angeles - places are reserved for conductors - but they are planning an evening to follow the show.
For Michael Repper, this is the first nomination, in a category which includes his "
idols
", the legendary composer and conductor John Williams, known for his numerous soundtracks, from
Star Wars
to
Indiana Jones,
where the Venezuelan Gustavo Dudamel.
“
I'm more than honored to even be on the same list as them.
And to be there with the New York Youth Symphony, which has really been something special in my life for the past six years, it's wonderful
.