YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011

Five New England Conservatory musicians have won seats in the YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011. The orchestra members will travel to Sydney, Australia, where they will work together under Michael Tilson Thomas March 14–20, concluding with a concert at the Sydney Opera House.

Players were selected based on video auditions placed on YouTube, in which the musicians improvised to a piece composed specially for the orchestra by American composer Mason Bates.

The contestants come from all over the world, and the five NEC winners are distributed over the strings, wind, brass, and percussion sections of the orchestra. Thanks to all their colleagues who voted for their audition videos—the playlist that leads off this page provide video portraits of the winners.

When the orchestra convened in March 2011, Colleen McCullough '05 was named concertmaster.

Colleen McCullough '05, concertmaster
student of Eric Rosenblith

Andrew Chilcote '11, double bass
student of Donald Palma

Michael Rezzo '10 M.M., clarinet
student of Thomas Martin

Travis Peterson '08 G.D., trumpet
student of Charles Schlueter, Benjamin Wright, Thomas Rolfs

George Nickson '10, percussion
student of Will Hudgins