Tompkins student Leah Wu has done it again – and she is headed back to Carnegie Hall.

On March 11, Carnegie Hall announced the names of the 96 outstanding young musicians selected from across the country for the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA). And Wu, who plays the bassoon, was among those chosen. The 17-year-old, who is a member of the Houston Youth Symphony, said that she was inspired by her teachers, Brett Van Gansbeke and Elise Wagner, and by Paul Desmond, a jazz saxophonist. She is a prior member of both NYO-USA and NYO2.

The members of the 2025 orchestra—ages 16–19, hailing from 29 states plus the District of Columbia—have been recognized by Carnegie Hall as being among the finest players in the country following a comprehensive and highly selective audition process. This summer’s orchestra features 23 musicians who previously played with NYO-USA, as well as 29 musicians who gained experience through NYO2, a program for younger players ages 14–17. All three of Carnegie Hall’s national youth ensembles are offered free of charge, ensuring that all invited musicians have the opportunity to take part each summer. This summer, NYO-USA musicians travel to New York in early July for an intensive two-week training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York (SUNY). World-renowned conductor Gianandrea Noseda leads NYO-USA at the orchestra’s annual Carnegie Hall concert on July 20, followed by a six-city Asian tour. This summer, the orchestra makes its debut in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan and returns to Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai, China joined by violinist Ray Chen; then completes its tour with a return engagement in Seoul, South Korea with soloist Clara-Jumi Kang.

“The members of NYO-USA are among the finest young players in country,” said Clive Gillinson, Carnegie Hall’s Executive and Artistic Director. “As they come together, they will have the opportunity to learn from leading orchestral musicians, inspire one another in a way that raises everyone's standards as they collaborate with world-renowned artists, and perform on some of the finest stages across Asia. Throughout their two-week tour, the members of NYO-USA will represent the best of America as both musical performers and cultural ambassadors.”