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When he opened the email and read, “Congratulations!” under a bright red banner, fifteen-year-old Levi Robertson’s legs went weak.
After all, not many people are selected by Carnegie Hall.
So Levi’s response of sinking to the floor in astonishment was completely appropriate when he learned he was one of 89 youth selected for Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra 2 (NYO2), an intensive summer orchestral training program for exceptional musicians ages 14-17.
When he received his acceptance, he couldn’t quite believe it and said he still doesn’t remember exactly how he reacted when his mother met him at school so he could open the email himself with his Coram Deo Academy band director Elizabeth Bowen.
“It was pretty crazy,” he said. “It was kind of shocking.”
Bowen said she was blown away at the announcement.
“It was one of those moments where our jaws just dropped to the floor. He even dropped his phone.”
Musically gifted from a young age, Levi started playing the French horn only a few years ago in the fifth grade. Shortly after, he discovered a YouTube recording of Carnegie Hall’s NYO-USA performing his favorite symphony, Richard Strauss’s “Eine Alpensinfonie,” and decided he wanted to be a part of the acclaimed ensemble.
“We always knew he was going to be musical,” his mother, Stephanie Robertson, said. “He was always drawn to the musical toys.”
However, because they wanted music to be something he loved, his parents, both of whom are musicians –– his father is a principal tuba player with the Tulsa Symphony and instructs at Southern Methodist University, surrounded him with music and musical instruments, including a pawnshop trombone when he was 3, but didn’t provide any for formal lessons until he was in the fifth grade and had to choose an instrument for band class.
“We didn’t do any piano lessons because we wanted it to be the fun thing he played around with,” Stephanie said.
Once he started band class, Levi chose the French horn because he had access to one stored in the family’s attic from a family friend and he loved the sound.
“It’s always the one soaring over the whole orchestra and has the most beautiful parts,” he said.
Levi worked for months on his audition for the Carnegie Hall program, which included a personal essay, a video submission with orchestral excerpts and a solo performance, and a video essay about his non-musical interests.
Levi said he was relieved he could send his best takes for the audition but was nervous anticipating the results after submitting his application in December.
His mom, Stephanie, said she kept a countdown, checking emails daily while knowing the process could take weeks, if not months.
“The week before went by so, so, so, so slowly,” she said.
Levi’s band director Bowen said she’s very proud and honored to work with Levi. Coram Deo Academy is a small Christian school, and while students have performed well at the state level, Levi is the first to perform at the national level, she said.
Levi isn’t a typical student in that he’s willing to practice far beyond what most students do.
“He will sit and play through a whole orchestra piece, and that’s the way he learns,” she said. “He sounds like an adult.”
Yet, she said he doesn’t have an ego and is a great friend. She described him as kind, encouraging and humble.
“He never wants to draw attention to himself … he likes to have a good time. He’s very funny.”
While Levi said he practices at home an average of 45 minutes a day, six days a week, Stephanie said she has to remind herself that he’s 15 and it’s age appropriate for him to want to play Minecraft rather than the French horn.
“He will eventually have to work super hard, so I’m a little nervous,” she said.
As part of NYO2 program, Levi will fly to New York City for three weeks in July. The youth orchestra is scheduled to perform Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from “West Side Story,” Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet” Fantasy Overture, Stravinsky’s “The Firebird Suite,” in addition to a world premiere of a wind concertante that was co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall on Aug. 1 at Carnegie Hall.
That performance will kick off World Orchestra Week, which is a new summer concert festival that will include international youth orchestras including the National Children’s Symphony of Venezuela, Africa United Youth Orchestra, Beijing Youth Symphony Orchestra, European Union Youth Orchestra and Afghan Youth Orchestra.
Then, Levi will return home with the NYO2 to perform Tuesday, Aug. 6 at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas.
“All my people can go,” he said.
Eight youth musicians from Texas were accepted into the NYO2 program this year, including three others from the DFW Metroplex: David Suarez on clarinet from Bedford, June Eickholt on tuba from Colleyville and Yeonjoo Oh on violin from Frisco.
All costs of the NYO2 except the initial travel expense to New York City is free, including the wardrobe, which includes iconic red pants, black jacket, tie and Converse sneakers.
“They want it truly to be, not the people who can afford this, but the best musicians,” Stephanie said.
After this year, Levi’s next goal is to gain acceptance into Carnegie Hall’s 2025 National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America, which is for musicians ages 16-19. He hopes to attend The Juilliard School after he graduates from high school. Tickets for NYO2’s Dallas performance start at $20. The performance is 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 6 at Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. For more information and buy tickets, visit https://www.dallassymphony.org/productions/nyo2/
