Acclaimed American trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Kris Johnson leads NYO Jazz in a dynamic follow-up performance, spotlighting the boundless energy of America’s next generation of jazz talent.

 

The program features classic big-band repertoire, beloved jazz standards, and newly commissioned works that speak the language of contemporary music—including a world premiere by Korean-American composer Jihye Lee, commissioned by Carnegie Hall, and a special arrangement by NYO Jazz alumna Skylar Tang. More than a high-caliber big-band concert, this engagement offers a vivid portrait of jazz’s living legacy and its evolving future.

 

Universal Love
Galapagos
Quintessence
Little Pixie
In A Mellow Tone
Li'l Darlin'
Roll 'Em
So What
Can't Hide Love
Second Balcony Jump
Strength in Numbers
We're Still Here
*Yes or No
*A Shift West

*The Danger Zone
*Throw It Away
*If You Want Me To Stay
*Cottontail
*Basin Street Blues
*Afro Blue

 

*Program is subject to change.

 

 

Kris Johnson, based in Detroit, is a multifaceted artist whose work spans trumpet performance, composition, arranging, film and television scoring, and music education. His creative output ranges from orchestral commissions and musical theatre to screen scores and contemporary jazz. In 2025, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra premiered his commissioned work Marlowe’s Wings, with Johnson featured as soloist. He is the composer of the musicals Jim Crow’s Tearsand Hastings Street, scored the Emmy-nominated series King Ester, and has released original projects including The Kris Johnson Groupand the #looptherapy series.

Johnson also co-founded the Paradise Theatre Big Band with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, serving as the ensemble’s leader. As both performer and arranger, he has contributed to seven Grammy-nominated albums, including the Count Basie Orchestra’s 2024 Grammy-winning release Basie Swings the Blues. From 2008 to 2019, he toured globally with the Count Basie Orchestra as a soloist and arranger, appearing at iconic venues such as the Apollo Theater, the Hollywood Bowl, the Sydney Opera House, and the Kennedy Center. He has collaborated with leading artists including Wynton Marsalis, Tony Bennett, Wycliffe Gordon, and Leslie Odom, Jr. During the 2023–24 season, Johnson toured worldwide with Endea Owens and The Cookout, further demonstrating his remarkable versatility across diverse musical settings.

 

 

 

NYO Jazz (National Youth Orchestra Jazz)​ is a national youth jazz orchestra program established by Carnegie Hall in 2018, dedicated to discovering and nurturing the most promising young jazz musicians of the next generation in the United States. Each year, through a highly competitive nationwide audition process, the orchestra selects the finest young performers aged 16 to 19 from across the country. These members hail from diverse states and regions, representing one of the highest standards of contemporary American youth jazz performance.

Selected musicians participate in intensive residency training under the guidance of renowned jazz artists, rehearsing and performing alongside internationally acclaimed musicians, and taking the stage at the world-famous Carnegie Hall. Following this, the orchestra embarks on international tours as youthful cultural ambassadors, showcasing both the heritage and innovation of American jazz to global audiences. Since its inception, NYO Jazz has performed by invitation in Europe, Asia, and beyond.