Evansville Teen Sole Indiana Representative in Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra for 2023

Violinist Braden Riley, 15, of Evansville, is working with instructor Michael Chu, who is also the Principal Second Violinist for the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra.

Chu is quizzing him on a point of rhythm during their lesson in Chu’s apartment studio, the metronome clicking in the background.

“So between that low G up to that high E, and then continuing after that, and then go back to the first page — there's one big rhythm thing that is missing from the first page …”

They are working on etudes, which are short musical exercise pieces, and on building Braden’s repertoire.

“He is a very serious musician who just came to me looking for specific guidance in terms of maybe doing this as a career.”

Braden is a Reitz High School sophomore and one of the principal violinists for the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation (EVSC) honors orchestra.

He just got back from attending Sounding Point Academy in California, a two week professional development academy for violinists. And maybe most importantly — he was accepted into the National Youth Orchestra 2 (NYO2) at Carnegie Hall, in New York City.

The point is, Braden takes violin very seriously.

Of the NYO2 program, Braden said, “it's a summer program comprised of young musicians all across the country (that) has a rigorous audition process, and we work with some of the best educators in the country.”

It’ll be a whirlwind four-week trip starting July first.

“…will we rehearsing in Purchase College in New York. July 15 is when we perform at Carnegie and then we'll go to the Dominican Republic. We'll have two performances there and then we'll come back to New York July 20.”

Doug Beck is director of artists training programs at Carnegie Hall.

“We bring some of the top players from around the country together each summer,” he said. “We have them work with a faculty who are leading professionals.”

He said while this program is only 10 years old, participants have gone on to do great things in music.

“We have two members of the New York Philharmonic, two members of the Cleveland Orchestra, four in the Houston Symphony, some playing abroad, doing top fellowship programs …”

Braden’s final performance was a recital at the Trinity Methodist Church in Downtown Evansville June 27, with friends and family watching him perform pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach and Camille Saint-Saëns.

Chu said Braden takes the instrument far more seriously than maybe the average 15 year old. It shows up in his playing.

“So in terms of his style, Braden is an exceptionally passionate player …”

— To the point where he has to reign it in a little. The Normally soft-spoken teen lets it rip while playing, a contradiction not missed by his parents Sean and Mindy.

“He is probably one of the least aggressive people that I know,” Mindy Riley said. “So he does things when he plays that, it is contradictory to I think his personality sometimes, in a good way.”

Braden agrees. “I think I think the violin is just, it's just a way to express myself that I can't really do with anything else in my life.”

That rigorous application process Braden mentioned, includes recording orchestral and solo excerpts and a video essay and a written essay.

Braden’s essays focused on southern Indiana being an underrepresented area, with fewer cultural resources than some larger cities.

Braden is one of about 70 to be accepted, out of about 650 applications. He’s also the only participant from Indiana.

“It's really special and it's kind of hard to wrap my head around,” he said. “Being the only one from Indiana for NYO and NYO2, it's just really cool that I'm representing not just my city (but) also just the entire state of Indiana.”

The end of his final piece, accompanied by pianist Tom Drury, drew a standing ovation.

After his recital, Braden gave autographs on a few of his recital programs.

Mindy Riley said there may have been some tears when he was accepted into the program, and it’s a validation of all his hard work.

“I'm just excited for him to be with a group of young, talented musicians,” she said. “You know, just being immersed in a group that will hopefully be very like-minded and really push and I just think it'd be a great experience for him.”

Michael Chu was also at the recital.

“He really is an exceptional musician,” he said, based on his one-one-one experience with him. “And I know that he deserves all the credit and praise that he's getting right now and I'm just really happy for him.”

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