By June Valliere
Maereg Million, a Wayland High School Sophomore, will be performing at Carnegie Hall in July. Million is one of five Massachusetts students selected to participate at the Carnegie NY02, an intensive summer orchestral training program for outstanding American instrumentalists, ages 14 to 17. Eighty-nine musicians were selected from across the country. According to Carnegie Hall’s press release, the members of the 2025 orchestra have been recognized to be among the most promising young players in the country that hail from a range of urban, suburban, and rural hometowns from across 32 states plus Guam. Million said that she is the second Wayland student selected to the program since it began in 2016.
Million, 16, started playing musical instruments when she was five years old. Her parents enrolled her in the Boston Symphony’s Intensive Community Program (ICP) which provides classical instrumental training to students of underrepresented communities including African American, Latin and Caribbean. As part of the program, Million said that she was introduced to violin, cello and bass. Although she was encouraged to play the violin because she was small, Million said that she was struck by the bass when she heard the first vibrating E chord that the teacher played when he was introducing all the string instruments. She said that although it is a nice instrument, “everyone plays the violin”. She plays classical music exclusively. Million’s favorite piece to play is Orchestral Mendelssohn.
Million has continued to play in the various BSO youth orchestras working her way through the five levels from the petit ensemble to the Boston Youth Symphony, BYS, where she is currently the principal bass player. The various ensembles provide individual and group instruction as well as performance opportunities at various venues. The BYS is a full symphonic orchestra composed of 115 outstanding players who demonstrate strong musicianship and at a highly advanced technical level. BYSO is the only youth orchestra in the US to perform full-length operas which is an essential part of the BYSO experience. They perform at Symphony Hall, Sanders Theater and Kresge Auditorium at MIT. Million is also the principal bass player at the Wayland High School Honors Sinfonia Orchestra and she is the principal string bassist for the MMEA Eastern Senior Festival and the MMEA All State Festival. When her high school orchestra teacher Susan Memoli was asked about the Carnegie competition, she said winning a spot on the NYO2 Carnegie is “a really big deal”.
According to Million, she has participated in other summer festivals and programs at Tanglewood and Julliard. She recently played with the Chicago Symphony through the Pathway program. To compete for the Carnegie competition, Million said that she submitted a tape, resume and references in November. She said that she is looking forward to the Carnegie NY02 program. Along with the other musicians, she will arrive in New York City in mid-July to start the intensive two-week training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York (SUNY), located just north of New York City. NYO2’s faculty of top music professionals will work closely with the young players, helping them to prepare their 2025 program and coaching them in master classes and sectionals. The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra’s José-Luis Novo joins as 2025 resident conductor, preparing the ensemble ahead of the arrival of its guest conductor Rafael Payare, music director of the San Diego Symphony. All NYO2 musicians receive a private, one-on-one lesson during the residency, an opportunity described by alums as one of the most valuable experiences of the program. Million along with the other NYO2 musicians will perform at Carnegie Hall on July 27. They will be performing with professional guest cellist, Alisa Weilerstein. Then they head to Scotland where NYO2 will perform for the first time at the famous Edinburgh International Festival.
When asked what was the most exciting aspect of the NYO2, she said performing with the professional cellist and performing at Edinburgh International Festival. Million said that she has always enjoyed participating in the summer musical programs. She loves meeting and being engulfed by other talented young musicians and coming together as an orchestral group. She said she has made many friends attending these programs.
Million does not plan to attend a conservatory after high school graduation. She said that she has many other interests in addition to music such as writing so she would like to attend a college where she can also pursue those interests. Her goal is to double major in music with another interest. However, she said, “I will always be passionate about music. It will always be in my life.”
