Alaska Brothers Shine at Carnegie Hall

0:00Two brothers from Anchorage, Alaska just landed spots in the country's top youth orchestras. Seventeen-year-old Andy Zhang, a senior at Diamond High School, made the elite N.Y.O. USA group while his 15-year-old brother, Kevin, a West Jr. got into N.Y.O.2. They'll perform a Carnegie Hall this July before heading out on an international tour. Though the first siblings from Alaska picked for these orchestras in the same year, last summer, Andy played N.Y.O.2 himself, which fired him up to aim higher this time. Carnegie Hall runs these programs to spotlight young talent from everywhere, using video auditions so kids like these Alaskans aren't left out. Their parents are musicians, but push them to pick up violins, young, hoping it'd add color to their lives. Daily practice, family cheers, and teacher guidance got them here. Andy auditioned for three-year straight. Teachers called them the state's top young violinist, fitting right in with pros at the Anchorage Symphony.

1:00Beyond classical gigs, the brothers bust downtown with covers from the Beatles to Michael Jackson, play folk festivals, and perform at community. Events like soup kitchens, they mentor kids, stack chairs after shows, and balance it all with swimming, skiing, and straight-A academics. Even with this honor, music's a passion, not a career for them. Andy heads to Harvard this fall for environmental science, and Kevin's eyeing similar pass after presenting polar bear research. Their story shows how talent from unexpected spots can shine, inspiring the next wave right here in Alaska. That's the story for today. Anchorage News Today, Driven by AI.