Our Carnegie Hall Debut Makes the Front Page
The Post and Courier joined us on the journey to New York, documenting a milestone for Charleston’s musical community.
When the Charleston Symphony traveled to New York in February 2025 for our Carnegie Hall debut, two members of The Post and Courier staff came along to tell the story: reporter Kalyn Oyer and photographer Grace Beahm Alford. Through their reporting and photography, they captured not just what happened onstage, but the people and preparations that made the occasion so meaningful.
Their front-page feature "Charleston in NYC: The symphony's debut at Carnegie Hall was a monumental moment" follows the journey of A Charleston Celebration, which brought together the Charleston Symphony, Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra, and College of Charleston Orchestra for a shared milestone. For nearly all of the student musicians, it was their first opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall.
The story takes readers into moments audiences rarely see: young musicians turning an airport delay into an impromptu violin performance, the anticipation of stepping onto an unfamiliar stage, and the excitement of a conductor making his debut alongside his students.
“We’re making our debut together. You can feel the excitement,” Youth Orchestra conductor Ryo Hasegawa told Oyer.
Finally, when it was time to board, an animated buzz rose in crescendo. The Charleston Symphony's youngest member, 22-year-old cellist Ben Mekinulov, started a trivia game among his peers while waiting for liftoff. Then an announcement came over the speaker from a flight attendant: "Anyone on the plane playing Carnegie? Anyone?" A cheer and applause followed from the plane mostly full of symphony members.
The coverage also shines a light on the community behind the trip. More than 75 donors helped make the experience possible, with many traveling to New York to join proud families and fellow supporters in the audience. By the evening’s end, all three orchestras had received standing ovations.
We’re grateful to The Post and Courier, Oyer, and Alford for documenting this chapter in our story and bringing readers along for the experience. Their words and photographs offer a chance to revisit the celebration, or discover the moments you didn’t get to see.
"A Charleston Celebration" continues past the name of this particular program at Carnegie Hall. It's a mindset the symphony proudly propels forward — a cheerful crescendo, a flourishing forte, a hopeful harmony ringing out and resonating.
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