Lexington High School Chamber Orchestra wins national championship 

The results of the 2025 National Orchestra Cup were being announced. The runner-up was Honolulu’s Iolani School, whose performance was so polished it had left the members of the Lexington High School Chamber Orchestra deeply impressed and inspired.

“Wait…then who got first?” recounted Rachel Jayson, who directs the Lexington Chamber Orchestra.

Moments later, the answer came: Lexington High School.

The students erupted—screaming, hugging, overwhelmed by the realization that they were national champions. It was the group’s first-ever appearance at the Orchestra Cup, held March 1 at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall in New York City—and they had just won it. 

“It was this explosion of joy,” Jayson recalled, laughing. “They knew they’d done something special. And to be recognized like that? It was incredible.”

Out of seven elite ensembles from across the country, Lexington’s 29-member orchestra stood out—winning not only the top prize, but also awards for best section (violas) and most original selection for “Kendrick,” a world premiere by composer Sxip Shirey.

“I think all of us were just stunned,” said Jayson, who has taught music at Lexington High School for 16 years. “We knew we had taken some artistic risks, and all of the pieces were really, really ambitious.”

This was Lexington’s first appearance at the Orchestra Cup, an invite-only event known for its high standards and artistic freedom. Jayson was approached at the 2024 National Orchestra Festival with an invitation to participate.

Unlike other competitions with strict rules on repertoire, this one simply gave ensembles 25 minutes to perform whatever they wanted. That flexibility afforded Jayson the opportunity to build a creative and emotionally rich program of four very different pieces—a program that pushed boundaries and embraced originality. 

One of those pieces was “Lexington Reel,” a bluegrass-inspired tune written by Lexington High alum Andy Reiner to celebrate the town’s 250th anniversary. The orchestra performed it without a conductor—a bold move that required deep trust and communication. 

“That opening moment really set the tone,” Jayson said. “It was their show from the first note—I just walked offstage and let them take it.”

Another standout was “Habari Gani” by Quenton Blache, which the students performed entirely from memory—a rare feat for any orchestra, let alone a high school one. 

Jayson said being off-book gave students a new kind of freedom, with the chance to look up, connect and respond to one another while playing. It was something that set this group’s program apart, and Jayson said it completely transformed the way they played.

“I loved the feeling of playing ‘Habari Gani’ during the competition,” said Deanna Ma, a violinist. “It was unlike anything I’ve experienced anywhere else.”

Then there was “Kendrick,” the world premiere that brought home the originality award. 

Composed by Sxip Shirey, the piece was originally inspired by rapper Kendrick Lamar. Shirey first drafted the work five years ago after hearing Lamar’s music. Years later, Jayson commissioned Shirey to write new works for the Lexington orchestra—and “Kendrick” became one of three original pieces he composed for the ensemble.

“That piece demanded everything from them: rhythm, emotion, presence,” Jayson said. “It was a full-body experience.”

Preparation for the Cup went far beyond regular rehearsals. While in New York, the orchestra recorded at the DiMenna Center, had a workshop with Tanya Chanphanitpornkit of the New York Youth Symphony, and squeezed in extra run-throughs in a professional recording studio. 

But in between all of the hard work, the group also found moments to just have fun together.

“I remember us, the day before the competition, coming together during rehearsal and vibing to ‘Swag Surfin’,” said Yaotong Zhang, a violinist.

Jayson said these “silly, but joyful” moments really brought the group together.

For the students, the experience of performing on a national stage brought a mix of nerves and adrenaline.

“I was both nervous and excited because this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to perform in such a big space,” said violinist Kyuri Lee. “I was just so happy I could be there.”

The massive Grand Champion trophy will live at Lexington High School for the year, and the students also brought back a second, permanent trophy to keep.

Lee said the group’s strength comes from mutual trust: Each member relies on others to do their part and knows they’ll be supported, even when they’re not always in direct view of one another.

“The Chamber Orchestra really feels like a family because each person is important to the cohesiveness of our teamwork,” said Sophia Guo, another violinist.

Zhang also echoed this, saying that everyone could be themselves “without worrying about other people judging because they accept me as a part of the orchestra.”

Students like Atticus Oliver voiced that the team felt like family and that success is only “meaningful with those to celebrate with…Plus, orchestra’s a lot more fun when everyone knows each other!”

This story is part of a partnership between the Lexington Observer and the Boston University Department of Journalism.