450 Student Musicians Support Ukraine in Performance Together

It's hard to imagine 450 student musicians in one space performing to support the Ukraine but that's what happened on the weekend when The New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS), a program of the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts, had their annual "Playathon" but this time to partially support relief efforts in Ukraine. 25% of the proceeds received on the day of the 2022 Playathon event is going to Doctors Without Borders for their efforts in Ukraine.

The Playathon took place on Sunday, March 27 from 4:00-5:30 pm. The emcee was WNYC air-host David Furst, and it took place at the Westfield National Guard Armory. The concert began with the U.S. National Anthem followed by the Ukrainian National Anthem. Youth musicians performed Broadway and film favorites, including the theme from Superman, Phantom of the Opera, Sound of Music and more. It ended with Stars and Stripes Forever.

Peter H. Gistelinck, Executive Director, and Helen H. Cha-Pyo, Artistic Director of the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts, were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the students who put their heart into the music as well as the peer-to-peer fundraising projects. Cha-Pyo said, "We raised $23,000 in one single day, the most we've ever raised on the day of Playathon. As stated, we will donate 25% of the funds raised ($5,750) to Doctors Without Borders to support aid in Ukraine. We are so appreciative of every single musician and their parents for their ongoing support."

This is the second fundraiser for the Ukraine by Wharton Arts this month. They initially donated $8,865 to Doctors Without Borders from the March 10, 2022 "Together We Celebrate" Gala Silent Auction, when Paul Shaffer was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The annual fundraiser raises nearly $100,000 for the organization to support performing arts education, including scholarships and tuition assistance for New Jersey's largest youth orchestra program. Gistelinck continued, "The scholarships and tuition assistance are so important as we are committed to providing musical education and enrichment for all children who are serious about music. The donations from Playathon are critical in helping us reach this goal."

The New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS), founded in 1979, is a tiered orchestral program offering ensemble education for students in grades 3-12 across New Jersey. NJYS has grown from one orchestra of 65 students to over 500 students in 15 different orchestras and ensembles, including the internationally recognized Youth Symphony. NJYS ensembles have performed in venues including the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Carnegie Hall, and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. NJYS has received numerous prestigious awards for its adventurous programming from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) and has had six European tours, including participation in the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Festival and Competition (Vienna), winning First Prizes in July 2014 and 2017.

The New Jersey Youth Symphony is a program of the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts. Wharton Arts is New Jersey's largest non-profit performing arts education organization serving nearly 2,500 students of all ages and abilities through a range of classes and ensembles. This year, The New Jersey Youth Chorus, founded by Trish Joyce in 1992, has become a member of the Wharton Arts family and provides exceptional choral music education and performance experiences to New Jersey students from 3rd to 12th grades. In addition, a thriving program of Wharton Arts is the Paterson Music Project, an El Sistema-inspired program that uses music as a vehicle for social change by empowering and inspiring children through the community experience of ensemble learning and playing in its hometown of Paterson. Beginning with early childhood music, the Performing Arts School offers 500 private lessons and group classes each week, ensuring there is something for everyone of all ages and abilities.

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