New Jersey Youth Symphony Presents Outdoor Community Concert

The New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS), a program of the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts, presents a free outdoor community concert on Sunday, October 25 at 3:00 p.m. The concert will take place at the New Providence Centennial Park located on Academy Street in New Providence. Performances by the NJYS Youth Symphony Brass and Percussion, Youth Orchestra Brass, Youth Symphony Winds, NJYS CL4tet, NJYS Percussion Quartet, and NJYS Mingus Jazz Combo will bring a message of hope to the community through the sounds of young musicians performing works by Joan Tower, Valerie Coleman, Charlie Parker, George Gershwin, and Aaron Copland, among others. The ensemble directors are Mesia Austin, Julius Tolentino, and Bryan Rudderow. The live concert will be conducted by Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Helen H. Cha-Pyo.

Said Cha-Pyo, "For the past seven months, the pandemic has prevented us from performing together in-person. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to share live music with our community here in New Providence."

For more information about the outdoor community concert, visit NJYS.org.

The New Jersey Youth Symphony, 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.

Now in its 42nd season, NJYS continues to achieve musical excellence through intensive instruction and high-level performance. Under the guidance of a talented team of conductors, coaches, and teaching artists, students are immersed in challenging repertoire, learning the art of ensemble playing, and exploring their potential in a supportive and inclusive environment. NJYS remains committed to programming works by diverse composers and featured 20th century African American and women composers such as Duke Ellington, George Walker, Yvonne Desportes, Emma Lou Diemer, Julia Perry, and Florence Price this past season.

The New Jersey Youth Symphony is a program of the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts. Wharton is New Jersey's largest non-profit performing arts education organization serving over 1,200 students of all ages and abilities through a range of classes and ensembles. In addition to the New Jersey Youth Symphony, programs include the Paterson Music Project and the Performing Arts School.

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