The New Jersey Youth Chorus To Present Winter Concert This Sunday

The New Jersey Youth Chorus (NJYC) presents its Winter Concert at Ridge Performing Arts Center located at 268 South Finley Avenue in Basking Ridge on Sunday, January 22 at 4:00 p.m. Tickets start at $15 and are available at WhartonArts.org.

As part of its 30th Anniversary celebration, the five ensembles of NJYC will perform several pieces from years past, including works by Stephen Leek, Stephen Hatfield, Z. Randall Stroope, Jim Papoulis, Leonard Bernstein, Rollo Dilworth, and Tom Shelton. The family friendly performance will also celebrate the Lunar New Year, with pieces sung in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

Founded in 1992 by Trish Joyce, the New Jersey Youth Chorus is an auditioned choral program for children in grades three through twelve, divided into five performing ensembles. The Chorus, which joined Wharton Arts in July, performs frequently with professional ensembles including the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Canadian Brass, among others. Past highlights include performing at the White House for "Christmas at the White House, 2019," with Queen Latifah at Super Bowl XLVIII, with six-time Grammy winner The Chieftains in NYC, with Barry Manilow at the Prudential Center, at the New Jersey State Theater's Gala under both Oscar and Grammy award-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch and Bill Conti, with Ronan Tynan, at the Jimmy V Basketball Classic at Madison Square Garden, and multiple performances at Carnegie Hall. In addition, they have been a featured choir at regional and national music conferences and invited to perform the national anthem for several sports teams. The choir's "Kids for Kids" initiative includes opportunities to perform and assist children's organizations and charities, such as the Hugs for Brady Foundation, Casa of NJ, Goryeb Children's Hospital, Relay for Life, Matthew Larson Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, Brooke Healey Foundation, Team Campbell Foundation, Good Grief, and many more. Their recording, "Stand Together, Music of Hope and Healing," was donated to patients at area hospitals, facing cancer and other serious illnesses.

NJYC has participated in numerous festivals and tours to New Orleans, Hawaii, Canada, England, Italy, Ireland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, Budapest, Vienna, and Wales. This summer, members of both high school ensembles, Coriste and Camerata, will tour Italy.

Joe Miller, former Director of Choral Activities at Westminster Choir College, said this about the New Jersey Youth Chorus: "The New Jersey Youth Chorus is a tremendous musical ambassador for the state of New Jersey. They are an inspiring example of music making that makes our world a better place. The choir represents the highest quality of artistry and is making a difference in the lives of its singers and audiences."