The American Dream at New Jersey Performing Arts Center

Xian Zhang conductor
Rob Kapilow conductor
JCC Young People’s Chorus @ Thurnauer | Emma Brondolo, artistic director
Young People’s Chorus of New York City® | Francisco J. Núñez, artistic director and founder
Ember Choral Arts | Deborah Simpkin King, artistic director
New Jersey Symphony

Our nation’s music is a kaleidoscope that always turns to the new. Bernstein captured the energy and audacity of New York in his 1944 musical, On the Town, and made waves with a racially diverse cast; and his West Side Story put the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet on Manhattan fire escapes and sidewalks. We Came to America is a musical journey of the immigrant experience, composed by Rob Kapilow from crowd-sourced stories into which he crafted melodies. Meanwhile, Still’s Darker America focuses on people who came to America by force, not choice.

Still Darker America
Rob Kapilow We Came to America (World Premiere, Commissioned by the Thurnauer School of Music at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades)
Bernstein Three Dance Episodes from On the Town
Bernstein Symphonic Dances from West Side Story