By Mabel Pais

“The Spectacular Bollywood,” October 24, 2020, 7 PM EDT
“Best of Bollywood,” November 6, 2020, 7 PM EDT

Join the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) String Quartet for a pair of virtual musical journeys inspired by Bollywood, the Hindi-language Indian film industry. The Oct 24 concert is presented by New Jersey City University (NJCU) and the Nov 6 performance is presented by Metuchen Arts Council (MAC).

Explore historical influences on the growth of Bollywood and hear insights into signature music and lyrics of the genre. Listen for themes from the Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire! This interactive virtual event will include a Q&A with NJSO musicians. The program explores historical influences on the growth of Bollywood and offers insights into signature music and lyrics of the genre. Famed works include themes from the Oscar-winning movie “Slumdog Millionaire”.

These interactive virtual events—co-hosted by Archana Athalye and James Musto—will include a Q&A with NJSO musicians. The programs feature NJSO violinists Wendy Chen and James Tsao, violist David Blinn, cellist Sarah Seiver and percussionist James Musto.

Both online events are free. Registration is required; audiences can register at www.njsymphony.org/neighborhood

Tickets

The Orchestra’s online hub for free NJSO Virtual 20–21 content is njsymphony.org/virtual

Tickets for paid events are available via phone at 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476) or at njsymphony.org

NJSO LAUNCHES 20–21 VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES

The NJSO announces NJSO Virtual 20–21, a season of free digital experiences, from broadcasts of virtual orchestral concerts led by Music Director Xian Zhang at NJPAC to solo and chamber performances in iconic New Jersey locations to collaborations with fellow New Jersey arts organizations. Season launch highlights include the world premiere of a new commission by Daniel Bernard Roumain and a virtual event with Newark community leaders for the release of selections from Michael Raphael’s “Emmett Till” oratorio with Trilogy: An Opera Company, facilitated by Trilogy founder and bass Kevin Maynor.

The Orchestra celebrates the launch of NJSO Virtual 20–21 with an at-home performance of the finale of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, with music director Zhang conducting from home. The video premieres on October 29 on the NJSO’s YouTube and social channels and at njsymphony.org

Connect with NJSO:
Website: njsymphony.org
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @NJSymphony
YouTube: @NewJerseySymphony
Email: information@njsymphony.org

WIPA OFFERINGS…..

NJYS 2020-21 FOCUS: FREE DIGITAL COLLABS

“While in-person teaching remains critical and an important component of all of our education programs, the online environment is also creating new opportunities that definitely will expand the footprint of all of our offerings.” – Peter H. Gistelinck, Exec. Dir – NJYS 

The New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS) opens its 2020-21 season with a wealth of digital programming for its existing community and beyond, featuring guest artists who are not only excellent musicians but also important voices surrounding the role of the arts as a unifying force.

The NJYS, a program of the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts (WIPA), will open the 2020-21 season with new and compelling online education programs that include 15 master classes and 12 webinars with world-renowned guest artists and educators.

With a hybrid schedule of both online and socially distant outdoor rehearsals, students will also participate in over 30 online classes weekly ranging from music theory, composition, and ear training to jazz history, video editing, how to improve sight-reading skills, and fiddling in an unprecedented elevation of both the quantity and breadth of educational programming. Following the U.S. Youth Orchestras eFestival on September 20 with fellow programs from Chicago, Hawaii, Los Angeles, and Texas, live performances at venues around the state of New Jersey will be replaced with a digital format that has opened new doors of artistic collaborations for the NJYS, now in its 42nd season. “Recordings of the young musicians’ solo performances at home will be compiled into a digital concert and sent to nursing homes and assisted living facilities for residents to enjoy as a calming respite during this time of social distancing,” said Helen H. Cha-Pyo, Artistic Director & Principal Conductor. The Monday Master Class Series launches this fall and imbues the essence of the NJYS’s originally scheduled season, including artists, genres, and diversity, and offers its students a rare touchpoint with professional symphony orchestra musicians and leaders in today’s world of performing arts education. The digital series, expanding the limits of what would have been possible to present in person due to the cost and logistics, features a wide variety of acclaimed instrumentalists. The series kicked off on September 14 with newly appointed Oberlin Conservatory faculty member and French hornist Jeffrey Scott and includes Cleveland Orchestra Principal Clarinet Afendi Yusuf on November 2, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) Principal Bass Ha Young Jung on November 9, and Seattle Symphony Principal Flute Demarre McGill on December 7, as well as instructors from The Juilliard School, University of Massachusetts, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. The Monday Master Class Series takes place weekly from 7:00-8:15 p.m. EST through December 14. Viewing for this online series is free via Zoom.

Friday Webinars at Wharton Arts is a series dedicated to making authentic connections between art and life through the sharing of stories, expertise, and creations by guest artists of varied disciplines. Friday Webinars at Wharton Arts take place weekly from 7:00-8:00 p.m. EST through December 11. Viewing for this online series is free via Zoom or on WhartonArts.tv.

For more information on the Monday Master Class Series and Friday Webinars at NJYS as well as the full line-up of guest artists, visit NJYS.org.

To learn more about NJYS, visit NJYS.org. To learn more about WIPA, visit WIPA.org

NJYS – FREE OUTDOOR CONCERT

“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,” said Helen H. Cha-Pyo.

The (NJYS), a program of the WIPA, 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. For more information about the outdoor community concert, visit NJYS.org.

PMP HOSTS ‘BUILDING HARMONY’ BREAKFAST

The Paterson Music Project (PMP), a program of the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts (WIPA), hosts the 2020 Building Harmony Breakfast on Thursday, October 29 at 10:00 a.m. EST via Zoom. This free, one-hour virtual fundraising breakfast to benefit PMP will help provide over 250 students with instrumental music in grades 1 – 10 across the city of Paterson.

The virtual gathering will bring together local business leaders, elected officials, and civic and community leaders and culminate with performances by PMP students as well as a new video showcasing the program’s tremendous growth and imprint on the community since its inception in 2013. The event hopes to raise nearly $200,000 in donations and pledges to sustain the after-school music program over the next five years.

The event is FREE and open to the public. For more information and to register for the event, visit PatersonMusicProject.org

(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Spirituality, and Health & Wellness)