By Mabel Pais

The New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS) returns to the Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) on Sunday, December 11 at 4:00 p.m. to celebrate music, dance, and the holiday season with Danzon, Tango and Bugler’s Holiday! Don’t miss this uplifting show that explores dance rhythms across the world and shares the stories behind the music that are universal to the human experience.

The NJYS Youth Symphony, led by Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Helen H. Cha-Pyo, will share the stage with special guests Francis Goya, Romantic guitarist and multi-platinum artist; soprano saxophonist Tim Egan; and tango dancers Carolina Jaurena and Juan Alessandrini. Works by Astor Piazzola, Arturo Marquez, Francis Goya, and Leroy Anderson will be featured in this community celebration for all ages.

Jaurena and Alessandrini said, “We are excited to be part of this concert and collaborate with the New Jersey Youth Symphony. We are certain it will be a unique experience and we look forward to sharing our love and passion for tango with the audience.“

“This is my first time performing with the New Jersey Youth Symphony, although several of my friends were members of NJYS in high school,” said Egan. “As a saxophonist, I was always jealous that they got to play in (an) orchestra! I have been a Teaching Artist at the Paterson Music Project since 2021 and this year I had the opportunity to coach the NJYS Clarinet Trio. I look forward to many more years of collaboration with this life-changing performing arts education organization.”

TICKETS

Tickets are available at ucpac.org/event/nj-youth-symphony-danzon-tango-and-buglers-holiday.

Wharton Arts

Wharton Arts’ mission is to offer accessible, high quality performing arts education that sparks personal growth and builds inclusive communities. Wharton Arts is located in Berkeley Heights, New Providence, and Paterson, NJ and reaches students from 12 counties. All of Wharton Arts’ extraordinary teaching artists, faculty members, and conductors hold degrees in their teaching specialty and have been vetted and trained to enable their students to achieve their personal best. Learn more at whartonarts.org

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