The Indian Panorama

Tag: NJYC

  • YOUNG ARTISTS EXPLORE POWER OF CREATIVITY AS TOOL FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

    YOUNG ARTISTS EXPLORE POWER OF CREATIVITY AS TOOL FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

    • By Mabel Pais

    ‘‘CAREER DAY: ART AS ACTIVISM’ introduces young artists to the power of creativity as a tool for social change. Through hands-on master classes led by industry professionals, students will explore how art can challenge injustice, amplify community voices and inspire action. These sessions empower the next generation to use their talents not just to perform — but to make an impact.

    On January 10, 2026, NJPAC young artists can register for up to two master classes. With 25 spots available in each session, students have the option to sign up for one or two sessions in both the morning and the afternoon.

    During the 12 to 1PM break, resource tables will be available with information on colleges specializing in the arts, and career pathways within these fields.

    In addition, a photographer will be available in the afternoon for professional headshots; advance registration is required.

    REGISTRATION

    Register, required, at docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScwyOB32yOr_3vH1aAhGmQYYlkBshJSQu0TOekSwf-is8sMtQ/viewform

    SCHEDULE

    10 – 10:30AM 

    Opening Remarks with Newark Councilman Dupré “Doitall” Kelly
    Councilman Kelly, former member of the hip hop group Lords of the Underground, will share his inspiring journey from rapper to public servant.

    10:30AM – 12PM

    The Spoken Word
    Facilitated by Mia X
    (Recommended for Theater and Hip Hop students)
    Mia X, the City of Newark’s inaugural Poet Laureate, will show young artists how to amplify their voices through the spoken word.

    OR

    10:30AM – 12PM

    Music with a Message
    Facilitated by Dr. Melanie Hill
    (Recommended for ‘Band Together’ and ‘TD Jazz for Teens’ students)
    Dr. Melanie Hill, a writer, violinist and assistant professor at Rutgers University, will explore the intersection of music and storytelling.

    12 – 1PM

    Lunch Break (Pizza)

    Resource Tables: Information on schools and careers in film and TV

    Professional headshots by photographer Norman DeShong

    1 – 3PM

    Your Platform: Social Media
    Facilitated by Tehsuan Glover
    (Recommended for all disciplines)
    Tehsuan Glover, spoken word artist and editor-in-chief of ‘The Newark Times,’ will demonstrate how to use social media for art and to effect change.

    OR

    1 – 3PM | Telling Your Story Through The Lens (Documentary Filmmaking)
    Facilitated by Nicole Costa
    (Recommended for all disciplines)
    Nicole Costa, an award-winning cinematographer, will demonstrate how to use a camera to tell a story that sparks change.

    12 – 4PM | Professional Headshots
    Photographer Norman DeShong

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    EXPERIENCE THE HEALING POWER OF POETRY

    • By Mabel Pais

    (left) Reginald Dwayne Betts and Carl Phillips. (Credit : njpac.org)

    Words carry weight and meaning … they can also be a salve for trauma and pain. Experience the Healing Power of Poetry, an unforgettable virtual reading and conversation. Literary giants Reginald Dwayne Betts and Carl Phillips will explore poetry as a radical tool for wellness and collective care. These thoughtful poets will share their perspectives on how writing can foster solace and restoration. Some themes that will be explored include poetry’s role in accelerating emotional healing. How does the transcendence of language impact a reader and writer’s well-being?

    WHAT: HEALING POWER OF POETRY

    WHEN: January 13, 2026 @ 6:30PM

    WHERE: Zoom

    COST:   Free

    This is a NJPAC-DODGE POETRY collaboration.

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    NJYC TO HOLD AUDITIONS FOR GRADES 3-12 IN JANUARY 2026 FOR SELECT ENSEMBLES

    • By Mabel Pais

    Youth auditioning. (Credit: whartonarts.org)
    Youth auditioning. (Credit: whartonarts.org)

    The New Jersey Youth Chorus (NJYC), a program of Wharton Arts, will hold mid-year auditions for select ensembles in January 2026 for singers in grades 3–12. Auditions provide young vocalists with the opportunity to join a vibrant choral community rooted in musical excellence, collaboration, and belonging.

    “At NJYC, singing is just the beginning,” said Trish Joyce, Founder and Director. “Through music, we cultivate connection, teamwork, and a deep sense of belonging, and our directors are excited to welcome new singers into our choral family.”

    Throughout the season, NJYC choristers participate in exceptional performance and educational opportunities at the local, regional, and national levels. Highlights this season include:

    • Life of Song Festival in Washington, DC, for Sola Voce and Cor Amici
    • “The Vocal Edge” Middle School Boys Festival
    • “Together We Sing” Festival for Primo Coro
    • Collaboration with the Maplewood Glee Club for Camerata
    • Performance of the National Anthem for the New York Mets, featuring all NJYC choirs
    • Choral Festival at Carnegie Hall for Camerata
    • Sing a Mile High Festival in Denver, Colorado, for Sola Voce and Cor Amici

    REGISTRATION

    To register for an audition for NJYC’s Primo Coro, Cor Amici, Sola Voce, and Camerata, visit NJYC.org.

    For more information, call (973) 998-5670 or email info@njyc.org.

    Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Spirituality, Social Issues, Education, Business, Health and Wellness, and Cuisine.

  • NJYC SHARES STAGE WITH WOMEN A CAPELLA LYYRA IN MUSICAL COLLABORATION

    NJYC SHARES STAGE WITH WOMEN A CAPELLA LYYRA IN MUSICAL COLLABORATION

    • By Mabel Pais

    The New Jersey Youth Chorus (NJYC), a program of Wharton Arts, will present ‘Lyyra in Concert: An Extraordinary Musical Collaboration’ on April 25 at 8:00 p.m. at The Presbyterian Church in Morristown located at 57 East Park Place.

    NJYC’s Coriste, directed by Trish Joyce, and Sola Voce, directed by Joanna Scarangello, will share the stage with the exceptional Lyyra — the only professional six-voice women’s a cappella group in the United States! Created by The VOCES8 Foundation, Lyyra brings a breathtaking range and richness to their performances of classical, jazz, pop, and folk music from diverse traditions. With soaring vocals and exhilarating harmonies, this remarkable ensemble will captivate you as they collaborate with the youth chorus’ acclaimed choristers. Lyyra will perform selections from the Middle Ages and Renaissance, including works by Hildegard von Bingen, Leonora d’Este, and William Byrd, to contemporary favorites including Warren and Gordon’s At Last, Paul Simon’s ‘Bridge over Troubled Water,’ and Irving Berlin’s ‘Blue Skies.’

    NJYC Founder and Director Trish Joyce said, “Last Spring, the New Jersey Youth Chorus’ Coriste and Sola Voce ensembles had the incredible opportunity of having Lyyra join us for an educational workshop. Now, NJYC is absolutely thrilled to host Lyyra and share this extraordinary collaboration with our choristers and the broader community. Lyyra’s artistry and musicianship exemplify the very best of women’s choral singing, serving as both an inspiration and an aspiration for our young singers. This collaboration is not only a rare opportunity for our choristers to learn from and sing alongside such accomplished musicians, but it is also a gift to our community—a chance to experience the richness and power of high-caliber choral music firsthand. Music has the ability to connect, uplift, and inspire, and we are so excited to bring this meaningful experience to both our singers and our audience.”

    LYYRA

    Lyyra is the new all-women vocal ensemble from The VOCES8 Foundation and is based in the USA. Lyyra records exclusively for Warner Classics. Creating world-class musical experiences to inspire audiences, Lyyra seeks to redefine the genre of upper voice music in the choral landscape, highlighting the astonishing capabilities within the full spectrum of women’s singing. The sound of this bright, young group combines velvety richness alongside star-like brilliance. With a broad texture and exhilarating range of sound, the group’s talented members specialize in classical, jazz, pop, and folk music from diverse traditions and backgrounds.

    Lyyra is passionate about music education and is part of The VOCES8 Foundation’s mission to actively promote “Music Education For All.” Engaging in a broad range of work collaborating with schools, universities, and community organizations, The VOCES8 Foundation reaches up to 40,000 people each year.

    Reflective of music, harmony and the night sky, Lyyra takes its name from the constellation that represents Orpheus’ famed lyre. Lyyra is Anna Crumley, MaryRuth Miller, Elizabeth Tait, Aryssa Leigh Burrs, Ingrid Johnson, and Cecille Elliott. Lyyra’s Creative Director is Erik Jacobson. Find out more at lyyramusic.com

    NEW JERSEY YOUTH CHORUS (NJYC)

    Learn more at whartonarts.org/programs/new-jersey-youth-chorus.

    TICKETS

    Tickets are available for purchase at NJYC.org.

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

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    NJYS PRESENTS SEASON’S FINAL CONCERT WITH CONCERTO COMPETITION WINNER

    Helen Cha-Pyo conducts NJYS and Rowan Mendel plays the cello (Credit: WhartonArts.org)
    • By Mabel Pais

    The New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS) will present ‘Enchanting Musical Storytelling’ on Sunday, April 27 at 8:00 p.m. at the Nicholas Music Center at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.

    Concert-goers are invited to join the NJYS Youth Symphony under the baton of Helen H. Cha-Pyo for a captivating performance featuring Gabriela Lena Frank’s ‘Three Latin American Dances’ and Rimsky-Korsakov’s mesmerizing ‘Scheherazade.’ The final signature concert of the season will also showcase the exceptional talents of the 2025 NJYS Concerto Competition winner, cellist Rowan Mendel, in Tchaikovsky’s ‘Variations on a Rococo Theme.’

    “This concert marks the culmination of a dynamic season that has brought together outstanding young musicians from across the state to perform masterworks of the orchestral repertoire in a supportive and inclusive environment,” said Helen H. Cha-Pyo, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor. “From the vibrant rhythms and cultural richness of Gabriela Lena Frank’s ‘Three Latin American Dances,’ to the expressive brilliance of our concerto competition winner Rowan Mendel, and the sweeping, timeless storytelling of Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘Scheherazade,’ this performance is a celebration of musical excellence, disciplined dedication, and the shared joy of making music together. It’s also a bittersweet moment as we honor the remarkable journey of our graduating seniors and the bright futures that await them.”

    Rowan Mendel

    Rowan Mendel of Sparta has been playing cello for nine years and studies with Jonathan Spitz of the NJ Symphony and Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. He has also studied with Elad Kabilio at the Manhattan School of Music (MSM) and spent two summers in the MSM program. Recent summer programs have included the Castleman Quartet Program and the Cello Classics course in Tuscany, Italy, studying with Raphael Wallfisch. During the summer of 2024 he studied at Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute. In addition to the Sparta High School Honors Philharmonic, he has performed as Principal Cellist with the New Jersey Youth Symphony for the last three years and the Sussex County Youth Orchestra for the last seven years. In 2023 and 2024, Rowan performed in the North Jersey Group 1 Regional Orchestra as well as the NJ All-State Orchestra. He has traveled with the New Jersey Ambassadors of Music and performed in Sussex, England; Caen, France; and the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris, France. Rowan is the recipient of the 2022 New Sussex Symphony Legacy Fund Scholarship Award and has been inducted into the Tri-M Music Honor Society. When not playing cello, Rowan enjoys soccer and is a National Chess Champion. He plans to continue his music studies in college.

    TICKETS

    Tickets to the performance are available at NJYS.org. Discounted tickets are available for students and seniors with ID.

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

  • NJYC GIVES BACK FOR LOCAL CHARITIES

    By Mabel Pais

    The New Jersey Youth Chorus (NJYC) hosts two benefit concerts this month to raise community awareness and funds for local charities Oasis (oasisnj.org – a haven for women and children), on Saturday, February 11, and Matheny (matheny.org – a New Jersey-approved private school for children with disabilities) on Sunday, February 12.

    NJYC Heart-to-Heart Concert. (Credit: Wharton Arts)

    The Heart to Heart Benefit Concert, featuring singers from NJYC’s Primo Coro and Coro Vivo ensembles, students from the Paterson Music Project, and members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church choir, will take place on February 11 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church located at 451 Van Houten Street, Paterson. The Middle School Treble Choral Festival Kids for Kids Concert, featuring NJYC’s Sola Voce ensemble and area middle school choirs, will take place February 12 at 5:00 p.m. at Mt. Olive Middle School located at 160 Wolfe Road, Budd Lake.

    TICKETS

    Both concerts are free and open to the public with a free-will offering. For more information, visit WhartonArts.org.

    In 2001, during NJYC’s 10th Anniversary Season, the youth choir adopted the philanthropic philosophy of “Kids for Kids” to teach choristers the importance of giving back to the community. The annual benefit concert has supported local charities including 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, and Good Grief, and more. In 2014, NJYC produced and distributed a CD entitled ‘Stand Together: Music for Hope and Healing,’ a project benefiting cancer patients in local hospitals.

    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.

    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.

    Wharton Arts

    Wharton Arts’ mission is to offer accessible, high quality performing arts education that sparks personal growth and builds inclusive communities.Wharton Arts’ vision is for a transformative performing arts education in an inclusive community to be accessible for everyone.

    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 our students to achieve their personal best.

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    PMP WITH TATI HOSTS MUSIC TEACHER TRAINING EXPERIENCE

    PMP-TATI Students. (Credit: Wharton Arts)

    By Mabel Pais

    The Paterson Music Project, New Jersey(PMP) one among five nonprofits across the US, was selected to host a tailored professional development teacher practicum. The Paterson Music Project (NJ) and Teaching Artists Training Institute (US) collaborate to offer a two-day professional development experience for music Teaching Artists across the Northeast. The Northeast Regional Practicum will be held February 16-17, 2023 in Paterson, NJ, with afternoon visits to Paterson Music Project’s after-school program sites.

    Chosen as part of a national application process to host a Regional Practicum, the Paterson Music Project will partner with the Teaching Artists Training Institute (TATI) to help Teaching Artists across the Northeast, including CT, NJ, NY, PA, and MD, gain new skills and tools that directly support the continued growth of their teaching practice. “A majority of Teaching Artists working with community music programs have extensive music performance backgrounds, but don’t necessarily have experience working with students in classroom settings. Providing foundational training not only increases their confidence and success, but also builds a stronger network of support for their students,” shares Anna Barson, Managing Director of TATI.

    Designed to be highly interactive, this Regional Practicum will provide hands-on workshops centered in classroom management, culturally responsive teaching, and youth voice and leadership by utilizing group discussions, problem-solving challenges, and peer networking. Practicum attendees will have the opportunity to learn from guest clinician, Alice Tsui, Founding Music Teacher at Brooklyn-based elementary school: ‘New Bridges.’ Alice is a GRAMMY-nominated music educator focused on “decolonizing, ABAR (anti-bias, anti-racist), abolitionist public music education and empowering the individual and collective voices of youth through music as expression.”

    In addition, Practicum participants will visit Paterson Music Project’s after-school programming to tour and engage in teaching observations, implementing some of the newly learned classroom strategies, as well as giving and receiving peer feedback on their teaching practices. “I am excited that TATI will be providing high quality teaching artist training that is tailored specifically to the needs of music for social impact programs like PMP. Teaching Artists…often face similar challenges, so having an opportunity for them to come together and work on these challenges in a very practical way is invaluable.,” says Shanna Lin, Director of the Paterson Music Project.

    Registration for the Northeast Regional Practicum is open now through February 1st for any music Teaching Artist working with a community music or El Sistema-inspired program in the Northeast region. For more information, visit tatraininginstitute.org/northeast-practicum. About Teaching Artists Training Institute: Founded in 2020 the Teaching Artists Training Institute (TATI) believes that transformational music education starts with transformational training for teachers. For more information, visit tatraininginstitute.org.

    About Paterson Music Project: The Paterson Music Project (PMP) is a program of Wharton Arts that empowers children to achieve their full potential through the joyful pursuit of musical excellence. For more information, visit whartonarts.org/programs/paterson-music-project.

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