(MOUNTAIN LAKES, NJ) -- Young musicians, conductors, families, alumni, and supporters from the local business community will gather at the Mountain Lakes Club on Saturday, March 24th to celebrate the unique educational experience through the arts that the Lakeland Youth Symphony has been providing for the last 60 years.

The Lakeland Youth Symphony is one of the oldest youth symphony orchestras in New Jersey. As a community-rooted organization, it has been enriching the lives of thousands of children through music since 1957. With an affordable tuition and high parent involvement, the Lakeland Youth Symphony serves children aged 4 to 18, most of whom stay with the organization throughout their school years. Yearly auditions help place each student at the appropriate level, making sure that no students is ever turned away, which makes the organization stand out.

The organization was founded in 1957 by a small group of parents and music educators in Morris County, including founder Christine Wilde, to provide orchestral experience for their children. This small nucleus of students began full orchestra rehearsals in the Mountain Lakes home of the Zufall family, who continued as integral supporters of the organization throughout its history. The initiative was an immediate success, and enrollment numbers grew steadily. Orchestras of different levels were progressively added to accommodate different ability levels.  

Over the years, local schools and churches committed to supporting music education provided rehearsal space in Mountain Lakes and Parsippany where the organization is anchored.  Today, the groups rehearse in Mountain Lakes High School, a fully accessible facility, which also provides larger rehearsal space and multiple classrooms for the varied classes, rehearsals, master classes, and sectionals provided to enrich the education of today’s students. 

Now in its 60th season, the organization boasts over 160 students and has evolved to offer four orchestral levels with a full symphony orchestra at the top, additional violin and cello beginner classes, and a free Low String Exploration program in the summer to help students transition from one string instrument to the other. 

Over the past few years, the organization has been awarded grants from the Geraldine Dodge foundation, Morris Arts and the Doctorow Foundation, as well as financial support from the local community of donors who recognize the role that the Lakeland Youth Symphony plays in the life of children and its impact on the local community with its many outreach programs. Their scholarship fund, initiated during the 50th season, now expands the outreach of their diverse musical family.

The 60th anniversary will offer local businesses and families the opportunity to support the organization and increase its sustainability through donations, sponsorships, program ads, and a silent auction.

Alumni and families of alumni are encouraged to contact them as their 60th anniversary Gala marks the creation of an alumni group to record our organization’s history. The alumni contact form can be accessed from the “ALUMNI” tab of their website.

The gala takes place from 6:00pm to 10:00pm on Saturday, March 24. The Mountain Lakes Club is located at 18 Lake Drive in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey. The cost is $50 per person.  Tickets are available for purchase online.