(WESTFIELD, NJ) -- Celebrate Mother’s Day in style with the New Jersey Festival Orchestra and “Roses from the South,” a superb Mother’s Day tribute featuring Strauss waltzes, Debussy, and Mother's Day serenades by renowned tenor Anthony Kearns. Performances take place May 7th in Westfield and May 8th in Madison.

Under the baton of Music Director David Wroe, the concert opens with a swirl of favorite Strauss waltzes – Roses from the South, The Blue Danube and more. The celebration then continues with a special guest appearance by Anthony Kearns, a member of the wildly-popular PBS super-group, The Irish Tenors, which took American television by storm and continues to be a world-wide sensation as one of Ireland's most famous touring groups. Mr Kearns will perform a program of Irish ballads, love songs and Mother's Day serenades in honor of mothers throughout the world.

“NJFO prides itself on presenting world-class guest artists and this event is no exception,” enthused Maestro Wroe. “As you likely know, Mr. Kearns’ international career includes high-profile celebrity engagements, television appearances, concert tours, and collaborations with the finest orchestras. We at NJFO are all thrilled and honored to be partnering with such an extraordinary talent and wonderful personality!”

Rounding out the Mother’s Day celebration is Claude Debussy’s symphony-like masterpiece La Mer. A homage to his childhood memories and life-long passion for the sea, Debussy paints a musical picture that captures the essence of contrasting seascapes and creates the feeling of a visit to the sea. To listen to La Mer is to experience the sea in all its moods and richness.

“Great moms deserve great music!” commented NJFO Board President Keith S. Hertell. “Share your love and appreciation and join us on Mother’s Day weekend for this very special gift of music and tribute to mothers everywhere.”

This Mother’s Day celebration concert has been made possible through the generous support of Mercedes-Benz of Union, a Ray Catena dealership.  This sponsorship will enable NJFO to play a significant role in the entertainment and cultural enrichment of New Jersey. It also enables NJFO musicians to take the joy of music to underserved populations, present music education programs for students and bring music therapy programs to hospitals and hospices. 

“Roses from The South,” a live concert, takes place on Saturday, May 7 at 7:00pm at the First United Methodist Church in Westfield, with a free pre-concert lecture by NJFO pianist Yi fei Xu at 6:00pm. The concert repeats on Sunday, May 8 at 3:00pm at The Concert Hall, Drew University in Madison, with a free pre-concert lecture at 2:00pm.

For tickets and further information call 908-232-9400 or go to www.njfestivalorchestra.org or visit NJ Festival Orchestra on Facebook and Instagram.

The New Jersey Festival Orchestra is a premier, fully professional, symphony orchestra. Founded in Westfield in 1983, NJ Festival Orchestra has grown to become one of New Jersey’s largest professional orchestras, having a presence throughout many cultural communities of New Jersey, and appearing as far afield as Carnegie Hall on a regular basis.

The name New Jersey Festival Orchestra reflects an ongoing celebration of the diversity of music and the creation of experiences that stretch the boundaries of traditional classical performances. NJFO programs include classics from the orchestral repertory as well as offerings that showcase the fusion of fine arts and popular culture. This unique and dynamic approach to programming further brings classical music to life and creates an ongoing 'festival' of compelling presentations worthy of their name.