(NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ) -- The New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS), a program of Wharton Arts, proudly announces the commercial release of Microvids, an evocative new album now streaming worldwide via PARMA Recordings. Featuring 19 miniature movements for piano and orchestra, Microvids is a pandemic-inspired work by acclaimed composer Stefania de Kenessey, performed with expressive nuance by pianist Donna Weng Friedman and the NJYS Youth Symphony under the baton of Helen H. Cha-Pyo.
Each “microvid”—a tightly crafted, under-one-minute musical vignette—is paired with a poetic couplet narrated in Spanish by dramatic actress Lola López Guardone, offering listeners a powerful blend of emotion, storytelling, and multicultural artistry.
“Recording Microvids was an unforgettable artistic journey,” said Helen H. Cha-Pyo, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor. “Stefania de Kenessey’s brilliant score, paired with Donna Weng Friedman’s expressive piano playing and the beautiful Spanish narration, challenged our young musicians to listen deeply, feel fully, and perform with intention. This marks a milestone for the New Jersey Youth Symphony—our first commercial release with a major label like PARMA Recordings. I’m especially proud that this version reflects our commitment to cultural diversity and the power of music to transcend language and connect us all.”
Originally conceived during the COVID-19 lockdown as a series of short solo piano works,Microvids evolved into a richly orchestrated suite at the invitation of Cha-Pyo. Each movement explores a different emotional state, brought to life through vibrant instrumentation and youthful interpretation.
“I was delighted by the opportunity to create a new setting of MICROVIDS at the request of the conductor Helen Cha-Pyo, for the talented students of the New Jersey Youth Symphony,” said Stefania de Kenessey, composer.
“Each miniature expresses a mood, a state of mind, an emotional stance—each of which I tried to bring to life through the vivid colors and nuances of a symphonic palette," continued Stefania de Kenessey. “I initially wrote the accompanying poems—a short couplet to illustrate, in words, the underlying emotion of each musical miniature—in English, but I wanted to the piece to have a universal appeal: I asked the bilingual poet Eloisa Amezcua to provide translations and we got the dramatic actress Lola Lopez Guardone to record them in Spanish.”
“For me, the 19 miniatures in Stefania de Kenessey’s MICROVIDS capture the full spectrum of emotions we all experience each day—from anxiety and frustration to moments of pure joy,” said Donna Weng Friedman, pianist. “Recording these pieces with the talented NJYS students brought a youthful, fresh perspective that animated each vignette in unexpected ways. Under the inspired leadership of Maestra Helen Cha-Pyo, and with the evocative Spanish narration of the introductory rhyming couplets by Lola Lopez Guardone, the project became a truly collaborative and uplifting journey for everyone involved.
The young musicians of the New Jersey Youth Symphony embraced the creative and emotional demands of the recording process with professionalism and heart.
“It was a phenomenal experience to record such avant-garde repertoire, and I remember being so inspired by how professional and locked in everybody was. Everyone was embodying musical excellence while simultaneously holding a spirit of deep joy and empathy. I'll never forget that,” said Principal Cellist Sameer Kuriyan.
“Microvids for Orchestra and Piano is a true embodiment of emotions. I was completely immersed in the shifting character of each section–from the spooky suspense in Out of Place, to the playful atmosphere in Just Joking, and finally the humor in That’s What You Think. The opportunity to premiere and record this work was a once in a lifetime experience. Through learning Microvids, I gained many skills. Most importantly, I discovered how to fully embody the mood of each miniature in every note I played. Overall,Microvids for Orchestra and Piano was an unforgettable experience that pushed me to grow as a musician but also deepened my appreciation for how music can vividly convey a story through emotion and sound,” said Benjamin Yao, NJYS Youth Symphony timpanist and percussionist.
Microvids is now available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and other major streaming platforms.
A set of 19 pandemic-inspired miniatures originally written for piano solo, MICROVIDS has been reimagined by the composer for piano and orchestra, with each miniature highlighting a unique section or voice of the orchestra. The album features narration of accompanying poems in Spanish, underscoring its commitment to cultural diversity and emotional storytelling.
Founded in 1979, the New Jersey Youth Symphony is the premier instrumental ensemble program of Wharton Arts and a national leader in youth orchestral training. With 15 ensembles and nearly 600 student musicians, NJYS provides unparalleled access to musical excellence and community engagement through concerts, recordings, and international tours.
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 New Jersey’s largest independent non-profit community performing arts education center serving over 2,000 students through a range of classes and ensembles. The 5 ensembles of the New Jersey Youth Chorus, an auditioned choral ensemble program for students in grades 3–12, encourage a love and appreciation of choral music while nurturing personal growth and creative development. The 15 ensembles of the New Jersey Youth Symphony, which serve nearly 600 students in grades 3–12 by audition, inspire young people to achieve musical excellence through high-level ensemble training and performance opportunities.
Based in Paterson, the Paterson Music Project is an El Sistema-inspired program of Wharton Arts that uses music education as a vehicle for social action by empowering and inspiring young people to achieve their full potential through the community experience of ensemble learning and playing. From Pathways classes for young children to Lifelong Learning programs for adults, the Wharton Performing Arts School has a robust musical theater and drama program and offers both private and group classes for instruments and voice for all ages and all abilities. With the belief in the positive and unifying influence of music and that performing arts education should be accessible to all people regardless of their ability to pay, Wharton Arts offers need-based scholarships.
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.
