(TRENTON, NJ) -- The New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS) will present a concert to honor our veterans and armed forces on Sunday, November 3, 2024 at the Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton. Veterans are invited to attend the concert for free by using discount code VETERAN. Tickets and more information can be found at NJYS.org. Showtime is 3:00pm.

Audiences are invited to enjoy a heartfelt homage to the brave men and women who have served our country featuring the New Jersey premiere of Peter Boyer’s Rhapsody in Red, White, and Blue with acclaimed pianist Jeffrey Biegel. Biegel commissioned Boyer to compose the piece to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the premiere of George Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue and gave its first performance in June 2023 with the Utah Symphony. Biegel later recorded the work for the Naxos label with the London Symphony Orchestra and Boyer conducting. To support American orchestras post-pandemic, Biegel developed the Rhapsody National Initiative, which entails performances of Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue with at least one orchestra in all 50 states over the course of three years at no cost to the orchestras that participate. NJYS is honored to be one of three youth orchestras participating in the initiative and presenting the New Jersey premiere of this historic work.

Said Biegel, "I created the 50 states Rhapsody National Initiative as the first commissioning project not requiring orchestras to pay toward the composer's fee, and, to bring orchestras in all 50 states to the initiative celebrating orchestras and music in America. Peter Boyer's Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue is a fabulous work reflecting the American flag, and music since the time of George Gershwin's 1924 Rhapsody in Blue, for whose centennial the new Rhapsody celebrates. The New Jersey Youth Symphony represents the state of New Jersey and the vibrant young musicians taking part in this unprecedented national endeavor.”

“At this Veterans Day concert, we proudly continue our tradition of performing works by American composers to honor those who have served. It is both exciting and historic for our young musicians to present the New Jersey premiere of Peter Boyer’s Rhapsody in Red, White, and Blue with Jeffrey Biegel,” said Helen Cha-Pyo, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor. “Projects like this bring generations together, uniting people through the creation of new works that celebrate the present and inspire the future of America.”

Two ensembles from the New Jersey Youth Chorus (NJYC) will also take the stage at the Patriots Theater in a stirring selection of patriotic music celebrating the spirit of freedom. In addition to the New Jersey premiere of Boyer’s work, the concert will feature American favorites, including Candide Overture and music from West Side Story by Leornard Bernstein as well as Three Spirituals by the prolific African American composer, Adolphus Hailstork. Not-to-be-missed are performances of America the Beautiful, Armed Forces Salute, and more!

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.