(BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ) -- Wharton Arts, New Jersey’s largest independent non-profit performing arts education center, announced that 117 youth musicians from the New Jersey Youth Symphony and New Jersey Youth Chorus will travel to Italy and France to perform at world class venues, in formal concerts and community concerts, as well as participating in an exchange with European youth conservatory programs.

"In our unwavering commitment to providing exceptional performance opportunities for our students, Wharton Arts recognizes the profound impact of international tours," said Helen H. Cha-Pyo, Artistic Director. "These tours offer our students a transformative experience where they can fully immerse themselves in the richness of foreign cultures, perform at prestigious concert venues, and embark on a journey of personal growth, all while creating unforgettable memories with friends. We are thrilled to embark on an extraordinary tour through the captivating country of Italy, renowned for its historical and vibrant cultural heritage. Additionally, our tribute tour to France in homage to the legendary Michel Legrand presents a one-of-a-kind exclusive opportunity for our young jazz musicians."

The New Jersey Youth Symphony and New Jersey Youth Chorus tour to Italy, June 27-July 6, features performances in Rome, Florence, Cremona, and Milan. The NJYS Youth Symphony led by Conductor Helen H. Cha-Pyo will perform at Rome’s Chiesa Arcangelo San Michele and Chiesa di Sant’Ignazio di Loyola, Florence’s Conservatorio di Musica Luigi Cherubini and Teatro La Pergola, Cremona Solidale, and Milan’s Teatro Dal Verme. The NJYC Coriste and Camerata led by Conductor Patricia Joyce with accompanist Phillip Steffani will perform at Rome’s Basilica di San Pietro and Basilica di Sant’Andrea Della Valle, Florence’s Basilica di Santo Spirito and the Florence American Cemetery, Cremona’s Saint Ilario Church, and Milan’s San Antonio Abate Church and the Duomo di Milano.

The New Jersey Youth Symphony Jazz Orchestra tour to France, July 10-17, features performances in Paris at La Bellevilloise Jazz Club and Monmartre’s Pan Piper Jazz Club, and in Nice at Festival Jazz Verdon and La Croix Valmer’s Soirées d’Eté of the Festival des Arches D’Azur. The NJYS Jazz Orchestra is led by Director Dion Tucker with guest soloist David Linx.

Follow all of Wharton Arts’ students on tour on Instagram at @newjerseyyouthsymphony, @njyouthchorus, and @njysjazz.

The mission of Wharton Arts 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 nearly 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 over 500 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.