New Jersey Youth Symphony Pushes Cultural Boundaries With Music and Dance This Month

The New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS) presents Bringing It All Together: Music, Dance & Story Beyond Cultural Boundaries on Sunday, April 30 at 7:00 p.m. at The Nicholas Music Center at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. The NJYS Youth Symphony, led by Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Helen H. Cha-Pyo, will perform George Walker's Icarus in Orbit for Orchestra, commissioned by the New Jersey Youth Orchestra in 2004; Margaret Bonds' The Montgomery Variations (1964) based on the African American spiritual "I Want Jesus to Walk with Me" and dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr.; and Jennifer Higdon's blue cathedral. The 2023 Concerto Competition Winner, Nina Park, will perform Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 2 in A Major for Piano and Orchestra, S.125, and the symphony will be joined by dancers Marianna Allen, Anne Tantuico, and Elena Yasin with choreography by Paul Ocampo.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors available at NJYS.org.

Said Ocampo, "As a choreographer, I am inspired by the power of music to inform movement. The dynamic tonality and moods of George Walker's Icarus in Orbit provided the perfect backdrop for me to create distinct characters and movement. The story of Icarus, mirrored in a Philippine fable on obedience, played a significant role in shaping this dance with a deeper, more meaningful purpose. I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the New Jersey Youth Symphony in presenting Walker's dynamic composition through dance."

"This concert program is a powerful exploration of the human experience of life and death, reflecting our shared desire for peace in times of chaos and loss." said Cha-Pyo. "As we close out this season of diverse music, dance, and storytelling, I am filled with gratitude for the meaningful collaborations that have brought us together across different cultures. I hope you can join our talented NJYS Youth Symphony musicians, soloist, and dancers in experiencing the transformative power of the arts to inspire, heal, and unify us all."

Pianist Bokyung (Nina) Park, a junior at Ridge High School in Basking Ridge, has been named the winner of the New Jersey Youth Symphony's 2023 Concerto Competition. She studies piano under Dr. Jungwon Shin. Other accolades include winning the New York International Classical Music Competition, the Camerata International Music Competition, and finalist of the American Music Talent Competition. At her high school, Nina plays in the jazz band, wind ensemble, and the Drama Club production of the musical, Newsies. She is also an active member of the Tri-M Music Honors Society where she conducts and manages small ensembles formed amongst her peers. Outside of school, Nina is part of a student-led music organization called the Bernards Ensemble, where she organizes concerts and performs for under-represented populations who have a hard time physically coming to concerts, especially those with cognitive disabilities. Recently, Nina founded a non-profit called the Neurodiversity Ambassadors where she initiates opportunities to teach music to people with cognitive disabilities through the local YMCA in a program called, "Music, Rhythm, and You!"

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