New Jersey Youth Symphony Summer Jazz Program Presents Virtual Concert July 26

The New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS) JTole Summer Jazz Workshop will present a free concert on Sunday, July 26 at 6:00 p.m. via the online platform Zoom. Over 80 students will join some of the top musicians and educators in the country for an evening of jazz featuring two big bands and eight combos performing the music of Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Duke Pearson, Thelonious Monk, Mary Lou Williams, and more. Special guests include Sean Jones, Chair of Jazz at Peabody Conservatory and Jazz Education Network President; Kenny Rampton, Founder of Jazz at Lincoln Center and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center's Jazz Outreach Initiative; Tia Fuller, Professor of Saxophone at Berklee School of Music; Rodney Green, Educator, Composer, and Sound Designer; Michael Dease, Professor of Trombone at Michigan State University; and Helen Sung, Composer, Performer, and Educator.

Led by award-winning saxophonist Julius Tolentino, the JTole Summer Jazz Workshop faculty joining the star-studded lineup of guest artists include Dave Schumacher and Jason Anderson, woodwinds; David Gibson, brass; and Shamie Royston and Matt Slocum, rhythm section. The two-week workshop includes video creation; a master class series partially funded by the Jazz Education Network; and clinics on Women in Jazz, Composition, and How to be a Professional.

Said Tolentino, "We have been able to keep our students playing, engaged, learning new concepts, recording, and making music together during Covid-19. We have an amazing faculty who hold our students to high standards while making it fun."

"Our summer jazz workshop is providing unique opportunities for young jazz students across the country, in the comfort of their homes, to learn directly from some of the best jazz artists in the world," said Artistic Director Helen H. Cha-Pyo. "The workshop is one of the highlights of our overall summer camp programming," said Peter H. Gistelinck, Executive Director of the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts. "Now that we have all of our offerings online, this is the perfect opportunity to invite all Jazz lovers nationwide to join us for this special event!"

Zoom login for the July 26 concert is available at www.NJYS.org. For more information, call (908) 771-5544.

The New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS), founded in 1979, is a tiered orchestral program offering ensemble education for students in grades 3-12 across New Jersey. NJYS has grown from one orchestra of 65 students to over 500 students in 15 different orchestras and ensembles, including the internationally recognized Youth Symphony. NJYS ensembles have performed in venues including the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Carnegie Hall, and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. NJYS has received numerous prestigious awards for its adventurous programming from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) and has had six European tours, including participation in the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Festival and Competition (Vienna), winning First Prizes in July 2014 and 2017.

Now in its 42nd season, NJYS continues to achieve musical excellence through intensive instruction and high-level performance. Under the guidance of a talented team of conductors, coaches, and teaching artists, students are immersed in challenging repertoire, learning the art of ensemble playing, and exploring their potential in a supportive and inclusive environment. NJYS remains committed to programming works by diverse composers and featured 20th century African-American and women composers such as Duke Ellington, George Walker, Yvonne Desportes, Emma Lou Diemer, Julia Perry, and Florence Price this past season.

The New Jersey Youth Symphony is a program of the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts. Wharton is New Jersey's largest non-profit performing arts education organization serving over 1,500 students of all ages and abilities through a range of classes and ensembles. In addition to the New Jersey Youth Symphony, programs include the Paterson Music Project and Performing Arts School.

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