The first two concerts are scheduled for Sunday, October 25. At 3 p.m., *America 250: Harmony Across Cultures* will feature the New Jersey Youth Symphony led by music director and conductor Helen H. Cha-Pyo, with harpist Edmar Castañeda, mezzo-soprano Ema Mitrović, Paterson’s Inner City Dance Ensemble and the Korean Traditional Music and Dance Center. The program is intended to explore the varied musical traditions that have shaped the United States.
At 7 p.m. that evening, the Youth Orchestra, conducted by Oliver Hagen, will join the Plainfield Symphony Orchestra under Charles Prince for a program of American music. A free educational concert for Union County students in grades 3–8 follows on Wednesday, October 28, combining performance, storytelling and demonstrations by musicians and dancers.
The series resumes Saturday, December 12, with a Gospel Music Festival featuring the professional vocal ensemble Elevation and high school choruses from around New Jersey. On Sunday, December 13, the youth ensembles return for two holiday programs: *Two Nutcrackers* at 2 p.m., pairing Tchaikovsky’s familiar suite with the Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn jazz interpretation, and *Season of Joy!* at 7 p.m.
Admission is free, though advance reservations are encouraged. The concerts are part of an NJEDA-supported initiative intended to expand access to the arts while drawing residents and visitors to Rahway’s downtown businesses. Details and reservation information are available through Wharton Arts.