Family concert is today in Sparta

The New Sussex Symphony’s tradition of sharing the stage with Sparta’s youngest string players, which was upended by the pandemic, will resume with its family concert Saturday, March 18.

The concert features American composers, with “Hoedown” by Aaron Copland, “West Side Story,” by Leonard Bernstein and music from the movie “Jurassic Park.”

The audience also will be treated to pieces by African-American composer William Grant Still and contemporary composer Stephen Paulus.

Joining the orchestra will be pianist Nicholas Kim, 15, winner of the Karen Pinoci Young Artist Competition. He will play a portion of Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto, the piece he chose for his winning audition.

The one-hour, family-friendly concert will be under the baton of music director Jordan Brown.

While this concert usually showcases Sparta’s fourth-graders, they will be joined this year by fifth-graders, who missed the opportunity to participate last year because of COVID-19 safety restrictions.

Also performing will be students from the Crescendo Suzuki Violin Studio and the Faith Center for the Arts.

The concert is at 3 p.m.at Sparta High School, 70 W. Mountain Road, Sparta. The snow date is March 19.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students or senior citizens. Children age 12 and younger are free when accompanied by an adult.

Tickets may be purchased at the door or through Venmo. (@NewSussexSym) Advance purchase is strongly recommended.

For information, call 973-6465 or send email to nssnj@ptd.net

This concert is partially underwritten by a generous grant from the German Christmas Market.

Funding has been made possible in part with funds from the N.J. State Count on the Arts, Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, as administered by the Sussex County Arts & Heritage Council.