Intergenerational Orchestra Offered Kennedy Center Performance

Excitement abounds and rehearsals are underway in earnest as 50 members of the New Jersey Intergenerational Orchestra (NJIO) prepare for their trip to Washington, D.C., where they have been invited to perform at the Kennedy Center. 

The Millennium Stage performance on July 30 will be NJIO’s first performance at the Kennedy Center.  Audiences are certain to take notice of this distinctive orchestra, whose musicians will range in age from 10 to 75, with seniors, students and adults playing side by side towards the common goal of making beautiful music together.  The musicians span a wide range of ages, musical skills, experiences and backgrounds. Professional musicians coach, mentor and play alongside amateur and student musicians. For some members, this is their first experience performing with a symphony orchestra; while other members also perform in several different orchestras. 

This unique orchestra presents free concerts in several New Jersey towns all year round, as well as providing additional outreach concerts monthly at senior care centers and hospitals. Participants and their families, representing many towns in North and Central New Jersey, support this orchestra through volunteering, thereby helping to maintain a family-friendly atmosphere, facilitating rehearsals, bake sales, pizza nights and advertising. 

When asked what makes the NJIO orchestra special, cello player Sararose Nassani, a New Providence resident, a recent graduate of Newark Academy and also a member of the New Jersey Youth Symphony, responded, “[NJIO] has this really fun atmosphere. There’s not a lot of competition to be first chair, but there is a lot of compatibility to try and do better.”  

Sararose will be going with the orchestra to the Kennedy Center along with her sister, Annalise, a viola player, her mom, Cathy and her grandfather, Alan Kaufman of Morristown. They will be joining their fellow NJIO musicians and friends on the bus to D.C., looking forward to the Kennedy Center performance and their tour of the Washington Mall on the following day. 

The Kennedy Center concert in Washington will be the first official performance of NJIO’s newly appointed Artistic Director and Symphony Conductor, Warren Cohen.  Mr. Cohen is also the Music Director and Conductor of the acclaimed Scottsdale, Arizona orchestra, MusicaNova, and Concert Artist in Conducting at Kean University.  A celebrated composer and conductor, having received several ASCAP awards for original composition and the ASCAP/American Symphony Orchestra League’s Award for Adventurous Programming, Mr. Cohen has conducted thousands of works, including scores of regional and world premieres. The NJIO is thrilled to have him conduct their Kennedy Center performance. 

This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.  Additional funding was provided by the Merck Foundation, the Lillian Pitkin Schenck Fund, Tokio Marine Management, Inc., the Provident Bank Foundation, the Summit Medical Group and the Standish Foundation.

The New Jersey Intergenerational Orchestra (NJIO) Bridges the Generations through Music by bringing together musicians from throughout New Jersey of varying ages and musical experiences and backgrounds to study and perform music.  The orchestra promotes education, growth and understanding through the shared experience of musical performance.  Seniors and students work side by side with more experienced players mentoring their fellow performers.  NJIO has over 100 members ranging in age from 6 to over 80.  A non-profit organization, NJIO runs programming year-round including orchestras, summer chamber workshops, a cello camp and community outreach from New Jersey Youth Symphony in New Providence. www.njio.org