(BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ) -- Wharton Arts, New Jersey's largest not-for-profit community performing arts education organization, will present several free concerts during the 2024-25 season at Saint John’s Lutheran Church located at 587 Springfield Avenue in Summit.

Said Wharton Arts Artistic Director Helen Cha-Pyo, “We are excited to partner with Saint John’s Lutheran Church and music director Christopher Harlow-Jennings for our Wharton Arts in the Community series. From the fun, interactive Halloween Hoopla to uplifting Jazz Vespers and world-class performances, this series offers something for everyone. It’s a wonderful way to connect with the Summit community and make music accessible to all."

"I am thrilled to partner with Artistic Director Helen Cha-Pyo and her team at Wharton Arts this season to bring exciting new musical offerings to the greater Summit community,” said Saint John's Lutheran Church Director of Music Christopher Harlow-Jennings. “This unique collaboration builds on our respective institutions' strong musical foundations and opens the door for creative, diverse programming to engage listeners of all ages."

October 26, 2024 at 3:00pm - Halloween Hoopla & Trunk or Treat. This spooktacular family-friendly event will include fun and interactive Halloween sing-along songs and stories led by members of the New Jersey Youth Chorus followed by a Trunk-or-Treat. Be sure to wear your costume, bring your trunk-or-treating bag, and join us in having a haunting good time!

November 17, 2024 at 7:00pm - Wharton Arts Chamber Music Concert. Enjoy a showcase of talented young chamber musicians from Wharton Arts.

January 26, 2025 at 4:00pm - Piano & Cello Faculty Recital. Lucas Button, cello Leah Frank, piano. Allow yourself to be transported by the sound and expression of this inspiring duo praised for their musical sensitivity and passionate artistry.

March 23, 2025 at 4:00pm - Jazz Vespers. Lance Bryant Trio and the Saint John’s Choir. An inclusive experience of Lenten words and music, both modern and ancient, featuring the Lance Bryant Jazz Trio.

For more information, call (908) 790-0700 or visit WhartonArts.org.

Alongside these engaging events, Wharton Arts aims to create meaningful connections and foster creativity in young people, as well as across generations, ensuring that everyone has access to an outstanding music and theater arts education. The depth and breadth of offerings, unmatched in the Garden State, transcends backgrounds and beliefs. Wharton Arts encompasses four distinct programs, each founded to advance music and performing arts education and engagement: the New Jersey Youth Chorus, New Jersey Youth Symphony, Paterson Music Project, and Performing Arts School. Join Wharton Arts this Season of Joy for life-changing performing arts experiences.

Wharton Arts’ mission is to offer accessible, high quality performing arts education that sparks personal growth and builds inclusive communities. Wharton Arts’ vision is for a transformative performing arts education in an inclusive community to be accessible for everyone.

Wharton Arts is New Jersey’s largest independent non-profit community performing arts education center serving nearly 2,000 students through a range of classes and ensembles. The 5 ensembles of the New Jersey Youth Chorus, an auditioned choral ensemble program for students in grades 3–12, encourage a love and appreciation of choral music while nurturing personal growth and creative development. The 15 ensembles of the New Jersey Youth Symphony, which serve over 500 students in grades 3–12 by audition, inspire young people to achieve musical excellence through high-level ensemble training and performance opportunities. Based in Paterson, the Paterson Music Project is an El Sistema-inspired program of Wharton Arts that uses music education as a vehicle for social action by empowering and inspiring young people to achieve their full potential through the community experience of ensemble learning and playing. From Pathways classes for young children to Lifelong Learning programs for adults, the Wharton Performing Arts School has a robust musical theater and drama program and offers both private and group classes for instruments and voice for all ages and all abilities. With the belief in the positive and unifying influence of music and that performing arts education should be accessible to all people regardless of their ability to pay, Wharton Arts offers need-based scholarships.

Wharton Arts is located in Berkeley Heights, New Providence, and Paterson, NJ and reaches students from 12 counties. All of Wharton Arts’ extraordinary teaching artists, faculty members, and conductors hold degrees in their teaching specialty and have been vetted and trained to enable our students to achieve their personal best.