Neighbor News
New Jersey Youth Chorus Embarks on European Tour
Thirty choristers will tour Germany, Belgium, and The Netherlands, June 27-July 6.
NEW PROVIDENCE—The New Jersey Youth Chorus (NJYC), a program of Wharton Arts, announced today that 30 choristers from its premier ensembles, Coriste directed by Trish Joyce and Camerata directed by Dan Malloy, will tour Germany, Belgium, and The Netherlands, June 27-July 6. The tour includes performances in historic and iconic venues, including Bonn Cathedral, a mid-day prayer service at Cologne Cathedral, the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres (a moving World War I tribute), Bruges Cathedral, and the Westerkerk in Amsterdam. Two of the concerts will feature collaborative performances with local choirs, offering a rich opportunity for cultural exchange through music.
In addition to their performances, the high school choristers will immerse themselves in the culture and history of the region with visits to the Beethoven Haus, Cologne Chocolate Museum, the European Parliament in Belgium, Bruges’ Volkskundemuseum (Folk Museum), St. Bavo Church—including a demonstration on the historic Christian Müller organ played by Mendelssohn, Handel, and Mozart—walking tours, a chocolate demonstration and tasting, a windmill visit, clog-making demonstration, and scenic boat rides.
“This tour is a tremendous opportunity for our singers to experience Europe’s rich cultural history while sharing their music in some of the world’s most inspiring spaces,” said Trish Joyce, Founder and Director of NJYC. “We are thrilled to introduce our choristers to the people and places that have shaped centuries of music, and to engage in meaningful musical exchanges with our European hosts.”
The NJYC ensembles will perform a diverse repertoire spanning from early choral works by Giuseppe Pitoni and Lodovico Viadana to contemporary pieces by Abbie Betinis, Elaine Hagenberg, Matti Hyökki, Stephen Leek, and Adam Podd, among others.
Auditions for the NJYC 2025-26 season are still open. In addition to the two touring high school ensembles, Primo Coro for boys and girls in grades 3–5; Sola Voce for girls in grades 6–8; and Cor Amici, a new ensemble for boys in grades 6–8, are accepting applicants. To schedule an audition and learn more about NJYC’s programs, visit NJYC.org.
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.
