By: Yuritza Arroyo
Mayor Steven M. Fulop joins City Council members and the Office of Cultural Affairs to welcome the New Jersey Symphony celebrating its centennial season with a free outdoor summer concert performance in Liberty State Park this Sunday, July 2.
According to officials, the Emmy and Grammy Award-winning Symphony will take the stage at 7:30 p.m.
The event is free and open to the public.
The iconic music performance is made possible through a grant from Jersey City’s Arts and Culture Trust Fund and will take place at the Green Ring in Liberty State Park, located off Freedom Way.
The concert marks the conclusion of the NJ Symphony’s centennial celebration, which has spanned the state over the past ten months.
"The New Jersey Symphony is one of the state's cultural treasures, and we invite residents and visitors to Liberty State Park for this special concert," said Mayor Fulop.
“This free community event would not be possible without the Arts and Culture Trust Fund, a critical investment and proven asset in our City's arts and culture scene."
Jersey City became the first the state to implement the Arts and Culture Trust Fund after voters showed strong support for the sustainable funding source in 2020.
Since then, the City has awarded nearly $2 million in grants to support over 130 local artists, arts education initiatives, and various arts organizations presenting programming in Jersey City. “Adding the New Jersey Symphony to Jersey City’s lineup of summer music events is a great way to offer our diverse community a wide range of live symphonic music to entertain and inspire,” said Christine Goodman, Director of Jersey City’s Office of Cultural Affairs.
“The City’s Arts and Culture Trust Fund provides stable, long-term funding for the arts, which is essential to our ability to present free, high-quality concerts like this one.”
The sounds of the Symphony will provide attendees of all ages with a wide-ranging medley of timeless classics ranging from Jurassic Park to William Grant Still’s lively Festive Overture, led by conductor José Luis Domínguez.
"We are excited to partner with Jersey City in bringing the New Jersey Symphony to Liberty State Park.
This event showcases the administration’s commitment to the arts and dedication to providing exceptional cultural experiences for its residents and visitors," adds Gabriel van Aalst, President and CEO of the New Jersey Symphony.
The New Jersey Symphony has been a staple of the state's cultural landscape for 100 years, and this family-friendly concert is a fitting way to celebrate that milestone.
The event will feature a special performance by clarinetist Timothy Lien, winner of the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra’s 2023 Henry Lewis Concerto Competition, as he joins the Symphony for the first movement of Ludwig Spohr’s Clarinet Concerto in C Minor, Op.26.
Attendees are encouraged to park in the Liberty State Park Light Rail parking lot. Shuttle buses will run from the Light Rail lot to the Green Ring in Liberty State Park between 6 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
Blankets and chairs are also encouraged for comfortable seating on the Green Ring.
In addition to the July 2 concert, the New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players will also perform three chamber music concerts at Hamilton Park in Jersey City.
These concerts are free for the public and made possible in partnership with the Hamilton Park Neighborhood Association.
The series will feature a variety of repertoire, including a celebration of the best of Bollywood's Hindi-language film genre and an exhilarating program curated by the orchestra's Resident Artistic Catalyst, Daniel Bernard Roumain.
The Hamilton Park concert dates are as follows:
7 p.m. on Thursday, July 13 - Sounds of the Summer with Nimbus Dance
7 p.m. on Thursday, July 27 - The Music of Bollywood with Kulture Kool
7 p.m. on Thursday, August 10 - A Summer Evening with DBR
