Concert Series is Part of  Mayor Steven M. Fulop’s  Administration Efforts to Grow Jersey City as a Cultural Destination

 JERSEY CITY – Mayor Steven M. Fulop announced today that the City of Jersey City will partner with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra to host a series of free community concerts through a partnership with the PSEG Foundation, as the Fulop administration continues to introduce new cultural events to the City, increase events for families and residents, and grow Jersey City as a destination.

The first New Jersey Symphony Orchestra performance will take place at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 11th, as Mayor Fulop narrates a woodwind quintet in a special arrangement of Sergei Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf” in City Hall Council Chambers. 

“‘Peter and the Wolf’ is a timeless masterpiece that will introduce people of all ages to the world of classical music,” said Mayor Fulop. “I am honored to perform with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and look forward to creating even more opportunities for Jersey City residents to enjoy this incredible composition right here in our community.”

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra will also present a Brass Quintet Performance at Hamilton Park on Sunday, July 19, at 3 p.m.

The summer concert series is only one of many events the Fulop Administration has supported, including numerous sporting events, the Golden Gloves Finals, an expanded SummerFest Concert Series, Movies in the Park, a Halloween event for children, Project: Eats, and the return and expansion of Jersey City’s annual Fourth of July event in Liberty State Park, now in its second year.  Jersey City was also the site of the 2013 Barclays Golf Tournament and will host the 2017 Presidents Cup at Liberty National, and in November will host the Tri-State 2015 Tough Mudder event in Liberty State Park.

The Fulop administration has also focused on supporting the small business community by making improvements to the Business Department, which has led to more than 60 new restaurants opening in the past two years, creating a vibrant dining and cultural scene in Jersey City. Last week, more than 50 licenses were issued for new food truck operators, adding to Jersey City’s attractiveness as a destination and event site.  The Fulop Administration is also set to launch later this year a bike share program with 350 initial bikes located at docking stations throughout the city and which links directly with the NYC bike share program.

Following the implementation of the $1.2 million branding campaign,  “Jersey City: Make it Yours,” the NJSO concerts continue to contribute to the administration’s efforts to increase public interest, celebrate diversity, and the development of Jersey City as a world class destination.

“The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and PSEG Foundation share a strong commitment to providing unique and meaningful cultural experiences for our diverse communities, and we are excited to work with Jersey City to bring its residents high-quality musical programs right at home,” said James Roe-President & CEO, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. “We are especially proud that Mayor Fulop will join our musicians to narrate Peter and the Wolf – his desire to participate further underscores the passion and commitment Jersey City’s leaders have for a flourishing artistic culture in one of our state’s most vibrant cities.”

The two-year partnership between the NJSO and the PSEG Foundation will also foster and celebrate diversity within communities by connecting families through cultural events. As a part of their partnership’s diversity and inclusion initiative, the NJSO Chamber Players will perform free community concerts at City Hall and Hamilton Park in Jersey City.

“Bringing experiences like the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra to communities in which we serve is just one way the PSEG Foundation supports celebrating diversity,” said Ellen Lambert, President of the PSEG Foundation. “We are excited to be a part of this event with Mayor Fulop and the NJSO as we work together to serve as a catalyst for strengthening community ties.”

All performances are free and open to the public. No prior registration is required. For more information on the free concert series, please visit http://www.njsymphony.org/concerts-events/promotions/free-chamber-concerts-in-jersey-city-and-plainfield

ABOUT THE NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA:

Named “a vital, artistically significant musical organization” by The Wall Street Journal, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra embodies that vitality through its statewide presence and critically acclaimed performances, education partnerships and unparalleled access to music and the Orchestra’s superb musicians.

Under the bold leadership of Music Director Jacques Lacombe, the NJSO presents classical, pops and family programs, as well as outdoor summer concerts and special events. Embracing its legacy as a statewide orchestra, the NJSO is the resident orchestra of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark and partnerships with New Jersey arts organizations, universities and civic organizations remain a key element of the Orchestra’s statewide identity.

The NJSO presents a suite of education and community engagement promoting multiple offerings and reaching as many as 17,000 people in nearly all of New Jersey’s 21 counties.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra’s programs are made possible in part by The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, along with many other foundations, corporations and individual donors. United is the official airline of the NJSO.

 ABOUT THE PSEG FOUNDATION:

The PSEG Foundation (501c3) is the philanthropic arm of Public Service Enterprise Group

(NYSE:PEG). The Foundation generally supports and invests in programs in three areas:

community and the environment, education and safety. The Foundation provides grants to

organizations in communities served by PSEG and its subsidiaries. PSEG (NYSE: PEG) is a diversified energy company based in Newark, NJ. PSEG has three main subsidiaries: PSE&G, NJ’s largest and oldest combined gas and electric delivery company, PSEG Power, a merchant power generation company, and PSEG Long Island, operator of the Long Island Power Authority’s transmission and distribution system.

For more information about the NJSO, visit www.njsymphony.org or email [email protected]. Tickets are available for purchase by phone 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476) or on the Orchestra’s website.

All media inquiries should be directed to Jennifer Morrill, Press Secretary to Mayor Steven M. Fulop at 201-547-4836 or 201-376-0699.