New Jersey’s Wharton Arts Announces “Arise” for 2025-26 Season
Wharton Arts is New Jersey’s largest independent non-profit community performing arts education center. Wharton Arts comprises four core programs. It teaches students of all ages and experience levels, including instrumental and…
New Jersey Youth Chorus BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ—Wharton Arts proudly announces its 2025–26 season, Arise!, an inspiring lineup of performances, programs, and community events
Credit: Wharton ArtsWharton Arts is New Jersey’s largest independent non-profit community performing arts education center. Wharton Arts comprises four core programs. It teaches students of all ages and experience levels, including instrumental and vocal instruction, large ensembles, and musical theater.
They’ve just announced “Arise!” It's the theme for the 2025–26 season. Arise includes a lineup of performances, programs, and community events. It’s designed to “uplift, connect, and celebrate through the transformative power of the arts.”
Arise is a clever acronym for Artistry, Representation, Inspiration, Self-Expression, and Empathy. Wharton Arts' new season, they say, “dares audiences to dream boldly, listen deeply, and come together with purpose.”
The offerings include everything from dynamic orchestral concerts to moving choral performances. There will be innovative theater, chamber music, and community gatherings as well.
Wharton Arts programs is open to audiences of all ages to be part of a year of creativity and connection.
“Arise! is more than a theme, it’s an invitation to action,” said Helen H. Cha-Pyo, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the New Jersey Youth Symphony. “In a world yearning for light, we turn to the arts to uplift voices, spark imagination, and celebrate the brilliance of our students, faculty, and teaching artists.”
Wharton Arts Season Highlights
The Wharton Arts season highlights include Signature Concerts with the New Jersey Youth Symphony. Lunar Rising: A Symphony in Light and Sound featuring the Museum of the Moon installation. Galaxies of Joy: The Planets in Concert, a celestial celebration with NASA imagery.
Choral Performances by the New Jersey Youth Chorus. The Light We Give and the Winter Concert, plus a featured performance at the American Choral Directors Association Eastern Division Conference. Wharton Players’ Theater Production: Beetlejuice JR., bringing the “ghost-with-the-most” to the Wharton Black Box Theater.
Community and Educational Events. The Paterson Music Project’s Winter Concert. Wharton Performing Arts School’s Holiday Cabaret benefit. Celebrating 40 years of community impact. Educational concerts like the free Moon Festival concert for schools.
Chamber Music and Jazz. A vibrant series of concerts, including Love Notes. Performances by NJYS jazz, wind, and string ensembles.
Festivals and Family Events. The 2025 New Jersey Flute Fair. The PAS Fall Festival and Suzuki Halloween Playdown. The NJYS Playathon fundraiser.
Wharton Arts, in partnership with the Sieminski Theater at Fellowship Village, presents Sound Beyond Sight. A Black History Month celebration of resilience, artistry, and inclusion. The concert features internationally acclaimed pianist Matthew Whitaker in Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, alongside the New Jersey premiere of Quinn Mason’s Electric Beauty.
Executive Director Gina Caruso shared, “Wharton Arts thrives on building connections between students, families, and our wider community.” “This season reflects our commitment to creating spaces where artistry and community flourish side by side.”
The 2025–26 season offers something for everyone: symphonic masterworks, choral traditions, innovative collaborations, joyful theater, and community-driven events that highlight the transformative role of the performing arts in New Jersey and beyond.
For tickets and a full season calendar, visit WhartonArts.org
