symphony rendering
General Business

Jersey City to Be New Home of the New Jersey Symphony

The New Jersey Symphony (NJS) has announced its relocation to a new state-of-the-art, 44,000-square-foot theater in Jersey City’s downtown Powerhouse Arts District.

“This represents a significant milestone in Jersey City’s cultural evolution, creating a key destination for our region with permanent space for world-class performances and community-driven initiatives,” said Mayor Fulop. “We started these conversations over a year ago, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome the New Jersey Symphony to its new home in Jersey City. This new endeavor will enhance our economic and cultural landscape and, more importantly, offer unparalleled opportunities to our residents and community.”

NJS President & CEO Gabriel van Aalst said, “I am thrilled to see the Symphony Center project come to fruition. Having a home to call our own will allow us to expand on the many impactful education and community programs for which the symphony is well-known throughout the state, with new entertainment options that the residents of Jersey City, Hudson County and beyond are sure to enjoy.

“In addition to being a home for rehearsals and performances by our musicians and icons of the classical music world, we can’t wait to introduce audiences to performances from a broad range of performing arts and collaborate with local Jersey City artists and arts organizations, van Aalst continued. “When patrons enter the theater for the first time, they will immediately recognize that there is no other space like this in Jersey City and will realize the full potential and cultural value it brings to the community. I want to thank everyone involved in making this dream a reality, especially Mayor Fulop, the City of Jersey City, and Toll Brothers.”

The new Symphony Center offers a multipurpose 550-seat theater, space for education and community programs, and 8,000 square feet for administrative offices. Additionally, it will provide a permanent space for artistic, educational, and community offerings in Jersey City and throughout Hudson County.

Music Director Xian Zhang commented, “I am very excited for the Symphony Center and the many opportunities the new venue will make possible for the organization. It will provide a space for artistic innovation and growth and expand the Symphony’s artistic offerings that communities across New Jersey have enjoyed for more than a century.”

Co-chairs of the New Jersey Symphony Board of Trustees Craig Silliman and Robert Garrett remarked, “With both public and private support, the Jersey City project will enable the Symphony for the first time in its 102-year history to have a rehearsal and concert space that is operated by the organization. We want to thank our Board of Trustees as well as our musicians and our administrative staff who helped facilitate this move. As co-chairs of the board, it is an honor to be a part of an organization that is so vital to the arts in the state.”

New Jersey Symphony’s expansion into Jersey City will provide music education programs to local families. The Symphony Center will provide a place for expanding education programs in Jersey City, as well as community partnerships throughout the city, while maintaining its commitment to music education in Newark and other cities throughout the state.

The Symphony serves as many as 20,000 students annually across the state, but most proudly in the City of Newark and surrounding Essex County communities, where it provides an opportunity for young musicians to be part of an unparalleled musical community through its nearly 35-year strong Youth Orchestra.

To access more business news, visit NJB News Now.

Related Articles: