MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ — On Saturday, March 18, Renaissance Church in Springfield hosted a fundraising concert, “John Williams and the Music of the Silver Screen,” a celebration of iconic movie music by Williams and more featuring the New Jersey Festival Orchestra conducted by David Wroe. All proceeds from this event were to benefit the children and families of Imagine, A Center for Coping with Loss, located in Mountainside and Newark.
While the concert was anchored in the music of Williams, the orchestra took the opportunity to highlight a few other favorites from the symphonic landscape of the silver screen. The program also presented a few iconic themes from the ’40s through the ’70s including “Lawrence of Arabia,” “West Side Story,” ”Dr. Zhivago” and “2001: A Space Odyssey,” before gliding easily into the modern blockbusters of Williams.
“We are thrilled for this opportunity to partner with NJ Festival Orchestra,” said Angela Marie Tayco, Development and Communication manager for Imagine. “When people lose someone in their life, our whole world changes. It can feel like it’s hard to find joy because we do not have the person we love to share it with. Imagine is extending its hand to people coping with grief, saying it’s okay to feel the way you do, and you’re allowed to cry and smile at the same time. With this partnership, we are giving families the opportunity to enjoy the music of John Williams while remembering the person who died.”
All ticket proceeds benefited Imagine, A Center for Coping with Loss. Imagine is a free grief support center for children and families experiencing the loss. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Imagine serves families in 59 neighboring towns, for bi-weekly grief support, for as long as the family needs the services. To learn more, visit imaginenj.org.
Photo Courtesy of Valerie Stierhoff