High School Playoffs, Classical Concert This Weekend

The New Jersey Intergenerational Orchestra will perform Sunday at the  at 3 p.m. in a free concert that will feature a 14-year old cellist from Bridgewater, Sophia Bacelar, who will play Joseph Haydn’s Cello Concerto in D Major.

“Our mission is to develop and refine local talent to perform classical music at free community concerts,” said Emily Benjamin, spokesperson for the New Jersey Intergenerational Orchestra. “The ‘I’ [in NJIO] stands for intergenerational, and that is the cornerstone of our group.”

According to the NJIO website, they have had group members as young as 6 and as old as ninety-three. Their group consists of three skill levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Sunday’s performance will feature the advanced group, with some of the intermediate sitting in as well—but the star of the show will be Bacelar.

“We invite the young people to come and see and hear what can be achieved with lots of hard work and determination. These are the qualities our young people should be developing and what we teach in our performance groups,” Benjamin said. “She’s only 14.”

The NJIO’s concerts are always free—they are supported by donors and fundraisers, and they accept donations at their concerts. They also will be selling snacks and baked goods at the performance. The proceeds from snack sales will benefit the NJIO.

The NJIO was founded in 1994 and is based in Berkeley Heights, but they perform throughout Northern New Jersey.

More events in Madison this weekend:

Friday

• is a weekly program for children at the designed to get families together for finger painting, dancing, yoga stories, and more from 10:30 to 11 a.m.
• Madison Dodgers varsity wrestling will host Irvington High School at 5 p.m.
• Grammy nominated harmonica player Rob Paparozzi, a regular, is on the Chinese restaurant and jazz club’s Valentine’s Day weekend line-up with a Friday night performance. There will be seatings at 6:30 and 8:45 p.m. There is no cover, but there is a $35 food and drink minimum per person.

Saturday

• The Rose City Steppers’ monthly walk will begin at 8:45 a.m. at the . Membership with the Steppers is $12 for adults and $10 for seniors, but membership is not necessary to join in their monthly walk—simply show up with your walking shoes on promptly at 8:45 a.m.
• Dodgertown Duals, a four-way wrestling meet between Governor Livingston, Morristown, Plainfield, and Madison High Schools begins at 10 a.m. at .
• Family Fun Day at the Museum of Early Trades & Crafts runs from 1 to 3 p.m. It will be Valentine’s Day themed—attendees will make chocolate lollipops. The museum’s website recommends advanced registration at 973-377-2982, extension 12.
• The Madison High School varsity basketball team will face Delbarton High School at Randolph High School in the quarter finals of the Morris County Tournament at 5:30 p.m.
• Dodgers varsity ice hockey will face Mt. Olive at the in Morristown at 6:15 p.m.
• Nat Adderly, Jr., the musical director and pianist for Luther Vandross, will perform with his trio at with seatings at 6:30 and 8:45 p.m. There is a $25 music charge and a $35 minimum for food and drink – all seats must also be reserved at 973-822-2899.

Sunday

• Learn meditation techniques at Studio Yoga under the tutelage of a teacher from the Dharmachakra Buddhist Center in Vauxhall from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Each class is $20.
• Grover Kemble will play guitar and sing with the Jerry Vezza Quartet on Sunday at . Together they will perform Valentine’s Day themed songs and works by Ray Charles from 6 to 8:30 p.m. There will be a $12 cover charge and a $25 food and drink minimum. Reservations are required at 973-822-2899.