WEST WINDSOR, NJ - The "Harmony for Hope" International Charity Concert returns to Kelsey Theatre at Mercer County Community College on July 5 from 3 to 6 p.m., bringing together professional musicians, award-winning youth performers and local artists for an afternoon benefiting Trenton's Sprout U School of the Arts.
The concert is organized by Harmony123, a nonprofit, and marks the organization's 10th anniversary. Last year's inaugural event raised more than $15,000 for Sprout U and featured over 60 performers from six states and three countries. This year's concert will include youth musicians from eight local high schools and performers from seven U.S. states and two countries.
Featured professional performers include the Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey String Quartet; Vince Di Mura, CPNJ resident composer, pianist and director of the Princeton University Lewis Center for the Arts; Hanbo Liu, award-winning pianist, composer and founder of the Raybrites Institute of Music; and Yonghong Jia, acclaimed Chinese opera singer, actress and founder of the Renaissance Chinese Opera Society. Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora is confirmed to give a welcome address.
The concert will also feature an art exhibition and charity art sales in the lobby, showcasing local artists including physician-artist Alex Li and award-winning youth artists. An online gallery is available ahead of the event at harmony123.org/concert26.html.
This year, Harmony123 is raising funds for eight scholarships and eight grants to support Sprout U students and staff. Sprout U serves students from preschool through high school, with 90 percent of families experiencing food or housing insecurity.
"Our school is underfunded and the incredible talents of our students are often underserved by their financial means," said Danielle Miller-Winrow, headmaster of Sprout U. "We need the community's support to ensure that these students have the resources to succeed on stage, in the classroom, through career explorations, and in everyday life."
Tickets are $20 each and include a raffle entry for prizes including gift cards, artwork, music-themed jewelry, private lessons with professional musicians and autographed portraits and notebooks by Nobel Prize Laureates. Group discounts are available for parties of more than four. Tickets and information are available at harmony123.org/concert26.html or by emailing harmony123.contact@gmail.com.
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