Celebration Singers

12/21/2025

Happy Winter Solstice! To celebrate the shortest say of the year, enjoy one of our favorites from our Resounding Joy Concert, “Solstice Song” by Cheryl B. Engelhardt

The Celebration Singers of New JerseySolstice Song by "Resounding Joy"December 1st and 2nd at 8 PMSt. Michael's Church, Cranford NJArtistic Directo...

11/21/2025

CALLING ALL YOUTH CHOIR ALUMNI

This winter concert we will be celebrating the Youth Choir's 30th Anniversary!! We are inviting all Youth Choir alumni dating back to 1995 to join us in singing one song at our December concerts. As a special treat we will have past conductors Tom Pedas and Jennifer Jenkins conducting on those Friday and Saturday concerts, respectively. Please fill out this form if you're able to join us!

Alumni Sing Sign Up Form Here:

We are SO excited for the 30th Anniversary of our Youth Choirs! We are hoping to get as many Celebration Singers' Youth Choir alumni as possible! Dress Rehearsal Dates (opt.): December 9th and 11th at 7:30PM Concert Dates: December 12th and 13th at 8PM Location: First United Methodist Church in West...

10/03/2025

On Monday night, we lost a treasured member of our Celebration Singers family, Isabella Salas. Isabella was a part of our Youth Choirs, being one of the first members to join when we restarted the group in 2022.

Isabella, on top of being an incredibly talented singer and performer, will be remembered for both her boundless joy and unwavering kindness. She made everyone she ever met feel welcome, making her a vital member of the Youth Choir and the Middle C’s.

Our choir is devastated by the loss of Isabella and her dear friend Maria Niotis. We send our unwavering love and support to the Salas family, the Noitis family, their loved ones, and the Cranford community at large.

In honor of Isabella, please enjoy a few moments we were lucky to have with her over the years, so you can remember her as we do.

09/19/2025

Dine & Donate — One Night Only!
Wednesday, September 24, 5:00pm-9:00pm
CHIPOTLE @ Clark Commons
1255 Raritan Road, Clark NJ 07066

Support The Celebration Singers International Performance Tour!

How it works:
BRING this flyer and dine in or take out
Or order online for pickup using code W4VGCHM

A portion of your purchase supports our 2026 Ireland tour

Thank you for fueling our music!

07/01/2025

Now Hiring: Youth Collaborative Pianist

Join the Celebration Singers and Inspire the Next Generation!

We are looking for a talented pianist to accompany our youth choir. This is a rewarding opportunity to accompany talented young vocalists and be part of an energetic, music-loving community. If you're passionate about music and love working with young talent, we’d love to hear from you!

Please see full post below for all necessary job details.

To apply, please email us at [email protected].

06/12/2025

Another great season in the books!

Thank you to our choir members, musical directors, board members and audience members who attended our concert last weekend.
We'll see you in September.

06/04/2025

🎶"The Song of Purple Summer" by Duncan Sheik & Steven Sater, Arr. Mark Brymer🎶

On this beautiful summer day, we move to the second act of "Choral Kaleidoscope" to the Middle C’s Ensemble number "The Song of Purple Summer".

Middle C’s is our selective youth ensemble of 7th graders through high school seniors. These singers go through an extra audition to join this ensemble. They all participate in the Youth Choir and rehearse for extra time each week to learn more advanced SAB and SATB repertoire that is mainly upbeat pop and musical theatre.

"The Song of Purple Summer," from the hit musical "Spring Awakening," expresses themes of hope, new beginnings, and the dawn of a new generation. It symbolizes the ability to overcome the hardships of childhood and embrace a fresh start and the promise of a brighter future.

The emotional finale number is a message of hope for a future free from the constraints of the past, where the seeds of change and a more open-minded society are being planted. Purple, among many things, represents the hope and optimism for a brighter future. By welcoming the purple summer after enduring the difficult times in the "blue winds of spring", we all deserve to enjoy a period of peace and growth.

This was a very poignant piece for by The Middle C's because they are at the same point of their lives that the teenage characters in the musical are at -- a moment of transition from both their childhood and the old ways of thinking and behaving to a more open and accepting society. As they enter their "purple summer" symbolizes that the old ways, though still in place, will eventually fade away, and the new generation will take their place.

The "purple summer" is a sign that this shift is inevitable.

06/03/2025

🎶Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell🎶

Today, we're jumping into a Yellow Taxi to our 2024 Spring Concert "Choral Kaleidoscope" with this important 60's hit.

"Big Yellow Taxi" by Joni Mitchell is one of her most famous as well as her strongest "message song". Often seen as an environmentalist anthem, the song critiques environmental destruction and consumerism, expressing concern about the loss of natural beauty due to development, deforestation, and the use of pesticides.

Mitchell's inspiration came from a trip to Hawaii, where she saw a large parking lot that contrasted with the natural beauty of the surroundings. Written in 1969, a time when environmental concerns were growing in society, the song's core message revolves around the destruction of nature for urban development.

The song also touches on themes of personal loss, perfectly summed up with the famous line "you don't know what you got till it's gone". The final verse, while related to the overall theme of loss, focuses on a personal level, with the "big yellow taxi" representing both a metaphorical representation of loss or departure of a significant person.

06/03/2025

🎶"A Million Dreams" by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, arr, Mac Huff🎶

We're kicking off our concert week with "A Million Dreams" from our 2022 Spring Concert, "A Night's Dream". The song from the hit film "The Greatest Showman", which musically tells the life story of P.T. Barnum and his vision of creating a different world, filled with possibilities.

Sung at the beginning of the film as Barnum's first love song in his childhood, the song's core message revolves around following your dreams and building a better world together, even if others doubt your vision.

This song is Barnum's first promise to the woman he loves, as well as his first gift - the dream of creating a unique and inspiring world with her. This dream is what motivates him throughout the film, even when faced with challenges and skepticism.

The lyrics express a desire to build a world filled with wonder, innovation, and inclusivity, where everyone has a chance to shine. As the song builds, it showcases the power of collective dreams, which the young couple's love is based upon.

"A Million Dreams" fits perfectly into the theme of this concert -- at its core, it's an anthem of hope and inspiration, encouraging the audience to dream big, embrace their passions, and work together to create a brighter future.

05/27/2025

🎶"Let it Grow" by Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Ester Dean, John Powell, Cinco Paul, and Aaron Pearce (Arr. Alan Billingsley)

Today, we return to "Let It Grow", the youth choir's closing number from our 2023 Spring Concert "A Season for Growing".

"Let it Grow (Celebrate the World)" from the film "The Lorax encourages appreciation and care for the natural world, celebrating the Earth and its abundance. The song promotes living in harmony with nature and recognizing how we truly are all connected.

Beyond the specific context of The Lorax, "Let it Grow" can be interpreted as a broader message about allowing things to unfold naturally and embracing the beauty and power of the natural world. Directly addressing the importance of nature and the need to protect it, the song talks about allowing things to flourish, whether it's plants, animals, or even personal growth. The message is about understanding and respecting the natural world, and living in harmony with it.

"Let It Grow" was the perfect song for the Youth Choir to perform in a concert named "A Season of Growing". Not only was it their first spring concert they performed in since Covid, their performance was a perfect message to the audience about understanding the importance of preserving our planet for future generations.

05/23/2025

🎶"Rise Up" by Audra Day, arr. Mac Huff🎶

Today, we return to our 2022 Spring Concert "A Night's Tale".

"Rise Up", performed and written by Andra Day, is an empowering song about persevering through difficult times and finding the strength to overcome obstacles. The song is a message of hope, reminding people that even in darkness, they can find the will to rise and stand up for themselves. The song is both a personal and a collective message to those facing hardship, encouraging individuals to rise from difficult situations and supporting others in their struggles.

Adopted as unofficial anthems for both the Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ+ movements, the lyrics represent the struggle against oppression and persecution of all kinds, whether it's personal struggles, social injustice, or challenging circumstances. Mac Huff's arrangement perfectly represents Audra's message in the importance of standing up and taking the next step in a journey towards justice.

Opening the choir's first spring concert since the pandemic, both the song's lyrics and message resonated with themes of strength, resilience, and the ability to find hope in difficult times throughout the rapt audience.

05/21/2025

🎶"Shady Grove" Appalachian Folk Tune, Arr. by Tom Shelton🎶

Today, we're bound for Shady Grove, sung by our entire Youth Choir in our 2024 Spring Concert "Choral Kaleidoscope."

This version of "Shady Grove" is a sparkling arrangement of the beloved Appalachian folk tune by Tom Shelton.
Well known in the bluegrass genre, the original is a courting song that stems from the seventeenth century Matty Groves, a ballad from the British Isles. Adding the traditional bluegrass instrumentation creates an authentic sound to its roots.

The number closed out the Youth Choir set and brought the audience to their feet.