Youth Orchestra of Central Jersey

Our History
YOCJ was founded in 1978 by the late Portia Sonnenfeld as a preparatory orchestra for the Mercer County Symphony Orchestra (now called the Greater Princeton Youth Orchestra). Sonnenfeld shaped the ensemble into a group capable of performing the standard orchestra literature and 20th century works. It then grew to encompass two string orchestras and a wind ensemble, and became known as

the String Preparatory Orchestra. In 1999, with increased enrollment, the orchestra was incorporated under the name “Youth Orchestra of Central Jersey.” YOCJ is an award-winning, critically acclaimed organization that has performed throughout the eastern United States, Canada, Austria, and the Czech Republic. Venues have included Princeton University’s Richardson Auditorium, Rutgers University’s Nicholas Music Center, the Ocean City Music Pier in New Jersey, Mayo Hall at TCNJ, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Heritage Festival Competition in Boston, the Niagara International Music Festival, the Canadian Broadcasting Center, the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Haydn Hall in Esterhazy, Austria, Bethlehem Chapel in Prague, and the Czech Radio Station Recording Studio in Prague. Unique to YOCJ are its chamber groups for flute, saxophone, brass, woodwinds and percussion that offer an unparalleled opportunity for small ensembles that feature these instruments in performance. YOCJ relies upon parent volunteers to make our excellent orchestral training available at a reasonable cost to all qualified students. Board members are parents of current student musicians; there are no paid administrators.