“FOUND SOUNDS”: The Princeton-based ensemble Sō Percussion demonstrates their ability to use unusual sounds and found instruments in a talk at Princeton Public Library on March 4. (Photo by Victoria Pickering)

Members of the award-winning ensemble Sō Percussion will give a talk on “Found Sounds” on Tuesday, March 4 at 7 p.m., a presentation of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) Soundtracks Series at the Princeton Public Library.

They will discuss the unique soundscapes which can be created using everyday items. The ensemble regularly incorporates unusual sounds and found instruments in performances, including in works on their 2025 Grammy Award-winning album Rectangles and Circumstance with Caroline Shaw.  more

The Princeton Playhouse Ensembles of Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Theater and Music Theater presents “Foibles and Fables: Songs of Magic and Memory!” on Saturday, March 1 at 7 p.m. at the Berlind Theatre at McCarter Theatre Center, 91 University Place.

The musical celebrates music theater storytelling, performance, composition, arranging, direction, and choreography, featuring the work and leadership of current Princeton students and alumni. The Playhouse Ensembles will be joined by Broadway performer Becca Stevens, violist and composer Nathan Schram, and other special guests. Selections from Hadestown, Pippin, Shuffle Along, Stephen Sondheim’s Evening Primrose, and other known works as well as premieres by guest artists and students are on the program. more

Milton Suggs
(Photo by Jacob Blickenstaff)

Jazz at Lincoln Center brings the soul of New Orleans and the spirit of Mardi Gras to McCarter Theatre on Friday, February 28 at 7:30 p.m. The touring concert, which celebrates the New Orleans Songbook, is led by pianist Luther S. Allison.

Vocalists Quiana Lynell and Milton Suggs are joined by a band presenting the music of Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Ellis Marsalis, James Black, Henry Butler, The Meters, Professor Longhair, and more.

“New Orleans is arguably the most important city in the history of Black American Music. The depth of its culture is bar none, and the influence of art from this city has undeniably shaped the development of nearly all genres of music. I am honored to pay tribute to my heroes of the New Orleans lineage with such a tremendous band,” said Allison.

For over three decades, Jazz at Lincoln Center has been a leading advocate for jazz, culture, and arts education worldwide. Under the direction of Wynton Marsalis, JALC has brought jazz from New York to 446 cities in more than 40 countries.

McCarter Theatre is at 91 University Place. Visit Mccarter.org for tickets.

FESTIVE FUN: Ryan Shaw and Capathia Jenkins return to the Princeton Festival on June 6 with songs by Prince, Whitney. Houson, Stevie Wonder, and Elvis Presley, among others. This year’s festival runs June 6-21.

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) will hold the annual Princeton Festival from June 6-21 on the grounds of Morven Museum & Garden. The performing arts showcase includes a concert by soprano Renée Fleming, an evening of songs by Sondheim, Puccini’s opera Tosca, an evening of dance by American Repertory Ballet, and more.

“This year’s Festival will amaze you with its breadth and variety of musical experiences,” said PSO Music Director Rossen Milanov. “Whether you like Classical, Baroque, vocal, pop music or dance and opera, I guarantee you that you will find it in our Festival line-up. Prepare to be transported by exquisite music in a beautiful setting, surrounded by nature.”

Opening Weekend begins Friday, June 6 with “ICON: The Voices That Changed Music” featuring songs by such artists as Prince, Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight, Elvis Presley, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, and more, performed by returning Festival artists Capathia Jenkins and Ryan Shaw, with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra conducted by Lucas Waldin. more

SINGING TOGETHER: Bela Nakum will share her love for British music with members of the new Princeton Britpop Choir weekly beginning March 13 at Princeton United Methodist Church.

Princeton area resident Bela Nakum has founded the Princeton Britpop Choir, with a goal of creating a supportive community where all can experience the joy of singing together in harmony. The first class, on Thursday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m., will be held at Princeton United Methodist Church, 7 Vandeventer Avenue.

Members of the choir will meet weekly on Thursday evenings.

Though Nakum grew up in the greater Princeton area, she spent summers visiting her family in the United Kingdom and developed a love for British music. While her musical background is in classical choral music, she aims to combine her love of music, the cultures she grew up in, and her desire to create a supportive community — open to everyone from classically trained musicians to those with no experience. more

YOUTH ART: This work by sixth grade student Rebecca Mazzoni is part of an exhibit celebrating National Youth Art Month at Gourgaud Gallery in Cranbury.

During March, National Youth Art Month, Cranbury School will be celebrating youth art at the Gourgaud Gallery at Town Hall in Cranbury.

The show will run from March 3 to March 25 with a special opening date of Saturday, March 15th from 1 to 2 p.m.  more

GR8 WORKS: The fundraising sale of original 8 x 8-inch artworks, which runs March 4 through April 5 at West Windsor Arts, benefits the art center’s Artist in Residence programs. 

West Windsor Arts has announced the GR8 Works Fundraising Art Show, an exhibition and sale of original 8 x 8-inch artworks, which opens March 4 and benefits the art center’s Artist in Residence programs.

“This is a very special show for us because it brings together talented local artists enthusiastically showing their support for the arts by donating 50 or 100 percent of the proceeds from their artwork sales to West Windsor Arts,” says Aylin Green, executive director, West Windsor Arts. Participating artists gain recognition for their work by being part of the show, and also contribute to an organization dedicated to elevating artistic expression within the community.

“The response has been tremendous,” said Green, “We reached out to our community of artists to be a part of the GR8 Works Art Show by creating an original 8 x 8-inch artwork. The works of more than 100 artists will be on display and for sale. It’s a great opportunity for art lovers to pick up original work at a great price.” more

Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) recently received a $3 million gift from the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation, a contribution that marks one of the largest single donations from an individual in the organization’s history. This endowment gift will play a crucial role in ensuring the lasting legacy of GFS and its commitment to promoting the interplay of art, nature, and wellness for the community.

Betty Wold Johnson, a devoted supporter of the arts and the cousin of Seward Johnson, the visionary founder of GFS, has left an indelible mark on the institution. She was one of the most celebrated philanthropists of her generation, and her commitment to the arts and her family’s legacy of creativity continue to inspire the GFS’ mission to engage the public with art in nature.

“We are immensely grateful to the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation for this remarkable gift,” said GFS Executive Director Gary Garrido Schneider. “This contribution not only enhances our endowment but also strengthens our ability to provide innovative exhibitions, educational programs, and community initiatives. We are committed to ensuring that Grounds For Sculpture remains a source of inspiration for generations to come.” more

OPERA AND MORE: Ruth Ochs leads the Princeton University Sinfonia in a program of music from opera as well as works by student composers.

Ruth Ochs conducts the Princeton University Sinfonia on Friday, February 21 at 7:30 p.m. in Richardson Auditorium on the Princeton University campus for “A Night at the Opera,” an evening of excerpts from operas by Bizet, Mozart, Rossini, Delibes, and Rimsky-Korsakov.

The concert will include Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Procession of the Nobles” from Mlada and “Dance of the Tumblers” from The Snow Maiden; two selections by Bizet, a quintet from Carmen, as well as the famous duet “Au fond du temple saint” from The Pearl Fishers; the “Flower Duet” from Delibes’ Lakmé, and the finale from Act 1 of Rossini’s The Italian Girl in Algiers.

The program also features new works by student composers Kasey Shao ’25 and Julia Young ’27, and Clara Conatser ’25 will play movements from Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 3. Singers from the University’s Glee Club Opera Scenes and the University Clarinet Ensemble will also perform. Tickets are $15 general admission/$5 students and are available at tickets.princeton.edu. For more information call (609) 258-4241 or visit music.princeton.edu.

The Garden Theatre will be hosting its 7th annual Hollywood Awards Watch Party on Sunday, March 2. The second annual Red Carpet Reception will be held at the Nassau Inn before the ceremony.

The Watch Party will begin at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Bottomless popcorn and drinks are included with admission.

The Red Carpet Reception begins at 5:30 p.m. Guests will gather in the Palmer Room at the Nassau Inn and have light fare and drinks before strolling over to the Garden for the watch party, which is included with reception tickets.

Tickets for the Watch Party are $13.75 for general admission and $8.50 for members of the nonprofit Garden Theatre. Red Carpet Reception tickets are $50 for general admission and $40 for members.  more

ONE NIGHT ONLY: Lou DiPietro, playwright, left, and Louis Josephson, composer, of the new musical “It’s Never Too Late,” which will be presented as a one-night-only staged reading at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 20, at the Kelsey Theatre.

Kelsey Theatre, on the West Windsor Campus of Mercer County Community College (MCCC), will host a one-night-only staged reading — complete with a nine-piece orchestra — of the new musical It’s Never Too Late, presented by Theater to Go on February 20 at 7:30 p.m.

East Windsor resident Lou DiPietro began writing this play at the age of 90 and now, at 94, is excited to share his work with an audience. more

On Sunday, March 2 at 3 p.m. in Richardson Auditorium, the Princeton University Department of Music Performance faculty and undergraduate students comprising the Richardson Chamber Players will present “Serenade Meets Steampunk.”

The ambitious program pairs David Bruce’s whimsical 2010 piece Steampunk for Mixed Octet with the majesty and romance of Johannes Brahms Serenade No. 1, Op. 11, written in 1858.

“The Richardson Chamber Players often put together programs of lesser-heard works,” said Princeton University Concerts Director Marna Seltzer. “This is one such program, through which we look forward to celebrating the talents of our music department faculty and students.”

Performers are flutist Sarah Shin, oboist Yousun Chung, clarinetists Jo-Ann Sternberg and Dongkon Lee ’27, horn player Eric Reed, bassoonist Robert Wagner, violinists Erick Wyrick and Melody Choi ’25, violist Jessica Thompson, cellist Clancy Newman, and bass player Jack Hill.

Tickets are $15 general/$5 sStudent and can be purchased online at puc.princeton.edu or by calling (609) 258-9220.

VOCALIST AND GUITARIST: Guitarist Pablo Sáinz-Villegas will perform with mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard in recital at State Theatre New Jersey on March 2. (Photo by Lisa Mazzuco)

State Theatre New Jersey presents Isabel Leonard and Pablo Sáinz-Villegas In Recital on Sunday, March 2 at 3 p.m. Tickets range from $39-$79.

In October 2021, Sainz-Villegas was invited by Peter Gelb of The Metropolitan Opera to join forces, in part, with opera superstar Isabel Leonard in a worldwide broadcast live from Versailles. Following its success, the artists decided to work creatively to build out a special vocal guitar program for a limited-run tour in the United States, featuring popular arias and songs beloved around the world. more

IN MEMORY: Pianist Kairy Koshoeva and cellist Jordan Ensinger will play works by Chopin, Rachmaninoff, and Bach in a concert in New Brunswick.

A memorial concert honoring music journalist Elaine Strauss will be presented by pianist Kairy Koshoeva and cellist Jordan Ensinger on Saturday, March 1 at 7 p.m. at Christ Church, 5 Paterson Street, in New Brunswick. Admission is free.

“I want to honor Elaine’s legacy and keep her spirit alive by sharing this with her fans and loved ones,” said Koshoeva. “Elaine Strauss was not just a dear friend to me; she was a kindred spirit who welcomed me into her home for many memorable concerts and gatherings. Her warmth and passion for music have left an indelible mark on my heart.”

A polymath, Strauss had several careers and began her journalism career at age 67, writing hundreds of articles for U.S.1 and Clavier magazine, mostly about music. An accomplished pianist, she was a student of Dorothy Taubman. She died on April 22, 2024 at the age of 95.  more

HALL OF FAMER: Peter Frampton, recently inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, comes to State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick on April 7.

State Theatre New Jersey presents Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Grammy Award-winning guitarist, Peter Frampton in the “Let’s Do It Again! Tour” on Monday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $80-$360.

The upcoming performance arrives on the heels of a landmark 2024 for the musician, who, in addition to being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, played concerts at venues across the U.S. Frampton’s “Never Say Never,” “Never EVER Say Never,” and subsequent “Positively Thankful” tours were unexpected by fans after the musician shared his diagnosis of the degenerative disease inclusion-body myositis.  more

Fresh from their 2025 Grammy win for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance, So Percussion will appear with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) at concerts the weekend of March 8-9 at Richardson Auditorium.

The ensemble will perform Viet Cuong’s concerto for percussion quartet, Re(new)al. Music Director Rossen Milanov conducts the program which includes Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 “Pastoral,” and Carlos Simon’s Four Black American Dances.

“I’m excited to perform with Sō Percussion as they are a fearless ensemble, musically gifted and always seeking to push artistic boundaries with new techniques and sound experimentation,” said Milanov.  more

On Thursday, February 20 from 5-8 p.m. at Princeton University’s Friend Center, the Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination will present a screening of the documentary film Between Silence and Sin, followed by a Q&A with director Diana Nicolae.

This is the first screening of the film in the U.S. after appearing in film festivals throughout Europe, including taking part in the Princess of Asturias Awards ceremonies presided by the Spanish royal family.

The documentary is about Romanian poet and activist Ana Blandiana, a symbol in the fight for democracy and freedom of speech, values that are again under threat around the world. She is a legendary figure in Romanian culture, comparable to Anna Akhmatova or Vaclav Havel.

Blaniana has been called one of Europe’s greatest living poets, and has published dozens of books of poetry and prose, which have been translated into 24 languages around the world. Among her many awards are the European Poet of Freedom Prize, the Griffin Trust’s Lifetime Recognition Award, the Gottfried von Herder Prize from the Austrian Academy, and the Légion d’Honneur from France. In 2024, she received the Princess of Asturias Award.

The documentary delves into Blandiana’s decades-long career in the context of one of the world’s most brutal dictatorships, where poetry represented the “last molecules of freedom” and poets that dared to speak the truth became icons — as well as targets. As authoritarian governments wrestle for control throughout the world, in countries long considered to be bulwarks of democracy and free speech, Between Silence and Sin explores the power of the word as the last bastion of a nation’s collective soul in the face of oppression.

Nicolae, who produces and directs the film, is a native of Romania who began her career in media working as a TV news reporter in the post-Communist era, prior to working as a writer for BBC Radio and Radio Romania on the first dramatic series inspired by the country in transition to democracy. She is a professor of documentary and television at Rowan University.

Additional speakers at the event will be Margaret Beissinger, research scholar and lecturer at Princeton University’s Department of Slavic Languages and Literature; and Nadia Crisan, executive director of the Liechtenstein Institute.

RSVP is required to attend. Visit lisd.princeton.edu.

“The Most Formidable Weapon Against Errors: The Sid Lapidus ’59 Collection & the Age of Reason,” which celebrates the collecting achievements of Sid Lapidus, Class of 1959, is on view in the Milberg Gallery at Firestone Library, Princeton University, through June 8. Members of the public are welcome to visit the exhibition between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays, and between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, visit library.princeton.edu/lapidus2025. (Photo by Brandon Johnson)

Albert Einstein was born 146 years ago on Pi Day, 3.14 (March 14), and celebrating the number and the man helps get kids excited about STEM topics.

The nascent Princeton Einstein Museum of Science will offer a variety of free hands-on activities related to Einstein’s scientific legacy on March 15 at the Princeton Public Library from 2-4 pm. They are suitable for ages 5-10.

Children can talk to Silvia Trinczek, a scientist from Princeton Plasma Physics Lab, to receive a free compass or space tattoo, while supplies last. Ask her your most probing physics question, or if you are not sure what to ask, choose one from the museum’s suggestions including “Why is the sky blue?” and “What’s inside a black hole?” more

This photograph by Rebecca DePorte is part of the “Members Exhibition” on view at Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography, 14 Mercer Street, Hopewell, through March 2.