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Battleground Symphony draws statewide talent
By Anita Stratos  | | Manalapan Battleground Symphony performs several concerts a year, including a spring concert, a Young People's concert, a concert during Labor Day weekend, and a holiday concert in the winter. |
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For almost 20 years, the Manalapan Battleground Symphony and Preparatory Orchestras have not only performed outstanding musical programs for the community, they have also given young musicians a unique opportunity for growth in their fields. The excellent reputation of these orchestras has drawn members from all over New Jersey and even as far as Pennsylvania.
Originally formed in 1984 as the Youth and Preparatory Orchestras, the two Manalapan Battleground Preparatory Orchestras are now divided into the Advanced Prep Orchestra conducted by Ning Mu, and the Junior Prep Orchestra conducted by Angela McCurdy. Auditions are held in June and September for positions with the orchestras, and those who make the cut are placed in either the Junior or Advanced orchestra according to their level of ability, not by age. While the majority of orchestra members in these two groups are students, there are some adult members who are at the beginners' level on their instruments. At the opposite extreme, the youngest member of the orchestra to date was a highly talented 6-year-old violinist.
The Manalapan Battleground Symphony has been conducted for the past three years by Chiu-Tze Lin, who was selected the "Hottest Artist in New Jersey" by the Asbury Park Press in 2001. As a concert pianist who has performed as a soloist around the globe and across the United States, Lin has received high acclaim from The New York Times and her music has been aired on many radio stations. Lin's conducting background is equally impressive, directing choirs and orchestras in major oratorios, conducting the AT&T Bell Labs Sinfonia in Holmdel, and serving as music director of the Princeton Presbyterian Church.
With such highly acclaimed talent behind it, it's no wonder that the Manalapan Battleground Symphony has been performing its annual concerts to packed houses and has been invited to perform at functions for other organizations as well. Comprised of both professional and nonprofessional musicians, including precollege students, the symphony performs most of its annual concerts at local schools. Its first concert of the year is held over Labor Day weekend, followed by a free holiday concert early in December; then a Young People's concert is held in February, and finally a spring concert is given in May. Lin selects music that is highly recognizable to everyone, but she also goes the extra mile to connect with her audience, taking the time to address the audience during concerts in an effort to help all age groups understand the pieces being played and to bring the composers to life.
 | | Conductor Chiu-Tze Lin |
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"The music we play is for the people, not for us," Lin said. "I think it's important to connect with the audience. At concerts where there are a lot of young children, I talk to them and ask them questions from the stage to try to make them feel like part of the event."
The concert schedule for the Prep Orchestras is less rigorous than that of the symphony, consisting of two concerts per year, one of which is a holiday concert in December and the second a spring concert in late May.
The symphony also sponsors an annual Young Artists Concerto competition in January, and the three winners are featured at the spring concert in May. Lin said that so many talented children participate in the competition that in addition to the three winners, four honorable mentions are also named.
Lin said the symphony is the only orchestra in New Jersey that is predominantly funded by a municipality. She applauds the Manalapan Parks and Recreation Department under director Gerald Collincini for helping to bring this important cultural asset to the community.
All three orchestras hold weekly rehearsals from September through May on Wednesday evenings at the Freehold Park Avenue School. There is a fee of $125 for Manalapan residents and $150 for non-Manalapan members, but Lin said the music education students receive is well beyond what they would get in school. The orchestras are currently in need of violinists, violists, cellists and double bass players, as well as volunteers to help with public relations, marketing and publicity.
For more information about the orchestra, call Chiu-Tze
Lin at (732) 446-2458 or visit the township Web site at http://www.twp.manalapan.nj.us/recreation.htm .
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