Wharton Arts
Wharton Arts Performing Arts School, 60 Locust Avenue, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
About
Wharton Arts offers instrumental and vocal instruction, musical theater, drama, and ensemble education, including both sectional classes and full ensembles. The program includes private music lessons in instruments and voice, as well as auditioned orchestral, jazz, and choral ensemble programs.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
• Schedule: Office hours vary by program, with options available Monday–Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday depending on the specific Wharton Arts program
Wharton Arts is New Jersey’s largest independent non-profit community performing arts education center and is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. It is comprised of four core programs: the Performing Arts School, New Jersey Youth Symphony, Paterson Music Project, and New Jersey Youth Chorus, serving nearly 2,000 students. Programs include private lessons and group classes, high-level ensembles and educational experiences, and performance opportunities for students of all levels, ages, and socio-economic backgrounds. The Performing Arts School offers in-person and online private music lessons in both instruments and voice for all ages and abilities and has nearly 50 faculty members for one-on-one instruction and group classes, as well as over 300 summer campers annually. Wharton Arts is the Founding School for The Royal Conservatory of Music Development Program.
New Jersey Youth Symphony offers auditioned orchestral and jazz education and has performed at venues including the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Carnegie Hall, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and won First Prize in 2014 and 2017 in the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Festival and Competition in Vienna. Performing Arts School students regularly win top prizes in local and national competitions, including MTNA, MEA-NJ, NAfME, Russian Music Festival, and Crescendo International Festival. New Jersey Youth Chorus singers have performed at the White House, Carnegie Hall, the Super Bowl, The Today Show, NJPAC, and The Kennedy Center, and the chorus is celebrating nearly 35 years of musical excellence and performance experiences. Since the inception of the Paterson Music Project in January 2013, enrollment has grown tenfold and partner schools have increased from 1 to 17.
Wharton Arts states its mission as offering accessible, high quality performing arts education that sparks personal growth and builds inclusive communities. Over 25% of its youth musicians receive free programming, scholarships, and financial aid. Wharton Arts is committed to being accessible to all patrons, students, parents, and visitors, and states that all programs, classes, events, and concerts are accessible, including accommodations such as ASL, Open Captioning, or Audio Description when requested at least two weeks in advance from Adrienne Ostrander. Wharton Arts is committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive community where neurodivergent students are welcomed, nurtured, and valued, and notes that generous community partners have helped bring music to singers, performers, and music lovers of all ages.
Performing Arts School office hours are Monday–Thursday 10 AM–7:30 PM, Friday 10 AM–7 PM, and Saturday 8:30 AM–5 PM. New Jersey Youth Symphony office hours are Monday–Thursday 12–8 PM and Sunday 12–6 PM. Paterson Music Project office hours are Monday–Thursday 10 AM–3 PM, with Friday and Saturday hours by appointment only. New Jersey Youth Chorus office hours are Monday–Thursday 12–8 PM and Sunday 12–6 PM.
Last updated August 10, 2026.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
• Schedule: Office hours vary by program, with options available Monday–Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday depending on the specific Wharton Arts program
Wharton Arts is New Jersey’s largest independent non-profit community performing arts education center and is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. It is comprised of four core programs: the Performing Arts School, New Jersey Youth Symphony, Paterson Music Project, and New Jersey Youth Chorus, serving nearly 2,000 students. Programs include private lessons and group classes, high-level ensembles and educational experiences, and performance opportunities for students of all levels, ages, and socio-economic backgrounds. The Performing Arts School offers in-person and online private music lessons in both instruments and voice for all ages and abilities and has nearly 50 faculty members for one-on-one instruction and group classes, as well as over 300 summer campers annually. Wharton Arts is the Founding School for The Royal Conservatory of Music Development Program.
New Jersey Youth Symphony offers auditioned orchestral and jazz education and has performed at venues including the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Carnegie Hall, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and won First Prize in 2014 and 2017 in the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Festival and Competition in Vienna. Performing Arts School students regularly win top prizes in local and national competitions, including MTNA, MEA-NJ, NAfME, Russian Music Festival, and Crescendo International Festival. New Jersey Youth Chorus singers have performed at the White House, Carnegie Hall, the Super Bowl, The Today Show, NJPAC, and The Kennedy Center, and the chorus is celebrating nearly 35 years of musical excellence and performance experiences. Since the inception of the Paterson Music Project in January 2013, enrollment has grown tenfold and partner schools have increased from 1 to 17.
Wharton Arts states its mission as offering accessible, high quality performing arts education that sparks personal growth and builds inclusive communities. Over 25% of its youth musicians receive free programming, scholarships, and financial aid. Wharton Arts is committed to being accessible to all patrons, students, parents, and visitors, and states that all programs, classes, events, and concerts are accessible, including accommodations such as ASL, Open Captioning, or Audio Description when requested at least two weeks in advance from Adrienne Ostrander. Wharton Arts is committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive community where neurodivergent students are welcomed, nurtured, and valued, and notes that generous community partners have helped bring music to singers, performers, and music lovers of all ages.
Performing Arts School office hours are Monday–Thursday 10 AM–7:30 PM, Friday 10 AM–7 PM, and Saturday 8:30 AM–5 PM. New Jersey Youth Symphony office hours are Monday–Thursday 12–8 PM and Sunday 12–6 PM. Paterson Music Project office hours are Monday–Thursday 10 AM–3 PM, with Friday and Saturday hours by appointment only. New Jersey Youth Chorus office hours are Monday–Thursday 12–8 PM and Sunday 12–6 PM.
Last updated August 10, 2026.
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