Provided/South Jersey Area Wind Ensemble.

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP – Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin will join the South Jersey Area Wind Ensemble for a “side by side” concert entitled, “Elements,” to be held 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11 at Stockton University Performing Arts Center.

Under the baton of Keith W. Hodgson, the concert will feature music representing earth, wind, water and fire and will be highlighted by exciting lighting and visual effects designed by George Davison.

Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin

Franklin will be mistress of ceremonies for the concert and will premiere “Earth/Sun,” her original work for band. She will perform the vocal portion of the work under the direction of Assistant Conductor Jennifer Hodgson.

The nationally acclaimed, 75-member South Jersey Area Wind Ensemble has invited 40 outstanding high school and college students to join their teachers and mentors for the second half of the concert, during which 115 music teachers, professional musicians and student instrumentalists will thrill the audience with a rarely experienced fully symphonic band performance.

Mark Stickney, director of bands at Plymouth State University, will be the featured guest conductor and Associate Conductor Ron Poorman will conduct the encore.

The concert is being sponsored by OceanFirst Foundation and made possible with funding from the Atlantic County Office and Cultural and Heritage Affairs, a partner of the new Jersey State Council of the Arts.

SJAWE will be donating a portion of the proceeds of the concert to the Atlantic Women’s Charitable Organization to be applied toward scholarships.

Tickets are $18 and can be purchased at www.sjawe.com or by calling the Box Office at 609-652-9000. It is recommended that tickets are purchased in advance.


Nanette LoBiondo Galloway

Award winning journalist covering news, events and people of Atlantic County for more than 20 years.