Continuing its tradition of partnering with major New Jersey cultural institutions, the 1978 Maplewood Arts Center on Springfield Avenue hosted a New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Art Strings fundraiser on Sunday afternoon, February 21.

The 1978 Maplewood Arts Center displayed 10 violins decorated by 10 New Jersey artists, including Maplewood's own—1978 volunteer board member and violin artist Mikel Frank. While Frank was inpsired by Mozart's Jupiter symphony, artist Beverly Goldschmidt of Westfield, NJ used Stravinsky's Firebird as her motif, and Vivian Olshen of Livingston, NJ found inspiration from Vivaldi's Four Seasons (spring and summer are on the front of the violin, with autumn and winter on the back).

Kerrie Wandlass of Cranford did not confine her violin to one composer. Rather, she found her muses in the many classical works involving fairy tales from Cinderella to Sleeping Beauty to Scheherazade. As a former dancer, Gisele Zeitler of Scotch Plains, NJ (and a native of Germany) was drawn to Tchaikovsky and Swan Lake for her violin.

All 10 violins display images inspired by NJSO's 2009-2010 performance season, featuring art inspired by the composers and compositions performed by the orchestra throughout the season.  

The 10 violins will be displayed at NJSO concerts and selected art galleries throughout New Jersey during the Orchestra's 2009–10 season. The next two displays will take place at NJPAC in Newark at concert dates on March 14 and 27. At each reception, raffle tickets are being sold for a chance to win one of these violins. The drawing will be held on June 1.

The project's proceeds help fund the organization's youth and educational outreach programs.