The Thurnauer Symphony Orchestra is under the direction of Louis Kosma, a member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Courtesy Kaplen JCC

The JCC Thurnauer School of Music, New Jersey’s leading community music school, named a Major Arts Institution by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, offers its 2012 Winter Orchestra Concert, on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m., at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly.

The free concert showcases the Thurnauer Symphony Orchestra, which will perform favorites from the symphonic repertoire by Mendelssohn, Mozart, Dvořák, and Brahms; and The String Camerata and Philharmonia.

Call (201) 408-1465 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Veteran Israeli performer David Broza figured that if you can buy a Picasso on the Internet, you can also finance an album on the Internet.

So he took the highly unconventional route of producing his first Israeli album in nine years, “Safa Shlishit” (“Third Language”), entirely via the site Kickstarter. Released last summer, his 28th CD became one of the top five music projects ever kick-started online.

“I am a very down-to-earth singer-songwriter and not a techie, yet I went for the highest technology to do this project and I succeeded,” says Broza, 56, “despite the fact that it’s an album in Hebrew by an older artist, so it’s against all odds. It just shows you that you need to have a focus.”

Many gifted artists have died all too young, their enormous promise not entirely fulfilled. Among the most famous: the poets Keats and Shelley, composers Mozart and Schubert, singers Fritz Wunderlich and Kathleen Ferrier, and violinists Ginette Neveu and Michael Rabin.

Thursday, Jan. 19, was the 40th anniversary of Rabin’s tragic death at the age of 35. His authorized biography — authorized by his surviving older sister, Francine — was just revised and updated: “Michael Rabin: America’s Virtuoso Violinist,” by Anthony Feinstein, professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto.

Matthew Fishteyn Courtesy Wayne Y

The Wayne Y continues its Sundays Backstage at the Y series with pianist/composer Matthew Fishteyn, 18, performing “Mystery Man,” on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 1 p.m. (973) 595-0100, ext. 237.

The Young People’s Chorus at Thurnauer performed at the JCC Thurnauer School of Music’s 2011 Gift of Music Gala Benefit Concert in February. Eugene Parciasepe, Jr.

The Young People’s Chorus at Thurnauer, the student choir of the JCC Thurnauer School of Music, will perform its winter concert on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m., at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly. The concert will include the Prelude (ages 6 to 9) and Concert (ages 10 to 18) choirs, as well as the Grieco and McCloud choirs. The latter two ensembles are part of the Music School’s Music Discovery Partnership – a collaboration with Englewood Public School District since 1997. Admission is free. Repertoire is listed below. For information, call (201) 408-1465 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Cantor Caitlin Bromberg, left, Gerard Edery. Photos Courtesy Temple Israel

Temple Israel and JCC of Ridgewood will launch its new series of “Winter Music” with Sephardic music by folklorist Gerard Edery, his ensemble, and Temple Israel’s cantor, Caitlin Bromberg, on Saturday, Jan. 21. Songs will be in Ladino, a blend of medieval Spanish, Hebrew, and other Romance languages and Middle Eastern elements. The concert is a fund-raiser for the shul’s Brandeis Men’s Club and is co-sponsored by the music committee. There will be a cocktail reception from 5:45 to 7 p.m., a catered dinner and dessert (featuring foods from Europe and Northern Africa), from 7 to 8:30, followed by the concert. Call (201) 444-9320 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Classical music superstar/Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell will perform at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 3 p.m. Prior to the performance he will meet with violin students from The Elisabeth Morrow School for a private workshop and there will be a special opening performance by school’s Chamber Virtuosi conducted by Amelia Gold. (201) 227-1030 or www.bergenpac.org.

Alacorde Piano Trio Courtesy Wayne Y

The Wayne Y continues its Sundays Backstage at the Y series with the Alacorde Piano Trio with pianist Jacqueline Schiller-Audi, violinist Jee Sun Lee, and cellist Suji Kim. The program includes “Trio in G Major Gypsy” by Joseph Haydn, “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” by Astor Piazzolla, and “Trio in G Minor OP 15” by Bedrich Smetena, 1 p.m. (973) 595-0100, ext. 237.