Arts & Entertainment

NJ Transit Seeks Locals for 'Music in Motion' Concert Series

Dreading squeezing your way onto a packed train for that Friday evening commute? 
Maybe some live music will help. 

Aspiring musicians from around New Jersey brought their talents to Secaucus Junction Tuesday to audition for a spot in New Jersey Transit’s “Music in Motion” line-up.

“Music in Motion” is a series of free Friday night concerts to be held at Newark Penn Station, Secaucus Junction and Hoboken Terminal between the months of July and September.

The concerts are intended to enhance NJ Transit’s ridership experience while showcasing local talent.

“(Music in Motion) allows community-based and local musicians to perform live at some of our busiest stations,” Anthony Grieco, NJ Transit’s senior director of customer service, said.

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The decision as to which acts will perform in the program was left up to a panel of judges comprised of NJ Transit employees with musical backgrounds and affiliates of NJ Pac, the Count Basie Theater, the Union City Performing Arts Center and the Monmouth County Arts Council.

The same group of judges screened online submissions prior to Tuesday’s audition and invited 19 bands and individuals to Secaucus Junction to audition in person.

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For Bergen County teen Tim Gysin, the opportunity to perform in front of a large number of people is what drew him to the audition.

“I just get more excited when I see a lot of people,” Gysin said.  “The more people there are, the more excited I get.”

While the concerts are only scheduled through September as of now, they may be extended through the Super Bowl, which will be held at East Rutherford’s MetLife Stadium on February 2.

“We’ll see how things develop and tweak them if we need to,” NJ Transit’s Public Information Officer William Smith said of the pilot program.


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