Broadway World interviews Sarah Chang
Over the next two weeks, violin superstar Sarah Chang performs Bernstein’s West Side Story Suite for audiences in all six NJSO venues across the state in a residency generously sponsored by Bank of America.
Broadway World interviews chang about West Side Story, her relationship with the NJSO, the classical music scene and more:
You have been a frequent guest of the NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY, only last season you performed the Bruch Concerto with them. What's special about this relationship?
I spent a good part of my childhood growing up in NJ, so I love going back as often as I can. I've worked with the NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY musicians for years, some have become true friends over the years, not just musical colleagues, and Maestro Jacques Lacombe is an absolute joy to work with.
How do you choose your repertoire generally?
I only perform works I absolutely love and feel 100% confident with. The audience deserves the best and I feel it's every performer's responsibility to deliver their very best every evening. If you don't love the repertoire, I truly believe it shows, so I am very careful about rep selection. I have played everything from Tchaikovsky to Brahms with the NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY, usually focusing on the big, romantic war horse Concerti, so it's such a pleasure to be playing something totally different and iconic this time around with the West Side Story!
After a long career of playing the biggest and most demanding works ever written for the instrument, this season you are performing the West Side Story suite. What's the attraction of this piece?
West Side Story is one of my top 5 all-time favorite movies, and hands down my favorite movie soundtrack. I love anything and everything Bernstein. I asked a Hollywood film composer friend of mine, David Newman, to create a violin and orchestra suite of West Side Story for me, and I worked with him for over a year, custom making the arrangement. He has done a phenomenal job in staying true to Bernstein's original score, adding virtuosic violin fireworks while maintaining the gorgeous, lyrical melodies.
Read the full feature at broadwayworld.com.