Xian Zhang conductor Yefim Bronfman piano Nimbus Dance Company
New Jersey Symphony
Jessie MontgomeryBanner
The season opens with Jessie Montgomery’s tribute to the “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Her piece Banner draws on musical and historical sources to create a rhapsody that blends cultures through music.
The orchestral suite of Copland’s iconic ballet is quintessential Americana with both celebratory exuberance and somber undertones. The music depicts a newlywed couple’s mixed emotions around unity in rural Pennsylvania in the 20th century. Dancers from Nimbus Dance Company add dynamic original choreography to our Newark and Morristown performances. Due to space limitations, Nimbus Dance does not appear at the performance in Red Bank.
Sergei Rachmaninoff performed this thrilling concerto for the first time in 1909 in New York. Superstar pianist Yefim Bronfman will thrill audiences with his interpretation of one of the most challenging and virtuosic concertos in the repertoire.
Award-winning composer Dorothy Chang wrote her inspirational and bright Northern Star as part of a larger collection of commissions from several Canadian composers in 2017. New Jersey Symphony Music Director Xian Zhang performed it for the first time in Vancouver in 2018.
Michelle Cann makes a triumphant return to the Symphony stage for the first time since 2014 with Strauss’ light, virtuosic and witty Burleske for Piano and Orchestra.
Brahms’ final symphony balances autumnal hues with virtuosic power. Scaling the heights of this monumental work is an orchestral and emotional feat of Mount Everest proportions—and one musicians relish playing.
The Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival will share dynamic contemporary poets offering dramatic readings between the orchestral works during the performances at NJPAC in Newark.
The original summer movie blockbuster, with an Academy Award®-winning score by composer John Williams, Jaws is an unforgettable film-with-live-orchestra experience!
In the words of Chief Brody, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat!”
Award-winning composer Dorothy Chang wrote her inspirational and bright Northern Star as part of a larger collection of commissions from several Canadian composers in 2017. New Jersey Symphony Music Director Xian Zhang performed it for the first time in Vancouver in 2018.
Michelle Cann makes a triumphant return to the Symphony stage for the first time since 2014 with Strauss’ light, virtuosic and witty Burleske for Piano and Orchestra.
Brahms’ final symphony balances autumnal hues with virtuosic power. Scaling the heights of this monumental work is an orchestral and emotional feat of Mount Everest proportions—and one musicians relish playing.
The Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival will share dynamic contemporary poets offering dramatic readings between the orchestral works during the performances at NJPAC in Newark.
Celebrating 100 Years - New Jersey Symphony Special Event
SAVE THE DATE! Join the New Jersey Symphony and celebrate our milestone anniversary in style. This pinnacle event marks 100 years of musical excellence, innovation and inclusion—and we are so excited to celebrate it with you. Join Music Director Xian Zhang, your favorite orchestra musicians and legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma for a night to remember.
Award-winning composer Dorothy Chang wrote her inspirational and bright Northern Star as part of a larger collection of commissions from several Canadian composers in 2017. New Jersey Symphony Music Director Xian Zhang performed it for the first time in Vancouver in 2018.
Michelle Cann makes a triumphant return to the Symphony stage for the first time since 2014 with Strauss’ light, virtuosic and witty Burleske for Piano and Orchestra.
Brahms’ final symphony balances autumnal hues with virtuosic power. Scaling the heights of this monumental work is an orchestral and emotional feat of Mount Everest proportions—and one musicians relish playing.
The Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival will share dynamic contemporary poets offering dramatic readings between the orchestral works during the performances at NJPAC in Newark.
Centennial Gala & Concert - New Jersey Symphony Special Concert
Xian Zhang conductor Yo-Yo Ma cello New Jersey Ballet New Jersey Symphony
IT’S HERE! This landmark event marks 100 years of musical excellence, innovation and inclusion—and we are so excited to celebrate it with you. The legendary and groundbreaking cellist Yo-Yo Ma will take center stage at NJPAC in Newark to masterfully perform the king of cello concertos: Dvořák’s passionate concerto. Join Music Director Xian Zhang and your favorite orchestra musicians for a night to remember.
Wynton MarsalisHerald, Holler and Hallelujah (New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)
Symphony No. 38—Mozart’s exploration of what a symphony could be—is brought to life by past Interim Music Director George Manahan, who was with the Symphony from 1983 through 1985. Mozart didn’t write the symphony for Prague specifically, but this grand work of mixed emotions became a gift to the city.
Jessie MontgomeryRounds for Piano and String Orchestra
This new piano concerto from Montgomery premieres in March 2022 in South Carolina, with acclaimed pianist Awadagin Pratt at the keys.
Strauss took incidental music he wrote for a revival of Molière’s comedic play and compiled an orchestral suite, perfect for New Jersey Symphony stages.
The powerful and expressive Egmont Overture distills all of Beethoven’s musical hallmarks—storminess, heroism, triumph—into eight minutes. In 1956, this stirring piece helped inspire a nationwide uprising against the Marxist-Leninist government of the Hungarian People’s Republic.
American classical pianist Richard Goode is recognized worldwide for the special touch and insight he brings to Mozart. Hear his effortless artistry in this most regal of Mozart’s concertos.
Former New Jersey Symphony Music Director Hugh Wolff returns to a work he premiered with the Symphony back in 1992. Kernis wrote this symphony to express his complex views on the just-beginning Persian Gulf War.
La valse is one Ravel’s most intense and colorful works; originally composed as a series of waltzes for the piano, it is now most often heard as an orchestral piece. The work encapsulates in music the horrifying destruction faced by turn-of-the-century Europe on the eve of World War I.
Spotlighting celebrated artists from Newark and beyond, the New Jersey Symphony lauds the power of the first instrument—the human voice—with a gospel music-inspired holiday extravaganza. Come ready to sing, dance and clap along!
The powerful and expressive Egmont Overture distills all of Beethoven’s musical hallmarks—storminess, heroism, triumph—into eight minutes. In 1956, this stirring piece helped inspire a nationwide uprising against the Marxist-Leninist government of the Hungarian People’s Republic.
American classical pianist Richard Goode is recognized worldwide for the special touch and insight he brings to Mozart. Hear his effortless artistry in this most regal of Mozart’s concertos.
Former New Jersey Symphony Music Director Hugh Wolff returns to a work he premiered with the Symphony back in 1992. Kernis wrote this symphony to express his complex views on the just-beginning Persian Gulf War.
La valse is one Ravel’s most intense and colorful works; originally composed as a series of waltzes for the piano, it is now most often heard as an orchestral piece. The work encapsulates in music the horrifying destruction faced by turn-of-the-century Europe on the eve of World War I.
The powerful and expressive Egmont Overture distills all of Beethoven’s musical hallmarks—storminess, heroism, triumph—into eight minutes. In 1956, this stirring piece helped inspire a nationwide uprising against the Marxist-Leninist government of the Hungarian People’s Republic.
American classical pianist Richard Goode is recognized worldwide for the special touch and insight he brings to Mozart. Hear his effortless artistry in this most regal of Mozart’s concertos.
Former New Jersey Symphony Music Director Hugh Wolff returns to a work he premiered with the Symphony back in 1992. Kernis wrote this symphony to express his complex views on the just-beginning Persian Gulf War.
La valse is one Ravel’s most intense and colorful works; originally composed as a series of waltzes for the piano, it is now most often heard as an orchestral piece. The work encapsulates in music the horrifying destruction faced by turn-of-the-century Europe on the eve of World War I.
Grammy Award-winning pianist Daniil Trifonov brings his technique, style, poetry and power to one of the most monumental piano concertos ever written. Brahms’ grand Second Piano Concerto has left audiences in awe ever since its premiere in 1881.
This swashbuckling tone poem would become the first masterpiece of famed composer Richard Strauss, who burst on the scene in 1889 at the age of 25. Full of adventure, longing, love, defiance and humor, it’s a work that will charm and thrill you, just like its namesake hero.
Strauss’ comedic opera was so popular following its 1911 Dresden premiere that “Rosenkavalier” trains were arranged for audiences to make the 90-mile trek from Berlin. Full of sumptuous melodies, beguiling waltzes and heartbreaking nostalgia, it’s no wonder that Strauss reworked some of the highlights into this glittering orchestral suite.
Music Director Xian Zhang ignited the first Lunar New Year Celebration five years ago, and this festive tradition gets more vibrant with each iteration. Join us for this evening of community and cultural exchange that is wonderful for families and children as we celebrate the Year of the Rabbit.
Grammy Award-winning pianist Daniil Trifonov brings his technique, style, poetry and power to one of the most monumental piano concertos ever written. Brahms’ grand Second Piano Concerto has left audiences in awe ever since its premiere in 1881.
This swashbuckling tone poem would become the first masterpiece of famed composer Richard Strauss, who burst on the scene in 1889 at the age of 25. Full of adventure, longing, love, defiance and humor, it’s a work that will charm and thrill you, just like its namesake hero.
Strauss’ comedic opera was so popular following its 1911 Dresden premiere that “Rosenkavalier” trains were arranged for audiences to make the 90-mile trek from Berlin. Full of sumptuous melodies, beguiling waltzes and heartbreaking nostalgia, it’s no wonder that Strauss reworked some of the highlights into this glittering orchestral suite.
Coleridge-Taylor was a great, yet historically overlooked composer. This early work for orchestra showcases aching melodies and rhythmic drive. Don't miss Xian and your New Jersey Symphony bringing this gem of the romantic era to life.
Grammy Award-winning violinist Hilary Hahn, who last graced our stages in 2014, accentuates all the brilliant colors and shades of melancholy in Sibelius’ only violin concerto.
Lively and powerful, the Fifth Symphony was influenced by Prokofiev’s own admiration for the splendor of the human spirt and a hopefulness for a brighter future towards the end of World War II.
Constantine Kitsopoulos conductor New Jersey Symphony
The final battle begins. You can experience Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 2 in a way you’ve never seen it before! The New Jersey Symphony performs Alexandre Desplat’s iconic score as the film is projected onto a high-definition screen that puts you in the middle of the action. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to witness Harry and his friends face off for the last time against their foes.
Coleridge-Taylor was a great, yet historically overlooked composer. This early work for orchestra showcases aching melodies and rhythmic drive. Don't miss Xian and your New Jersey Symphony bringing this gem of the romantic era to life.
Grammy Award-winning violinist Hilary Hahn, who last graced our stages in 2014, accentuates all the brilliant colors and shades of melancholy in Sibelius’ only violin concerto.
Lively and powerful, the Fifth Symphony was influenced by Prokofiev’s own admiration for the splendor of the human spirt and a hopefulness for a brighter future towards the end of World War II.
New Jersey Symphony Special Concert - Symphony Celebration
Damon Gupton conductor New Jersey Symphony
Celebrate the music of iconic composer John Williams as your New Jersey Symphony brings to life some of his most legendary film scores. Relive the magic themes of Harry Potter, Jaws, Star Wars, Jurassic Park and more!
Note: John Williams does not appear on this performance. This concert features selections from John Williams’ scores; no film projection.
Coleridge-Taylor was a great, yet historically overlooked composer. This early work for orchestra showcases aching melodies and rhythmic drive. Don't miss Xian and your New Jersey Symphony bringing this gem of the romantic era to life.
Grammy Award-winning violinist Hilary Hahn, who last graced our stages in 2014, accentuates all the brilliant colors and shades of melancholy in Sibelius’ only violin concerto.
Lively and powerful, the Fifth Symphony was influenced by Prokofiev’s own admiration for the splendor of the human spirt and a hopefulness for a brighter future towards the end of World War II.
Hear New Jersey Symphony Music Director Xian Zhang’s favorite piece of music as she takes the podium to lead musicians, choirs and audiences on a cosmic orchestral journey only Mahler could devise. This epic performance is not one to be missed!
Eh, what’s opera, Doc? The catchy melodies and familiar notes of this overture set the table perfectly for Rossini’s iconic comedic opera.
Darryl Kubian Triple Concerto (World Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)
The New Jersey Symphony’s own Darryl Kubian delivers on a commission that highlights his Symphony colleagues Chris Komer, Garth Greenup and Na-Young Baek on horn, trumpet and cello. Just another glowing example of the star power from within your orchestra.
Written in 1880, the Gran Duo Concertante highlights the bass and violin during one extended and virtuosic movement. Principal Bass Ha Young Jung joins Concertmaster Eric Wyrick for this thrilling showpiece.
The play may have been a failure, but Bizet’s arrangements of selections from L'Arlésienne have endured as two of the most popular concert suites in the classical canon.
With its elements of jazz and infusion of blues, William Grant Still’s most popular symphony remains relevant today. In 1930, it became the first symphony composed by an African American to be performed by a professional orchestra in the United States.
Filled with anguish and melancholy, Tchaikovsky’s symphony explores fate and how it shapes our lives. Former Music Director Neeme Järvi takes our audiences on a journey of power and reflection fueled by strings and brass.
Written during the horrors World War I, Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin is a bright reflection on lives lost during the war, with each movement dedicated to a friend who passed. The composer draws on the woodwind section—particularly the oboe—to tell these stories.
George Walker—a longtime Montclair resident—was among the greatest composers to call the Garden State home, and in 1996, he became the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize in Music. It was this passionate work for soprano and orchestra that garnered him that grand distinction.
This divine choral-orchestral masterpiece focuses Fauré’s view on the acceptance of a peaceful death. Past Music Director Jacques Lacombe, whose tenure was marked by powerful vocal performances, returns to lead this exquisite work.
Xian Zhang conductor Felicia Moore soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano mezzo-soprano Alicia Olatuja mezzo-soprano Sean Panikkar tenor Nathan Berg bass-baritone Steven Mackey electric guitar Princeton University Glee Club | Gabriel Crouch, director New Jersey Symphony
Xian Zhang explores one of Mozart’s most gripping and dramatic symphonies, often recognized by audiences as the opening music for the Academy Award-winning film Amadeus.
Steven MackeyRIOT (World Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)
Fittingly, the New Jersey Symphony has tapped leading New Jersey composer and frequent Symphony collaborator Steven Mackey to celebrate the centennial with a new commission featuring original texts by former US Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith.
Mozart perfectly sets the scene to one of the most popular operas of all time with an overture highlighting all of the drama, deception and damnation that follows.
Gemma New conductor George Li piano New Jersey Symphony
Sarah Gibsonwarp & weft
Sarah Gibson drew inspiration from artist Miriam Schapiro and the art of weaving for her melodic and colorful warp & weft, a true celebration of the creative process and art created by women.
Pianist George Li wowed Symphony audiences with his stunning performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 and returns to do the same with the dazzling keyboard pyrotechnics in Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
Former Assistant Conductor Gemma New returns to New Jersey stages to conduct Berlioz’s extraordinary Symphonie fantastique, a fantastic tale of thwarted love, dreams and witchcraft.
Take a musical journey inspired by Bollywood, the Indian Hindi-language film industry. Hear captivating stories of Bollywood’s meteoric rise to international fame and dance along with special guests to signature music, moves and lyrics of this thrilling genre.
Sarah Gibsonwarp & weft
Sarah Gibson drew inspiration from artist Miriam Schapiro and the art of weaving for her melodic and colorful warp & weft, a true celebration of the creative process and art created by women.
Pianist George Li wowed Symphony audiences with his stunning performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 and returns to do the same with the dazzling keyboard pyrotechnics in Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
Former Assistant Conductor Gemma New returns to New Jersey stages to conduct Berlioz’s extraordinary Symphonie fantastique, a fantastic tale of thwarted love, dreams and witchcraft.
Constantine Kitsopoulos conductor New Jersey Symphony
Coming to New Jersey from a galaxy far, far away—experience Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back like never before as your New Jersey Symphony performs John Williams’ Oscar-winning score live to the entire film. “You must feel the Force around you ...”
Sarah Gibsonwarp & weft
Sarah Gibson drew inspiration from artist Miriam Schapiro and the art of weaving for her melodic and colorful warp & weft, a true celebration of the creative process and art created by women.
Pianist George Li wowed Symphony audiences with his stunning performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 and returns to do the same with the dazzling keyboard pyrotechnics in Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
Former Assistant Conductor Gemma New returns to New Jersey stages to conduct Berlioz’s extraordinary Symphonie fantastique, a fantastic tale of thwarted love, dreams and witchcraft.
Performed in Morristown, Red Bank, Newark and New Brunswick
Xian Zhang conductor Randall Goosby violin New Jersey Symphony
Chen Yi New Work (World Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Commission)
Pathbreaking composer Chen Yi was the first woman to receive a Master of Arts degree in music composition from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. She brings her signature blend of Chinese traditional themes and Western orchestral forms to this new commission.
Violinist Randall Goosby pulls out all the melodic and soulful stops of Tchaikovsky’s only violin concerto, one of the most beloved of the Romantic era.
Xian Zhang conductor Joshua Bell violin New Jersey Symphony
Daniel Bernard Roumain New Work (World Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Commission)
The New Jersey Symphony premieres an all-new commission from Resident Artistic Catalyst Daniel Bernard Roumain. A master storyteller, DBR will continue to wow New Jersey audiences with his genre-bending music.
Passages of blazing fingerwork are balanced with moments of such serenity that time feels as if it may have stopped—perfect for the artistry of superstar Joshua Bell.
The Rite of Spring, Igor Stravinsky’s energetic and dark tale based on pagan rituals in Russia, was a truly groundbreaking masterpiece. While the premiere audiences rioted, it has subsequently become among the important and exhilarating musical works of the 20th century. Many audiences will find familiarity, as Stravinsky’s music became the iconic soundtrack to the dinosaur segment of Disney’s Fantasia.