Past Events
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Constantine Kitsopoulos conductor
New Jersey Symphony
The battle for the galaxy intensifies in this thrilling fifth episode of the unfolding Star Wars saga. As Imperial Forces launch an all-out attack on the Rebel Alliance, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) flee to Cloud City, where they are captured by Darth Vader. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) journeys to the mysterious, marshy planet of Dagobah, where the wise Jedi Master Yoda teaches the young hero the ways of the Force.
Hooray for Bollywood!
New Jersey Symphony Family Concert
Vinay Parameswaran conductor
Kulture Kool co-curators
Archana Athalye host
Indrajit Roy-Chowdhury sitar
Charu Suri arranger
Shamir Tandon arranger
Ruchika Grover events manager
New Jersey Symphony
Various (arr. Shameer Tandon/Jash Mistry) Bollywood Romantic Medley
S.D. Burman (arr. Indrajit Roy-Chowdhury) Tere Mere Milan Ki Yeh Raina
Various (arr. Charu Suri) Folk Medley 1
Reena Esmail Ram Tori Maya
Various (arr. Charu Suri) Folk Medley 2
Traditional Monsoon Wedding Theme
Various (arr. Shameer Tandon/Jash Mistry) Bollywood Uptempo Medley
Youth Orchestra
Spring Concert
Youth Orchestra Showcase
José Luis Domínguez artistic director
New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra
Celebrate another successful season with the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra! This annual event features virtuosic performances and a tribute to the Class of 2023.
Beethoven’s Mass in C
New Jersey Symphony at the Cathedral
John J. Miller conductor
Valerie Bernhardt soprano
Kathryn Lang mezzo-soprano
Theodore Chletsos tenor
Jorge Ocasio bass-baritone
The Archdiocesan Festival Choir
The Cathedral Choir
New Jersey Symphony
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, NJ, invites all to experience the music of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Mass in C Major, featuring The Archdiocesan Festival Choir, The Cathedral Choir, vocal soloists and the New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players. John J. Miller conducts.
Symphonie fantastique
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Gemma New conductor
George Li piano
New Jersey Symphony
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Sarah Gibson warp & 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.
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Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
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.
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Berlioz Symphonie fantastique
Former Associate Conductor Gemma New returns to New Jersey stages to conduct Berlioz’s extraordinary Symphonie fantastique, a fantastic tale of thwarted love, dreams and witchcraft.
Mozart & Steven Mackey
Mozart Symphony No. 25 and Overture to Don Giovanni | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Meigui Zhang 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
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Mozart Symphony No. 25
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.
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Steven Mackey RIOT (World Premiere, New Jersey Symphony 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.
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Mozart Overture to Don Giovanni
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.
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Bruckner Te Deum
The glorious Te Deum was a high point for composer Anton Bruckner, who called this joyful choral work “the pride of my life.”
Newark Historical Society: New Jersey Symphony Centennial
New Jersey Symphony Panel Discussion
Helen S. Paxton former New Jersey Symphony employee and author of New Jersey Symphony: A Century of Great Music 1922-2022
Michael Redmond former classical music critic of The Star-Ledger
Gabriel van Aalst President and CEO of New Jersey Symphony
Join New Jersey Symphony President & CEO Gabriel van Aalst, former New Jersey Symphony employee Helen S. Paxton and former The Star-Ledger classical music critic Michael Redmond as they discuss the origins of the New Jersey Symphony and its coveted history.
Fauré’s Requiem
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Eric Jacobsen conductor
Tiffany Townsend soprano
Reginald Smith Jr. baritone
Montclair State University Chorale | Heather J. Buchanan, director
New Jersey Symphony
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Ravel Le Tombeau de Couperin
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.
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Walker Lilacs
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.
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Fauré Requiem
This divine choral-orchestral masterpiece focuses Fauré’s view on the acceptance of a peaceful death. Conductor Eric Jacobsen joins the Symphony to lead this exquisite work.
Neeme Järvi Conducts Tchaikovsky
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Neeme Järvi conductor
New Jersey Symphony
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Arvo Pärt Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten
Arvo Pärt poured his emotions about the passing of composer Benjamin Britten into this evocative 1977 composition for strings and one lone chime.
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Still Symphony No. 1, “Afro-American”
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.
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Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4
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.
New Jersey Symphony Stars
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Eric Wyrick violin
Ha Young Jung bass
Chris Komer horn
Garth Greenup trumpet
Nayoung Baek cello
New Jersey Symphony
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Rossini Overture to The Barber of Seville
Eh, what’s opera, Doc? The catchy melodies and familiar notes of this overture set the table perfectly for Rossini’s iconic comedic opera.
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Darryl Kubian The Well of Urðr – A Tone Poem for Three Soloists and Orchestra (World Premiere, New Jersey Symphony 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.
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Bottesini Gran Duo Concertante
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.
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Bizet Selections from L'Arlésienne Suites Nos. 1 & 2
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.
Mahler’s Symphony No. 3
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Kelley O’Connor mezzo-soprano
Montclair State University Prima Voce | Heather J. Buchanan, director
Starry Arts Group Children’s Chorus | Rebecca Shen, Director
New Jersey Symphony
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Mahler Symphony No. 3
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!
The Best of John Williams
New Jersey Symphony Special Concert - Symphony Celebration
Constantine Kitsopoulos conductor
New Jersey Symphony
John Williams Superman March
Shark Theme from Jaws
Theme from Jurassic Park
“Viktor’s Tale” from The Terminal
“Devil’s Dance” from The Witches of Eastwick
Excerpts from Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Cowboys Overture
“Harry’s Wondrous World” from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Selections from Star Wars
“Across the Stars” from Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
“Anakin’s Theme” from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
“Imperial March” from Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
“March” from 1941
“With Malice Toward None” from Lincoln
“Adventures on Earth” from E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 2 in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
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.
Hilary Hahn Plays Sibelius Violin Concerto
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Adam Glaser conductor
Hilary Hahn violin
New Jersey Symphony
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Coleridge-Taylor Ballade in A Minor
Coleridge-Taylor was a great, yet historically overlooked composer. This early work for orchestra showcases aching melodies and rhythmic drive. Don't miss your New Jersey Symphony bringing this gem of the romantic era to life.
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Sibelius Violin Concerto
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.
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Prokofiev Symphony No. 5
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.
2023 Lunar New Year Celebration
Celebration of the Year of the Rabbit
Xian Zhang conductor
Tong Chen conductor
Nancy Zhou violin
Chelsea Guo piano
Min Kwon piano
Peking University Alumni Chorus
Starry Arts Group Children’s Chorus | Rebecca Shen, Director
Edison Chinese School Lion Dance Team
New Jersey Symphony
Li Huanzhi Spring Festival Overture
Zhao Jiping Violin Concerto No. 1
James Ra Fantasia on Sae Taryeong
Chen Qigang Er Huang
Bizet “Choeur des gamins” from Carmen
Traditional (arr. Liu) Di Li, Di Li
Li Shutong (arr. Hersh) Farewell at Long Pavilion
Sartori (arr. Hersh) Con te partirò
2023 Lunar New Year Celebration Gala
Gala Reception, Dinner and Concert
Welcome the Year of the Rabbit with the New Jersey Symphony in a tradition that invites all audience members to a celebration of community and cultural exchange. Gala guests will enjoy a reception, dinner, concert and dessert party.
Daniil Trifonov Performs Brahms
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Daniil Trifonov piano
New Jersey Symphony
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Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2
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.
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Strauss Don Juan
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.
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Strauss Suite from Der Rosenkavalier
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.
Handel’s Messiah
New Jersey Symphony Holiday Tradition
Xian Zhang conductor
Ellie Dehn soprano
Maya Lahyani mezzo-soprano
Miles Mykkanen tenor
Nicholas Newton bass-baritone
Montclair State University Singers | Heather J. Buchanan, director
New Jersey Symphony
Join us as your Symphony triumphantly brings back this great holiday tradition! Music Director Xian Zhang will conduct Handel’s incomparable classic Messiah. Joining Xian and the musicians will be the talented singers of Montclair State University, who will delight audiences as they sing the glorious “Hallelujah Chorus.”
New Jersey Ballet’s Nutcracker with New Jersey Symphony
51st Anniversary - Presented by New Jersey Ballet
John Yaffé conductor
New Jersey Ballet
New Jersey Symphony
The 51st annual rendition of a seasonal favorite that enchants youngsters and grown-ups alike, including splendid dancing, live orchestra, eye-popping special effects and a touch of holiday magic.
Tchaikovsky The Nutcracker
Based on The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffman
Youth Orchestra
Winter Concert
Youth Orchestra Showcase
José Luis Domínguez artistic director
New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra
Discover the talented musicians of the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra. This annual celebration features classical masterworks and festive surprises.
A Joyful Noise!
New Jersey Symphony Family Concert
Kevin McBeth conductor
Gwen Moten choral director
New Jersey Symphony Gospel Chorus
New Jersey Symphony
Leroy Anderson A Christmas Festival
Robert Ray He Never Failed Me Yet
Tchaikovsky (arr. Ellington & Strayhorn, adapted by Jeff Tyzik) Selections from Nutcracker Suite
Judith McAllister (arr. Carol Cymbala) Hallelujah, You’re Worthy to be Praised
Traditional (arr. Michael Lawrence) O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Adam (arr. J. Daniel Smith) O Holy Night
Traditional (arr. Michael Lawrence) Carol of Christmas
Traditional (arr. Jim Stephenson) Joy to the World
Dr. B. Dexter Allgood Unto Us a Child is Born
Hugh Wolff Conducts Beethoven & Mozart
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Hugh Wolff conductor
Richard Goode piano
New Jersey Symphony
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Beethoven Egmont Overture
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.
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Mozart Piano Concerto No. 25
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.
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Aaron Jay Kernis Symphony No. 2
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.
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Ravel La Valse
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.
Jessie Montgomery & Mozart
New Jersey Symphony Classical
George Manahan conductor
Awadagin Pratt piano
New Jersey Symphony
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Mozart Symphony No. 38, “Prague”
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.
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Jessie Montgomery Rounds 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.
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Strauss Suite from Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme
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.
Yo-Yo Ma with New Jersey Symphony
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 Marsalis Herald, Holler and Hallelujah (New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)
- Dvořák Cello Concerto
- Ginastera Selections from Four Dances from Estancia
Centennial Gala Event
Celebrating 100 Years - New Jersey Symphony Special Event
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 New Jersey Symphony orchestra musicians, legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and the New Jersey Ballet for a night to remember.
Requiem by Maurice Duruflé
New Jersey Symphony at the Cathedral
John J. Miller conductor
Kristin Dabaghian organ
The Cathedral Choir
New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, NJ, invites all to experience the music of Maurice Duruflé's Requiem, as part of a memorial concert in honor of the faithfully departed. The concert features The Cathedral Choir and the New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players. John J. Miller conducts, and the organist is Kristin Dabaghian.
Jaws in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Nicholas Hersh conductor
New Jersey Symphony
When the seaside community of Amity finds itself under attack by a dangerous great white shark, the town’s chief of police, a young marine biologist and a grizzled shark hunter embark on a desperate quest to destroy the beast before it strikes again.
In the words of Chief Brody, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat!”
Xian Zhang Conducts Brahms
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Michelle Cann piano
New Jersey Symphony
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Dorothy Chang Northern Star
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.
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Strauss Burleske for Piano and Orchestra
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.
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Brahms Symphony No. 4
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.
Yefim Bronfman Plays Rachmaninoff
Opening Weekend! New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Yefim Bronfman piano
Nimbus Dance
New Jersey Symphony
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Jessie Montgomery Banner
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.
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Copland Appalachian Spring Suite
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 add dynamic original choreography to our Newark and Morristown performances.
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Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3
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.
Bass & Flute Extravaganza
New Jersey Symphony Chamber Series at The Newark Museum of Art
Ha Young Jung bass & curator
New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players
New Jersey Symphony Principal Bass Ha Young Jung has crafted a chamber music program starring the bass and flute! With a concert featuring classic works from Bach, Rossini and Schulhoff and contemporary sounds from composers Dorothy Rudd Moore, Morton Gould and Valerie Coleman, you are in for an unforgettable treat.
Summer, Time and Jazz
New Jersey Symphony Chamber Series at The Newark Museum of Art
Daniel Bernard Roumain violin, curator & co-host
Paquito D’Rivera clarinet, composer & co-host
Nimbus Dance
New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players
Rhythm and harmony are on the menu for a program filled with jazz and jazz-inspired classical music expertly curated by New Jersey Symphony Resident Artistic Catalyst Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR), featuring a guest performance from clarinetist and co-host Paquito D’Rivera. The concert features the music of D’Rivera, Valerie Coleman and DBR’s own Hip Hop Study & Etude in G Minor.
Moving, Believing and Being Together
New Jersey Symphony Chamber Series at The Newark Museum of Art
Daniel Bernard Roumain violin, curator & co-conductor
John Yaffé co-conductor
New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players
Anne Lieberson Ensemble of the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra
New Jersey Symphony Resident Artistic Catalyst Daniel Bernard Roumain returns to The Newark Museum of Art with the New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players for a program that presents music through the lens of an emotional arc that meets the moment. The concert will also feature the Anne Lieberson Ensemble, a string quartet of principal players from the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra.
DBR has curated works from amazing composers like Florence Price, Mozart and Farrenc and presents his own powerful works such as Hip-Hop Study & Etude in F Major and E-flat Major and his arrangement of Lift Every Voice and Sing. The Chamber Players perform the Ukrainian national anthem in solidarity with the people of Ukraine during the unjust war that continues.
New Scores: The Cone Institute Concert
New Jersey Symphony Special Presentation
David Robertson conductor
Steven Mackey institute director & host
New Jersey Symphony
Dai Wei’s Samsāric Dance traces cycles of birth, death and rebirth. Baldwin Giang’s to remember is always forgetting explores “the rich space between sound and the music of memory.” Jack Frerer reimagines his solo cello work Steep with an infusion of orchestral harmony and rhythm. In What do flowers do at night?, Sophia Jani revels in the sonic combinations and possibilities of orchestral writing. Institute Director Steven Mackey provides the concert finale with his own Eating Greens.
- Dai Wei Samsāric Dance
- Baldwin Giang to remember is always forgetting
- Jack Frerer Steep
- Sophia Jani What do flowers do at night?
- Steven Mackey Eating Greens
Winds in the Garden
New Jersey Symphony Chamber Series at The Newark Museum of Art
Robert Wagner bassoon & curator
New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players
Wind music has entertained audiences for centuries. In Imperial Vienna, guests at most festive outdoor gatherings would be serenaded by groups of wind players, a tradition that gave us magnificent wind chamber music.
This lovely evening with the New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players includes a Mozart masterpiece and music of Hummel and Gounod, alongside wind music of the 20th and 21st centuries chosen especially for the garden courtyard of The Newark Museum of Art.
New Jersey Symphony at Metuchen High School
New Jersey Symphony Free Summer Concert
Enjoy the sounds of your New Jersey Symphony! This free program features a medley of timeless classics from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music and so much more. An inspiring performance by Timothy Shi, winner of the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra’s Henry Lewis Concerto Competition, rounds out this concert of favorites the whole family will love.
Sound, Image & PRIDE
An evening of music, art and LGBTQ+ Pride!
New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players
Join ArtFront Galleries and the New Jersey Symphony for a free evening of music, art and PRIDE! Celebrate the inclusive and collaborative nature of music with a performance by the New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players, and an art exhibit featuring LGBTQ+ artists curated by Artfront Galleries.
Enjoy the video premiere of vogue dancing by members of local ballroom houses to remixes of New Jersey Symphony recordings and empowering stories from Newark LGBTQ+ leaders and influencers.
New Jersey Symphony at Ocean County College in Toms River
New Jersey Symphony Free Summer Concert
Enjoy the sounds of your New Jersey Symphony under the stars! This free program features a medley of timeless classics from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music, Sousa’s ode to his time in New Jersey in “The Atlantic City Pageant March” and so much more. An inspiring performance by Timothy Shi, winner of the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra’s Henry Lewis Concerto Competition, rounds out this concert of favorites the whole family will love.
New Jersey Symphony at Giralda Farms in Madison
New Jersey Symphony Outdoors: 38th Giralda Music & Arts Festival
Enjoy the sounds of your New Jersey Symphony under the stars! The program features a medley of timeless classics from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music, Sousa’s ode to his time in New Jersey in “The Atlantic City Pageant March” and so much more. An inspiring performance by Timothy Shi, winner of the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra’s Henry Lewis Concerto Competition, rounds out this concert of favorites the whole family will love.
New Jersey Symphony at Branch Brook Park in Newark
New Jersey Symphony Free Summer Concert
Enjoy the sounds of your New Jersey Symphony under the stars! This free program features a medley of timeless classics from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music, Sousa’s ode to his time in New Jersey in “The Atlantic City Pageant March” and so much more. An inspiring performance by Timothy Shi, winner of the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra’s Henry Lewis Concerto Competition, rounds out this concert of favorites the whole family will love.
Season Finale:
An American Rhapsody
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Chris Komer horn
Manuel Valera piano
Ismail Lawal drums
Diallo House bass
Aaron Dworkin poetjournalist
Gary Edison voiceover actor
New Jersey Symphony
- Daniel Bernard Roumain We Shall Not Be Moved: Symphonic Scenes and Samples (World Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Commission)
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Various Surreal Sketches for Horn, Jazz Trio and Orchestra (World Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Commission) Movements by Vivian Li, Christian McBride, Paquito D’Rivera, Gary Morgan
Vivian Li “Galatea of the Spheres”
Christian McBride “Fried Bacon”
Paquito D’Rivera “Dalí in the Tropics”
Gary Morgan “The Metamorphosis of Narcissus” - Aaron Dworkin/Coleridge-Taylor The American Rhapsody: Symphonic Variations on an African Air
- Gershwin An American in Paris
Mozart & Mendelssohn
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Brennan Sweet violin
Elzbieta Weyman viola
Kathleen Nester piccolo
New Jersey Symphony
The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
New Jersey Symphony Virtual
Tong Chen conductor
Tiana Camacho narrator
New Jersey Symphony
Tim Martyn audio producer
Jennifer Nulsen recording engineer
Phoenix Audio live audio recording
Jacob Allen lighting designer
Presented by 7 Wonders Cinema
Meet each instrument of the orchestra through Benjamin Britten’s delightful The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra! Explore all the different sounds that an orchestra can make in this special New Jersey Symphony presentation, perfect for young music lovers and their grownups.
The Sound of Stories
A Collaboration with Nimbus Dance - New Jersey Symphony Family Concert
Tong Chen conductor
Jee-Hoon Krska host
Nimbus Dance
New Jersey Symphony
- Bizet Selections from Carmen
- Tchaikovsky Selections from The Nutcracker
- John Williams “Hedwig’s Theme” from Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone
- Mendelssohn Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- Arturo Márquez Danzón No. 2
2022 Spring Into Music Gala & Auction
Moving Forward Together - New Jersey Symphony Special Event
Join the New Jersey Symphony and an array of cultural, social, business and civic leaders for an unforgettable evening of fine dining and entertainment. Begin the evening at a lavish cocktail reception with hors d’oeuvres, an open bar and an exciting silent auction with upscale prizes. During the Gala, guests will enjoy a private musical performance by members of the New Jersey Symphony and our Resident Artistic Catalyst Daniel Bernard Roumain.
A Collaboration of Sound & Soul
New Jersey Symphony Collaboration with Count Basie Center Gospel Choir
Count Basie Center Gospel Choir | Gwen Moten, director
New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players
Héctor Falcón violin
James Tsao violin
Michael Stewart viola
Sarah Seiver cello
Kathleen Nester flute
The Count Basie Center Gospel Choir, under the direction of Gwen Moten, joins forces with the New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players for an afternoon of uplifting music that is sure to soothe your soul. Hosted by the Metuchen Arts Council, this concert spotlights multiple genres and musical styles; featured composers such as George Walker and Dr. B. Dexter Allgood remind us all of the unparalleled power of live music.
Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Constantine Kitsopoulos conductor
New Jersey Symphony
Luke Skywalker begins a journey that will change the galaxy, as he leaves his home planet, battles the evil Empire and learns the ways of the Force. Don’t miss Star Wars: A New Hope in concert, with the New Jersey Symphony performing John Williams’ Oscar-winning score live to the complete film.
Conrad Tao Plays Tchaikovsky
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Jader Bignamini conductor
Conrad Tao piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Conrad Tao Spoonfuls for Piano and Orchestra (East Coast Premiere)
- Shostakovich Symphony No. 9
- Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1
Nat Turner by Michael Raphael
Presented by Trilogy: An Opera Company
Born in Hampton, Virginia, living the life of a slave and functioning as a preacher on the plantation, Nat Turner believed himself to be a prophet. He felt he received a sign from God that it was time to do something about slavery and the abuse that his people, Black people, were receiving in the South. As a result, he organized the revolt and killed all those he felt were responsible for the cruelty, for years, exercised upon the ones he loved. He received a sign from God and acted upon it. This is what he firmly believed.
He was later hanged …
Daniel Bernard Roumain and DBR Lab
With special guests Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Paola Prestini and members of the New Jersey Symphony
Daniel Bernard Roumain and DBR Lab return to National Sawdust to present cross-disciplinary talent by emerging artists from Arizona State University. Original projects explore interactive digital media, music, spoken word and film. This event features special guest performances by Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Paola Prestini and New Jersey Symphony players, plus a special performance by co-facilitators Daniel Bernard Roumain and Jeff McMahon.
Zhang Conducts Mozart’s ‘Jupiter’
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Robert Wagner bassoon
New Jersey Symphony
- Nokuthula Ngwenyama Primal Message
- Mozart Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter”
- Rouse Bassoon Concerto (East Coast Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)
- Rossini Overture to Guillaume Tell
Beethoven’s Piano Concertos Nos. 2, 3 & 4
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Inon Barnatan piano
New Jersey Symphony
Beethoven’s Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 5
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Inon Barnatan piano
New Jersey Symphony
Trifonov Is Back!
2021–22 Season
Xian Zhang conductor
Daniil Trifonov piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Tchaikovsky Capriccio italien
- Mason Bates Piano Concerto
- Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Fantasy-Overture
- Tchaikovsky Suite from Swan Lake
Ravel’s Boléro
2021–22 Season
Xian Zhang conductor
Bart Feller flute
Jonathan Spitz cello
New Jersey Symphony
Tchaikovsky’s ‘Pathétique’
2021–22 Season
José Luis Domínguez conductor
Eric Wyrick violin
Juan Pablo Jofre bandoneon
New Jersey Symphony
A Collaboration of Sound, Image & Soul
New Jersey Symphony Collaboration with Count Basie Center Gospel Choir
Count Basie Center Gospel Choir | Gwen Moten, director
New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players
Héctor Falcón violin
James Tsao violin
Michael Stewart viola
Sarah Seiver cello
Kathleen Nester flute
The Count Basie Center Gospel Choir, under the direction of Gwen Moten, joins forces with the New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players for an evening of uplifting music that is sure to soothe your soul. This concert spotlights multiple genres and musical styles; featured composers such George Walker and Dr. B. Dexter Allgood remind us all of the unparalleled power of live music. Accenting this unique collaboration is an exhibition of works by celebrated Newark artists, curated by Artfront Galleries.
This event has reached capacity and is no longer available for registration.
Karen Gomyo Plays Mozart
2021–22 Season
Fabien Gabel conductor
Karen Gomyo violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Samy Moussa Nocturne
- Mozart Violin Concerto No. 3
- Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3, “Organ”
Casablanca in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Constantine Kitsopoulos conductor
New Jersey Symphony
"Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine." Walk into ours and see Casablanca on the big screen, with live orchestral accompaniment. Cozy up with a loved one as you savor the beautiful visuals, relive the story of Rick and Ilsa's love and experience this classic film.
February 13 performance presented in collaboration with State Theatre New Jersey.
2022 Lunar New Year Virtual Concert
New Jersey Symphony Virtual
Xian Zhang music director
Chelsea Guo piano & soprano
Jisun Kim violin
Min Kwon piano
Peking University Alumni Chorus
Starry Arts Group Children’s Chorus | Rebecca Shen, director
New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players
Ming Yang violin
Héctor Falcón violin
Michael Stewart viola
Philo Lee cello
Alexander Bickard bass
New Jersey Symphony
Celebrate the Year of the Tiger with a special virtual concert pairing new performances of solo and chamber works with highlights of previous New Jersey Symphony Lunar New Year programs. Hear festive favorites and traditional Chinese tunes played by rising star soprano and pianist Chelsea Guo, the New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players and more special guests.
2022 Lunar New Year Celebration and VIP Fundraiser
Galas & Fundraisers
Join the New Jersey Symphony for our fourth annual Lunar New Year Celebration Concert and VIP Dinner—a tradition that invites all audiences to welcome the Year of the Tiger. This year, we’re bringing the festivities both to your home and the stage of NJPAC.
2022 Lunar New Year Celebration
The in-person concert has been canceled.
The in-person concert has been canceled.
Xian Zhang Conducts Marsalis & Dvořák
2021–22 Season
Xian Zhang conductor
Eric Owens narrator
New Jersey Symphony
-
Wynton Marsalis Herald, Holler and Hallelujah (World Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)
Please note: Wynton Marsalis does not appear as part of the concert program.
- Joan Tower Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman No. 1
- Dvořák Serenade for Wind Instruments
- Dvořák Carnival Overture
- Copland Lincoln Portrait
Grieg’s Piano Concerto
2021–22 Season
Andrey Boreyko conductor
Vladimir Feltsman piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Thomas Adès Shanty – Over the Sea (US Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)
- Grieg Piano Concerto
- Stravinsky Petrushka (1947)
Home for the Holidays
New Jersey Symphony Virtual
Ha Young Jung host
Members of the New Jersey Symphony
Members of the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra
- Pierpont/arr. Valerie Coleman “Jingle Bells”
- Various/arr. Dr. Steven Kruse Hanukkah Medley
- Various/arr. Paul Chauvin Christmas Greetings Medley
- Leontovych/arr. Paul Edwards “Carol of the Bells”
- Vivaldi “Winter” from The Four Seasons
- Hopkins Jr./arr. Daniel Bernard Roumain “We Three Kings”
- Pierpont/arr. Paul Chauvin “J.B.! (Jingle Bells)”
New Jersey Ballet’s Nutcracker
With the New Jersey Symphony
Gary S. Fagin conductor
New Jersey Ballet
New Jersey Symphony
An annual seasonal favorite enchants youngsters and grown-ups alike with splendid dancing, live orchestra, eye-popping special effects and a touch of holiday magic.
Tchaikovsky The Nutcracker
Based on The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E. T. A. Hoffman
The Irish Tenors
with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
Special Presentation
DAVID WROE conductor
RONAN TYNAN, ANTHONY KEARNS, DECLAN KELLY The Irish Tenors
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Get in the spirit of the season when The Irish Tenors are joined by members of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra for a festive night of traditional and secular holiday songs. From “O! Holy Night” to “White Christmas” to “Jingle Bell Rock,” The Irish Tenors keep audiences of all ages enchanted from the first note to the final ovation.
Renée Fleming with the New Jersey Symphony
New Jersey Symphony Virtual
XIAN ZHANG conductor
RENÉE FLEMING soprano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY
TIM MARTYN audio producer
DAVID FROST audio producer
ANDREW BOVE director
TONI DOLCE producer
PURPLE CRITTER MEDIA
- BIZET Adagietto from L’Arlésienne Suite No. 1
- WAGNER Siegfried Idyll
- WAGNER Wesendonck Lieder
Daniil Trifonov Plays Beethoven
2021–22 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
TONG CHEN conductor
DANIIL TRIFONOV piano
- JESSIE MONTGOMERY Starburst (*Tong Chen, conductor)
- SMETANA “The Moldau,” “Šárka” and “Blaník” from Má vlast
- BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 1 in Concert
Special Concert—See it on the big screen as the NJSO plays the score live.
The end begins. Harry, Ron and Hermione go hunting for Horcruxes in part one of the epic finale Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 1 in Concert. Relive every harrowing moment as Harry and his friends rush to face Voldemort for the last time, with the full film accompanied by the NJSO in an experience you’ll never forget.
Joshua Bell & Larisa Martínez
With the New Jersey Symphony | New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Virtual
XIAN ZHANG conductor
JOSHUA BELL violin
LARISA MARTÍNEZ soprano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY
TIM MARTYN audio producer
ANDREW BOVE director
TONI DOLCE producer
PURPLE CRITTER MEDIA
- MENDELSSOHN/arr. Kohn & Stephenson “Ah, ritorna, età dell’oro” from Infelice
- MOZART “Vorrei spiegarvi, oh Dio!,” K. 418
- WIENIAWSKI Violin Concerto No. 2
Beethoven & Saint-Georges
2021–22 Season
NICHOLAS MCGEGAN conductor
AUGUSTIN HADELICH violin
- CHEVALIER DE SAINT-GEORGES Overture to L’amante anonyme
- CHEVALIER DE SAINT-GEORGES Violin Concerto in A Major, Op. 5, No. 2
- BEETHOVEN Romance for Violin and Orchestra No. 2
- BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 2
Opening Weekend:
New Jersey Symphony Returns
2021–22 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
DANIEL BERNARD ROUMAIN violin
- MICHAEL ABELS Emerge (World Premiere, NJSO Co-Commission)
- DANIEL BERNARD ROUMAIN Voodoo Violin Concerto
- BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7
Peter and the Wolf
New Jersey Symphony Virtual
JOSÉ LUIS DOMÍNGUEZ conductor
TIANA CAMACHO narrator
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY
TIM MARTYN audio producer
JACOB ALLEN lighting designer
ELLA BROOKS costume designer
Produced & edited by 7 WONDERS CINEMA
Arts in the Garden: Who We Are with DBR
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra & The Newark Museum of Art Summer Chamber Concert Series
Daniel Bernard Roumain closes out his Arts in the Garden concerts through his continued explorations of dynamic works by composers both of today and of our past. Experience works by Schubert and Webern alongside modern compositions from Julius Eastman, Paola Prestini and Yaz Lancaster. DBR’s Filter for solo violin and drum kit and Hip-Hop Study & Etude in G Minor complete an amazing night of chamber music in the garden.
Part of “NJSO & DBR: Now, New and Next.”
Daniel Bernard Roumain, catalizador artístico residente, lleva al público en un viaje a través del pasado, el presente y el futuro de la música clásica, con las obras de Bach, Brahms y Florence Price en yuxtaposición con emocionantes voces nuevas, entre ellas las de Gabriela Lena Frank, Roumain y Allison Loggins-Hill, nativa de NJ. Colaboraciones especiales con bailarines, actores y artistas invitados forman parte de estas experiencias de inmersión. Únete a nosotros mientras nos juntamos como comunidad e imagina un futuro más brillante, más inclusivo e innovador.
CANCELED Arts in the Garden: NJSO Storytime Family Concert
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra & The Newark Museum of Art Summer Chamber Concert Series
Bring your family as New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players tells the story of Hans Christian Andersen’s famous fairy tale The Ugly Duckling through the sound of music. This is a heartwarming story of a young “duckling” who looks different from the other ducks and never seems to fit in. After a year of wandering through a hostile world (a journey which he survives thanks to his inner strength and resourcefulness), he finally turns into a glorious swan, admired by all.
Traigan a sus familias y escuchen a los Músicos de Cámara de New Jersey Symphony Orchestra contar historias a través de los sonidos de la música.
Arts in the Garden: Peter and the Wolf Family Concert
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra & The Newark Museum of Art Summer Chamber Concert Series
Experience Prokofiev’s classic tale about an adventurous boy and a hapless wolf. Instruments portray the duck, bird, cat, wolf, hunters, Peter and his Grandfather, making this a wonderful introduction to the orchestra, as well as a charming story.
Experimenta el cuento clásico de Prokofiev acerca de un chico aventurero y un lobo desventurado. Instrumentos interpretan al pato, pájaro, gato, lobo, los cazadores, Pedro y su abuelo, lo que sirve como una maravillosa presentación de la orquesta, tanto como de este cuento cautivador.
Scores: The Cone Institute Concert
2020–21 Season
Ludovic Morlot conducts the NJSO premieres of dynamic works by the composers of the NJSO Edward T. Cone Composition Institute, a multi-faceted program that promotes new music and emerging composers. The Institute composers will briefly share the inspiration behind their pieces in an evening at NJPAC that will show the vibrant future of orchestral music.
Arts in the Garden: Beethoven & Wind Serenades
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra & The Newark Museum of Art Summer Chamber Concert Series
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players perform one of Beethoven’s most successful and popular works, his Septet. Selections of wind serenades round out a delightful evening in the garden.
Arts in the Garden: Mendelssohn & Coleridge-Taylor
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra & The Newark Museum of Art Summer Chamber Concert Series
Take in the sounds of chamber works by Mendelssohn and Coleridge-Taylor, curated by NJSO Concertmaster Eric Wyrick and performed by New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players.
Disfruta de los sonidos de las obras de cámara de Mendelssohn y Coleridge-Taylor, seleccionadas por el concertino de NJSO, Eric Wyrick, e interpretadas por los Músicos de Cámara de New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.
EMERGE Part 3:
An New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Concert Film
XIAN ZHANG conductor
DANIIL TRIFONOV piano
ANDERSON ROMERO trumpet
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
YURI ALVES director
IGOR ALVES producer
DREAMPLAY FILMS
TIM MARTYN audio producer
This concert was recorded live and filmed on RED cinema cameras at NJPAC. This film features the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Daniil Trifonov on stage and riveting images inspired by and filmed in New Jersey. This final installment of the EMERGE film trilogy broadens the visual canvas beyond Newark and urban landscapes, going as far as Cape May, with a focus on nature and wildlife. Presented in 4K Ultra HD.
SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Concerto No. 1
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 4
Broadway, Walker & Dvořák
In person and livestreamed! With the NJSO Chamber Players in collaboration with MPAC.
The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players return to MPAC to ring in the summer! Hear favorites from Broadway, trailblazing Black composer George Walker’s moving Lyric for Strings and Dvořák’s beloved “American” String Quartet, plus insights and stories from the NJSO musicians.
Arts in the Garden: All Around the World Family Concert
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra & The Newark Museum of Art Summer Chamber Concert Series
Take a musical trip across the globe in this family-friendly concert with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players. Bring your families for this joyous music from across the world!
Haz un viaje musical por todo el mundo en este concierto apto para familias, con los Músicos de Cámara de New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. ¡Traigan a sus familias para escuchar esta música jubilosa de todos los rincones del mundo!
Arts in the Garden: Price & Mendelssohn
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra & The Newark Museum of Art Summer Chamber Concert Series
NJSO Concertmaster Eric Wyrick leads the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players in Florence Price’s Five Folksongs in Counterpoint, an exploration of African American spirituals from a pathbreaking Black composer. Mendelssohn’s Octet, one of the composer’s finest earlier works, rounds out the program.
Eric Wyrick, concertino de NJSO, dirige a los Músicos de Cámara de New Jersey Symphony Orchestra en la actuación de Florence Price, Cinco canciones tradicionales en contrapunto, una exploración de espirituales afroamericanos, de un pionero compositor afroamericano. El Octeto de Mendelssohn, una de las obras tempranas culminantes del compositor, completa el programa.
Arts in the Garden: Hearing and Healing with DBR
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra & The Newark Museum of Art Summer Chamber Concert Series
Daniel Bernard Roumain brings together musical stylings from all eras. This beautiful program features the first movement of Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet, solo Bach, Ives’ The Unanswered Question and more. DBR’s own i am a white person who _____ Black people, first premiered during the NJSO’s Virtual 20–21 season, completes a perfect evening of music in the garden.
Part of “NJSO & DBR: Now, New and Next.”
Daniel Bernard Roumain, catalizador artístico residente, lleva al público en un viaje a través del pasado, el presente y el futuro de la música clásica, con las obras de Bach, Brahms y Florence Price en yuxtaposición con emocionantes voces nuevas, entre ellas las de Gabriela Lena Frank, Roumain y Allison Loggins-Hill, nativa de NJ. Colaboraciones especiales con bailarines, actores y artistas invitados forman parte de estas experiencias de inmersión. Únete a nosotros mientras nos juntamos como comunidad e imagina un futuro más brillante, más inclusivo e innovador.
NJSO Pride
Celebration
June 13–18
Fabulous Hudson County-based drag queen Harmonica Sunbeam hosts the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra’s weeklong virtual celebration of Pride Month. Experience works by LGBTQ+ composers from Jennifer Higdon to Tchaikovsky, an interview with Laura Kaminsky about her chamber opera As One, a performance of Rent’s “I’ll Cover You” in collaboration with Paper Mill Playhouse, a free Zoom event presented in partnership with SAGE, and more surprises.
Arts in the Garden: Togetherness with DBR
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra & The Newark Museum of Art Summer Chamber Concert Series
Join NJSO Resident Artistic Catalyst Daniel Bernard Roumain as he kicks off his tenure with a program spanning musical styles and genres. Featuring a world premiere from NJ’s Allison Loggins-Hull, selections from Mozart’s Flute Quartet, solo Bach, and DBR’s own “Klap Ur Handz,” this concert is the beginning of an NJSO journey that you won’t want to miss.
Dancers Mika Greene and Donterreo Culp of Nimbus Dance give the world premiere of Pareja D’Rivera, choreographed by Nimbus Artistic Director Samuel Pott and set to Grammy-winning Latin jazz and classical composer Paquito D’Rivera’s Lecuonerías for Solo Flute, performed by NJSO Principal Flute Bart Feller.
Part of “NJSO & DBR: Now, New and Next.”
Daniel Bernard Roumain, catalizador artístico residente, lleva al público en un viaje a través del pasado, el presente y el futuro de la música clásica, con las obras de Bach, Brahms y Florence Price en yuxtaposición con emocionantes voces nuevas, entre ellas las de Gabriela Lena Frank, Roumain y Allison Loggins-Hill, nativa de NJ. Colaboraciones especiales con bailarines, actores y artistas invitados forman parte de estas experiencias de inmersión. Únete a nosotros mientras nos juntamos como comunidad e imagina un futuro más brillante, más inclusivo e innovador.
Sweet Dreams
from the NJSO
Weekly Series for Kids!
Relax and drift off to sleep with this New Jersey Symphony Orchestra weekly audio series designed just for preschoolers and their grownups. Simmer down and settle in as Miss Claudia from Touch the Music shares a soothing word or two. Then, let beautiful music performed by NJSO musicians send you off to dreamland.
EMERGE Part 2:
An New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Concert Film
XIAN ZHANG conductor
INON BARNATAN piano
CORI BARNES dancer
M.A. TAYLOR dancer
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
YURI ALVES director
IGOR ALVES producer
DREAMPLAY FILMS
TIM MARTYN audio producer
This concert was recorded live and filmed on RED cinema cameras at NJPAC in Newark. The film features the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Inon Barnatan on stage, dance performances by Cori Barnes and M.A. Taylor and behind-the-scenes images of New Jersey Symphony Orchestra musicians. Presented in black-and-white 4K Ultra HD.
PRICE Piano Concerto in One Movement
MOZART Symphony No. 39
Spring into Music Virtual Gala & Online Auction
Celebrating 30 Years of the NJSO Youth Orchestras
Ring in spring as the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra presents our premier annual gala, Spring into Music. This year’s virtual benefit celebrates the 30th anniversary of the NJSO Youth Orchestras—a musical training program coached by NJSO musicians that gives qualified students, especially Black and Latinx youth in the Greater Newark area, unparalleled opportunities to achieve personal and musical excellence.
Enjoy a digital New Jersey Symphony Orchestra performance of Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 1 in G Major featuring Hannah Lee, an exceptional young talent from the NJSO Youth Orchestras, the world premiere of The Enchanted Forest—an amazing work composed by students of the NJSO Youth Orchestras—plus chamber music, special guest appearances and much more!
Celebrating Florence Price
With the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players, in collaboration with ONEcomposer.
The NJSO Chamber Players perform pathbreaking Black composer Florence Price’s revelatory Five Folksongs in Counterpoint and String Quartet in G Major in this special performance, part of ONEcomposer’s yearlong celebration of Price. Don’t miss a free premiere event on Zoom!
EMERGE Part 1:
An New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Concert Film
XIAN ZHANG conductor
SIMONE DINNERSTEIN piano
FABIANO CARVALHO LOPES dancer
TENILE MARIE JIMENEZ dancer
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
YURI ALVES director
IGOR ALVES producer
DREAMPLAY FILMS
TIM MARTYN audio producer
This concert was recorded live and filmed on RED cinema cameras at NJPAC in Newark. The film features the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Simone Dinnerstein on stage and captivating images of and inspired by the people of Newark. Presented in 4K anamorphic widescreen.
NOKUTHULA NGWENYAMA Primal Message (East Coast Premiere)
BACH Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056
SCHUMANN Symphony No. 4
From Van Vleck House & Gardens in Montclair
NJSO Everywhere
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
ERIC WYRICK violin
DAVID BLINN viola
NA-YOUNG BAEK cello
ALEXANDER BICKARD bass
ANDREW LAMY clarinet
ROBERT WAGNER bassoon
LAWRENCE DIBELLO horn
The grounds of Van Vleck House & Gardens in Montclair provide a gorgeous backdrop for the first movement of Beethoven’s Septet.
- BEETHOVEN Adagio – Allegro con brio from Septet in E-flat Major
Community Day: Cherry Blossom Festival
Presented by The Newark Museum of Art
A Celebration of Spring with New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players
Enjoy this special spring-inspired recording of “Sakura, Sakura” (“Cherry blossom, Cherry blossom”) by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players.
Featuring:
MAYA SHIRAISHI violin
JAMES TSAO violin
DAVID BLINN viola
SARAH SEIVER cello
LEWIS PAER bass
Presented in partnership with The Newark Museum of Art as part of the Community Day: Cherry Blossom Festival.
‘Being Alive’ from Company
In collaboration with Paper Mill Playhouse
TALLY SESSIONS vocalist
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA STRINGS
Tally Sessions performs “Being Alive,” the finale of Stephen Sondheim’s Company, with NJSO strings in the finale of the NJSO and Paper Mill Playhouse’s four-part series highlighting great songs from the theater.
- STEPHEN SONDHEIM “Being Alive” from Company
From Pier C Park in Hoboken
NJSO Everywhere
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
BRYAN HERNANDEZ-LUCH violin
MING YANG violin
BRETT DEUBNER viola
LAURA ANDRADE cello
Trailblazing composer George Walker (the first Black composer to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music) lived in Montclair, NJ, for most of his life. We go to the waterfront of Hoboken’s Pier C Park for the movement from his String Quartet No. 1 had later life as his most performed work, Lyric for Strings.
- WALKER Lyric for Strings
Best of Bollywood
Neighborhood Concert
Free!
NJSO CHAMBER PLAYERS
WENDY CHEN violin
JAMES TSAO violin
DAVID BLINN viola
SARAH SEIVER cello
JAMES MUSTO percussion & co-host
ARCHANA ATHALYE co-host
Join the NJSO Chamber Players for a virtual musical journey inspired by Bollywood, the Indian Hindi-language film industry. Explore historical influences on the growth of Bollywood and hear insights into signature music and lyrics of the genre. Listen for themes from the Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire!
This interactive virtual event—co-hosted by Archana Athalye and James Musto—will include a Q&A with NJSO musicians. The event is free; Zoom registration is required.
TRANSCEND: A New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Concert Film
Produced by DreamPlay Films
Arising from a pandemic shutdown, world-renowned conductor and star music director Xian Zhang leads the illustrious New Jersey Symphony Orchestra in a concert film directed by award-winning filmmaker Yuri Alves, who expands the magnetic soundscape with evocative visual meditations on a world in turmoil.
POSTPONED Star Wars: The Last Jedi in Concert
In Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the Skywalker saga continues as the heroes of The Force Awakens join galactic legends in an epic adventure that unlocks age-old mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past. Experience this thrilling film like never before as the NJSO performs Oscar®-winning composer John Williams’ exhilarating score live.
POSTPONED Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Concert
Special Concert—See it on the big screen as the NJSO plays the score live.
Thirty years after the defeat of the Empire, Luke Skywalker has vanished, and a new threat has risen: The First Order, led by the mysterious Supreme Leader Snoke and his enforcer, Kylo Ren. General Leia Organa’s military force, the Resistance—and unlikely heroes brought together by fate—are the galaxy’s only hope. Experience the complete film with the NJSO performing John Williams’ thrilling score live.
From the Jersey Shore in Seaside Heights
NJSO Everywhere
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
ANDREA MENOUSEK horn
LAWRENCE DIBELLO horn
MICHAEL BAKER trumpet
VERNON POST trombone
A brass ensemble heads down the shore for the second episode of NJSO Everywhere. Rousing works by Sousa and Poulenc fill the air in Seaside Heights.
Featuring NJSO hornists Andrea Menousek and Lawrence DiBello, NJSO trombonist Vernon Post and trumpeter Michael Baker. Additional audio support from Michael Boschen, trombone.
- POULENC Allegro moderato from Sonata for Horn, Trumpet and Trombone
- SOUSA arr. Holcombe Washington Post March
‘Tonight’ from West Side Story
In collaboration with Paper Mill Playhouse
BELINDA ALLYN vocalist
MATT DOYLE vocalist
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CHAMBER PLAYERS
West Side Story’s “Tonight” is one of the theater’s most iconic love songs. Broadway veterans Belinda Allyn and Matt Doyle perform Maria and Tony’s duet with an NJSO string quartet in this collaboration between the NJSO and Paper Mill Playhouse.
- BERNSTEIN & STEPHEN SONDHEIM “Tonight” from West Side Story
Elgar: Salut d’Amour
NJSO at Home
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
Our Valentine’s gift to you—swoon to Elgar’s Salut d’Amour as the NJSO shares a special virtual performance of this beloved and classic love song.
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
- ELGAR Salut d’Amour
‘Out There’ from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
In collaboration with Paper Mill Playhouse
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
JACOB KEITH WATSON vocalist
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CHAMBER PLAYERS
DAVID SOUTHORN violin
FATIMA AAZIZA violin
BRETT DEUBNER viola
TED ACKERMAN cello
Broadway actor Jacob Keith Watson sings “Out There” from Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame, accompanied by an NJSO string quartet, in this NJSO/Paper Mill Playhouse collaboration.
- ALAN MENKEN & STEPHEN SCHWARTZ “Out There” from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
2021 Lunar New Year Celebration
Virtual Concert & Festival—Celebrate the year of the Ox with the NJSO!
A weeklong virtual festival leads up to the Lunar New Year Celebration Concert. The festival highlights community performers and cultural groups, traditional performances, cooking demonstrations and more.
Lunar New Year Celebration Concert
An NJSO tradition continues with the third annual Lunar New Year Celebration Concert! The Peking University Alumni Chorus and Starry Arts Group Children’s Chorus return for this joyous virtual concert.
Sat, Feb 6 at 7:30 pm
Xian Zhang, conductor & piano
Xuefei Yang, guitar
George Li, piano
Jonathan Spitz, cello
Na-Young Baek, cello
Bart Feller, flute
Peking University Alumni Chorus
Starry Arts Group Children’s Chorus | Rebecca Shen, director
LI HUANZHI Spring Festival Overture
TCHAIKOVSKY Andante cantabile for Cello and Orchestra
LUIZ BONFA Manhã de Carnaval
SCHUBERT/arr. Liszt Der Erlkönig
TRADITIONAL “Purple Bamboo Tune”
TRADITIONAL Fisherman’s Song at Eventide
CHU WANG-HUA “Happy Days”
DON BESIG “Flying Free”
PIAZZOLLA Libertango
GU JIANFEN “Spring Dawn”
GU JIANFEN “Singing and Smiling”
TRADITIONAL “Farewell”
TRADITIONAL “Gong Xi Gong Xi”
Programs and artists are subject to change.
Enter the (virtual) photo booth!Show your family and friends that you’re celebrating Lunar New Year with the NJSO community! Take your NJSO photo booth selfie and mention njsymphony.org/LNY and #NJSOLunarNewYear when you share it on social media! |
Lunar New Year Celebration Festival
Scan the QR code with your mobile device to open the Lunar New Year Celebration YouTube Playlist and watch all of the current videos, or view each festival video below.
Festival Day 5: Fri, Feb 5
TRADITIONAL Gao Shan Liu Shui (High Mountains and Running Brook) | Watch on YouTube
Yang Yi, guzheng
TRADITONAL/arr. Zouye Spring Celebration | Watch on YouTube
NJSO Chamber Players
Wendy Chen, violin
Alexandra Neglia, violin
David Blinn, viola
Laura Andrade, cello
Festival Day 4: Thu, Feb 4
TRADITIONAL Blossoms on a Moonlit River in Spring | Watch on YouTube
Xuefei Yang, guitar
Chinese Cooking Demonstration | Watch on YouTube
Xin Zhao, violin
Festival Day 3: Wed, Feb 3
CHOPIN Ballade No. 4 in F Minor | Watch on YouTube
Harmony Zhu, piano
TRADITIONAL Yang Guan San Die | Watch on YouTube
Yuxiao Chen, xun
Festival Day 2: Tue, Feb 2
Korean Cooking Demonstration | Watch on YouTube
Ha-Young Jung, NJSO Principal Bass
TRADITIONAL/arr. Zouye A Wonderful Night | Watch on YouTube
Xin Zhao, violin & commentary
James Tsao, violin
Frank Foerster, viola
Philo Lee, cello
Festival Day 1: Mon, Feb 1
LI KAICHOU “Your Smile is So Beautiful” | Watch on YouTube
Starry Arts Group Children’s Chorus | Rebecca Shen, director
TRADITIONAL Fisherman’s Song at Eventide | Watch on YouTube
Ming Yang, violin
Jade Lucia Nieczkowski, piano
Become a VIP Supporter for Special AccessPre-Concert Virtual VIP Event Join us! Event sponsors and VIP Supporters of $100 or more will be invited to an exclusive event with Xian Zhang and special guests, and will receive recognition in the videos and event materials. Net proceeds from our Lunar New Year Celebration will support the artistic vision of Music Director Xian Zhang. Questions on sponsorships or VIP support? Contact Renee Pachucki at rpachucki@njsymphony.org or 862.800.5848. |
The Lunar New Year Celebration is generously sponsored in part by an anonymous donor in honor of Music Director Xian Zhang. Major support for the festival is also provided by A. Michael and Ruth C. Lipper, Prudential Financial, Norm Slonaker & Linda Dujack, Margaret Lam & David Yen and BROAD U.S.A.
Still & Dvořák: An NJSO Concert Film
Produced by DreamPlay Films
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
XIAN ZHANG conductor & piano
ERIC WYRICK violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
YURI ALVES director
IGOR ALVES producer
DREAMPLAY FILMS
TIM MARTYN audio producer
Our second virtual concert will include one of Dvořák’s most popular works, Serenade for Strings. Coleridge-Taylor’s arrangement of the spiritual Deep River features Music Director Xian Zhang performing on the piano for the very first time with the NJSO in concert, joined by Concertmaster Eric Wyrick on violin. Captivating performances of Still’s Mother and Child and Puccini’s I Crisantemi also grace this program.
This NJSO Concert Film is conducted by Music Director Xian Zhang, directed by Yuri Alves and produced by DreamPlay Films.
- STILL Mother and Child
- PUCCINI I Crisantemi
- COLERIDGE-TAYLOR Deep River
- DVOŘÁK Serenade for Strings
‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’
In collaboration with Paper Mill Playhouse
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
REMA WEBB vocalist
BRYAN HERNANDEZ-LUCH violin
HÉCTOR FALCÓN violin
DAVID BLINN viola
SARAH SEIVER cello
HA YOUNG JUNG bass
NJSO musicians and Broadway veteran Rema Webb give a virtual performance of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from Carousel in the first of a four-part collaborative series with the Paper Mill Playhouse.
A Classical New Year’s: Overture to Die Fledermaus
NJSO at Home
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
Ring in the new year in Viennese style with the NJSO Chamber Players! Enjoy the Overture to Die Fledermaus in this special arrangement for string quartet.
Brennan Sweet, violin
Wendy Chen, violin
Brett Deubner, viola
Na-Young Baek, cello
- STRAUSS arr. Zullino Overture to Die Fledermaus
NJSO at Home for the Holidays
Holiday videos premiere daily!
NJSO musicians share festive favorites and holiday traditions, from our homes to yours. Enjoy daily musician videos featuring performances, family recipes, holiday memories and more, starting December 9. And tune in for a pair of can’t-miss features: a fun holiday special hosted by Mark Timmerman (Dec 17) and performances of “And the Glory of the Lord” and “Hallelujah” Chorus from Handel’s Messiah, featuring our friends in the Montclair State University Singers (Dec 18).
Starting Dec 9:
Holiday videos premiere daily at 5 pm.
Dec 17 at 7:30 pm:
Holiday Special
Enjoy an evening of holiday music and fun, featuring solo and chamber performances by NJSO musicians, plus fun surprises, hosted by Mark Timmerman.
MARK TIMMERMAN host
Dec 18 at 7:30 pm:
The New Jersey Symphony Chamber Orchestra and Montclair State University Singers present “And the Glory of the Lord” and “Hallelujah” Chorus from Handel’s Messiah.
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY SINGERS
Heather J. Buchanan, director
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
CANCELED Beethoven’s Violin Concerto
Featuring the return of violinist Augustin Hadelich.
XIAN ZHANG conductor
AUGUSTIN HADELICH violin
TGI Bach | Largo from Violin Sonata No. 3
NJSO at Home
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
DAVID SOUTHORN violin
Soar over the skies of Pyeongchang, South Korea, as Assistant Concertmaster David Southorn performs the Largo from Bach’s Violin Sonata No. 3 in C Major.
- BACH Largo from Violin Sonata No. 3 in C Major
From One Theater Square in Newark
NJSO Everywhere
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and
DreamPlay Films present
NJSO Everywhere: From One Theater Square in Newark
Featuring NJSO Assistant Concertmaster DAVID SOUTHORN
Music by JESSIE MONTGOMERY
Directed by Yuri Alves
Filmed on location in Newark, NJ.
DAVID SOUTHORN violin
NJSO Assistant Concertmaster David Southorn kicks off NJSO Everywhere, a series of short videos pairing great music with iconic New Jersey locations. Our series opens on the roof of One Theater Square in Newark with Rhapsody No. 1 for Solo Violin, a bold new work from Princeton-based composer Jessie Montgomery.
- JESSIE MONTGOMERY Rhapsody No. 1 for Solo Violin
CANCELED Jurassic Park in Concert
Special Concert—See it on the big screen as the NJSO plays the score live.
Featuring visually stunning imagery and groundbreaking special effects, the action-packed adventure of Jurassic Park pits man against prehistoric predators in the ultimate battle for survival. Experience this epic film in HD with the NJSO performing John Williams’ iconic score live to picture. Welcome … to Jurassic Park!
TGI Bach | Cello Suite Favorites
NJSO at Home
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
FRANCES ROWELL cello
In the finale of a six-week TGI Bach series exploring NJSO cellists’ favorite Bach movements, Frances Rowell performs the Gigue from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major.
- BACH Gigue from Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major
TGI Bach | Cello Suite Favorites
NJSO at Home
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
JONATHAN SPITZ cello
Principal Cello Jonathan Spitz performs the Sarabande from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 4 in E-flat Major in this edition of TGI Bach.
- BACH Sarabande from Cello Suite No. 4 in E-flat Major
Daniel Bernard Roumain & Mozart: An NJSO Concert Film
Produced by DreamPlay Films
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
XIAN ZHANG conductor
RUBÉN RENGEL violin
JANNINA NORPOTH violin
DANA KELLEY viola
THOMAS MESA cello
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
YURI ALVES director
IGOR ALVES producer
DREAMPLAY FILMS
TIM MARTYN audio producer
Join us for the world premiere of Daniel Bernard Roumain’s i am a white person who ____ Black people, a new NJSO commission. Soloists from the Sphinx Organization take center stage for Michael Abels’ Delights & Dances. Abels has risen to national attention with his stirring scores for Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning film Get Out and Us. This program includes audience favorites Adagietto from Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 and Mozart’s Divertimento in D Major, K. 136.
- DANIEL BERNARD ROUMAIN i am a white person who _____ Black people (World Premiere, NJSO Commission)
- MAHLER Adagietto from Symphony No. 5
- MOZART Divertimento in D Major K. 136
- MICHAEL ABELS Delights & Dances
Donor-Exclusive Premiere Event
NJSO Virtual 20–21
This virtual event is open to donors of $100 or more.
XIAN ZHANG music director
MICHAEL ABELS composer
DANIEL BERNARD ROUMAIN composer
PATRICK CHAMBERLAIN host
Join Music Director Xian Zhang, composers Michael Abels and Daniel Bernard Roumain and Director of Artistic Planning Patrick Chamberlain for a pre-concert Listen & Learn about the relevance of the music on the NJSO’s first virtual concert program. After the chat, hear the world premiere of Daniel Bernard Roumain’s i am a white person who ____ Black people, a new NJSO commission. Watch soloists from the Sphinx Organization take center stage for Delights & Dances by Abels, who has risen to national attention with his stirring scores for Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning film Get Out and Us. This program includes audience favorites Adagietto from Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 and Mozart’s Divertimento in D Major, K. 136.
CANCELED Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas 5–7
Part 2 of Beethoven’s Complete Violin Sonatas with Concertmaster Eric Wyrick.
ERIC WYRICK violin
ALAN FEINBERG piano
- BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 5, “Spring”
- BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 6
- BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 7
DBR’s Lecolion Loops
NJSO at Home
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
PASCAL ARCHER clarinet
ROBERT WAGNER bassoon & host
DANIEL BERNARD ROUMAIN composer
Black Lives Matter. Amid the social justice movement of 2020, Principal Bassoon Robert Wagner interviews composer Daniel Bernard Roumain and performs the second movement of DBR’s Lecolion Loops with Acting Principal Clarinet Pascal Archer.
- DANIEL BERNARD ROUMAIN Lecolion Loops, Movement II
CANCELED Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
2020–21 Season Family Concert
TGI Bach | Cello Suite Favorites
NJSO at Home
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
PHILO LEE cello
TGI Bach continues with the Prelude from Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor featuring NJSO cellist Philo Lee.
- BACH Prelude from Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor
Couch Concert | I Live My Life in Growing Orbits
NJSO at Home
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
TRENT JOHNSON piano, Lamy bird whistle
KATHLEEN NESTER flute, alto flute, bass flute, piccolo, Lamy bird whistle
ANDREW LAMY clarinet, bass clarinet, Lamy bird whistles
SHABNAM ABEDI vocalist
- TRENT JOHNSON I Live My Life in Growing Orbits
Selections from Emmett Till
In collaboration with Trilogy: An Opera Company | NJSO Virtual 20–21
Free premiere event!
Panel
KEVIN MAYNOR host
REV. DR. TIMOTHY LEVI ADKINS-JONES Senior Pastor, Bethany Baptist Church
CANDACE WILDY Retired Director of Human Resources, East Orange, Newark and Milburn Public Schools
DELORES TYSON Former President & CEO, Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan New Jersey
KEITH HARVEST Municipal Judge, Township of Irvington; Former Chief Assistant Prosecutor, Essex County
FRANTZ MASSÉ Assistant Deputy Public Defender, State of New Jersey
REV. DOUGLAS WILLIAMS Senior Pastor, Zion Hill Baptist Church
GABRIEL VAN AALST President & CEO, NJSO
Performance
KEVIN MAYNOR archangel
CHANTEL GRANT Mamie Till (mother of Emmett)
DANIEL GUNWA, DAVID GUNWA, KORDELL TATE ROBERTS Emmett
NEWARK BOYS CHORUS | Donald Morris, director
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA STRINGS
The NJSO joins forces with Newark-based opera company Trilogy for a special video presentation of selections from Michael Raphael’s Emmett Till oratorio. Join community leaders and Trilogy Artistic Director Kevin Maynor for an evening of conversation about the impact of Till’s murder and the way that art and music help tell important stories, followed by an exclusive premiere of the project.
After Emmett Till was murdered, his mother, Mamie Till, insisted on an open-casket funeral because she “wanted the world to see what they did to my baby.” This program uses historical images that are graphic in nature and may be upsetting to some audiences. Viewer discretion advised.
- MICHAEL RAPHAEL Selections from Emmett Till
Best of Bollywood
Neighborhood Concert
Free!
Join the NJSO Chamber Players for a virtual musical journey inspired by Bollywood, the Indian Hindi-language film industry. Explore historical influences on the growth of Bollywood and hear insights into signature music and lyrics of the genre. Listen for themes from the Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire!
This interactive virtual event—co-hosted by Archana Athalye and James Musto—will include a Q&A with NJSO musicians.
This event is co-presented with Metuchen Arts Council. Registration is required.
TGI Bach | Cello Suite Favorites
NJSO at Home
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
LAURA ANDRADE cello
NJSO Colton Fellow Laura Andrade performs Bourée I and II from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major as part of our TGI Bach series.
- BACH Bourée I & II from Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major
CANCELED Mozart & Brahms
Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 performed by Mexican-born pianist Jorge Federico Osorio.
JUN MÄRKL conductor
JORGE FEDERICO OSORIO piano
TGI Bach | Cello Suite Favorites
NJSO at Home
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
NA-YOUNG BAEK cello
Assistant Principal Cello Na-Young Baek performs the Prelude from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 5 in C Minor as part of our TGI Bach series.
- BACH Prelude from Cello Suite No. 5 in C Minor
Beethoven 5
NJSO at Home
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
XIAN ZHANG conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Music Director Xian Zhang virtually conducts the NJSO in a full-orchestra video featuring the final movements of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.
- BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5, final movements
Donor-Exclusive Premiere Event
NJSO at Home
This virtual event is open to donors of $500 or more.
XIAN ZHANG music director
DARRYL KUBIAN video editor & violin
GABRIEL VAN AALST host
Join NJSO Music Director Xian Zhang and video editor Darryl Kubian for a conversation about the creation of the NJSO’s innovative Beethoven video project, followed by an exclusive premiere of the performance.
The Spectacular Bollywood
Neighborhood Concert
Free!
Join the NJSO Chamber Players for a virtual musical journey inspired by Bollywood, the Indian Hindi-language film industry. Explore historical influences on the growth of Bollywood and hear insights into signature music and lyrics of the genre. Listen for themes from the Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire!
This interactive virtual event—co-hosted by Archana Athalye and James Musto—will include a Q&A with NJSO musicians.
This free event is co-presented with NJCU-New Jersey City University. Registration is required.
TGI Bach | Cello Suite Favorites
NJSO Virtual 20–21
Free! Watch it on demand after the premiere.
NJSO cellist Ted Ackerman kicks off a six-week TGI Bach series featuring NJSO cellists performing favorite movements from Bach’s famous cello suites with the Prelude from Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major. This series is part of NJSO at Home.
CANCELED Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas 1–4
Part 1 of Beethoven’s Complete Violin Sonatas with Concertmaster Eric Wyrick.
ERIC WYRICK violin
DREW PETERSEN piano
- BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 1
- BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 2
- BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 3
- BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 4
CANCELED Zhang Conducts Mozart’s ‘Jupiter’
Also featuring NJSO principal musicians performing concertos!
XIAN ZHANG conductor
BART FELLER flute
JONATHAN SPITZ cello
CANCELED Opening Weekend: Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony
Jennifer Koh performs a new violin concerto by Newark’s Tyshawn Sorey.
XIAN ZHANG conductor
JENNIFER KOH violin
- BEETHOVEN Wellington’s Victory
- TYSHAWN SOREY Work for Violin and Orchestra (World Premiere, NJSO Commission)
- BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7
CANCELED Season Finale: Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24
2019–20 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
LOUIS LORTIE piano
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BEETHOVEN Overture to Fidelio
Beethoven took four tries at this overture for his only opera—hear the final result, which captures joy and triumph as only his music can.
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MOZART Piano Concerto No. 24
After making a splash for our celebration of Beethoven’s 250th birthday, artist-in-residence Louis Lortie returns to play Mozart’s most dramatic piano concerto—famous for its interplay of woodwinds and piano. After hearing Mozart’s concerto for the first time, Beethoven said, “We shall never be able to do anything like it!”
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STRAVINSKY Divertimento from The Fairy’s Kiss
Based on a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, Stravinsky paid homage to Tchaikovsky with this delightful ballet music ful of spiky rhythms, graceful melodies and glittering orchestration.
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BARTÓK Suite from The Miraculous Mandarin
This masterpiece from Bartók was banned after its first performance but is now recognized as one of the 20th century’s most thrilling and evocative examples of the power of a live orchestra—full of violence, love, horror and wonder.
CANCELED Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto
2019–20 Season
ANDREY BOREYKO conductor
AKIKO SUWANAI violin
-
MASON BATES Attack Decay Sustain Release (NJSO Premiere)
A four-minute joyride, with the strings and brass tumbling over each other, and a touch of groove inspired by Mason Bates’ love of electronic dance music.
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TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto
Famous for blending elegance with fireworks, Suwanai performs one of the most beloved of all violin concertos.
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SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 10
For decades early in his career, Shostakovich was hounded and harassed by Soviet leader Josef Stalin. Shostakovich’s 10th was written just after Stalin’s death; it is a towering testament to resilience over tyranny.
CANCELED Family: The ‘New World’ Symphony & Beyond!
2019–20 Season Family Series
TONG CHEN conductor
RUBÉN RENGEL violin
NYGEL WITHERSPOON cello
Hear how the rich tapestry of America has inspired music of dizzying diversity—from Dvořák’s first encounters with the “New World,” to Florence Price and more!
CANCELED Brahms, Vivaldi & Beethoven
2019–20 Season
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BRAHMS Variations on a Theme by Haydn
Brahms reimagined an old German hymn tune in eight different ways, then wove these variations together into one breathtaking showpiece.
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VIVALDI Concerto for Two Violins in B-flat Major, RV 529
With Nicholas McGegan at the harpsichord, NJSO Assistant Concertmaster Adriana Rosin pairs up with 2018 Sphinx Competition winner Rubén Rengel for dazzling Vivaldi.
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VIVALDI Concerto for Violin and Cello in B-flat Major, RV 547
2015 Sphinx Competition winner Eduardo Rios partners with newly named NJSO Assistant Principal Cello Na-Young Baek for Baroque fireworks in this virtuosic showpiece.
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VIVALDI Concerto for Three Violins in F Major, RV 551
Both Sphinx winners and Rosin perform together in the give and take of Vivaldi’s brilliant melodies as if in sparkling conversation.
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BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 2
The program concludes with the sunniest of an often-stormy composer’s symphonies.
Spring into Music Virtual Gala & Online Auction
Thank you for joining us!
Thank you for joining the NJSO for our Spring into Music Virtual Gala and Online Auction earlier this month. By participating in this amazing event, your generosity enabled us to raise significant support for our artistic, education and community engagement programs.
CANCELED Scores: Made in Princeton
Steven Mackey & Sarah Kirkland Snider perform with the NJSO Chamber Players
STEVEN MACKEY conductor and host
SARAH KIRKLAND SNIDER guest composer
ELZBIETA WEYMAN viola
THE MACKEY FAMILY BAND
Sarah Kirkland Snider, bass
Steven Mackey, guitar
Dylan Mackey, vocals
Jasper Mackey, drums
NJSO CHAMBER PLAYERS
CANCELED Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony
2019–20 Season
This concert has been rescheduled. More Info.
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BARTÓK Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta
A daring 20th-century masterpiece! Revel in the sounds of the NJSO strings, accentuated by keyboard and percussion—writing so evocative that Stanley Kubrick famously used it in The Shining.
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TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5
Critics of Tchaikovsky’s day crushed this new symphony (“a horde of demons struggling in a torrent of brandy,” wrote one), and even the composer said, “It is a failure.” But its hypnotic melodies and triumphant mood turned the Fifth into an audience favorite.
CANCELED Beethoven’s ‘Eroica’ Symphony
2019–20 Season—Beethoven’s Birthday Bash
This concert has been postponed. More Info.
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ROSSINI Overture to Guillaume Tell
Not just a curtain-raiser, the overture to Rossini’s 39th (!) and final opera, William Tell, is a full symphony in miniature.
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CHRISTOPHER ROUSE Bassoon Concerto (East-Coast Premiere and NJSO Co-Commission)
This lyrical new piece completes Christopher Rouse’s cycle of concertos for every wind instrument. The NJSO co-commissioned this work to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Principal Bassoon Robert Wagner, who has given so much to our organization on and off stage.
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BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3, “Eroica”
With two thunderous opening chords, Beethoven unlocked a new world of music-making, and every performance of his “Eroica” sounds revolutionary.
CANCELED Beethoven’s Piano Concertos 2, 3 & 4
2019–20 Season—Beethoven’s Birthday Bash
This concert has been postponed. More Info.
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BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2
When Beethoven moved from his small-town home to the big city of Vienna, he used this music to impress the Viennese with his once-in-a-lifetime virtuosity at the piano.
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BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3
You know Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. His Third Piano Concerto has the same drama and impact, and it is a thrill to witness as it unfolds through a great pianist’s hands.
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BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4
The opening is Beethoven magic: a hushed piano solo brings you to the edge of your seat for what becomes his most joyous concerto.
CANCELED Beethoven’s Piano Concertos 1 & 5
2019–20 Season—Beethoven’s Birthday Bash
This concert has been postponed. More Info.
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BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1
Beethoven was considered a great pianist in his time, and this early showcase for his own talent holds an affectionate nod to his hero, Haydn.
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BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor”
Full of Beethoven’s most beautiful melodies and powerful rhythms, his final piano concerto more than earns its regal title.
Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto
2019–20 Season
CHRISTOPH KÖNIG conductor
SIMONE PORTER violin
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MOZART Overture to The Magic Flute
Hear the majesty and magic of Mozart’s final opera—a fantastical tale of mystery, adventure and love—distilled into this glowing overture.
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MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto
This is the diamond in the crown of violin concertos, with sparkling melodies and quicksilver beauty in every bar. Simone Porter, only in her early 20s, has been hailed by the Los Angeles Times for playing that is “lovingly lyrical, occasionally frisky. She is clearly on the cusp of a major career.”
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BRUCKNER Symphony No. 6
Bruckner was a church organist by day, but when he took up his composing pen at night, he opened a whole new world of orchestral splendor. His Sixth Symphony begins with violins playing so softly you may miss them; then, a mysterious horn call sounds, and suddenly the whole orchestra sweeps you away.
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert
2019–20 Pops Season
In the spectacular climactic sixth episode of the Star Wars saga, Darth Vader readies the second Death Star to unleash the final blow to the Rebel Alliance. Luke Skywalker joins R2-D2, C-3PO and Princess Leia to free Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt and launch a desperate attack upon the entire Imperial Fleet. Watch the complete film unfold as the NJSO performs John Williams’ legendary score live.
Classical Mystery Tour: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
2019–20 Pops Season
Beatlemania is back! Relive one of the most iconic albums in rock history as Classical Mystery Tour performs Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band with the NJSO. Hear classic songs from “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” to “When I'm Sixty-Four” to “A Day in the Life”—plus more of the greatest hits from The Beatles’ entire catalogue.
CLASSICAL MYSTERY TOUR
MARTIN HERMAN conductor
Lunar New Year Celebration
Festival & Concert
Celebrate the Year of the Rat with us! Join Music Director Xian Zhang and the NJSO for a joyful Lunar New Year concert blending Eastern and Western musical traditions—an unmissable celebration of community and cultural exchange. The evening begins with a pre-concert festival of entertainment and activities in the Prudential Hall lobby.
Wagner’s The Ring Without Words
2020 Winter Festival: In the Spotlight
XIAN ZHANG conductor
SIMON TRPČESKI piano
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WAGNER Prelude to Act I of Lohengrin
Ten minutes of utter serenity: Wagner has painted the most delicate sound, with soft strings evoking the tenderness of silver moonlight.
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LISZT Piano Concerto No. 2
NJSO audiences demanded Trpčeski’s return. Don’t miss him in this dazzler by the composer-pianist genius Franz Liszt.
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WAGNER/arr. Maazel The Ring Without Words (NJSO Premiere)
Wagner’s four-night epic of Ring operas is full of heaven-storming music. The American conductor Lorin Maazel, who mentored Xian early in her career, arranged it into this amazing 60-minute suite.
Mozart’s Don Giovanni & Figaro
2020 Winter Festival: In the Spotlight
XIAN ZHANG conductor
ERIC WYRICK violin
Singers from the METROPOLITAN OPERA’S LINDEMANN YOUNG ARTIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
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MOZART Exsultate, jubilate
One of Mozart’s most famous works—with good reason. This church solo from Mozart’s teenage years rivals his secular arias for sheer brilliance.
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MOZART Violin Concerto No. 4
NJSO Concertmaster Eric Wyrick performs a Mozart concerto into which the composer crafted too much virtuosity to perform himself!
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MOZART Scenes from Don Giovanni and The Marriage of Figaro
Hear classic arias and duets that cover the entire spectrum of human emotion, including the sublime “Letter Duet,” which was memorably used in The Shawshank Redemption.
Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet
2020 Winter Festival: In the Spotlight
XIAN ZHANG conductor
INON BARNATAN piano
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SMETANA “The Moldau” from Má vlast
Sail with us down a fabled river, lined on either side by castles and forests full of myth and mystery.
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CLARA SCHUMANN Piano Concerto (NJSO Premiere)
A great pianist, Clara Schumann composed this glittering and graceful concerto in her teens—a remarkable achievement.
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PROKOFIEV Selections from Romeo and Juliet
Xian has won acclaim in opera and ballet houses around the world; you’ll hear why in Prokofiev’s riveting ballet about Shakespeare’s doomed lovers.
Handel’s Messiah
Sold out! Hear it live on 105.9 WQXR.
RODERICK COX conductor
SARAH SHAFER soprano
J’NAI BRIDGES mezzo-soprano
FREDERICK BALLENTINE tenor
DOUGLAS WILLIAMS bass-baritone
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY SINGERS | Heather J. Buchanan, conductor
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HANDEL Messiah
The opening aria begins with, “Comfort ye …” In the rush of the holiday season, set aside time for glorious music that touches the soul.
New Jersey Ballet’s Nutcracker with the NJSO
2019–20 Season
An annual seasonal favorite enchants youngsters and grown-ups alike with splendid dancing, live orchestra, eye-popping special effects and a touch of holiday magic.
TCHAIKOVSKY The Nutcracker
Based on The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E. T. A. Hoffman
The Irish Tenors with the NJSO
THE IRISH TENORS
Members of the NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Get in the spirit of the season when The Irish Tenors: Christmas/Holiday Tour 2019 comes to bergenPAC with members of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra for a joyful night of traditional and secular holiday songs, including favorites like “We Three Kings,” “O! Holy Night,” “White Christmas” and “Jingle Bell Rock.” The Irish Tenors have been the acknowledged Celtic music kings since arriving on the scene with their 1998 PBS special and have performed on the biggest stages around the world.
Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto
Featuring pianist George Li
XIAN ZHANG conductor
GEORGE LI piano
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ANNA CLYNE Within Her Arms (NJSO Premiere)
A defining work in this Brooklyn-based composer’s career. Written for strings alone, this tender piece is the song of loss and memory for her mother.
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RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 3
Rachmaninoff wrote this concerto to showcase his exceptional talent and blindingly fast technique. It starts with a deceptively simple melody that every beginner can play, but it quickly becomes the Everest of all piano concertos—one that few soloists attempt to conquer.
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DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 8
Dvořák’s Eighth poured out of him while he was surrounded by the cherished Bohemian countryside that was his inspiration. Close your eyes and you’ll see the colors of autumn, awash in sunlight.
Family: Peter and the Wolf
2019–20 Season Family Series
TONG CHEN conductor
RUBÉN RENGEL violin
NYGEL WITHERSPOON cello
Join the NJSO and a guest narrator for this timeless fairy tale, in which charming melodies and fantastical characters introduce the different instruments of the orchestra.
Nimbus Dance with the Music of Nina Simone & Nancy Wilson
Featuring the NJSO Chamber Players
The NJSO Chamber Players take the stage in collaboration with the Nimbus Dance Company and NJPAC. Part one of this three-part series explores the vibrant and powerful fusion of live music and dance on the Victoria Theater stage. The performance features a world premiere written for the NJSO ensemble, as well as choreography set to the music of jazz legends Nina Simone and Nancy Wilson.
This program is presented by NJPAC. For more information and tickets, please visit njpac.org or call 1.888.GO.NJPAC.
Spanish- and French-Inspired Showpieces
Featuring violinist Ning Feng
XIAN ZHANG conductor
NING FENG violin
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RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Capriccio espagnol
Inspired by Spanish dance, Russia’s Rimsky-Korsakov turns a brilliant solo spotlight on members of the orchestra.
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QIGANG CHEN La joie de la souffrance for Violin and Orchestra (US Premiere and NJSO Co-Commission)
“The Joy of Suffering” explores the composer’s view that joy and suffering are “a matter of ‘Yin’ and ‘Yang’, inseparable and hence all things should contain both. Like loss and gain, they are bound to balance out.”
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SAINT-SAËNS Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso
A soulful start prepares the listener for a heartbreaking piece—then fireworks erupt. The soloist’s left hand blurs on the fingerboard, and the bowings require an elite athlete’s stamina and grace. Only the best violinists like Feng can make this piece sing.
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FALLA Suite No. 2 from The Three-Cornered Hat
From the ballet stage comes this lighthearted Spanish tale filled with the rhythm and seduction of the dancing it is meant to accompany.
Grieg’s Piano Concerto
MARKUS STENZ conductor
JUHO POHJONEN piano
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REBEL “Chaos” from Les élémens (NJSO Premiere)
Louis XIV’s favorite composer, Rebel stunned the king in the 1730s with this depiction of creation that incorporated harmonies 200 years ahead of their time.
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GRIEG Piano Concerto
Iconic opening chords herald an eternal favorite. Grieg poured the exquisite beauty of Norwegian fjords and folksongs into his only concerto.
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BRAHMS Symphony No. 2
Brahms’ symphonies are cherished for their expression of a profound depth of human feeling. His Second radiates warmth and joy, with soaring strings, singable melodies and a thrilling finale of blazing brass.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince™ in Concert
2019–20 Season
Watch Harry become a wiz at potions, win Felix Felicis and uncover the meaning of Horcruxes in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince™ in Concert! Relive the magic of Harry’s sixth year at Hogwarts™ on the big screen in high definition as the NJSO performs Nicholas Hooper’s unforgettable score live.
Opening Weekend: Holst’s The Planets in HD
2019–20 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
NEWARK VOICES
Heather J. Buchanan, conductor
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ELGAR Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1
At the dawn of the 20th century, Elgar summed up the pride and power of the English with this march; its later use as a graduation theme made him a household name far beyond Britain.
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SARAH KIRKLAND SNIDER Hiraeth (with film by Mark DeChiazza) (NJSO Premiere)
The New Jersey-based composer was inspired by the Welsh word for nostalgia for this innovative work, touching music commissioned alongside an equally moving film.
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HOLST The Planets—An HD Odyssey (with film)
The myths and astrological meanings of our heavenly neighbors moved Holst to create his masterpiece. The work gathers a new depth accompanied by jaw-dropping NASA visuals. Produced by Duncan Copp.
Scores: The Cone Institute Concert
2019–20 Season
CRISTIAN MĂCELARU conductor
STEVEN MACKEY Institute director and host
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Blockbuster All-Orchestral Season Finale
2018–19 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
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MENDELSSOHN Selections from A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Whimsical, sparkling, emotional—was more joyous music ever put to paper? Closes with the famous Wedding March, which in its full orchestral form is a marvel.
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RACHMANINOFF Symphony No. 2
The superlatives rack up when describing this glorious work: stunning, titanic, sweeping—even sweetly intimate in spots. A perfect conclusion to the season.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™ in Concert
2018–19 Season
Year Five begins! Between crushing on Cho Chang, studying for his O.W.L.s and the ever-growing number of detentions from Professor Umbridge™, Harry Potter™ must find the time to discover the secret of his terrible nightmares! See Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™ in Concert on the big screen in high-definition and experience the NJSO performing Nicholas Hooper’s iconic score live.
Art of the Double Concerto
2018–19 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
ERIC WYRICK violin
ANNELLE GREGORY violin
STEVEN MACKEY electric guitar
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
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WEBER Overture to Oberon
Exciting and suspenseful; based on a medieval story of an Elf King who must search the globe for one faithful human couple.
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STEVEN MACKEY Four Iconoclastic Episodes
“Music driven by energy, motion and joy of playing.” Mackey’s eclectic piece for violin and electric guitar includes hints of Radiohead, Chicago blues and much more.
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BACH Concerto for Two Violins
Riveting and inspiring; its achingly lovely second movement was unforgettably featured in Children of a Lesser God as actress Marlee Matlin “heard” music.
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BEETHOVEN Leonore Overture No. 3
Beethoven’s heroic and triumphant overture tells the story of his only opera, Fidelio, bringing this palindrome concert to a delightful close.
Scores: Contemporary Chamber Works
Curated by Juri Seo
STEVEN MACKEY conductor and host
JURI SEO guest composer and curator
NA-YOUNG BAEK cello
CHRIS KOMER horn
NJSO CHAMBER PLAYERS
- UNSUK CHIN ParaMetaString for String Quartet and Tape
- JONATHAN HARVEY Curve with Plateaux for Solo Cello
- OLIVIER MESSIAEN “Interstellar Call” from Des Canyons aux étoiles for Solo Horn
- TRISTAN MURAIL Seven Lakes Drive
- JURI SEO Sunlight (World Premiere, NJSO Commission)
- REYNOLD THARP San Francisco Night
Family: The Sound of Stories: Harry Potter & More!
2018–19 Family Concert
It’s a season of stories in music at the NJSO, and you get in on the fun, too! Listen in wonder as some of your favorite stories are told through music, including Tchaikovsky’s enchanted The Nutcracker and magical Swan Lake, romantic Romeo and Juliet and even the tale of your favorite boy wizard, Harry Potter!
NJSO Youth Orchestras Spring Concert
Don't miss the season finale concert of the NJSO Youth Orchestras, featuring the program's four ensembles, as well as a dazzling performance by the 2019 Henry Lewis Concerto Competition winner! Honor this year's senior class and celebrate musicianship, friendship and fun.
Saint-Saëns’ ‘Organ’ Symphony
XIAN ZHANG conductor
JOHN J. MILLER organ
Join the NJSO and Music Director Xian Zhang for a musical spectacular featuring Cathedral Basilica organist John J. Miller pulling out all of the stops in Saint-Saëns’ thrilling “Organ” Symphony, performed on the Cathedral’s historic instrument with 8,916 pipes! Plus, revel in the majesty of Mozart with his famous and foreboding Symphony No. 40.
- GUILMANT Final alla Schumann, Op. 83
- MOZART Symphony No. 40
- SAINT-SAENS Symphony No. 3, “Organ”
Xian Conducts Mozart
2018–19 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
SIMONE DINNERSTEIN piano (pictured)
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
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WALTON Suite No. 2 from Façade
Sassy, comedic and very British; in its debut, poet Edith Sitwell sat behind a screen and recited her poems set to music through a megaphone, scandalizing the audience.
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MOZART Piano Concerto No. 23
Warm and tender; its sublime, melancholy Adagio speaks of heartbreak and acceptance.
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MOZART Symphony No. 40
Mozart’s second-to-last symphony crackles with a powerful dramatic tension, a musical “appeal to eternity” as his life was cut short.
Mary Poppins in Concert with the NJSO
2018–19 Pops Movie Series
Step in time, it’s one heart-tugging, toe-tapping song after another in the beloved film Mary Poppins! This family-friendly, symphonic cinema event features the five-time Oscar-winning classic Disney film unfolding on the big screen with the NJSO performing the charming and delightful musical score. Don’t miss this Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious wonder live with the NJSO!
STUART CHAFETZ conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Sarod & Scheherazade
2018–19 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
AMJAD ALI KHAN sarod (pictured)
AMAAN ALI BANGASH sarod
AYAAN ALI BANGASH sarod
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
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AMJAD ALI KHAN Samaagam: A Concerto for Sarod, Concertante Group and String Orchestra (NJSO Premiere)
Samaagam means “confluence”; Western and Indian musical streams merge to propel this heartfelt, emotive work.
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RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Scheherazade
Sumptuous and brilliant; like its fabled heroine from One Thousand and One Nights, Scheherazade captivates with tales of adventure and romance.
Zhang Conducts Schubert & Dvořák
2018–19 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
JOHANNES MOSER cello
Members of the NJSO HORN SECTION
Chris Komer principal | Andrea Menousek | Lawrence DiBello; Eric Reed horn
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
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SCHUMANN Konzertstück for Four Horns (NJSO Premiere)
Festive and virtuosic: 19th-century advances in the French horn made it possible for Schumann to compose the concerto. The NJSO’s horn section steps into the spotlight.
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SCHUBERT Symphony No. 8, “Unfinished”
Time stops during this two-movement symphony of sublime expression. You’ll marvel at the endless, songful melodies and long to hear the final uncompleted movements!
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DVOŘÁK Cello Concerto
The king of the cello concertos! The rich tone of superstar Johannes Moser shines as he conquers a piece that matches Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony for drama, melody and passion.
Debussy Masterworks
2018–19 Season
JUN MÄRKL conductor
INGRID FLITER piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
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DEBUSSY Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune
Languid and sensual, suggesting the erotic reveries of a faun, the half-man, half-goat of Greek mythology.
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MENDELSSOHN Piano Concerto No. 1
“A celebration of life … and an explosion of happiness.” – Ingrid Fliter
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BRITTEN Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes
Moody, foreboding; it captures the ocean at dawn, on Sunday morning, under moonlight and during a storm.
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DEBUSSY La mer
Vivid and imaginative. As a young boy, Debussy’s parents had wanted him to join the French Navy; instead, he captured his impressions of the ever-changing sea in this work.
Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto
2018–19 Season
HANS GRAF conductor
JEFFREY KAHANE piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
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RAVEL Le tombeau de Couperin
Each of the four wistful and elegant movements commemorates a friend who died in battle during World War I. The oboe shines throughout.
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BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4
Grand yet nuanced; generations of listeners have loved this piece, and critics have judged it to be among Beethoven’s greatest and most innovative works.
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SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 1
Shostakovich composed this sardonic work at 18; it was an enormous success, instantly bringing him international attention.
Chinese New Year Celebration Concert
2018–19 Season
Start a new tradition at the NJSO’s first-ever Chinese New Year celebration, conducted by Xian Zhang. Musical riches abound in this program that blends Eastern and Western musical traditions. Li Huanzhi’s Spring Festival Overture is beloved in China yet almost reminiscent of Copland’s America. Songs and arias from opera and traditional Chinese culture show that music bridges all cultures. Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy with pianist Min Kwon brings all elements of this sumptuously crafted program together in a joyful performance.
Special Event: Chinese New Year Celebration Gala
Includes the Chinese New Year Celebration concert!
Daniil Trifonov & Xian Zhang
2019 Winter Festival: Music Speaks
XIAN ZHANG conductor
DANIIL TRIFONOV piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
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STRAUSS Also sprach Zarathustra
Famous for its use in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, Strauss’ tone poem—dramatic, gorgeous, thrilling—is the kind of music musicians live to play.
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SCHUMANN Piano Concerto
Colorful, lively, embodying a love story for the ages. Schumann wrote this gorgeous concerto for his wife, Clara, who played the solo part in its premiere.
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SCRIABIN Poem of Ecstasy (NJSO Premiere)
Scriabin applied his remarkable gift for orchestral color to this immersive ode to rapture, a showcase for the abundant gifts of Music Director Xian Zhang.
Dawn Upshaw & Xian Zhang
2019 Winter Festival: Music Speaks
XIAN ZHANG conductor
DAWN UPSHAW soprano
JAY ANDERSON bass | FRANK KIMBROUGH piano | SCOTT ROBINSON clarinet
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
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MARIA SCHNEIDER Winter Morning Walks (NJSO Premiere)
This poignant song cycle follows the singer on a series of walks in the woods, tracing a path back to wellness as winter gives way to early spring.
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MAHLER Symphony No. 4
The playful and the profound mingle in this life-affirming symphony; its idyllic finale aims to “gladden our senses, so that all awaken for joy.”
Emanuel Ax & Xian Zhang
2019 Winter Festival: Music Speaks
XIAN ZHANG conductor
EMANUEL AX piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
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MOZART Piano Concerto No. 22
Ever the prolific creator, Mozart wrote three piano concertos while working on The Marriage of Figaro. No. 22’s expanded orchestra heralded a new age in symphonic writing.
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TCHAIKOVSKY Manfred Symphony
Gripping, one of the great program symphonies; forbidden romance is the subject of this musical tale, which follows its wizardly hero as he roams the Alps seeking transformation through forgetfulness.
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Concert
2018–19 Pops Movie Series
After the destruction of the Death Star, the Empire has regrouped—with Darth Vader leading the hunt for Luke Skywalker. Star Wars and the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra join forces for Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in concert, featuring the iconic movie on the big screen with the NJSO performing John Williams’ legendary score live.
CONSTANTINE KITSOPOULOS conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert Live to Film
Presented by New Jersey Performing Arts Center
NJPAC’s Prudential Hall will transform into Halloween Town for this very special screening of Disney’s timeless holiday classic, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, with Danny Elfman’s score performed live by the NJSO.
THIAGO TIBERIO conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Handel’s Messiah
2018–19 Season
PATRICK DUPRÉ QUIGLEY conductor
MARGOT ROOD soprano
REGINALD MOBLEY countertenor
STEVEN SOPH tenor
CHARLES WESLEY EVANS baritone
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY SINGERS
Heather J. Buchanan, conductor
Members of the NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
New Jersey Ballet’s Nutcracker with the NJSO
2018–19 Season
An annual seasonal favorite enchants youngsters and grown-ups alike with splendid dancing, live orchestra, eye-popping special effects and a touch of holiday magic.
TCHAIKOVSKY The Nutcracker
Based on The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E. T. A. Hoffman
Rhapsody in Blue & The Firebird
2018–19 Season
JOSHUA WEILERSTEIN conductor
AARON DIEHL piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
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MILHAUD La création du monde
French composer Milhaud heard jazz in Harlem during a 1922 visit and brought the sound back to Paris for this lively ballet based on African folk mythology.
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GERSHWIN Rhapsody in Blue
Gershwin called this iconic piece “a musical kaleidoscope of America, of our vast melting pot, of our national pep, of our blues, our metropolitan madness.”
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PRICE Piano Concerto (NJSO Premiere)
Florence Price was the first African-American female composer to be performed by major orchestras; her lush concerto skillfully blends classical and popular styles. Read an article from The New Yorker on the “The Rediscovery of Florence Price: How an African-American composer’s works were saved from destruction.”
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STRAVINSKY Suite from The Firebird (1919)
Lavish, vibrant, iconic; tells the tale of the Firebird, whose power is brilliantly illustrated by the thrilling score.
Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert
2018–19 Pops Movie Series
Luke Skywalker begins a journey that will change the galaxy, as he leaves his home planet, battles the evil Empire and learns the ways of the Force. Don’t miss Star Wars: A New Hope in concert, with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra performing John Williams’ Oscar-winning score live to the complete film.
CONSTANTINE KITSOPOULOS conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Bravo Beethoven!
2018–19 Family Concert
JOSÉ LUIS DOMÍNGUEZ conductor
SAMANTHA FERRARA narrator and host
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
We all love Ludwig! Enjoy a full concert of Beethoven’s most wonderful pieces, including excerpts from the Fifth and Seventh symphonies and some of his most exciting overtures. But even though you think you know Beethoven—surprise! What unexpected discoveries await at this boisterous, beautiful concert?!
Augustin Hadelich Returns
2018–19 Season
CHRISTOPH KÖNIG conductor
AUGUSTIN HADELICH violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
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STRAUSS Don Juan
Hedonistic, audacious; the piece that established Strauss as a brilliant orchestrator and master of orchestral storytelling.
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BRITTEN Violin Concerto
Britten wrote this turbulent, yet melodic, concerto in Canada as the storm clouds of World War II gathered in his native England.
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SCHUMANN Symphony No. 3, “Rhenish”
Tuneful and majestic. Get carried away on the flowing currents of Schumann’s Third, which evokes the resplendent Rhine River.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire™ in Concert
2018–19 Season
Grab your broom and get ready for the tasks ahead! The Triwizard Tournament comes to Hogwarts™ in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire™ in Concert. Relive the magic of Harry Potter™ soaring across the big screen in high-definition and experience the NJSO performing Patrick Doyle’s unforgettable score live.
CONSTANTINE KITSOPOULOS conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. J.K. ROWLING`S WIZARDING WORLD™ J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s18)
Seong-Jin Cho Plays Chopin
2018–19 Season
OTTO TAUSK conductor
SEONG-JIN CHO piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
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LIGETI Romanian Concerto (NJSO Premiere)
An orchestra showpiece: Ligeti’s childhood memories of Transylvanian folk music culminate in a wild, exhilarating dance.
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CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 2
A youthful affection inspired this concerto’s tender, passionate slow movement. Though Chopin’s infatuation was short-lived, the melody is eternal.
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DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 7
Deep, heartfelt and dramatic, reflecting the Czech composer’s ambition to write a piece that would “move the world.”
Zhang Conducts Beethoven 9
2018–19 Season
- XIAN ZHANG conductor (pictured)
- MARY ELIZABETH WILLIAMS soprano
- ELIZABETH BISHOP mezzo-soprano
- LORENZO DECARO tenor
- REGINALD D. SMITH JR. baritone
- MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY SINGERS
- MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY CHORALE
- NEWARK VOICES
- Heather J. Buchanan, conductor
- NEW JERSEY YOUTH CHORUSES Trish Joyce, artistic director
- NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
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KATE WHITLEY Speak Out (US Premiere)
Stirring and poignant; rising British composer Kate Whitley’s work is based on Malala Yousafzai’s legendary speech to the United Nations advocating the right of every girl to have an education.
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WALKER Lyric for Strings
We perform this celebrated work in memory of the late Pulitzer Prize-winning composer George Walker—a Montclair resident and friend of the NJSO.
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BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9, “Choral”
An unmistakable masterpiece; the hymn’s text extolling the human bond is sung by a joyful assembly, a massed choir including singers from MSU and our surrounding communities.
Special Event: Opening Night Celebration
Includes the Beethoven’s Ninth concert!
Raise your glass and join us for Xian Zhang’s third Opening Night Celebration with the NJSO. We will be celebrating the joys of giving, diversity and the remarkable community in which we live, while honoring two outstanding community members—Nariman Farvardin, President of Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, and Florence Johnson, NJSO Community Relations Liaison.
Scores: New Orchestral Works
DAVID ROBERTSON conductor
STEVEN MACKEY Institute director and host
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Program to include:
JONATHAN CZINER Resonant Bells
NATALIE DIETTERICH Aeolian Dust
AARON HENDRIX Night Train
BRIAN SHANK Into the Rose Garden
Shaham Plays Brahms
XIAN ZHANG conductor
GIL SHAHAM violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
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BERNSTEIN Overture to Candide
A glittering display of orchestral brilliance and an effervescent tip of the hat to Bernstein’s 100th birthday.
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BRAHMS Violin Concerto
Glowing and warm; initially considered unplayable, it has become a cornerstone of the repertoire.
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MAHLER Symphony No. 1
Mahler’s magnificent First Symphony seeks life’s meaning in the cycles of nature and the mysteries of love.
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial in Concert with the NJSO
Pops Movie Series
Don’t miss Steven Spielberg’s cinematic masterpiece E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial with John Williams’ Academy Award®-winning score performed live to picture by the NJSO. Experience the magic once more!
CONSTANTINE KITSOPOULOS conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
™ & © Universal Studios
Bach’s Complete Brandenburgs
ERIC WYRICK leader and violin soloist
Members of the NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BACH Brandenburg Concertos Nos 1–6
PANDA-MONIUM: MUSIC FROM THE ANIMAL KINGDOM
2017–18 Family Concerts
It’s a purr-fect arf-ternoon at the NJSO, when we take you on a wild and wooly concert adventure. You’ll be buzzing in delight as you listen to music inspired by the animal kingdom, featuring tunes from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake ballet, Stravinsky’s Firebird and more! We’re not lion—ewe’ll have a whale of a time!
JOSÉ LUIS DOMÍNGUEZ conductor
SHOLA COLE host
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MUSIC OF MOZART: THE GREAT MASS
JOHN J. MILLER conductor
LORRAINE ERNEST soprano
ELIZABETH PERRYMAN soprano
THEODORE CHLETSOS tenor
JORGE OCASIO bass-baritone
ARCHDIOCESAN FESTIVAL CHOIR and CATHEDRAL CHOIRS
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
This year's biennial Archdiocesan Choral Festival features a massed choir of singers and soloists accompanied by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra in a performance of the monumental Great Mass in C Minor by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mysteriously left unfinished by Mozart, it nonetheless reflects his genius, counting Pope Francis among its fans.
MENDELSSOHN’S VIOLIN CONCERTO
2017–18 Season
DIMA SLOBODENIOUK conductor
NING FENG violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
FAGERLUND Isola (NJSO Premiere)
MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto
SIBELIUS Symphony No. 5
MCGEGAN CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN & MENDELSSOHN
2017–18 Season
NICHOLAS MCGEGAN conductor
ROBERT LEVIN piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
HANDEL Suite No. 2 in D Major from Water Music
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1
LEVIN Improvisations
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 5, “Reformation”
JASON ALEXANDER: THE BROADWAY BOY
2017–18 POPS
Long before becoming world renowned as the iconic George Costanza on “Seinfeld,” Jason Alexander was a Tony Award-winning Broadway song-and-dance man. His concert with the NJSO brings a hilarious re-telling of his journey to and on the Broadway stage and features a program of great music from the theater along with comedy and audience interaction. It’s a much-heralded event of music, laughter and fun.
JASON ALEXANDER
BOB BERNHARDT conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
NJSO YOUTH ORCHESTRAS SPRING CONCERT
Don’t miss the season finale concert of the NJSO Youth Orchestras, featuring the program’s four ensembles, as well as a dazzling performance by the 2018 Henry Lewis Concerto Competition winner! Honor this year’s senior class and celebrate musicianship, friendship and fun.
An Evening of Irish Music
Presented by Stevens Institute of Technology
NJSO musicians and the Hudson-Shannon Line collaborate to present a memorable evening of Irish jigs and reels that are sure to delight! From fiddles to uilleann pipes, from the Irish bouzouki to the button accordion and more, this rollicking ensemble will be sure to leave you smiling and tapping your toes.
ANDY LAMY clarinet & tin whistle
JOANNA FARRER fiddle
MICHAEL STEWART fiddle & viola
HUDSON-SHANNON LINE featuring Natalie Haas and Haley Richardson
MOZART’S REQUIEM
2017–18 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
Soloists from the CURTIS INSTITUTE OF MUSIC
Emily Pogorelc, soprano | Kendra Broom, mezzo-soprano
Roy Hage, tenor | Doğukan Kuran, baritone
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY SINGERS Heather J. Buchanan, conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MOZART Ave verum corpus
RHEINBERGER Abendlied for a cappella chorus
PARRY Flame for a cappella chorus
MOZART Requiem
ZHANG CONDUCTS TCHAIKOVSKY
2017–18 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
SARA DANESHPOUR piano
ERIC WYRICK violin | JONATHAN SPITZ cello
ROBERT INGLISS oboe | ROBERT WAGNER bassoon
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
TCHAIKOVSKY Suite from Sleeping Beauty
DANIELPOUR Carnival of the Ancients for Piano and Orchestra (World Premiere)
HAYDN Sinfonia concertante
TCHAIKOVSKY Francesca da Rimini
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ in Concert
Relive the magic of your favorite wizard in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™— in Concert. Based on the third installment of J.K. Rowling’s classic saga, fans of all ages can now experience the thrilling tale as Harry soars across the big screen accompanied by the music of a live symphony orchestra. From the moment Harry uses the Marauder’s Map to when the Patronus Charm bursts from his wand, you’ll be transported back into the world you love.
JEFFREY SCHINDLER conductor
MSU VOCAL ACCORD
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BRAHMS’ FIRST SYMPHONY
2017–18 Season
RUNE BERGMANN conductor
MARIANNE BEATE KIELLAND mezzo-soprano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
WAGNER Overture to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
MAHLER Songs of a Wayfarer
BRAHMS Symphony No. 1
HOT LATIN NIGHTS WITH THE MAMBO KINGS
2017–18 POPS
The Mambo Kings bring some serious heat as they celebrate sizzling music of Latin America and the United States. From the sultry melancholy of Astor Piazzolla and the burning Afro Cuban rhythms of Tito Puente to the rhythmic playfulness of jazz great Dave Brubeck and the pop strains of The Beatles, the Mambo Kings take you on a Latin jazz tour that will drive you to your feet!
MAMBO KINGS
THOMAS WILKINS conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
AMERICA, INSPIRING: DVOŘÁK’S “NEW WORLD” SYMPHONY
2017–18 Season Winter Festival
XIAN ZHANG conductor
CHLOË HANSLIP violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BRITTEN Simple Symphony
KORNGOLD Violin Concerto
DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”
AMERICA, INSPIRING: SPECIAL CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT
2017–18 Season Winter Festival
Join the NJSO Chamber Players for an intimate deep-dive into the diverse world of immigrant and refugee composers. From the evocative colors of Tan Dun to the rhythmic and folk-oriented drive of Bartók to the glorious melodies of Dvořák’s “American” Quartet, hear how America has inspired masterpieces for the string quartet.
TAN DUN Eight Colors for String Quartet
BARTÓK String Quartet No. 2
DVOŘÁK String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96, “American”
AMERICA, INSPIRING: RAVEL & RACHMANINOFF
2017–18 Season Winter Festival
ANDREW CONSTANTINE conductor
TERRENCE WILSON piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MARTINŮ Thunderbolt P-47 (NJSO Premiere)
RAVEL Piano Concerto in G Major
RACHMANINOFF Symphonic Dances
AMERICA, INSPIRING: RESPIGHI & PROKOFIEV
2017–18 Season Winter Festival
XIAN ZHANG conductor
GEORGE LI piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
CHEN YI Ge Xu (NJSO Premiere)
PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 3
RESPIGHI Fountains of Rome (NJSO Premiere)
RESPIGHI Pines of Rome
SCI-FI SPECTACULAR: MUSIC FROM STAR WARS, STAR TREK & BEYOND
2017–18 POPS
Marina Sirtis, best known as counselor Deanna Troi on the television series “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and the four feature films that followed, hosts an out-of-this-world night of film music. Blast off to music from Star Wars, Star Trek, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and more! Highlights the music of John Williams, Bernard Herrmann and other composers who have made great moments in science fiction come alive!
MARINA SIRTIS host
BOB BERNHARDT conductor
KRISTEN PLUMLEY vocalist
PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE BROADWAY SHOW CHOIR
Shayne Austin Miller, director
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
HANDEL’S MESSIAH
XIAN ZHANG conductor
ELLIE DEHN soprano
NANCY MAULTSBY mezzo-soprano
MILES MYKKANEN tenor
MICHAEL SUMUEL bass-baritone
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY SINGERS Heather J. Buchanan, conductor
Members of the NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
HANDEL Messiah
New Jersey Ballet’s Nutcracker with the NJSO
An annual seasonal favorite enchants youngsters and grown-ups alike with splendid dancing, live orchestra, eye-popping special effects and a touch of holiday magic.
TCHAIKOVSKY The Nutcracker
Based on The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E. T. A. Hoffman
NJSO YOUTH ORCHESTRAS WINTER CONCERT
Discover the talented young musicians of the NJSO Youth Orchestras. Enjoy this annual wintertime celebration featuring the four ensembles of the Youth Orchestras performing classical masterworks and some festive surprises.
The Youth Orchestras are part of the NJSO Academy.
HOUGH PLAYS RACHMANINOFF
2017–18 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
STEPHEN HOUGH piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
RACHMANINOFF Vocalise
RACHMANINOFF Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 6 (NJSO Premiere)
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS IN CONCERT WITH THE NJSO
2017–18 POPS
CONSTANTINE KITSOPOULOS conductor
PATRICIA WARD KELLY host
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Fall in love with Paris all over again! Watch this 1951 classic film, starring Gene Kelly as a former American GI who falls for Parisian Leslie Caron, on the big screen while the NJSO plays the score live. Memorable songs of George and Ira Gershwin—including “Embraceable You,” “Nice Work If You Can Get It,” “I Got Rhythm,” “’S Wonderful” and “Our Love is Here to Stay”—plus captivating dancing from the two charismatic stars will deliver an unforgettable experience for movie lovers!
SHOOTING FOR THE STARS
2017–18 Family Concerts
Blast off with a concert-going experience of astronomical proportions! Hear music inspired by the far reaches of space, including Holst’s The Planets, the otherworldly main theme from Star Trek and more. Your little astronauts can reach for the stars and dream their own dreams.
NICHOLAS HERSH conductor
SID SOLOMON host
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BEETHOVEN’S FIFTH SYMPHONY
2017–18 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
CONRAD TAO piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BEETHOVEN Overture to Coriolan
BARTÓK Piano Concerto No. 3
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™ in Concert
Cars fly, trees fight back and monsters are on the loose in Harry’s second year at Hogwarts™ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! This concert features the film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™ in high-definition, on a giant screen, while the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams’ unforgettable score. Relive every magical moment as the music brings life to a story that has enchanted the world.
HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. J.K. ROWLING`S WIZARDING WORLD™ J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s17)
ZHANG CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN
2017–18 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
ALBAN GERHARDT cello
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
KERNIS Musica celestis (NJSO Premiere)
TCHAIKOVSKY Variations on a Rococo Theme
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral”
OPENING WEEKEND: DENK PLAYS “EMPEROR”
2017–18 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
JEREMY DENK piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BEETHOVEN Overture to The Creatures of Prometheus
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor”
BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique
SCORES: NEW ORCHESTRAL WORKS
JOANN FALLETTA conductor
STEVEN MACKEY Institute director, host and electric guitar
ERIC WYRICK violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Program to include:
SAAD HADDAD Takht
NOAH KAPLAN Forest Through Forest
SAM LIPMAN Song of the Bhagavan
ALYSSA WEINBERG Tereza Slumbers
STEVEN MACKEY Four Iconoclastic Episodes
SEASON FINALE WITH ZHANG & BRONFMAN
2016–17 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
YEFIM BRONFMAN piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 2
SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 5
WARNER BROS. presents
BUGS BUNNY AT THE SYMPHONY
Conducted by George Daugherty
Created by George Daugherty & David Ka Lik Wong
Bugs Bunny is back and better than ever! Celebrate Looney Tunes and its legendary stars, including Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Sylvester, Wile E. Coyote, Road Runner and, of course, our very favorite “wascally wabbit.” Enjoy classics including Long-Haired Hare (in its first East Coast concert appearance on the big screen), What’s Opera, Doc? and Baton Bunny, alongside new Warner Bros. 3D theatrical shorts Coyote Falls and Rabid Rider. Kids of all ages will enjoy hearing the extraordinary musical scores performed live and perfectly in-sync with all the on-screen action.
Conducted by GEORGE DAUGHERTY
Created by GEORGE DAUGHERTY & DAVID KA LIK WONG
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
LOONEY TUNES and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
(s16)
SCHUBERT’S “GREAT” SYMPHONY
2016–17 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
JENNIFER KOH violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MOZART Così fan tutte Overture
SIBELIUS Violin Concerto
SCHUBERT Symphony No. 9, “Great”
NJSO Youth Orchestras’ Spring Concert
Don't miss the season finale concert of the NJSO Youth Orchestras, featuring the program's four ensembles, as well as a dazzling performance by the 2017 Henry Lewis Concerto Competition winner! Say farewell to graduating seniors and celebrate a year full of musicianship, friendship and fun.
DVOŘÁK’S CHEERFUL EIGHTH SYMPHONY
2016–17 Season
DAVID DANZMAYR conductor
STEFAN JACKIW violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
PISTON The Incredible Flutist
PROKOFIEV Violin Concerto No. 2
DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 8
ELLA & LOUIS
2016–17 Pops
From “Love is Here to Stay” to “Just One of Those Things” and highlights from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, Byron Stripling and Marva Hicks recreate one of the most memorable collaborations in music history while capturing everyone’s hearts along the way.
BYRON STRIPLING trumpet
MARVA HICKS vocalist
LEE MUSIKER conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
RAVEL’S BOLÉRO
2016–17 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
DEREK FENSTERMACHER tuba
YING LI and ZITONG WANG piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
TAN DUN Internet Symphony No. 1, “Eroica”
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Tuba Concerto
SAINT-SAËNS Carnival of the Animals
RAVEL Boléro
ZHANG CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN’S SEVENTH
2016–17 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
LUKÁŠ VONDRÁČEK piano
GARTH GREENUP trumpet
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
PROKOFIEV Classical Symphony
SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Concerto No. 1
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE™ IN CONCERT
The Harry Potter™ film series is one of those once-in-a-lifetime cultural phenomena that continues to delight millions of fans around the world. This concert will feature the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra performing every note from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™. Audiences will be able to relive the magic of the film in high-definition on a giant screen while hearing the Orchestra perform John Williams’ unforgettable score.
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s16)
THE IRISH TENORS
With Members of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
The Irish Tenors' powerful vocal line-up of Finbar Wright, Anthony Kearns and Ronan Tynan is unquestionably the leading brand of this genre. All classically trained singers, each having performed in leading concert halls across the world, together they combine to produce a sound and concert experience which touches hearts and stirs the emotions. Happy songs of celebration and humor, mixed with touching melodies and songs that warm the heart.
THE IRISH TENORS
Members of the NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
RACHMANINOFF’S SECOND PIANO CONCERTO
2016–17 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
KIRILL GERSTEIN piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
VERDI Nabucco Overture
RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 2
ELGAR Enigma Variations
PETER & THE WOLF
2016–17 Family Concerts
Introduce your family to all the characters of Prokofiev’s classic tale! The duck, bird, cat, wolf, hunters, Peter and his Grandfather are each represented by a specific theme and instrument, making this a wonderful introduction to the instruments of the orchestra, as well as a charming story.
GEMMA NEW conductor
SID SOLOMON host
Members of the NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
DANCING & ROMANCING
2016–17 POPS
The timeless elegance and romance of the golden age of Hollywood musicals—revived by the Golden Globe-winning new film La La Land—will sweep you off your feet with song and dance standards inspired by Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly and “the queen of tap dancing” herself, Eleanor Powell. You’ll be dancing cheek to cheek by the time the concert is over!
JOAN HESS vocalist and dancer
KIRBY WARD vocalist and dancer
GEMMA NEW conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
A Night of Symphonic Hip Hop featuring Nelly
With Members of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
Grammy-winning rapper, singer and songwriter Nelly arrives with this one-of-a-kind concert experience—a genre-busting event that lends a symphonic twist to his greatest hits, including “Hot in Herre,” “Just a Dream” and “Country Grammar.”
NICHOLAS HERSH conductor
Chamber Music Benefit Concert with Pinchas Zukerman and the NJSO Chamber Players
2016–17 SEASON
Pinchas Zukerman invites you to join him and the NJSO Chamber Players for this exclusive benefit event. Experience Zukerman in an up-close-and-personal chamber performance and reception with a meet and greet opportunity.
ZUKERMAN DELIGHTS WITH BACH & BEETHOVEN
2016–17 Winter Festival
PINCHAS ZUKERMAN conductor and violin soloist (pictured)
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BACH Violin Concerto No. 2
SCHOENBERG Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night)
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3, “Eroica”
ZUKERMAN & BEETHOVEN’S VIOLIN CONCERTO
2016–17 Winter Festival
CHRISTIAN VÁSQUEZ conductor
PINCHAS ZUKERMAN violin (pictured)
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BARBER The School for Scandal Overture
BEETHOVEN Violin Concerto
SAINT-SAËNS Symphony No. 3, “Organ”
WINTER FESTIVAL: ZUKERMAN PLAYS TCHAIKOVSKY
2016–17 Season
PINCHAS ZUKERMAN conductor and violin soloist (pictured)
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
TCHAIKOVSKY “Melodie” from Souvenir d’un Lieu Cher
TCHAIKOVSKY Sérénade Mélancolique
TCHAIKOVSKY Serenade for Strings.
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4, “Italian”
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK WITH NJSO
2016–17 POPS
Indiana Jones is heading for New Jersey in January with his whip, his hat and a live orchestra! John Williams’ epic score—performed live by the NJSO—enhances the on-screen action as Indy (Harrison Ford) goes on a quest to recover the legendary Ark of the Covenant and save the world in this timeless classic from Steven Spielberg.
CONSTANTINE KITSOPOULOS conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
© 1981 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
HANDEL’S MESSIAH
2016–17 Season
GEORGE MANAHAN conductor
PATRICIA SCHUMAN soprano | MARY PHILLIPS mezzo-soprano
RYAN MACPHERSON tenor | DAVID PITTSINGER bass-baritone
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY SINGERS Heather J. Buchanan, director
Members of the NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
HANDEL Messiah
New Jersey Ballet’s Nutcracker with the NJSO
When the curtain rises on New Jersey Ballet’s sensational Nutcracker, audiences at the production’s home at the Mayo Performing Arts Center can expect the eye-popping special effects, brilliant dancing, glorious costumes and the magic and pantomime that have inspired critics to call it “A spectacle that never seems to age … magic that should go on and on,” and “One of the best … as good as it gets.” The Nutcracker at MPAC will feature the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Gary S. Fagin.
NJSO Youth Orchestras’ Winter Concert
Discover the talented young musicians of the NJSO Youth Orchestras. Enjoy performances by the four ensembles of the program—the Training Ensemble, String Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra and Academy Orchestra—who are coached by a dedicated cadre of players from the NJSO.
THANKSGIVING FEAST WITH MOZART & SCHUMANN
2016–17 Season
HANS GRAF conductor
INON BARNATAN piano (pictured)
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
SMETANA The Bartered Bride Overture
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 21
SCHUMANN Symphony No. 2
PIRATES ON THE HIGH SEAS
2016–17 Family Concerts
Ahoy, matey! Take a swashbuckling, pirate-filled sea-faring odyssey as we explore music from the blockbuster film Pirates of the Caribbean, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade and Richard Rodgers’ Victory at Sea!
JEFFREY GROGAN conductor
SID SOLOMON host
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Michael Cavanaugh with the NJSO:
Greatest Hits of Elton John & More
2016–17 Pops
From classic Elton John hits “Tiny Dancer,” “Bennie and the Jets” and “Rocket Man” to classic rock favorites like “Live and Let Die” and “Pinball Wizard,” Broadway star Michael Cavanaugh entertains with a high-energy show that will have you singing along!
MICHAEL CAVANAUGH vocalist and keyboard (pictured)
THOMAS WILKINS conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
ZHANG CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN & HAYDN
2016–17 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor (pictured)
PEDJA MUZIJEVIC piano
ERIC WYRICK violin
JONATHAN SPITZ cello
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
HAYDN Adagio from Piano Trio No. 40
BEETHOVEN Triple Concerto
HAYDN Symphony No. 102
STRAUSS Suite from Der Rosenkavalier
XIAN ZHANG DEBUTS AS MUSIC DIRECTOR
2016–17 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor (pictured)
SIMON TRPČESKI piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
TCHAIKOVSKY Polonaise from Eugene Onegin
TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No. 1
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5
GRIEG PIANO CONCERTO WITH STEWART GOODYEAR
2016–17 Season
GEMMA NEW conductor
STEWART GOODYEAR piano (pictured)
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
LILBURN Aotearoa Overture
GRIEG Piano Concerto
SIBELIUS Symphony No. 2
OPENING WEEKEND WITH SARAH CHANG
2016–17 Season
TEDDY ABRAMS conductor
SARAH CHANG violin (pictured)
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BERNSTEIN On the Town: Three Dance Episodes
PIAZZOLLA The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
RAVEL Tzigane
COPLAND Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes
Summer Wine Tasting
At Locust Hill Vineyard in Red Bank
Join the NJSO in welcoming summer at an exclusive wine tasting on the picturesque grounds of Locust Hill Vineyard. Overlooking the Navesink River, Locust Hill offers an unmatched setting for what will be an amazing event.
NO SHUSH!
Presented by Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank
The big game is on—meet all the teams of the Orchestra and cheer on your favorite! Will it be the strings, brass, woodwinds or percussion that win the day? “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” Olympic fanfares and classics from Mozart and Rimsky-Korsakov will make it feel like you and the kids are sitting on the third-base line with a hot dog and a soda.
LACOMBE CONDUCTS RACHMANINOFF & RAVEL
2015–16 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
JOYCE YANG piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
ROGERSON Night and the City
RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 3
RAVEL La Valse
RAVEL Daphnis and Chloé Suite No. 2
BOND & BEYOND
2015–16 POPS Series
The music is Bond, James Bond, as the NJSO takes you into the world of your favorite spy. The legacy of 007 comes alive in a symphonic tribute featuring music from five decades of Bond films, including Casino Royale, Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever and more.
MICHAEL KRAJEWSKI conductor
DEBBIE GRAVITTE vocalist
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
JESSYE NORMAN WITH THE NJSO
This concert has been canceled.
This concert has been canceled.
ATHLETES OF THE ORCHESTRA
2015–16 Season Family Series
Sit closer than ever before! NJSO Family concerts are now in the Victoria Theater at NJPAC. The big game is on—meet all the teams of the Orchestra and cheer on your favorite! Will it be the strings, brass, woodwinds or percussion that win the day? “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” Olympic fanfares and classics from Mozart and Rimsky-Korsakov will make it feel like you and the kids are sitting on the third-base line with a hot dog and a soda.
JEFFREY GROGAN conductor
SID SOLOMON host
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
GLORIOUS CHORAL MUSIC IN A GLORIOUS SPACE
Music of Giacomo Puccini
Experience Puccini's playful music in the fifth-largest cathedral in North America—the stunning Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark. This all-Puccini program features The Chrysanthemums, a delightful piece for strings, and The Archdiocesan Festival and Cathedral Choirs singing Messa di Gloria accompanied by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.
Youth Orchestras Spotlight
For the first time, hundreds of students in these youth orchestra and symphonic band programs share the stage for the concert of a lifetime! Inspired by the NJSO Youth Orchestras 25th anniversary season, this concert celebrates talent from some of New Jersey's best young symphonic musicians. Be inspired by the future of music and audiences with this dazzling performance.
HADELICH PLAYS TCHAIKOVSKY
2015–16 Season
JÉRÉMIE RHORER conductor
AUGUSTIN HADELICH violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MENDELSSOHN The Hebrides Overture
TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto
BRAHMS Serenade No. 1
MUSIC OF THE NIGHT: NORM LEWIS WITH THE NJSO
2015–16 POPS Series
You know him as Porgy from the recent Broadway smash production of Porgy and Bess, the first African-American Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera and as Javert in the popular PBS special Les Misérables: The 25th Anniversary Concert. Norm Lewis, the phenomenal star who brought these roles to life, takes center stage with the NJSO in a concert filled with favorites from Broadway and beyond.
NORM LEWIS vocalist (pictured)
THOMAS WILKINS conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
ZHANG CONDUCTS TCHAIKOVSKY 4
2015–16 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
JENNIFER FRAUTSCHI violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
TCHAIKOVSKY Marche Slave
BARBER Violin Concerto
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 4
ROMANTIC MASTERWORKS FROM SCHUMANN & BRAHMS
2015–16 Season
CHRISTIAN ARMING conductor
STEPHEN HOUGH piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
WAGNER Siegfried Idyll
SCHUMANN Piano Concerto
BRAHMS Symphony No. 2
ALL-MOZART
2015–16 Season
PERRY SO conductor
ERIC LU piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MOZART Overture and Ballet Music from Idomeneo
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 23
MOZART Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter”
STAR POWER
2015–16 Season Family Series
Sit closer than ever before! NJSO Family concerts are now in the Victoria Theater at NJPAC. Before there were movies and TV shows, there were orchestra concerts, and composers were the biggest stars of the day. Stroll down the NJSO’s Composer Walk of Fame and hear John Williams’ Star Wars and the very best music from Beethoven, Mozart and Tchaikovsky.
GEMMA NEW conductor
SID SOLOMON host
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
VISTAS & LANDSCAPES: COPLAND & DVOŘÁK
2015–16 Season
MIGUEL HARTH-BEDOYA conductor
STEPHEN FANG cello
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
COPLAND Appalachian Spring
DVOŘÁK Silent Woods
POPPER Hungarian Rhapsody
DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”
VALENTINE’S DAY WITH MEGAN HILTY & THE NJSO
2015–16 POPS Series
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Megan Hilty, known for starring roles in “Smash,” Wicked and 9 to 5: The Musical. Called a “burgeoning blonde bombshell” by The Daily Beast, Hilty’s sensational voice and star power are perfect for a trip through the American Songbook.
MEGAN HILTY vocalist
TODD ELLISON conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
NJSO Youth Orchestras’ Winter Concert
25th Anniversary Season!
Discover the talented young musicians of the NJSO’s Youth Orchestra Program. Enjoy performances by the three ensembles of the program—the Violin Ensemble, the Chamber Orchestra and the Academy Orchestra—who are coached by a dedicated cadre of players from the NJSO. Hear masterworks and favorites such as Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings and Telemann’s Concerto for Four Violins.
WINTER FESTIVAL: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
2015–16 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
THE SHAKESPEARE THEATRE OF NEW JERSEY Bonnie J. Monte, artistic director
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY PRIMA VOCE Heather J. Buchanan, director
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MENDELSSOHN A Midsummer Night’s Dream
WINTER FESTIVAL: SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE
2015–16 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
GUS KAIKKONEN stage director and translator
SYMPHONIC CHORUS OF MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC Kent Tritle, director
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique
BERLIOZ Lélio
BEETHOVEN'S FIRST & FOURTH SYMPHONIES
2015–16 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
LISA PEGHER percussion
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 1
DANIELPOUR The Wounded Healer (Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra) (World Premiere)
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 4
HANDEL’S MESSIAH
2015–16 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
CELENA SHAFER soprano
ADRIANA ZABALA mezzo-soprano
WILLIAM BURDEN tenor
DASHON BURTON bass-baritone
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY SINGERS Heather J. Buchanan, director
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
HANDEL Messiah
New Jersey Ballet’s Nutcracker with the NJSO
When the curtain rises on New Jersey Ballet’s sensational Nutcracker, audiences at the production’s home at the Mayo Performing Arts Center can expect the eye-popping special effects, brilliant dancing, glorious costumes and the magic and pantomime that have inspired critics to call it “A spectacle that never seems to age … magic that should go on and on,” and “One of the best … as good as it gets.” New this year, the Nutcracker at MPAC will feature the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Gary S. Fagin.
HOME ALONE IN CONCERT: FILM WITH NJSO LIVE
2015–16 POPS Series
A true holiday favorite, this rollicking comedy classic features legendary composer John Williams’ charming and delightful score, performed live by the NJSO. Watch as Macaulay Culkin stars as Kevin McCallister, an 8-year-old boy who is accidentally left behind when his family leaves for Christmas vacation and must defend his home against two bungling thieves. It’s hard to believe this hilarious and heartwarming holiday romp is 25 years old!
CONSTANTINE KITSOPOULOS conductor
NEW JERSEY YOUTH CHORUS Trish Joyce, director
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
CLASSICAL FAVORITES IN THE FORECAST
2015–16 Season Family Series
Sit closer than ever before! NJSO Family concerts are now in the Victoria Theater at NJPAC. Winter, spring, summer or fall, there’s always music in the forecast! Hear how composers depict weather and seasons like the lazy heat of summer, a spring storm or a snowy day. Favorites from Gershwin, Beethoven, Copland and more set the stage for a thunderously good time!
JEFFREY GROGAN conductor
SID SOLOMON host
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
VIVALDI’S FOUR SEASONS
2015–16 Season
ERIC WYRICK leader and violin soloist
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BOCCHERINI Symphony No. 6, “La casa del diavolo”
RESPIGHI Ancient Airs and Dances Suite No. 1
VIVALDI The Four Seasons
BEETHOVEN’S NINTH
2015–16 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
BARBARA SHIRVIS soprano
ELIZABETH BISHOP mezzo-soprano
JONATHAN BOYD tenor
STEPHEN POWELL baritone
WESTMINSTER SYMPHONIC CHOIR Joe Miller, director
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
HIGDON blue cathedral
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9
RACHMANINOFF’S SECOND SYMPHONY
2015–16 Season
CHRISTOPH KÖNIG conductor
JONATHAN BISS piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2
RACHMANINOFF Symphony No. 2
NO SHUSH!
Presented by Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank
Enjoy a classical music experience for children aged 3–12 that encourages all the chatter, questions, dancing and imagination your child can muster! Meet players from the brass, string and wind sections of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and learn all about the crazy and contrasting sounds instruments can make! Arrive early for a pre-concert instrument petting zoo, arts activities and more!
THIBAUDET PLAYS GERSHWIN
2015–16 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
JEAN-YVES THIBAUDET piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BERNSTEIN Candide Overture
GERSHWIN Concerto in F
BERNSTEIN Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
GERSHWIN (arr. R. R. Bennett) Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture
CIRQUE DE LA SYMPHONIE WITH THE NJSO
2015–16 POPS Series
Back by popular demand! NJSO Associate Conductor Gemma New conducts as these exceptional artists—acrobats, aerial flyers, contortionists and strongmen—perform dazzling and death-defying choreography and acrobatic feats to classical favorites that will thrill audiences of all ages.
GEMMA NEW conductor
CIRQUE DE LA SYMPHONIE
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BACK TO THE FUTURE WITH THE NJSO
At Radio City Music Hall!
Power up your DeLorean … recharge your flux capacitor … and get ready to celebrate the 30th anniversary of an unforgettable movie classic as you’ve never seen and heard it before! Back to the Future, starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson and Crispin Glover, is the 1.21-gigawatt blockbuster that topped the 1985 box office chart, spawned two wildly successful sequels and stamped an enduring imprint on pop culture. Fans old and new will experience the thrill of Back to the Future like never before—on a big hi-def screen with a full symphony orchestra performing Alan Silvestri’s dazzling musical score live in sync with the movie.
DAVID NEWMAN conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Back to the Future is a trademark and copyright of Universal Studios and U-Drive Joint Venture. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLC. All Rights Reserved.
OPENING WEEKEND: BRANFORD MARSALIS JOINS THE NJSO
2015–16 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
BRANFORD MARSALIS saxophone
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
RAVELValses nobles et sentimentales
WILLIAMS “Escapades” for saxophone from Catch Me If You Can
MILHAUD Scaramouche for alto saxophone
MUSSORGSKY Pictures at an Exhibition
“All Around the World” Brass Quintet Performance
Free Community Concert Sponsored by the PSEG Foundation
A brass quintet featuring some of the state’s finest musicians entertains local residents in Jersey City’s beautiful Hamilton Park.
FOUR: New Orchestral Works
Join the NJSO for the world premieres of four dynamic works by the composers of the NJSO Edward T. Cone Composition Institute, a multi-faceted program that promotes new music and emerging composers. The composers will briefly describe their pieces in a concert that will show the vibrant future of orchestral music.
JOANN FALLETTA conductor
STEVEN MACKEY Institute Director and host
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Program includes:
SHUYING LI Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
REINALDO MOYA Siempre Lunes, Siempre Marzo
LUKE CARLSON The Burnished Tide
BRENDAN FAEGRE Dirt to Gold
Plus: STEVEN MACKEY Urban Ocean
NJSO CHAMBER PLAYERS AT LIBRARY PARK IN PLAINFIELD
Free Community Concert Sponsored by the PSEG Foundation
Enjoy a brass ensemble featuring some of the state’s finest musicians at Library Park in Plainfield. In this program, the NJSO Chamber Players will explore the important role that brass instruments have played in the music of many different cultures. Musical selections will include well-known works such as Hava Nagila, Sousa's Washington Post March and Shepherd's Hey.
HISPANIC ROOTS
Free Community Concert Sponsored by the PSEG Foundation
Celebrate Hispanic cultures with this bilingual program devoted to the music of some of Latin America’s most distinguished composers. Pioneering Latin American composers produced a rich legacy of music in the 19th and early 20th centuries that combined western classical traditions with indigenous folk songs and rhythms, creating distinct national styles in countries such as Argentina, Cuba and Mexico and inspiring future generations of musicians.
NJSO AT MICHAEL T. LAKE PAC IN NEPTUNE
Free concert!
Relax with friends and family and enjoy an evening listening to the NJSO at the Michael T. Lake PAC in Neptune. Hear classical dances from Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Brahms in the first half. Then, rev up for a lively second half when the NJSO plays tunes from swing, Latin, pop and a whole lot more. Bring the kids—and by all means, bring your dancing shoes!
GEMMA NEW conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MOZART & MENDELSSOHN
2014–15 Season
DAVID DANZMAYR conductor
BART FELLER flute (pictured)
STACEY SHAMES harp
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
WEBER Oberon Overture
MOZART Flute and Harp Concerto
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 3, “Scottish”
Summer Wine Tasting
At Locust Hill Vineyard in Red Bank
Raise a glass in support of the NJSO and sample a variety of artisanal New Jersey wines on the picturesque grounds of Locust Hill Vineyard. Enjoy light refreshments and a performance by the NJSO Chamber Players. Proceeds will benefit the artistic and educational programs of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.
“PETER AND THE WOLF” WITH THE NJSO AND MAYOR FULOP
Free Community Concert Sponsored by the PSEG Foundation
This special arrangement of Prokofiev’s classic tale features the instruments of the woodwind family, combining the same great imagery with a focus on the flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and French horn. With the help of some other selections highlighting each instrument’s diverse capabilities, the quintet demonstrates not only how well the instruments play together, but also what makes them each unique.
NJSO CHAMBER PLAYERS AT CAPE MAY MUSIC FESTIVAL
A string quartet featuring some of the state’s finest musicians return to the Cape May Music Festival with a program of classics from the chamber repertoire.
ERIC WYRICK violin
BRENNAN SWEET violin
DAVID BLINN viola
NA-YOUNG BAEK cello
SCHUBERT String Quartet No. 12
BEETHOVEN String Quartet No. 12
DVOŘÁK String Quartet No. 12
A HERO’S JOURNEY
2014–15 Family Series
Who are your heroes? They can be anyone from firefighters to the president, from parents to a friend who stands up to a bully. How would music about heroes sound? Imagine your own as you listen to pieces inspired by famous heroes in Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, Verdi’s Nabucco Overture and Beethoven’s “Eroica” Symphony.
JEFFREY GROGAN conductor
BEN STEINFELD host
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
ALL-BEETHOVEN: FIFTH SYMPHONY & “EMPEROR” CONCERTO
2014–15 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
MARC-ANDRÉ HAMELIN piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BEETHOVEN Coriolan Overture
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor”
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5
BROADWAY SPECTACULAR WITH THE NJSO
2014–15 POPS Series
Hailed by The New York Times as one of “Broadway’s electric conductors,” Todd Ellison leads a sizzling program of spectacular favorites you know and love from such Broadway hits as American in Paris (where Ellison is the current Music Supervisor!), Carousel, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Shrek the Musical and 42nd Street. Three of the hottest talents on the stage today join Ellison and the NJSO for a sparkling program of showtunes, for a concert that you will not want to miss.
TODD ELLISON conductor
BETH LEAVEL vocalist
CHRISTOPHER SIEBER vocalist
KATHRYN GUTHRIE vocalist
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
18TH ANNUAL UJA BENEFIT CONCERT
2014–15 Season
MICHAEL STERN conductor
ALON GOLDSTEIN piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
PROKOFIEV Overture on Hebrew Themes
MENDELSSOHN Piano Concerto No. 1
SMETANA “The Moldau” from Má vlast
BRAHMS Finale from Symphony No. 2
ANDRÉ WATTS WITH THE NJSO
2014–15 Season
PETER BAY conductor
ANDRÉ WATTS piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MOZART Così fan tutte Overture
BEETHOVEN