Past Events
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
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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.
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
NJSO at Marine Park in Red Bank
FREE Summer Park concert!
Celebrate the diversity of the Americas with the NJSO this summer! Explore the continents with concert, theater and dance music from Leonard Bernstein, José Pablo Moncayo, Astor Piazzolla, Florence Price, Duke Ellington and George Gershwin. Hear hits from West Side Story and Porgy and Bess, travel to Mexico with Arturo Márquez’s Conga del Fuego Nuevo and experience patriotic favorites along with Copland’s classic “Hoe Down” from Rodeo.
NJSO at Branch Brook Park in Newark
FREE Summer Park concert! (with fireworks show after)
Celebrate the diversity of the Americas with the NJSO this summer! Explore the continents with concert, theater and dance music from Leonard Bernstein, José Pablo Moncayo, Astor Piazzolla, Florence Price, Duke Ellington and George Gershwin. Hear hits from West Side Story and Porgy and Bess, travel to Mexico with Arturo Márquez’s Conga del Fuego Nuevo and experience patriotic favorites along with Copland’s classic “Hoe Down” from Rodeo.
NJSO at Ocean County College in Toms River
FREE Summer Park concert!
Celebrate the diversity of the Americas with the NJSO this summer! Explore the continents with concert, theater and dance music from Leonard Bernstein, José Pablo Moncayo, Astor Piazzolla, Florence Price, Duke Ellington and George Gershwin. Hear hits from West Side Story and Porgy and Bess, travel to Mexico with Arturo Márquez’s Conga del Fuego Nuevo and experience patriotic favorites along with Copland’s classic “Hoe Down” from Rodeo.
NJSO at Maxwell Place Park in Hoboken
FREE Summer Park concert!
Celebrate the diversity of the Americas with the NJSO this summer! Explore the continents with concert, theater and dance music from Leonard Bernstein, José Pablo Moncayo, Astor Piazzolla, Florence Price, Duke Ellington and George Gershwin. Hear hits from West Side Story and Porgy and Bess, travel to Mexico with Arturo Márquez’s Conga del Fuego Nuevo and experience patriotic favorites along with Copland’s classic “Hoe Down” from Rodeo.
NJSO at Giralda Farms in Madison
Ticketed event
Celebrate the diversity of the Americas with the NJSO this summer! Explore the continents with concert, theater and dance music from Leonard Bernstein, José Pablo Moncayo, Astor Piazzolla, Florence Price, Duke Ellington and George Gershwin. Hear hits from West Side Story and Porgy and Bess, travel to Mexico with Arturo Márquez’s Conga del Fuego Nuevo and experience patriotic favorites along with Copland’s classic “Hoe Down” from Rodeo.
NJSO at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside
FREE Summer Park concert!
Celebrate the diversity of the Americas with the NJSO this summer! Explore the continents with concert, theater and dance music from Leonard Bernstein, José Pablo Moncayo, Astor Piazzolla, Florence Price, Duke Ellington and George Gershwin. Hear hits from West Side Story and Porgy and Bess, travel to Mexico with Arturo Márquez’s Conga del Fuego Nuevo and experience patriotic favorites along with Copland’s classic “Hoe Down” from Rodeo.
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 Piano Concerto No. 4
STRAVINSKY Four Norwegian Moods
GRIEG Piano Concerto
NJSO Youth Orchestras Program Spring Concert
NJSO YOUTH ORCHESTRAS
ACADEMY ORCHESTRA Jeffrey Grogan, conductor
CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Henry Kao, conductor
VIOLIN ENSEMBLE Naomi Youngstein, leader
ZHANG CONDUCTS MOZART & BRAHMS
2014–15 Season
XIAN ZHANG conductor
ERIC WYRICK violin
JONATHAN SPITZ cello
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BRAHMS Concerto for Violin and Cello
STRAUSS Serenade for Winds
MOZART Symphony No. 39
KÖNIG CONDUCTS DVOŘÁK
2014–15 Season
CHRISTOPH KÖNIG conductor
STEFAN JACKIW violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
DOHNÁNYI The Veil of Pierrette
DVOŘÁK Romance
RAVEL Tzigane
DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 5
HEART OF MOTOWN WITH SPECTRUM AND THE NJSO
2014–15 POPS series
Relive the fabulous Motown sound in a high energy tribute to a classic American sound. Remember the magic of The Four Tops, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, The Drifters, The Miracles and other R&B sensations and sing along to timeless tunes such as “Just My Imagination,” “My Girl” and “The Way You Do the Things You Do.” Join Spectrum and the NJSO on this sensational tour through the heart of Motown.
SPECTRUM
SARAH HICKS conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
RACHMANINOFF & TCHAIKOVSKY
2014–15 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
SERHIY SALOV piano
MARY FAHL vocalist
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
KUBIAN O for a Muse of Fire (World Premiere)
RACHMANINOFF Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique”
MAHLER’S FIRST SYMPHONY: “TITAN”
2014–15 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
KIRILL GERSTEIN piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BERNSTEIN Symphony No. 2, “The Age of Anxiety”
MAHLER Symphony No. 1, “Titan”
NO SHUSH!: THE LAND OF MAKE BELIEVE
Presented by Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank
A symphony experience for children aged 3–12 that encourages all the chatter, questions, dancing and imagination your child can muster! Just as authors use words, composers use music to tell stories about grand adventures, falling in love, epic battles and so much more, helping to create magical worlds in our imaginations. What stories do you hear in Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, Bernstein’s West Side Story and music from Harry Potter?
GEMMA NEW conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MOZART & MENDELSSOHN
2014–15 Season
JOHANNES DEBUS conductor
BART FELLER flute (pictured)
STACEY SHAMES harp
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MENDELSSOHN The Fair Melusine Overture
MOZART Flute and Harp Concerto
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 3, “Scottish”
SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN
2014–15 POPS Series
From the iconic, puddle-jumping “Singin’ in the Rain” scene to the crisp rendition of “Good Morning” and the tender moments of “You Were Meant for Me,” Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds sang and danced their way right to the top of the American Film Institute’s list of greatest movie musicals. The NJSO brings the film’s beloved soundtrack to life while the remastered film is shown with the original dialogue and vocals intact.
CONSTANTINE KITSOPOULOS conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
FAMILY CONCERT: THE LAND OF MAKE BELIEVE
2014–15 Season Family Series—The Gretchen Lochner Gonzales Memorial Family Concert
Just as authors use words, composers use music to tell stories about grand adventures, falling in love, epic battles and so much more, helping to create magical worlds in our imaginations. What stories do you hear in Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, Bernstein’s West Side Story and music from Harry Potter?
GEMMA NEW conductor
SID SOLOMON host
NJSO ACADEMY ORCHESTRA
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
WEST SIDE STORY WITH SARAH CHANG
2014-15 Season—2015 Winter Festival Concert
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
SARAH CHANG violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
ELGAR Falstaff
KORNGOLD Much Ado About Nothing Suite
BERNSTEIN West Side Story Suite
NO SHUSH!: PETER AND THE WOLF
Presented by Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank
A classical music experience for children aged 3–12 that encourages all the chatter, questions, dancing and imagination you rchild can muster! Brass, string and wind ensembles perform great works like Peter and the Wolf, which has introduced generations of children to the world of classical music. Arrive early for a pre-concert instrument petting zoo, arts activities and more!
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY CHAMBER ENSEMBLES
SARAH CHANG PLAYS BERNSTEIN
2014–15 Season—2015 Winter Festival Concert
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
SARAH CHANG violin
ELENA PERRONI soprano
HEATHER STEBBINS soprano
ROY HAGE tenor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
DVOŘÁK Othello Overture
TCHAIKOVSKY Romeo and Juliet Love Duet
BARBER Selections from Antony and Cleopatra
DELIUS “The Walk to the Paradise Garden” from A Village Romeo and Juliet
BERNSTEIN West Side Story Suite
LACOMBE CONDUCTS ROMEO AND JULIET
2014–15 Season—2015 Winter Festival Concert
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
RACHEL STERRENBERG soprano
MINGJIE LEI tenor
THE SHAKESPEARE THEATRE OF NEW JERSEY Bonnie J. Monte, artistic director
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
TCHAIKOVSKY Romeo and Juliet Fantasy-Overture
GOUNOD Selections from Romeo and Juliet
PROKOFIEV Selections from Romeo and Juliet
HANDEL’S MESSIAH
2014–15 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
NATHALIE PAULIN soprano
MIREILLE LEBEL mezzo-soprano
ISAIAH BELL tenor
GORDON BINTNER bass
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY SINGERS Heather J. Buchanan, director
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
HANDEL Messiah
A TAKE 6 HOLIDAY WITH THE NJSO
The best holiday celebration of the season!
Enjoy New Jersey’s best celebration of the season with your NJSO and friends! The syncopated sounds of 10-time Grammy Award-winning ensemble Take 6 will fill you with holiday spirit! This sensational sextet infuses R&B, pop, gospel and more into joyful, groovin’ entertainment, with a program that includes their unique take on seasonal favorites including “Joy to the World” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” Come early and enjoy caroling in the lobby, and bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to Toys for Tots.
TAKE 6
JOSEPH JOUBERT conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
NJSO Youth Orchestras' Winter Concert
Discover the talented young musicians of the NJSO’s Youth Orchestra Program. Hear masterworks and favorites such as Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins, Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances, “Harry’s Wondrous World” by John Williams … and some holiday surprises!
NJSO YOUTH ORCHESTRAS
ACADEMY ORCHESTRA Jeffrey Grogan, conductor
CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Henry Kao, conductor
VIOLIN ENSEMBLE Naomi Youngstein, leader
NJSO CHAMPS (Character, Achievement and Music Project) Michelle Hatcher, artistic director
THE MUSICAL TIME MACHINE
2014–15 Family Series
Join forces with Maestro Jeff and race through history to stop a clever time traveler! Power up the time machine to keep the time traveler from permanently changing music from Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, Rossini’s William Tell Overture and Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony!
JEFFREY GROGAN conductor
BEN STEINFELD host
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
CHOPIN PIANO CONCERTO NO. 1
2014–15 Season
STEFAN SANDERLING conductor
INON BARNATAN piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 1
BRAHMS Symphony No. 4
CLASSIC VIENNA: MOZART, STRAUSS JR. & SCHUBERT
2014–15 Season
EUGENE TZIGANE conductor
LISE DE LA SALLE piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
STRAUSS JR. Die Fledermaus Overture
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 9
STRAUSS JR. “Artist’s Life” Waltz
SCHUBERT Symphony No. 3
LACOMBE CONDUCTS SCHEHERAZADE
2014–15 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
STRAVINSKY Petrouchka (1947)
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Scheherazade
GIL SHAHAM PLAYS MENDELSSOHN
2014–15 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
GIL SHAHAM violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
ROSSINI William Tell Overture
MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto
FRANCK Symphony in D minor
CARMINA BURANA
2014–15 Season Opening Night
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
ALINE KUTAN soprano
JEAN-FRANCIS MONVOISIN tenor
JONATHAN BEYER baritone
WESTMINSTER SYMPHONIC CHOIR Joe Miller, director
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
ANTHEIL McKonkey’s Ferry
DEBUSSY Nocturnes
ORFF Carmina Burana
WORLD-PREMIERE SATURDAY
Four world premieres in one night!
The NJSO gives the world premieres of works by the composers of the NJSO Edward T. Cone Composition Institute, a multi-faceted program that promotes new music and emerging composers. Four exciting composers offer dynamic new works; fresh from an intensive experience evolving their compositions through working sessions with the professional musicians of the NJSO, these composers realize the possibilities of a living art form. Each composer will briefly describe their piece in a concert that will illuminate their creative thought process.
WORLD PREMIERE OF CONE’S SYMPHONY
2014–15 Season
A unique journey of discovery awaits listeners as the NJSO presents a special event focused on the legacy of composer Edward T. Cone, and featuring the world premiere of his Symphony.
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
CONE Symphony
The Scheide Concerto Evening: 200 Years of Piano with Orchestra
Presented by the Golandsky Institute International Piano Festival
Attention piano lovers! The Golandsky Institute International Piano Festival at Princeton University presents four piano concertos in one evening, with the New Jersey Symphony Chamber Orchestra conducted by Mark Laycock. Internationally acclaimed Russian-born master Ilya Itin solos in music of Mozart and Shostakovich, Bach expert Fr. Sean Duggan plays Bach's Keyboard Concerto in E Major and young artists of the Golandsky Institute join them for a rarely heard performance of Bach’s Concerto for Four Pianos.
CIRQUE DE LA SYMPHONIE
2013-14 Season NJSO POPS
Dazzling. Thrilling. Death defying. Delicate. Awe inspiring. A troupe of exceptional artists—aerial flyers, acrobats, contortionists, dancers, jugglers and strongmen—joins your NJSO for what Review Vancouver has called “truly amazing choreography and acrobatic feats performed in perfect timing" to classical favorites such as Bizet’s Carmen, Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Mendelssohn’s “Italian” Symphony, Khachaturian’s Masquerade Suite, Kabalevsky’s The Comedians and John Williams’ score from Superman.
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
CIRQUE DE LA SYMPHONIE
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MEET THE ORCHESTRA
2013-14 Season NJSO Family Series
Tweet, crash, oomph, plink, warble, pluck … Meet each instrument of the orchestra in turn through Britten’s delightful Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. Don’t be fooled by the title—kids and grownups alike will be enthralled by it. Explore all the different sounds that an orchestra can make and cheer on your favorite instrument family! Wear blue for strings, red for woodwinds, yellow for brass or green for percussion.
JEFFREY GROGAN conductor
BEN STEINFELD host
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BEETHOVEN’S VIOLIN CONCERTO
2013-14 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
JAMES EHNES violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BEETHOVEN Violin Concerto
STRAUSS Ein Heldenleben (A Hero’s Life)
17TH ANNUAL UJA BENEFIT CONCERT
2013-14 Season
From beloved favorites including Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No. 6 to the bursting energy of Leonard Bernstein’s Fancy Free and the danceable melodies of Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, this program brings the excitement and beauty of ballet music into the concert hall. Dancers from the Joffrey Ballet Concert Group join the NJSO as the rich sounds of the Orchestra create a magical landscape for the imagination to dance.
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor (pictured)
Dancers from the JOFFREY BALLET CONCERT GROUP
SHAWN HOUNSELL choreographer
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
GLORIOUS CHORAL MUSIC IN A GLORIOUS SPACE
Music of Anton Bruckner
Experience the powerful choral music of Bruckner in the fifth-largest cathedral in North America—the stunning Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark. This all-Bruckner program features The Archdiocesan Festival and Cathedral Choirs singing Te Deum, along with other Bruckner choral works.
Greater Newark Youth Orchestras' Annual Spring Concert
Experience the artistry of the NJSO’s youth ensembles! Program includes Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8, Grieg’s Holberg Suite and Kristin Hauge’s “Rondo,” a new composition written for the Greater Newark Violin Ensemble. The concert will also showcase the 2014 Concerto Competition winner, violinist Rachel Seo, performing the first movement of Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole.
GREATER NEWARK VIOLIN ENSEMBLE Naomi Youngstein, leader
GREATER NEWARK CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Henry Kao, conductor
GREATER NEWARK YOUTH ORCHESTRA Jeffrey Grogan, conductor
BELL & LACOMBE
2013-14 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
JOSHUA BELL violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
TCHAIKOVSKY Romeo and Juliet Fantasy-Overture
RAVEL Tzigane
GRIEG Peer Gynt Suite No. 1
SIBELIUS Violin Concerto
BRAHMS FIRST SYMPHONY
2013-14 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
ANTHONY MCGILL clarinet
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BEETHOVEN Leonore Overture No. 3
DANIELPOUR Clarinet Concerto, “From the Mountaintop”
BRAHMS Symphony No. 1
THE WIZARD OF OZ WITH ORCHESTRA
2013-14 Season NJSO POPS
Seventy five years after The Wizard of Oz debuted on the big screen, watch it again in all its glory, accompanied by your NJSO performing the Harold Arlen score. “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” with the incomparable Judy Garland as Dorothy and lovable Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion—you can even dress up as your favorite character and win a prize!
CONSTANTINE KITSOPOULOS conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
SPECIAL CONCERT: BEETHOVEN & RACHMANINOFF
Beethoven’s gorgeous Sixth Symphony—known as the “Pastoral”—celebrates the sounds of spring and highlights the talented performers of the Orchestra. Pianist Gleb Ivanov shows off his dazzling technique in Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Mark Laycock, former NJSO Associate Conductor and frequent collaborator, leads the Orchestra in this wonderful celebration.
MARK LAYCOCK conductor
GLEB IVANOV piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MOZART The Magic Flute Overture
RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 3
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral”
THE NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA PERFORMS THE MUSIC OF LED ZEPPELIN
Featuring Randy Jackson of Zebra
The Music of Led Zeppelin is a genre-busting event that bridges the gulf between rock-and-roll and classical music. Created by arranger-conductor Brent Havens, this electrifying concert of symphonic rock features 18 of the Zeppelin’s greatest hits, including “Stairway to Heaven,” “Heartbreaker,” “Black Dog” and many more—all performed as close as possible to the original recordings, but wrapped in a lush blanket of orchestral sound.
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
VERDI'S REQUIEM
2013-14 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
MARIANNE FISET soprano
JANARA KELLERMAN mezzo-soprano
RUSSELL THOMAS tenor
PETER VOLPE bass
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY CHORALE
Heather J. Buchanan director
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
VERDI Requiem
SHOSTAKOVICH SYMPHONY NO. 5
2013-14 Season
GERARD SCHWARZ conductor
ERIC WYRICK violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
GOLDMARK In Springtime
STRAUSS Violin Concerto
SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 5
THE FIREBIRD
2013-14 Season
YAN PASCAL TORTELIER conductor
HILARY HAHN violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BRAHMS Violin Concerto
SALONEN Giro
STRAVINSKY The Firebird Suite (1945)
GRIEG'S PIANO CONCERTO
2013-14 Season
SANTTU-MATIAS ROUVALI conductor
XIAOHUI YANG piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
SIBELIUS Spring Song
GRIEG Piano Concerto
DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 8
MUSIC OF THE BEATLES: CLASSICAL MYSTERY TOUR
2013-14 Season NJSO POPS
This tribute to the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” is jam packed with your favorite tunes—sung, played and performed exactly as they were recorded. From the early hits through the solo years, relive the best of The Beatles with “Penny Lane,” “Yesterday,” “I Am the Walrus,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “With a Little Help From My Friends” and so much more, all backed by the rich sounds of the NJSO.
MARTIN HERMAN conductor
CLASSICAL MYSTERY TOUR
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MUSIC OF THE AMERICAS
2013-14 Family Series - The Gretchen Lochner Gonzales Memorial Family Concert
Grab your musical passport for an exciting journey through the Americas. From the iconic sounds of Copland’s “Simple Gifts” and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue to the whirling dances of Argentina and Mexico, everyone in the family will enjoy this musical tour.
GEMMA NEW conductor
BEN STEINFELD host
MICHELLE CANN piano
HÉCTOR FALCÓN violin
GREATER NEWARK YOUTH ORCHESTRA
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
STRAUSS' ALPINE SYMPHONY
2013-14 Season Winter Festival Concert
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
PASCAL ROGÉ piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
WAGNER Venusberg Music from Tannhäuser
D’INDY Symphony on a French Mountain Air
STRAUSS Alpine Symphony
MAHLER'S DAS LIED VON DER ERDE
2013-14 Season Winter Festival Concert
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
DAVID COSSIN percussion
ZHANG MENG wind instruments
ELIZABETH BISHOP mezzo-soprano
RUSSELL THOMAS tenor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
TAN DUN Earth Concerto (U.S. Premiere)
MAHLER Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth)
BEETHOVEN'S 7TH & 8TH SYMPHONIES
2013-14 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
DANIEL MÜLLER-SCHOTT cello
ROBERT INGLISS oboe
BRENNAN SWEET violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 8
PREVIN Concerto for Cello and Orchestra (U.S. Premiere)
CONE Cadenzas for Oboe and Violin
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
2013-14 Season NJSO POPS
THOMAS WILKINS conductor
JOHN PIZZARELLI guitar & vocalist
NEW JERSEY HIGH SCHOOL HOLIDAY CHORUS
SALVATION ARMY MONTCLAIR CITADEL BAND
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Greater Newark Youth Orchestras Winter Concert
Support talented young musicians and enjoy live performances of works by Bach, Elgar, Rossini, Mussorgsky and more! Join us for pre-concert refreshments starting at 3 pm. Click here to learn more about the Greater Newark Youth Orchestras. NJSO CHAMPS (Character, Achievement and Music Project) is an innovative education program inspired by the El Sistema music education and social development program in Venezuela, in partnership with the University Heights Charter School in Newark. Click here to learn more about CHAMPS.
SHOOTING FOR THE STARS
2013-14 Season NJSO Family Series
All of your little astronauts will enjoy exploring music inspired by the infinite reaches of the galaxy! With music from Holst’s The Planets, Strauss’ dramatic Also Sprach Zarathustra (known to parents and grandparents as the theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey) and the themes from Star Wars and Star Trek, we’ll travel through space and reach for our dreams.
JEFFREY GROGAN conductor
BEN STEINFELD host
DARRYL KUBIAN theremin
NJSO CHAMPS (Character, Achievement and Music Project)
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
LACOMBE LEADS CONCERTO FOR ORCHESTRA
2013-14 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
ADAM GOLKA piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
LIEBERMANN Barcarolles for a Sinking City (World Premiere)
RAVEL Piano Concerto in G Major
BARTÓK Concerto for Orchestra
COME FLY WITH ME: Celebrate Sinatra’s Songwriter
Starring Frank Sinatra Jr., Steve Tyrell and the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
Legendary singers Frank Sinatra Jr. and Steve Tyrell bring you dozens of Sinatra’s chart toppers, including “All the Way,” “My Kind of Town,” “Three Coins in the Fountain,” “Time After Time,” “Call Me Irresponsible,” “Bei mir bist du schoen” and “High Hopes”—all penned by the incomparable lyricist Sammy Cahn. This swinging tribute—marking the 100th anniversary of the songwriter’s birth—will transport you to the days when the Rat Pack ruled Vegas.
FRANK SINATRA, JR. vocalist
STEVE TYRELL vocalist
TERRY WOODSON conductor
JON ALLEN conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
SITKOVETSKY: CONDUCTOR & VIOLINIST
2013-14 Season
DMITRY SITKOVETSKY conductor & violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 1, “Classical”
MOZART Violin Concerto No. 1
TCHAIKOVSKY Méditation
STRAVINSKY Pulcinella Suite
TCHAIKOVSKY'S FIRST PIANO CONCERTO
2013-14 Season
CHRISTOPH KÖNIG conductor
LUKÁŠ VONDRÁČEK piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
SCHUMANN Symphony No. 4
KODÁLY Dances of Galanta
TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No. 1
LACOMBE & GLUZMAN
2013-14 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
VADIM GLUZMAN violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BERLIOZ Beatrice and Benedict Overture
BERNSTEIN Serenade for Violin and Orchestra
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 4
NATALIE MERCHANT
WITH THE NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Natalie Merchant began her musical career as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the pop music band 10,000 Maniacs. During her 30-year career, she has earned a distinguished place among America's most respected recording artists, with a reputation for being a prolific songwriter with a compelling artistic vision and a unique and captivating performance style.
NATALIE MERCHANT vocalist
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
OPENING NIGHT: PROMISE OF THE NEW WORLD
2013-14 Season
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
GERI ALLEN piano
REV. DR. M. WILLIAM HOWARD JR. special guest (Sep 27 only)
AFRO BLUE vocal ensemble
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
ELLINGTON Three Black Kings
ALLEN Stone & Streams (World Premiere)
ELLINGTON New World A-Comin'
DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA
SYMPHONY OF THE GODDESSES - WITH THE NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
SUSIE SEITER conductor
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY VOCAL ACCORD
Heather J. Buchanan director
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Celebrate the 25th anniversary of this high-action video game at a multimedia presentation of live symphonic concert, chorus and cinematic video. The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses syncs original music and images from the successful media franchise into a dynamic performance featuring a four-movement symphony played by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. Fans can relive their favorite moments through the adventurous music of Nintendo composer and sound director Koji Kondo (Super Mario Bros.).
THE RITE OF SPRING
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
DEBUSSY Concert Suite from Pelléas et Mélisande
WAGNER Prelude and “Liebestod” from Tristan und Isolde
STRAVINSKY The Rite of Spring
PATTI LUPONE WITH YOUR NJSO
PATTI LUPONE vocalist
ROB FISHER conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Patti LuPone, two-time Tony Award-winner and star of Gypsy, has been called “the American musical theatre’s greatest living star.” Don’t miss hearing songs from the legendary diva’s latest album, “Far Away Places,” backed for the very first time by full orchestra..
DANCING AROUND THE WORLD
NJSO Family Series
JEFFREY GROGAN conductor
DANCEVISION
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Take a trip around the world—no luggage required! Express yourself with Scottish, Spanish, Arabian, Chinese, Czech and American dances, including selections from The Nutcracker, West Side Story and Morton Gould’s Tap Dance Concerto. This concert also features the winning pieces from the first NJSO Young Composers Project.
TCHAIKOVSKY 5
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
ORLI SHAHAM piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
WAGNER Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
MACKEY Stumble to Grace Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5
SARAH CHANG PLAYS BRUCH
Sarah Chang, one of the world’s top violinists, brings warmth and color to Bruch’s Violin Concerto, a repertoire favorite. Bruckner drew on his lifelong admiration of Wagner in the epic journey that is his Symphony No. 4.
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
SARAH CHANG violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
WAGNER “Good Friday Spell” from Parsifal
BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1
BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4, “Romantic”
16TH ANNUAL UJA BENEFIT CONCERT
STEFAN SANDERLING conductor
DAVID KRAKAUER clarinet
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
COPLAND Appalachian Spring
MOZART Clarinet Concerto
TRADITIONAL Synagogue Wail
TRADITIONAL Der Heyser Bulgar
’S WONDERFUL! ’S MARVELOUS! GERSHWIN!
GERALD STEICHEN conductor
KATRINA THURMAN soprano
JIM WEITZER baritone
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
George Gershwin’s incredible melodies filled the concert halls and Broadway stages. Experience all your favorites, including An American in Paris, selections from Porgy and Bess, Girl Crazy, Embraceable You, Someone to Watch Over Me, ’S Wonderful and much, much more.
EXUBERANT TCHAIKOVSKY
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
JONATHAN SPITZ cello
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
TCHAIKOVSKY Polonaise from Eugene Onegin
TCHAIKOVSKY Variations on a Rococo Theme
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5
DON JUAN
SUSANNA MÄLKKI conductor
JEAN-EFFLAM BAVOUZET piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
STRAUSS Don Juan
DEBUSSY Fantasie for Piano and Orchestra
MESSIAEN Les offrandes oubliées (The Forgotten Offerings)
STRAUSS Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration)
MOZART'S REQUIEM
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
CHRISTINE BRANDES soprano
SUSANNE MENTZER mezzo-soprano
GORDON GIETZ tenor
ROBERT POMAKOV bass
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY SINGERS
Heather J. Buchanan director
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
CONE Elegy
SCHUBERT Symphony No. 8, "Unfinished"
MOZART Requiem
MENDELSSOHN'S "ITALIAN"
MARCELO LEHNINGER conductor
JOANNA MONGIARDO soprano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
ROSSINI The Italian Girl in Algiers Overture
VERDI “Caro nome” from Rigoletto
VERDI “E strano” and “Ah, fors’è lui” from La traviata
PUCCINI Chrysanthemums
BELLINI “Ah! non credea mirarti” from La Sonnambula
DONIZETTI “O luce di quest’anima” from Linda di Chamounix
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4, “Italian”
PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION
EUGENE TZIGANE conductor
ERIC WYRICK violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
BORODIN Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor
CHAUSSON Poème
SAINT-SAËNS Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso
MUSSORGSKY Pictures at an Exhibition
CASABLANCA
NJSO POPS
CONSTANTINE KITSOPOULOS conductor
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
"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.
PETER AND THE WOLF
The Gretchen Lochner Gonzales Memorial Family Concert
CONSTANTINE KITSOPOULOS conductor
BOB MCGRATH narrator
GREATER NEWARK YOUTH ORCHESTRA
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Selections from:
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Scheherazade
PROKOFIEV Peter and the Wolf
STRAVINSKY The Firebird
LACOMBE CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN & TCHAIKOVSKY
Winter Festival Concert
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
THE SHAKESPEARE THEATRE OF NEW JERSEY
Bonnie J. Monte artistic director
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
TCHAIKOVSKY The Tempest Fantasy-Overture
SIBELIUS The Tempest
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6, "Pastoral"
BEETHOVEN'S PASTORAL
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JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
GARTH GREENUP trumpet
BRAHMS Variations on a Theme of Haydn
HAYDN Trumpet Concerto
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral”
YO-YO MA WITH THE NJSO
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ANTONI WIT conductor
YO-YO MA cello
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
ELGAR Enigma Variations
RAVEL Bolero
ELGAR Cello Concerto
THE PLANETS
Winter Festival Concert - Comment on this Concert
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
AMERICAN BOYCHOIR
Fernando Malvar-Ruiz director
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
TIPPETT Symphony No. 4
HOLST The Planets
HOLIDAYS WITH THE NJSO STARRING ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY
NJSO POPS
JOHN MORRIS RUSSELL conductor
ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY vocalist
THE MASTERWORK CHORUS
Andrew Megill director
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Broadway, cabaret and film sensation Ann Hampton Callaway takes center stage with the perfect cocktail of holiday melodies and timeless classics, including Carol of the Bells, Winter Wonderland, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, My Favorite Things and many more.
MUSIC & EMOTIONS
NJSO FAMILY SERIES - Comment on this Concert
JEFFREY GROGAN conductor
PROJECT TRIO
GREG PATTILLO flute
ERIC STEPHENSON cello
PETER SEYMOUR bass
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Selections from
BEETHOVEN Fidelio Overture
PROJECT TRIO Fast
PROJECT TRIO Dup Dup
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6
PROJECT TRIO Winter in June
PROJECT TRIO Random Roads Suite
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5
BRAHMS 3
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HANS GRAF conductor
AUGUSTIN HADELICH violin
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
GRIEG In Autumn
SIBELIUS Violin Concerto
BRAHMS Symphony No. 3
A MOZART DUO
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AUGUSTIN DUMAY conductor & violin
FRANK FOERSTER viola
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MOZART Violin Concerto No. 3
MOZART Sinfonia Concertante, K. 364
MOZART Symphony No. 29
RACHMANINOFF BLOCKBUSTERS
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JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
SERHIY SALOV piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 3
RACHMANINOFF Symphony No. 2
VIENNA: FROM MOZART TO STRAUSS
Comment on this Concert
THOMAS WILKINS conductor
ALEXANDER ULLMAN piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
STRAUSS JR Die Fledermaus Overture
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 25
STRAUSS JR Thunder and Lightning Polka
STRAUSS JR Pizzicato Polka
LEHÁR Gold and Silver Waltz
SUPPÉ Light Cavalry Overture
RHAPSODY IN BLUE
Comment on this Concert
JACQUES LACOMBE conductor
JEAN-YVES THIBAUDET piano
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
HARBISON Remembering Gatsby: Foxtrot for Orchestra
GERSHWIN Variations on "I Got Rhythm"
GROFÉ Grand Canyon Suite
GERSHWIN Rhapsody in Blue
ELLINGTON Harlem