2020-21 Season Brochure

XIAN ZHANG MUSIC DIRECTOR

NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA XIAN ZHANG MUSIC DIRECTOR

S U B S C R I B E T O D AY A N D S AV E !

C O N R A D TAO

A ARON DWORKIN

Breathtaking Artists Exemplary Contemporary Composers Bold Experiences

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Dear Friends, Music connects and uplifts us all.

We have all been affected by challenges the world has faced over the past few months. Through this difficult time, I have been inspired by the way music has continued to bring us hope and bring us together, even when we could not gather for live performances.

This new season is a celebration—not only of some of history’s greatest masterworks and today’s finest musical voices, but also of the powerful ways that live symphonic music unites us, moves us and comforts us.

The entire NJSO and I cannot wait to perform for you in person again. We very much look forward to seeing you in our concert halls as we join together to share these musical experiences.

Xian Zhang Music Director

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J E N N I F E R KO H V I O L I N

2020-21 Opening Weekend Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony Fri, Oct 9, at 7:30 pm NJPAC in Newark

Sat, Oct 10, at 8 pm

Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank

Sun, Oct 11, at 3 pm NJPAC in Newark

Our new season—and the continuation of Beethoven’s 250th birthday—begins with a literal bang in Wellington’s Victory, featuring Newark-based students joining the fray.

Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, used so powerfully in The King’s Speech, will send you home inches off the ground.

Superstar Jennifer Koh plays the world premiere of a new work by Newark’s own MacArthur genius Tyshawn Sorey.

XIAN ZHANG conductor JENNIFER KOH violin BEETHOVEN Wellington’s Victory TYSHAWN SOREY Work for Violin and Orchestra (World Premiere, NJSO Commission) BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7

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2020 Fall Classical Concerts Zhang Conducts Mozart’s ‘Jupiter’ Thu, Oct 15, at 7:30 pm

bergenPAC in Englewood

Fri, Oct 16, at 8 pm

Richardson Auditorium in Princeton

Sat, Oct 17, at 8 pm NJPAC in Newark

Sun, Oct 18, at 3 pm

Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown

Mozart & Brahms Thu, Nov 5, at 1:30 pm NJPAC in Newark

Fri, Nov 6, at 8 pm

Richardson Auditorium in Princeton

Two superb Orchestra principals step into the spotlight— Bart Feller in a tour de force that lets all of the flute’s brilliant personalities sing out, and Jonathan Spitz in the piece many call the perfect cello concerto. And, for the first time, Music Director Xian Zhang leads Mozart’s beloved final symphony with the NJSO. XIAN ZHANG conductor BART FELLER flute | JONATHAN SPITZ cello NIELSEN Flute Concerto SAINT-SAËNS Cello Concerto No. 1 MOZART Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter”

Jun Märkl returns for Brahms’ touching Third Symphony, with a third-movement melody you’ll hum all the way home.

Our special guest for Mozart is Mexican-born artist Jorge Federico Osorio, “one of the most elegant pianists on the planet” (Los Angeles Times).

Sat, Nov 7, at 8 pm

JUN MÄRKL conductor | JORGE FEDERICO OSORIO piano

Sun, Nov 8, at 3 pm

SCHUMANN Overture to Genoveva (NJSO Premiere) MOZART Piano Concerto No. 25 BRAHMS Symphony No. 3

Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick

Beethoven’s Violin Concerto Fri, Dec 4, at 8 pm NJPAC in Newark

Sat, Dec 5, at 8 pm

State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick

Sun, Dec 6, at 3 pm NJPAC in Newark

Energy surges over the stage with Jessie Montgomery’s blazing Starburst and Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra, filled with colorful folk tunes and one of the most exhilarating finales in all of classical music. And with Beethoven’s 250th birthday days away, a special treat: his graceful violin concerto, played by the extraordinary Augustin Hadelich.

XIAN ZHANG conductor | AUGUSTIN HADELICH violin JESSIE MONTGOMERY Starburst BARTÓK Concerto for Orchestra BEETHOVEN Violin Concerto

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SUBSCRIBERS RECEIVE FREE & FLEXIBLE P R O G R A M D E T A I L S , V I D E O S & M O R E • N J S Y M P H O N Y. O R G T I C K E T E X C H A N G E S • N J S Y M P H O N Y. O R G

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2021 Winter Festival: Gershwin & the Sounds of America Week I: Gershwin’s An American in Paris Fri, Jan 15, at 8 pm NJPAC in Newark

Sat, Jan 16, at 8 pm

State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick

Gershwin’s music spanned jazz, pop and classical, and New Jersey’s own Terrence Wilson brings it all home with a suite of dazzling piano pieces. An American in Paris finds Gershwin at his jauntiest. Aaron Dworkin’s The American Rhapsody sets riveting narration from George Washington’s writings to Coleridge-Taylor’s Symphonic Variations on an African Air. XIAN ZHANG conductor | TERRENCE WILSON piano AARON DWORKIN narrator

Sun, Jan 17, at 3 pm

WEILL Suite from The Threepenny Opera GERSHWIN Three Preludes for Solo Piano GERSHWIN “I Got Rhythm” Variations for Piano and Orchestra COLERIDGE-TAYLOR/AARON DWORKIN The American Rhapsody (NJSO Premiere) GERSHWIN An American in Paris

Week II: Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F

Classics from film, jazz and Broadway orbit around Gershwin’s rollicking Piano Concerto in F, which Aaron Diehl makes his own through moments of spellbinding solo improvisation. We’ll visit a couple of New York boroughs Gershwin walked, as Ellington paints Harlem and Bernstein tells his West Side Story.

Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown

Thu, Jan 21, at 7:30 pm

bergenPAC in Englewood

Sat, Jan 23, at 8 pm NJPAC in Newark

FABIEN GABEL conductor | AARON DIEHL piano

Sun, Jan 24, at 3 pm

HERRMANN Suite from Vertigo (NJSO Premiere) GERSHWIN Piano Concerto in F ELLINGTON Harlem BERNSTEIN Symphonic Dances from West Side Story

Week III: The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess

No American opera has had the transcendent influence of Porgy and Bess—music at once popular, classical and utterly unforgettable. Hear “Bess, You Is My Woman Now,” “Summertime” and so many other glories from the Gershwins’ masterpiece. Principal Horn Chris Komer sets the table with the premiere of a striking jazz concerto, written for him by four composers!

State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick

Fri, Jan 29, at 8 pm

Richardson Auditorium in Princeton

Sat, Jan 30, at 8 pm

Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank

Sun, Jan 31, at 3 pm NJPAC in Newark

XIAN ZHANG conductor | CHRIS KOMER horn MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY CHOIR Eric Conway, director VARIOUS Jazz French Horn Concerto (World Premiere, NJSO Commission) Movements by PAQUITO D’RIVERA, VIVIAN LI, CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE, GARY MORGAN GERSHWIN Selections from Porgy and Bess

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2021 Winter Classical Concerts

Fri, Feb 26, at 8 pm

Gemma New captured New Jersey’s hearts and minds as our former associate conductor, and her career continues to rocket with recent debuts in Philadelphia and San Francisco. She returns to give the US premiere of a new work by Thomas Adès and lead Walton’s big, brassy First Symphony.

Dynamic violinist Karen Gomyo joins her, taking center stage for Tchaikovsky’s joyous concerto.

Sat, Feb 27, at 8 pm

GEMMA NEW conductor | KAREN GOMYO violin

Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto Thu, Feb 25, at 1:30 pm NJPAC in Newark NJPAC in Newark

State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick

Sun, Feb 28, at 3 pm

Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown

Zhang Conducts Mahler 7 Sat, Mar 6, at 8 pm NJPAC in Newark

Sun, Mar 7, at 3 pm NJPAC in Newark

THOMAS ADÈS New Work (US Premiere, NJSO Co-Commission) TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto WALTON Symphony No. 1 (NJSO Premiere) Xian Zhang has dreamed of bringing you Mahler’s Seventh since her NJSO tenure began. Its deep longing, its quiet intimacy and its ravishing waves of sound—this is Mahler at his best. Mahler is paired with the grace of Mozart and young Israeli pianist Tom Borrow—an artist who is, International Piano says, “the very definition of ‘the One to Watch.’”

XIAN ZHANG conductor | TOM BORROW piano MOZART Piano Concerto No. 20 MAHLER Symphony No. 7 (NJSO Premiere)

Chopin’s First Piano Concerto Thu, Mar 11, at 1:30 pm NJPAC in Newark

Fri, Mar 12, at 8 pm

Richardson Auditorium in Princeton

Sat, Mar 13, at 8 pm

Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank

Sun, Mar 14, at 3 pm

State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick

The spirit of folk music runs deep and glorious through these works. Close your eyes, and you’re in the jawdropping beauty of Norway’s fjords or Ukraine’s green and rolling Carpathian Mountains. Open them, and you’re dazzled by Haochen Zhang, gold-medal winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, in Chopin’s lyrical First Piano Concerto.

XIAN ZHANG conductor HAOCHEN ZHANG piano GRIEG Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 1 TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 2, “Little Russian”

B E ST S E AT S R E S E RV E D FO R S U B S C R I B E R S P R O G R A M D E T A I L S , V I D E O S & M O R E • N J S Y M P H O N Y. O R G N J S Y M P H O N Y. O R G

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2021 Spring Classical Concerts Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony Thu, Apr 8, at 1:30 pm NJPAC in Newark

Need a little magnificence? BBC Music Magazine calls Vadim Gluzman playing Prokofiev’s Second Violin Concerto “a constant glory.” Come bask in it—and in the wonder of history’s most iconic symphony, Beethoven’s Fifth.

MARIO VENZAGO conductor | VADIM GLUZMAN violin

Sat, Apr 10, at 8 pm NJPAC in Newark

Sun, Apr 11, at 3 pm

Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown

GLUCK Selections from Armide (NJSO Premiere) PROKOFIEV Violin Concerto No. 2 BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5

Fri, Apr 30, at 8 pm

Since Conrad Tao’s NJSO debut three seasons ago, his career has exploded: he’s written music for the New York Philharmonic, given concerts all over the world and earned a huge spread in The New York Times. He returns for his own Spoonfuls and Tchaikovsky’s big-shouldered First Piano Concerto, with the NJSO performing Shostakovich’s lighthearted Ninth Symphony in between.

Sat, May 1, at 8 pm

JADER BIGNAMINI conductor | CONRAD TAO piano

Sun, May 2, at 3 pm

CONRAD TAO Spoonfuls for Piano and Orchestra (East-Coast Premiere) SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 9 TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No. 1

Mendelssohn’s ‘Italian’ Symphony

Magnificently talented Associate Concertmaster Brennan Sweet and Assistant Principal Viola Elzbieta Weyman step to center stage to play the loveliest music ever written for violin and viola. And the NJSO’s solo piccolo, Kathleen Nester, makes the orchestra’s tiniest instrument sing loud and proud in Vivaldi’s virtuosic Piccolo Concerto in C Major.

The sunshine of Mendelssohn’s “Italian” Symphony warms the entire program.

Conrad Tao Plays Tchaikovsky Thu, Apr 29, at 1:30 pm NJPAC in Newark NJPAC in Newark

State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick NJPAC in Newark

Thu, May 6, at 7:30 pm

West Side Presbyterian Church in Ridgewood

Sat, May 8, at 8 pm

Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank

Sun, May 9, at 3 pm

State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick

XIAN ZHANG conductor | BRENNAN SWEET violin ELZBIETA WEYMAN viola | KATHLEEN NESTER piccolo ROSSINI Overture to L’italiana in Algeri MOZART Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola VIVALDI Piccolo Concerto in C Major MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4, “Italian”

ENJOY WORLD-RENOWNED COMPOSITIONS P R O G R A M D E T A I L S , V I D E O S & M O R E • N J S Y M P H O N Y. O R G N J S Y M P H O N Y. O R G

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2020-21 Season Finale Joshua Bell Returns Thu, June 10, at 1:30 pm NJPAC in Newark

Fri, June 11, at 8 pm

Richardson Auditorium in Princeton

Sat, June 12, at 8 pm NJPAC in Newark

Sun, June 13, at 3 pm NJPAC in Newark

Passion, poetry and power to see you through summer. We wrap the season with the nation’s most acclaimed violinist, Joshua Bell, in music of hold-your-breath beauty. And the fire in Prokofiev’s most popular symphony will hold you until we meet again!

XIAN ZHANG conductor JOSHUA BELL violin RENE ORTH Chasing Light (NJSO Premiere) BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1 BLOCH Baal Shem for Violin and Orchestra (NJSO Premiere) PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 5

D O N ’ T M I S S A N U N FO R G E T TA B L E F I N A L E P R O G R A M D E T A I L S , V I D E O S & M O R E • N J S Y M P H O N Y. O R G N J S Y M P H O N Y. O R G

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JOSHUA BE LL VIOLIN

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The NJSO and YOU Be a part of the NJSO family by purchasing a subscription package to this amazing season. There are many options and venues.

As a subscriber, you get terrific perks.

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Connect with YOUR NJSO Connect on social media Follow this season’s journey as it unfolds in the many communities of New Jersey. Tell your family and friends you’re going to concerts, and tag us.

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Visit us online Learn all about NJSO concerts—like listings, broadcasts and program notes—and the community impact of our programs.

NJSO Accents There is so much that goes with the music you cherish! For details about Ask a Musician, Classical Conversations and other NJSO Accent events, visit njsymphony.org/accents.

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ERIC W YRICK VIOLIN

Beethoven’s Birthday Bash: The Complete Violin Sonatas Eric Wyrick, our inspired concertmaster, presents all of Beethoven’s violin sonatas across three concerts. Beethoven poured his whole heart and genius into these 10 pieces, and they embrace an enormous range of emotion. In these violin showpieces, the piano is equally important, and master pianists Simone Dinnerstein, Alan Feinberg and Drew Petersen join Wyrick for the occasion. Don’t miss the intimacy and excitement of chamber music at its best in honor of Beethoven’s 250th birthday.

Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas 1–4 Wed, Oct 21, at 7:30 pm

Concert Hall at Drew University in Madison

Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas 5–7 Wed, Nov 18, at 7:30 pm

Concert Hall at Drew University in Madison

Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas 8–10 Wed, Dec 16, at 7:30 pm

Concert Hall at Drew University in Madison

ERIC WYRICK violin DREW PETERSEN piano BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 1 BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 2 BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 3 BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 4

ERIC WYRICK violin ALAN FEINBERG piano BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 5, “Spring” BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 6 BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 7

ERIC WYRICK violin SIMONE DINNERSTEIN piano BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 8 BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 9, “Kreutzer” BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 10

ENHANCE YOUR CLASSICAL SUBSCRIPTION WITH P R O G R A M D E T A I L S , V I D E O S & M O R E • N J S Y M P H O N Y. O R G T H E S E P E R F O R M A N C E S • N J S Y M P H O N Y. O R G

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Handel’s Messiah Fri, Dec 18, at 8 pm

Richardson Auditorium in Princeton

Sun, Dec 20, at 7 pm

Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark

Join us for one of the NJSO’s great holiday traditions.

Conductor Ruth Reinhardt brings her “incandescent talent” (The Seattle Times) to the Orchestra for Handel’s classic.

Hearing the amazing Montclair State University Singers sing the “Hallelujah Chorus” is a glorious experience each season.

RUTH REINHARDT conductor MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY SINGERS Heather J. Buchanan, conductor

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2021 Lunar New Year Celebration Lunar New Year Sat, Feb 6, at 7:30 pm NJPAC in Newark

Celebrate the Year of the Ox as Music Director Xian Zhang and the NJSO continue a tradition that welcomes all audiences for a festive evening of community and cultural exchange.

XIAN ZHANG conductor

ENHANCE YOUR CLASSICAL SUBSCRIPTION WITH T H E S E P E R F O R M A N C E S • N J S Y M P H O N Y. O R G

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ALMA DEUTSCHER COMPOSER, VIOLIN, PIANO

Alma Deutscher Debuts with the NJSO Sat, May 22, at 8 pm

Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank

Sun, May 23, at 3 pm NJPAC in Newark

Alma Deutscher has taken the world by storm with her talents as a violinist, pianist and composer who wrote her first piano sonata at age 6 and her first short opera at 7.

Hear the extraordinary young voice Sir Simon Rattle calls “a force of nature” as she joins the NJSO after a triumphant sold-out Carnegie Hall debut this season.

ALMA DEUTSCHER composer, violin, piano MICHAEL FRANCIS conductor

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New Jersey Symphony Orchestra

Harry Potter and the Deathly HallowsTM Part 1 Sat, Oct 31, at 2 pm NJPAC in Newark

The end begins. Harry, Ron and Hermione go hunting for Horcruxes in part one of the epic finale Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ in Concert. Relive every harrowing moment as Harry and his friends rush to face Voldemort™ for the last time, with the full film accompanied by the NJSO in an experience you’ll never forget.

HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. (s20) Harry PotterTM concerts are presented in collaboration with New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Presented by CINECONCERTS.

EXPERIENCE FILM CLASSICS LIKE NEVER BEFORE N J S Y M P H O N Y. O R G

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Jurassic Park in Concert Fri, Nov 27, at 8 pm

Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank

Featuring visually stunning imagery and groundbreaking special effects, the action-packed adventure of Jurassic Park pits man against prehistoric predators in the ultimate battle for survival. Experience this epic film in HD with the NJSO performing John Williams’ iconic score live to picture. Welcome … to Jurassic Park!

Sat, Nov 28, at 2 pm

CONSTANTINE KITSOPOULOS conductor

Sat, Nov 28, at 7:30 pm

Nov 29 performance presented in collaboration with State Theatre New Jersey.

NJPAC in Newark NJPAC in Newark

Sun, Nov 29, at 3 pm

State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick

© Universal City Studios LLC and Amblin Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Concert Fri, Mar 19, at 8 pm

Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank

Sat, Mar 20, at 2 pm NJPAC in Newark

Sat, Mar 20, at 7:30 pm NJPAC in Newark

Sun, Mar 21, at 3 pm

State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick

Thirty years after the defeat of the Empire, Luke Skywalker has vanished, and a new threat has risen: The First Order, led by the mysterious Supreme Leader Snoke and his enforcer, Kylo Ren. General Leia Organa’s military force, the Resistance—and unlikely heroes brought together by fate—are the galaxy’s only hope.

Experience the complete film with the NJSO performing John Williams’ thrilling score live.

Mar 21 performance presented in collaboration with State Theatre New Jersey.

Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts in association with 20th Century Fox, Lucasfilm Ltd., and Warner/Chappell Music. © 2020 & TM LUCASFILM LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © DISNEY

EXPERIENCE FILM CLASSICS LIKE NEVER BEFORE N J S Y M P H O N Y. O R G

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Harry Potter and the Deathly HallowsTM Part 2 Sat, June 5, at 7:30 pm NJPAC in Newark

In the epic finale to the Harry Potter Film Concert Series, the battle between good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 2 in Concert brings the final chapter to the big screen as the NJSO performs every note of the epic score from Alexandre Desplat. The stakes have never been higher!

HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. (s20) Harry PotterTM concerts are presented in collaboration with New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Presented by CINECONCERTS.

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ADD THESE SPECIAL EVENTS TO YOUR SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGE

Subscribers get the earliest access to the best seats for any of these special events!

To add these concerts to your classical series and save, call 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476).

Concert

City

Venue

P

A/P1

B/P2

C

D/P3

Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas 1–4 Wed, Oct 21, at 7:30 pm

Madison

Concert Hall at Drew University

$59

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 1 in Concert Sat, Oct 31, at 2 pm

Newark

NJPAC

$89

$79

$69

$59

$39

Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas 5–7 Wed, Nov 18, at 7:30 pm

Madison

Concert Hall at Drew University

$59

Jurassic Park in Concert Fri, Nov 27, at 8 pm

Red Bank

The Basie

$89

$79

$69

$59

$39

Newark

NJPAC

$89

$79

$69

$59

$39

New Brunswick

State Theatre NJ

$89

$79

$69

$59

$39

Madison

Concert Hall at Drew University

$59

Handel’s Messiah Fri, Dec 18, at 8 pm

Princeton

Richardson Auditorium

$85

$60

$40

$25

NA

Sun, Dec 20, at 7 pm

Newark

Cathedral Basilica

$75

$55

$32

$15

NA

Lunar New Year Celebration Sat, Feb 6, at 7:30 pm

Newark

NJPAC

$80

$65

$50

$35

$25

Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Concert Fri, Mar 19, at 8 pm

Red Bank

The Basie

$110

$86

$72

$59

$45

Newark

NJPAC

$110

$81

$68

$50

$32

Sun, Mar 21, at 3 pm

New Brunswick

State Theatre NJ

$110

$86

$72

$59

$45

Alma Deutscher Debuts with the NJSO Sat, May 22, at 8 pm

Red Bank

The Basie

$85

$75

$55

$45

$25

Sun, May 23, at 3 pm

Newark

NJPAC

$85

$75

$55

$45

$25

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 2 in Concert Sat, June 5, at 7:30 pm

Newark

NJPAC

$89

$79

$69

$59

$39

Sat, Nov 28, at 2 pm & 7:30 pm Sun, Nov 29, at 3 pm Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas 8–10 Wed, Dec 16, at 7:30 pm

Sat, Mar 20, at 2 pm & 7:30 pm

F U N F O R T H E W H O L E F A M I L Y • N J S Y M P H O N Y. O R G

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Family Concerts NJSO Family Series presented by the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey.

Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra

Bring your young ones for an entertainingly narrated musical adventure through the various instrument families of the orchestra with Britten’s classic The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.

Sat, Nov 14, at 2 pm & 3:30 pm

Victoria Theater at NJPAC in Newark

The Composer is Dead

A guest actor will take on the famous role of Lemony Snicket— best known for the popular A Series of Unfortunate Events—in Nathaniel Stookey’s musical mystery The Composer Is Dead.

Sat, May 15, at 2 pm & 3:30 pm

Victoria Theater at NJPAC in Newark

+ Each concert includes a pre-concert adventure beginning one hour before the performance. + Tickets for both family concerts are $16 for youth and $28 for adults!

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NJSO: Resident Orchestra of NJPAC New Jersey Performing Arts Center and the NJSO share a common goal: to ensure lasting connections between the people of New Jersey and the life-enhancing power of the performing arts. Strong artistic and educational partnerships—such as MANY (Music Advancement for Newark-area Youth), a joint program designed to provide students in Greater Newark with high-quality instrumental instruction—between these two cultural institutions foster the ability of both organizations to transform lives through the arts. Thanks to this shared commitment, the NJSO is proud to be the resident orchestra of NJPAC. Since its opening on October 18, 1997, NJPAC has attracted almost 10 million visitors and has reached more than 1.8 million children and families with innovative arts education programs. The exceptional acoustics of its largest theater, Prudential Hall, are evident the moment an instrumentalist, a singer or a symphony orchestra sounds the first note of any performance. Beautiful music-making is the foundation of NJPAC’s programming, which each season includes more than 600 dance concerts, recitals, spoken-word performances and other cultural experiences. Among the world-class performers who have appeared at NJPAC are Joshua Bell, Lang Lang, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Bob Dylan, Jerry Seinfeld, Wayne Shorter, Diana Ross, the Gipsy Kings, Savion Glover, Tony Bennett, Sting and Aretha Franklin.

Many artists and critics have praised NJPAC’s Prudential Hall for its beauty and extraordinary sound, among them former New York Times music critic Hans Fantel (one of the “world’s greatest concert halls”) and arts critic Clive Barnes (the “nation’s most glamorous theater”).

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Join us at any of these NJSO venues Englewood: bergenPAC

30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, NJ 07631

Madison: The Concert Hall at Drew University 36 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940

Morristown: Mayo Performing Arts Center 100 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960

Newark: Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart 89 Ridge Street, Newark, NJ 07104

Newark: New Jersey Performing Arts Center 1 Center Street, Newark, NJ 07102

New Brunswick: State Theatre New Jersey 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Princeton: Richardson Auditorium 61 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08540

Red Bank: Count Basie Center for the Arts 99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701

Ridgewood: West Side Presbyterian Church 6 South Monroe Street, Ridgewood, NJ 07450

Learn more about these venues online at njsymphony.org or by phone at 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476).

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Thank you to our Sponsors!

Frank and Lydia Bergen Foundation • The Charles E. and Edna T. Brundage Foundation • Marjorie Bunnell Charitable Fund • CBS Radio • The Edward T. Cone Foundation • Fox Rothschild • Franklin Mutual Insurance Company • EJ Grassmann Trust • The Hearst Foundation, Inc. • Richard H. Holzer Memorial Foundation • The Hyde and Watson Foundation • Robert Wood Johnson 1962 Charitable Trust • The Leavens Foundation, Inc. The Harold I. & Faye B. Liss Foundation • McCarter & English • Donald and Emily Mulford Fund • Blanche M. and George L. Watts Mountainside Charitable Foundation • New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance • Rosalind Pio Costa Foundation • Piper Hill Foundation • John and Margaret Post Foundation • The Philip W. Riskin Charitable Foundation • Turrell Fund • The Union Foundation • The Lucy and Eleanor S. Upton Foundation • Victoria Foundation • The Westfield Foundation • WNYC • WQXR Photos: Front cover, pages 18, 29 (top left, top right, bottom left): Fred Stucker; inside cover (clockwise from top left): Dwight Cendrowski, Brantley Gutierrez, Marco Borggreve, Jiyang Chen; page 2: Jürgen Frank; pages 3, 14, 15, 19 (top), 27, back cover, pull-out calendar: Cherylynn Tsushima; page 5: Todd Rosenberg; page 6: courtesy CSU Archives/Everett Collection; page 9: Roy Cox; page 11: Brantley Gutierrez; page 12: Benjamin Ealovega; page 13: Richard Ascroft; page 16: Matt Dine; page 17: Geoffrey Anderson; page 19 (bottom): Reinhard Winkler; page 25: Lilian Finckel; page 29 (bottom right): Katie Miller.

Made possible by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

P YO RO UR GR SU AP MP O DR E T AMI A LK SE , SV IMDUESOI C S P&OM SS OI R BL EE• • NNJJSSYYM MP H O N NY. Y.OORRGG

28

G

ACCE S S

E D U C AT I O N

E XCE LLE NCE

COMMUNIT Y

Become a Symphony Friend and forge a stronger connection with the NJSO. Your investment in the Annual Fund makes an immediate impact on the Garden State by providing essential funding for NJSO programs both inside our concert halls and in our communities.

Members also enjoy exclusive donor benefits, including: + Open rehearsals that provide a behind-the-scenes perspective + Invitations to intermission and post-concert receptions with NJSO artists + Advance notice of special concerts and events + Priority reservations for special travel opportunities + And more!

For information about membership benefits or to donate, visit njsymphony.org/support or call 973.735.1730.

29

How to Order Online

Get started at njsymphony.org/subscribe.

• Select your preferred venue and series from six venue locations.

• Review the concerts and dates in your package and click the

“Buy Series” button. If you can’t make a concert in your package, the NJSO offers free and flexible exchanges for subscribers.

• Choose your seating section and price level. Seating charts are available at njsymphony.org/venues.

• Finish the checkout process. You’ll receive your subscription package in July.

Phone

Receive personalized service and discuss venue and series options with a friendly Patron Services representative. We’re here to help you Monday to Friday from 10 am to 5 pm, and concert Saturdays from 11 am to 5 pm at 1.800.

ALLEGRO (255.3476).

Bus Transportation

Leave the driving to us! Bus transportation is available for select series for $7 per concert. A minimum of 25 reservations or more is required to guarantee service. Please contact 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476) to learn more.

We graciously appreciate the support of an anonymous donor for covering a portion of annual transportation expenses.

Classical Series Prices CLASSICAL

Venue Series

STATE THEATRE NEW BRUNSWICK

NJPAC IN NEWARK

1

2

FRI/SAT THU/SUN Day 10 10 # Concerts

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

THU 6

FRI 5

SAT 5

SUN 6

SAT/SUN 8

SAT 4

SUN 4

P

$860

$860

$516

$430

$430

$522

$624

$312

$348

A

$650

$650

$390

$325

$325

$420

$488

$244

$280

B

$400

$400

$240

$200

$200

$264

$344

$172

$176

C

$310

$310

$186

$155

$155

$216

$256

$128

$144

D

$210

$210

$126

$105

$105

$126

$168

$84

$84

FAMILY

CLASSICAL

Venue

ENGLEWOOD PRINCETON BERGENPAC RICHARDSON

RED BANK THE BASIE

MORRISTOWN MPAC

Venue

NEWARK NJPAC: VICTORIA THEATER

Day # Concerts

THU 3

FRI 5

SAT 5

SUN 4

Day # Concerts

SAT (2 pm & 3:30 pm) 2

P

NA

$435

NA

$348

Adults

$28

A/P1

$204

$330

$340

$280

Youth

$16

B/P2

$129

$210

$215

$176

C

NA

NA

NA

$144

D/P3

$63

$105

$105

$84

Specials: Add these concerts to your subscription package and SAVE up to 30%!

Beethoven's Complete Violin Sonatas: page 16 Handel's Messiah: page 17 Lunar New Year Celebration: page 18 Alma Deutscher Debuts with the NJSO: page 19 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 1 in Concert: page 20 Jurassic Park in Concert: page 21 Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Concert: page 22 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 2 in Concert: page 23 Add-on discounts are based on number of years subscribed.

Please call Patron Services to verify your discount. *Partially obstructed view The NJSO is ADA compliant. For our patrons with specials needs, we offer wheelchair-accessible seating and facilities, large-print programs and assisted listening devices. Not all services are available in all locations.

Please contact us for more information.

njsymphony.org | 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476)

Venue

O R D E R O N L I N E O R C A L L T O D AY !

JUNE

MAY

APRIL

MARCH

FEB

JANUARY: WINTER FESTIVAL

DECEMBER

NOV

OCTOBER

njsymphony.org/subscribe I 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476)

Series

1

2

Number of Concerts

10

10

FRI / SAT 8 pm

THU 1:30 pm SUN 3 pm

SUN OCT 11 3 pm

Day / Time

Title / Conductor / Artists

Program

OPENING WEEKEND: BEETHOVEN’S SEVENTH SYMPHONY XIAN ZHANG conductor JENNIFER KOH violin

BEETHOVEN Wellington’s Victory TYSHAWN SOREY Work for Violin and Orchestra (World Premiere, NJSO Commission) BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7

FRI OCT 9 7:30 pm

ZHANG CONDUCTS MOZART’S ‘JUPITER’ XIAN ZHANG conductor BART FELLER flute | JONATHAN SPITZ cello

NIELSEN Flute Concerto SAINT-SAËNS Cello Concerto No. 1 MOZART Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter”

SAT OCT 17 8 pm

MOZART & BRAHMS JUN MÄRKL conductor JORGE FEDERICO OSORIO piano

SCHUMANN Overture to Genoveva (NJSO Premiere) MOZART Piano Concerto No. 25 BRAHMS Symphony No. 3

BEETHOVEN’S VIOLIN CONCERTO XIAN ZHANG conductor AUGUSTIN HADELICH violin

JESSIE MONTGOMERY Starburst BARTÓK Concerto for Orchestra BEETHOVEN Violin Concerto

HANDEL’S MESSIAH RUTH REINHARDT conductor MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY SINGERS Heather J. Buchanan, conductor

HANDEL Messiah

WINTER FESTIVAL: GERSHWIN & THE SOUNDS OF AMERICA WEEK I: GERSHWIN’S AN AMERICAN IN PARIS XIAN ZHANG conductor TERRENCE WILSON piano AARON DWORKIN narrator

WEILL Suite from The Threepenny Opera GERSHWIN Three Preludes for Solo Piano GERSHWIN “I Got Rhythm” Variations for Piano and Orchestra COLERIDGE-TAYLOR/AARON DWORKIN The American Rhapsody (NJSO Premiere) GERSHWIN An American in Paris

FRI JAN 15 8 pm

WINTER FESTIVAL: GERSWHIN & THE SOUNDS OF AMERICA WEEK II: GERSHWIN’S PIANO CONCERTO IN F FABIEN GABEL conductor AARON DIEHL piano

HERRMANN Suite from Vertigo (NJSO Premiere) GERSHWIN Piano Concerto in F ELLINGTON Harlem BERNSTEIN Symphonic Dances from West Side Story

SAT JAN 23 8 pm

WINTER FESTIVAL: GERSHWIN & THE SOUNDS OF AMERICA WEEK III: GERSHWIN’S PORGY AND BESS XIAN ZHANG conductor CHRIS KOMER horn MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY CHOIR | Eric Conway, director

VARIOUS Jazz French Horn Concerto (World Premiere, NJSO Commission) Movements by PAQUITO D’RIVERA, VIVIAN LI, CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE, GARY MORGAN GERSHWIN Selections from Porgy and Bess

TCHAIKOVSKY’S VIOLIN CONCERTO GEMMA NEW conductor KAREN GOMYO violin

THOMAS ADÈS New Work (US Premiere, NJSO Co-Commission) TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto WALTON Symphony No. 1 (NJSO Premiere)

FRI FEB 26 8 pm

THU FEB 25 1:30 pm

ZHANG CONDUCTS MAHLER 7 XIAN ZHANG conductor TOM BORROW piano

MOZART Piano Concerto No. 20 MAHLER Symphony No. 7 (NJSO Premiere)

SAT MAR 6 8 pm

SUN MAR 7 3 pm

CHOPIN’S FIRST PIANO CONCERTO XIAN ZHANG conductor HAOCHEN ZHANG piano

GRIEG Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 1 TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 2, “Little Russian”

BEETHOVEN’S FIFTH SYMPHONY MARIO VENZAGO conductor VADIM GLUZMAN violin

GLUCK Selections from Armide (NJSO Premiere) PROKOFIEV Violin Concerto No. 2 BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5

SAT APR 10 8 pm

THU APR 8 1:30 pm

CONRAD TAO PLAYS TCHAIKOVSKY JADER BIGNAMINI conductor CONRAD TAO piano

CONRAD TAO Spoonfuls for Piano and Orchestra (East-Coast Premiere) SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 9 TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No. 1

FRI APR 30 8 pm

SUN MAY 2 3 pm

MENDELSSOHN’S ‘ITALIAN’ SYMPHONY XIAN ZHANG conductor BRENNAN SWEET violin | ELZBIETA WEYMAN viola KATHLEEN NESTER piccolo

ROSSINI Overture to L’italiana in Algeri MOZART Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola VIVALDI Piccolo Concerto in C Major MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4, “Italian”

SAT JUNE 12 8 pm

THU JUNE 10 1:30 pm

THU NOV 5 1:30 pm FRI DEC 4 8 pm

SUN DEC 6 3 pm

SUN JAN 31 3 pm

THU MAR 11 1:30 pm

ALMA DEUTSCHER DEBUTS WITH THE NJSO ALMA DEUTSCHER composer, violin, piano MICHAEL FRANCIS conductor SEASON FINALE: JOSHUA BELL RETURNS XIAN ZHANG conductor JOSHUA BELL violin

RENE ORTH Chasing Light (NJSO Premiere) BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1 BLOCH Baal Shem for Violin and Orchestra (NJSO Premiere) PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 5

NJPAC IN NEWARK

NEW BRUNSWICK

ENGLEWOOD PRINCETON

RED BANK MORRISTOWN

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

6

5

5

6

8

4

4

3

5

5

4

THU 1:30 pm

FRI 8 pm

SAT 8 pm

SUN 3 pm

SAT 8 pm SUN 3 pm

SAT 8 pm

SUN 3 pm

THU 7:30 pm

FRI 8 pm

SAT 8 pm

SUN 3 pm

FRI OCT 9 7:30 pm

SUN OCT 11 3 pm

SAT OCT 10 8 pm

SAT OCT 17 8 pm

THU OCT 15 7:30 pm

THU NOV 5 1:30 pm

SUN NOV 8 3 pm SUN DEC 6 3 pm

FRI DEC 4 8 pm

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

SAT DEC 5 8 pm

SUN NOV 8 3 pm

FRI OCT 16 8 pm FRI NOV 6 8 pm

SUN OCT 18 3 pm SAT NOV 7 8 pm

SAT DEC 5 8 pm FRI, DEC 18 8 pm PRINCETON SUN, DEC 20 7 pm NEWARK CATHEDRAL BASILICA

FRI JAN 15 8 pm

SAT JAN 16 8 pm

SAT JAN 23 8 pm

SAT JAN 16 8 pm

SUN JAN 24 3 pm

SUN JAN 17 3 pm

SUN JAN 24 3 pm

THU JAN 21 7:30 pm FRI JAN 29 8 pm

SUN JAN 31 3 pm THU FEB 25 1:30 pm

FRI FEB 26 8 pm

SAT FEB 27 8 pm SAT MAR 6 8 pm

THU APR 29 1:30 pm

SAT FEB 27 8 pm

SUN FEB 28 3 pm

SUN MAR 7 3 pm

THU MAR 11 1:30 pm

SUN MAR 14 3 pm

THU APR 8 1:30 pm

SAT JAN 30 8 pm

FRI MAR 12 8 pm

SUN MAR 14 3 pm

SAT MAR 13 8 pm

SAT APR 10 8 pm FRI APR 30 8 pm

SUN APR 11 3 pm SUN MAY 2 3 pm

SAT MAY 1 8 pm SUN MAY 9 3 pm

SAT MAY 1 8 pm SUN MAY 9 3 pm

THU MAY 6* 7:30 pm

SAT MAY 8 8 pm

*Venue Location: West Side Presbyterian Church in Ridgewood SAT, MAY 22 8 pm RED BANK SUN, MAY 23 3 pm NEWARK NJPAC

THU JUNE 10 1:30 pm

SAT JUNE 12 8 pm

SUN JUNE 13 3 pm

FRI JUNE 11 8 pm

XIAN ZHANG MUSIC DIRECTOR

N J S Y M P H O N Y. O R G / S U B S C R I B E

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