The Firebird with Xian Zhang
Featuring Nimbus Dance and new dance choreography! | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Jonathan Spitz cello
Nimbus Dance | Samuel Pott, artistic director & choreographer
New Jersey Symphony
- Johann Sebastian Bach Prelude from Cello Suite No. 2
Behold the majesty and wonder of solo Bach, as Principal Cello Jonathan Spitz spins this mesmerizing theme from thin air.
- Caroline Shaw Valencia
The valencia orange, described as “a thing of nature, yet so complex and extraordinary” inspired this expertly-crafted spring quartet.
- Qasim Naqvi God Docks at Death Harbor (Piano Quintet Version)
Naqvi calls this piece “a vision of our planet years from now … the quiet and peacefulness of a world restoring itself.” Nimbus Dance joins with brand new choreography, titled “Dark Water.”
- Igor Stravinsky Divertimento from The Fairy’s Kiss
Stravinsky loved the Romantics like Tchaikovsky, and created this charming and lilting Divertimento after him.
- Igor Stravinsky Suite from The Firebird
Stravinsky's The Firebird has one of the most exciting finales in all classical music, brought to life here with Nimbus Dance at center stage for the Newark concerts. In a dramatic and inventive departure from traditional renditions, Samuel Pott and Nimbus Dance reimagine The Firebird blending myth and modernity. In this tale, an Icarus-like figure, and a girl from a family in turmoil, seek freedom and liberation through flight.
Performed in Newark and Red Bank
The Firebird with Xian Zhang
Featuring Nimbus Dance and new dance choreography! | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Jonathan Spitz cello
Nimbus Dance | Samuel Pott, artistic director & choreographer
New Jersey Symphony
- Johann Sebastian Bach Prelude from Cello Suite No. 2
Behold the majesty and wonder of solo Bach, as Principal Cello Jonathan Spitz spins this mesmerizing theme from thin air.
- Caroline Shaw Valencia
The valencia orange, described as “a thing of nature, yet so complex and extraordinary” inspired this expertly-crafted spring quartet.
- Qasim Naqvi God Docks at Death Harbor (Piano Quintet Version)
Naqvi calls this piece “a vision of our planet years from now … the quiet and peacefulness of a world restoring itself.” Nimbus Dance joins with brand new choreography, titled “Dark Water.”
- Igor Stravinsky Divertimento from The Fairy’s Kiss
Stravinsky loved the Romantics like Tchaikovsky, and created this charming and lilting Divertimento after him.
- Igor Stravinsky Suite from The Firebird
Stravinsky's The Firebird has one of the most exciting finales in all classical music, brought to life here with Nimbus Dance at center stage for the Newark concerts. In a dramatic and inventive departure from traditional renditions, Samuel Pott and Nimbus Dance reimagine The Firebird blending myth and modernity. In this tale, an Icarus-like figure, and a girl from a family in turmoil, seek freedom and liberation through flight.
Performed in Newark and Red Bank
The Firebird with Xian Zhang
Featuring Nimbus Dance and new dance choreography! | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Jonathan Spitz cello
Nimbus Dance | Samuel Pott, artistic director & choreographer
New Jersey Symphony
- Johann Sebastian Bach Prelude from Cello Suite No. 2
Behold the majesty and wonder of solo Bach, as Principal Cello Jonathan Spitz spins this mesmerizing theme from thin air.
- Caroline Shaw Valencia
The valencia orange, described as “a thing of nature, yet so complex and extraordinary” inspired this expertly-crafted spring quartet.
- Qasim Naqvi God Docks at Death Harbor (Piano Quintet Version)
Naqvi calls this piece “a vision of our planet years from now … the quiet and peacefulness of a world restoring itself.” Nimbus Dance joins with brand new choreography, titled “Dark Water.”
- Igor Stravinsky Divertimento from The Fairy’s Kiss
Stravinsky loved the Romantics like Tchaikovsky, and created this charming and lilting Divertimento after him.
- Igor Stravinsky Suite from The Firebird
Stravinsky's The Firebird has one of the most exciting finales in all classical music, brought to life here with Nimbus Dance at center stage for the Newark concerts. In a dramatic and inventive departure from traditional renditions, Samuel Pott and Nimbus Dance reimagine The Firebird blending myth and modernity. In this tale, an Icarus-like figure, and a girl from a family in turmoil, seek freedom and liberation through flight.
Performed in Newark and Red Bank
Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Gregory D. McDaniel conductor
Adam Tendler piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Claude Debussy Clair de Lune
Debussy’s original piano solo, Clair de Lune, probably exists in more versions than the Beatles’ “Yesterday” and for good reason, as none before or since have captured in music the true magic of moonlight.
- Nico Muhly Sounding for Piano and Orchestra (New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)
New York-based pianist Adam Tendler, “currently the hottest pianist on the American contemporary classical scene” (Minneapolis Star Tribune), makes his New Jersey Symphony debut in this hymn tune-filled concerto by broadly popular contemporary composer Nico Muhly.
- Sergei Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2
Melodies too numerous and beautiful to track—so don’t try. Just let this sweeping Romantic symphony, the inspiration for the song “Never Gonna Fall in Love Again,” work its magic.
Performed in Newark, Princeton and Morristown
Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Gregory D. McDaniel conductor
Adam Tendler piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Claude Debussy Clair de Lune
Debussy’s original piano solo, Clair de Lune, probably exists in more versions than the Beatles’ “Yesterday” and for good reason, as none before or since have captured in music the true magic of moonlight.
- Nico Muhly Sounding for Piano and Orchestra (New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)
New York-based pianist Adam Tendler, “currently the hottest pianist on the American contemporary classical scene” (Minneapolis Star Tribune), makes his New Jersey Symphony debut in this hymn tune-filled concerto by broadly popular contemporary composer Nico Muhly.
- Sergei Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2
Melodies too numerous and beautiful to track—so don’t try. Just let this sweeping Romantic symphony, the inspiration for the song “Never Gonna Fall in Love Again,” work its magic.
Performed in Newark, Princeton and Morristown
Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Gregory D. McDaniel conductor
Adam Tendler piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Claude Debussy Clair de Lune
Debussy’s original piano solo, Clair de Lune, probably exists in more versions than the Beatles’ “Yesterday” and for good reason, as none before or since have captured in music the true magic of moonlight.
- Nico Muhly Sounding for Piano and Orchestra (New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)
New York-based pianist Adam Tendler, “currently the hottest pianist on the American contemporary classical scene” (Minneapolis Star Tribune), makes his New Jersey Symphony debut in this hymn tune-filled concerto by broadly popular contemporary composer Nico Muhly.
- Sergei Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2
Melodies too numerous and beautiful to track—so don’t try. Just let this sweeping Romantic symphony, the inspiration for the song “Never Gonna Fall in Love Again,” work its magic.
Performed in Newark, Princeton and Morristown
Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Gregory D. McDaniel conductor
Adam Tendler piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Claude Debussy Clair de Lune
Debussy’s original piano solo, Clair de Lune, probably exists in more versions than the Beatles’ “Yesterday” and for good reason, as none before or since have captured in music the true magic of moonlight.
- Nico Muhly Sounding for Piano and Orchestra (New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)
New York-based pianist Adam Tendler, “currently the hottest pianist on the American contemporary classical scene” (Minneapolis Star Tribune), makes his New Jersey Symphony debut in this hymn tune-filled concerto by broadly popular contemporary composer Nico Muhly.
- Sergei Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2
Melodies too numerous and beautiful to track—so don’t try. Just let this sweeping Romantic symphony, the inspiration for the song “Never Gonna Fall in Love Again,” work its magic.
Performed in Newark, Princeton and Morristown
Brahms Violin Concerto with Vadim Gluzman
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Lina González-Granados conductor
Vadim Gluzman violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Robert Schumann Overture, Scherzo and Finale
Bursting with a love of life in the months after his marriage to Clara, Robert Schumann created three fantastic movements–one shy of a full symphony but which stand magnificently on their own.
- Gabriela Ortiz Clara
A fascinating depiction of the 19th-century composer-pianist Clara Schumann’s inner life as imagined by one of Mexico's leading contemporary composers.
- Johannes Brahms Violin Concerto
A favorite of New Jersey Symphony audiences, Vadim Gluzman returns with his signature singing tone to play what Brahms began as simply “a few violin passages,” but turned into one of the greatest of all concertos.
Performed in New Brunswick, Red Bank and Newark
Brahms Violin Concerto with Vadim Gluzman
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Lina González-Granados conductor
Vadim Gluzman violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Robert Schumann Overture, Scherzo and Finale
Bursting with a love of life in the months after his marriage to Clara, Robert Schumann created three fantastic movements–one shy of a full symphony but which stand magnificently on their own.
- Gabriela Ortiz Clara
A fascinating depiction of the 19th-century composer-pianist Clara Schumann’s inner life as imagined by one of Mexico's leading contemporary composers.
- Johannes Brahms Violin Concerto
A favorite of New Jersey Symphony audiences, Vadim Gluzman returns with his signature singing tone to play what Brahms began as simply “a few violin passages,” but turned into one of the greatest of all concertos.
Performed in New Brunswick, Red Bank and Newark
Brahms Violin Concerto with Vadim Gluzman
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Lina González-Granados conductor
Vadim Gluzman violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Robert Schumann Overture, Scherzo and Finale
Bursting with a love of life in the months after his marriage to Clara, Robert Schumann created three fantastic movements–one shy of a full symphony but which stand magnificently on their own.
- Gabriela Ortiz Clara
A fascinating depiction of the 19th-century composer-pianist Clara Schumann’s inner life as imagined by one of Mexico's leading contemporary composers.
- Johannes Brahms Violin Concerto
A favorite of New Jersey Symphony audiences, Vadim Gluzman returns with his signature singing tone to play what Brahms began as simply “a few violin passages,” but turned into one of the greatest of all concertos.
Performed in New Brunswick, Red Bank and Newark
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Xian Zhang
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Gregory D. McDaniel conductor
Steven Banks saxophone
Felicia Moore soprano
Kelley O’Connor mezzo-soprano
Issachah Savage tenor
Reginald Smith Jr. baritone
Montclair State University Chorale | Heather J. Buchanan, director
New Jersey Symphony
- Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky Polonaise from Eugene Onegin
A lavish ball scene, the dashing hero and heroine twirling in splendor—a fun, festive dance lifted from Tchaikovsky’s opera.
- Billy Childs Diaspora
Inspired by Maya Angelou and other poets, Childs’ new concerto was written for the amazing Steven Banks, who says the music “follows the trajectory of the Black experience from Africa before slave trade to now, going forward in hope.”
- Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 9, “Choral”
The sheer volcanic power of Beethoven’s music makes the Ninth’s message soar. “Brotherhood! Joy!”—our world needs these clarion calls now more than ever.
Performed in Newark and New Brunswick
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Xian Zhang
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Gregory D. McDaniel conductor
Steven Banks saxophone
Felicia Moore soprano
Kelley O’Connor mezzo-soprano
Issachah Savage tenor
Reginald Smith Jr. baritone
Montclair State University Chorale | Heather J. Buchanan, director
New Jersey Symphony
- Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky Polonaise from Eugene Onegin
A lavish ball scene, the dashing hero and heroine twirling in splendor—a fun, festive dance lifted from Tchaikovsky’s opera.
- Billy Childs Diaspora
Inspired by Maya Angelou and other poets, Childs’ new concerto was written for the amazing Steven Banks, who says the music “follows the trajectory of the Black experience from Africa before slave trade to now, going forward in hope.”
- Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 9, “Choral”
The sheer volcanic power of Beethoven’s music makes the Ninth’s message soar. “Brotherhood! Joy!”—our world needs these clarion calls now more than ever.
Performed in Newark and New Brunswick
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Xian Zhang
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Gregory D. McDaniel conductor
Steven Banks saxophone
Felicia Moore soprano
Kelley O’Connor mezzo-soprano
Issachah Savage tenor
Reginald Smith Jr. baritone
Montclair State University Chorale | Heather J. Buchanan, director
New Jersey Symphony
- Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky Polonaise from Eugene Onegin
A lavish ball scene, the dashing hero and heroine twirling in splendor—a fun, festive dance lifted from Tchaikovsky’s opera.
- Billy Childs Diaspora
Inspired by Maya Angelou and other poets, Childs’ new concerto was written for the amazing Steven Banks, who says the music “follows the trajectory of the Black experience from Africa before slave trade to now, going forward in hope.”
- Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 9, “Choral”
The sheer volcanic power of Beethoven’s music makes the Ninth’s message soar. “Brotherhood! Joy!”—our world needs these clarion calls now more than ever.
Performed in Newark and New Brunswick
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Xian Zhang
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Gregory D. McDaniel conductor
Steven Banks saxophone
Felicia Moore soprano
Kelley O’Connor mezzo-soprano
Issachah Savage tenor
Reginald Smith Jr. baritone
Montclair State University Chorale | Heather J. Buchanan, director
New Jersey Symphony
- Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky Polonaise from Eugene Onegin
A lavish ball scene, the dashing hero and heroine twirling in splendor—a fun, festive dance lifted from Tchaikovsky’s opera.
- Billy Childs Diaspora
Inspired by Maya Angelou and other poets, Childs’ new concerto was written for the amazing Steven Banks, who says the music “follows the trajectory of the Black experience from Africa before slave trade to now, going forward in hope.”
- Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 9, “Choral”
The sheer volcanic power of Beethoven’s music makes the Ninth’s message soar. “Brotherhood! Joy!”—our world needs these clarion calls now more than ever.
Performed in Newark and New Brunswick
Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Constantine Kitsopoulos conductor
New Jersey Symphony
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 New Jersey Symphony performing John Williams’ thrilling score live.
Performed in Red Bank, Morristown, Newark and New Brunswick
Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Constantine Kitsopoulos conductor
New Jersey Symphony
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 New Jersey Symphony performing John Williams’ thrilling score live.
Performed in Red Bank, Morristown, Newark and New Brunswick
Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Constantine Kitsopoulos conductor
New Jersey Symphony
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 New Jersey Symphony performing John Williams’ thrilling score live.
Performed in Red Bank, Morristown, Newark and New Brunswick
Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Constantine Kitsopoulos conductor
New Jersey Symphony
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 New Jersey Symphony performing John Williams’ thrilling score live.
Performed in Red Bank, Morristown, Newark and New Brunswick
Youth Orchestra Spring Concert
Two performances in one day! | Youth Orchestra Showcase
Diego García artistic director, The Anna P. Drago Chair
Terrence Thornhill associate conductor & curriculum specialist
New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra, The Resident Youth Orchestra of the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University
The New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra will showcase 300 talented young musicians across two performances as part of their annual Spring Concert on Sunday, April 27 in Newark. Experience vibrant performances and celebrate the achievements of the 2024–25 season, including a special tribute to the graduating seniors.
Performed in Newark
Youth Orchestra Spring Concert
Two performances in one day! | Youth Orchestra Showcase
Diego García artistic director, The Anna P. Drago Chair
Terrence Thornhill associate conductor & curriculum specialist
New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra, The Resident Youth Orchestra of the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University
The New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra will showcase 300 talented young musicians across two performances as part of their annual Spring Concert on Sunday, April 27 in Newark. Experience vibrant performances and celebrate the achievements of the 2024–25 season, including a special tribute to the graduating seniors.
Performed in Newark
Haydn’s Creation
New Jersey Symphony at the Cathedral
John J. Miller conductor
Lorraine Ernest soprano
Theodore Chletsos tenor
Jorge Ocasio bass-baritone
The Archdiocesan Festival Choir
The Cathedral Choir
New Jersey Symphony
The Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, NJ invites all to experience the music of Franz Joseph Haydn’s The Creation, featuring The Archdiocesan Festival Choir, The Cathedral Choir, vocal soloists and the New Jersey Symphony with John J. Miller conducting.
Performed in Newark
The Music of Led Zeppelin
Featuring hits like “Kashmir,” “Black Dog,” “Stairway to Heaven” and more!
Brent Havens conductor & arranger
Windborne Music Group
Justin Sargent vocalist
New Jersey Symphony
The New Jersey Symphony and Windborne Music Group bridge the gulf between classical music and rock n’ roll to present The Music of Led Zeppelin, celebrating the best of the legendary classic rock group. Amplified with full-on guitars and screaming vocals, sing and dance along as Led Zeppelin’s “sheer blast and power” is put on full display riff for riff with new musical colors. Timeless hits like “Kashmir,” “Black Dog,” “Stairway to Heaven” and more will get you on your feet in this special concert you don’t want to miss!
Performed in Englewood and New Brunswick
The Music of Led Zeppelin
Featuring hits like “Kashmir,” “Black Dog,” “Stairway to Heaven” and more!
Brent Havens conductor & arranger
Windborne Music Group
Justin Sargent vocalist
New Jersey Symphony
The New Jersey Symphony and Windborne Music Group bridge the gulf between classical music and rock n’ roll to present The Music of Led Zeppelin, celebrating the best of the legendary classic rock group. Amplified with full-on guitars and screaming vocals, sing and dance along as Led Zeppelin’s “sheer blast and power” is put on full display riff for riff with new musical colors. Timeless hits like “Kashmir,” “Black Dog,” “Stairway to Heaven” and more will get you on your feet in this special concert you don’t want to miss!
Performed in Englewood and New Brunswick
Xian Conducts Mozart
New Jersey Symphony musicians take the spotlight!
Xian Zhang conductor
Eric Wyrick violin
Francine Storck violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Eine kleine Nachtmusik
Mozart may have tossed this off for a Viennese party one evening, but there is no piece more charming and beguiling than his “a little night music.”
- Johann Sebastian Bach Double Concerto for Two Violins
The spotlight’s on our two superstar principal violins, Eric Wyrick and Francine Storck, in perhaps the most beautiful duet ever created.
- Michael Abels Delights and Dances
Delight in this imaginative, bluesy work for solo string quartet and string orchestra, with New Jersey Symphony’s own musicians taking the spotlight in a series of captivating solos.
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphony No. 35, “Haffner”
Mozart had intended to jot down a little occasional piece, but brilliant music kept pouring out of his pen until he’d made a dazzling full-fledged symphony, one of his best.
Performed in Princeton and Newark
Discover Mozart & Bach
New Jersey Symphony Family Concert:
A Music Discovery Zone
Xian Zhang conductor
Gregory D. McDaniel conductor
Bill Barclay host
Eric Wyrick violin
Francine Storck violin
Annamaria Witek cello
New Jersey Symphony
Discover what makes a live orchestra concert so special. We’ll take a deep dive into works by Mozart, as well as J.S. Bach’s incredibly famous Double Concerto for Two Violins. Also featured on the program is 2024 Henry Lewis Concerto Competition winner, cellist Annamaria Witek. Inspired by Leonard Bernstein’s masterful way of putting young audiences at the center of music-making, this interactive concert will feature inside tips, listening cues and fun facts that make for the perfect Saturday afternoon family outing!
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Selection from Eine kleine Nachtmusik
- Camille Saint-Saëns Selection from Cello Concerto No. 1
- Johann Sebastian Bach Double Concerto for Two Violins
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphony No. 35, “Haffner”
Performed in Newark
Xian Conducts Mozart
New Jersey Symphony musicians take the spotlight!
Xian Zhang conductor
Eric Wyrick violin
Francine Storck violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Eine kleine Nachtmusik
Mozart may have tossed this off for a Viennese party one evening, but there is no piece more charming and beguiling than his “a little night music.”
- Johann Sebastian Bach Double Concerto for Two Violins
The spotlight’s on our two superstar principal violins, Eric Wyrick and Francine Storck, in perhaps the most beautiful duet ever created.
- Michael Abels Delights and Dances
Delight in this imaginative, bluesy work for solo string quartet and string orchestra, with New Jersey Symphony’s own musicians taking the spotlight in a series of captivating solos.
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphony No. 35, “Haffner”
Mozart had intended to jot down a little occasional piece, but brilliant music kept pouring out of his pen until he’d made a dazzling full-fledged symphony, one of his best.
Performed in Princeton and Newark
Xian Conducts Mozart
New Jersey Symphony musicians take the spotlight!
Xian Zhang conductor
Eric Wyrick violin
Francine Storck violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Eine kleine Nachtmusik
Mozart may have tossed this off for a Viennese party one evening, but there is no piece more charming and beguiling than his “a little night music.”
- Johann Sebastian Bach Double Concerto for Two Violins
The spotlight’s on our two superstar principal violins, Eric Wyrick and Francine Storck, in perhaps the most beautiful duet ever created.
- Michael Abels Delights and Dances
Delight in this imaginative, bluesy work for solo string quartet and string orchestra, with New Jersey Symphony’s own musicians taking the spotlight in a series of captivating solos.
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphony No. 35, “Haffner”
Mozart had intended to jot down a little occasional piece, but brilliant music kept pouring out of his pen until he’d made a dazzling full-fledged symphony, one of his best.
Performed in Princeton and Newark
2025 Spring into Music Gala & Auction
Gala Reception and Dinner, Concert and Auction
Join the New Jersey Symphony and an array of cultural, social, business and civic leaders for an unforgettable evening of fine dining and entertainment as we honor former Governor Thomas H. Kean and his dedication to the performing arts industry in New Jersey. The event will feature a lavish cocktail reception with a few dazzling surprises, a dinner with a private performance featuring members of the New Jersey Symphony and students of the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra and a silent auction.
Presented in West Orange
Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich
Season Finale | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Conrad Tao piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Sergei Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2
No piece has introduced and won more people to classical music than Rachmaninoff’s magnificent work for piano and orchestra.
- Dmitri Shostakovich Symphony No. 5
When Shostakovich’s Fifth received a half-hour standing ovation at its premiere, the world knew that a classic was born—and it remains a landmark work for the virtuoso orchestra.
Performed in Morristown, Princeton, Red Bank and Newark
Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich
Season Finale | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Conrad Tao piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Sergei Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2
No piece has introduced and won more people to classical music than Rachmaninoff’s magnificent work for piano and orchestra.
- Dmitri Shostakovich Symphony No. 5
When Shostakovich’s Fifth received a half-hour standing ovation at its premiere, the world knew that a classic was born—and it remains a landmark work for the virtuoso orchestra.
Performed in Morristown, Princeton, Red Bank and Newark
Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich
Season Finale | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Conrad Tao piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Sergei Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2
No piece has introduced and won more people to classical music than Rachmaninoff’s magnificent work for piano and orchestra.
- Dmitri Shostakovich Symphony No. 5
When Shostakovich’s Fifth received a half-hour standing ovation at its premiere, the world knew that a classic was born—and it remains a landmark work for the virtuoso orchestra.
Performed in Morristown, Princeton, Red Bank and Newark
Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich
Season Finale | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Conrad Tao piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Sergei Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2
No piece has introduced and won more people to classical music than Rachmaninoff’s magnificent work for piano and orchestra.
- Dmitri Shostakovich Symphony No. 5
When Shostakovich’s Fifth received a half-hour standing ovation at its premiere, the world knew that a classic was born—and it remains a landmark work for the virtuoso orchestra.
Performed in Morristown, Princeton, Red Bank and Newark
How to Train Your Dragon in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Lawrence Loh conductor
New Jersey Symphony
DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon is a captivating and original story about a young Viking named Hiccup, who defies tradition when he befriends one of his deadliest foes—a ferocious dragon he calls Toothless. Together, these unlikely heroes must fight against all odds to save both their worlds. Featuring John Powell’s Oscar-nominated score performed live to picture, How to Train Your Dragon in Concert is a thrilling experience for all ages.
Performed in Morristown, New Brunswick and Newark
How to Train Your Dragon in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Lawrence Loh conductor
New Jersey Symphony
DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon is a captivating and original story about a young Viking named Hiccup, who defies tradition when he befriends one of his deadliest foes—a ferocious dragon he calls Toothless. Together, these unlikely heroes must fight against all odds to save both their worlds. Featuring John Powell’s Oscar-nominated score performed live to picture, How to Train Your Dragon in Concert is a thrilling experience for all ages.
Performed in Morristown, New Brunswick and Newark
How to Train Your Dragon in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Lawrence Loh conductor
New Jersey Symphony
DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon is a captivating and original story about a young Viking named Hiccup, who defies tradition when he befriends one of his deadliest foes—a ferocious dragon he calls Toothless. Together, these unlikely heroes must fight against all odds to save both their worlds. Featuring John Powell’s Oscar-nominated score performed live to picture, How to Train Your Dragon in Concert is a thrilling experience for all ages.
Performed in Morristown, New Brunswick and Newark
TwoSet Violin with the New Jersey Symphony
Part of the TwoSet Violin World Tour
TwoSet Violin
New Jersey Symphony
World-famous YouTube classical music comedy duo TwoSet Violin take the stage with the New Jersey Symphony for a wide-ranging night of musical fun! Violinists Eddy Chen and Brett Yang will take their unique brand of earnest and silly musical comedy to a new level in this performance, with the backing of a full symphony orchestra.
Performed in Newark
Opening Night Celebration
Dinner Prelude, Concert and After-Party
You are invited to the New Jersey Symphony’s 2025 Season Opening Celebration honoring Xian Zhang’s 10th season as Music Director. Guests will enjoy an elegant dinner prelude, the season opening concert featuring Music Director Xian Zhang, guest artist Joyce Yang and the New Jersey Symphony and a dessert after-party.
Presented in Newark
Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1
Opening Weekend | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Joyce Yang piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Jessie Montgomery Hymn for Everyone
We launch the season with Montgomery’s open-arms musical welcome. In her Hymn for Everyone you’ll hear an echo of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often called the Black National Anthem.
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1
Slammed as a flop at its premiere, Tchaikovsky more than had the last laugh: here’s jaw-dropping virtuosity for the soloist, sweeping melodies for the orchestra, and an audience favorite around the world.
- Antonín Dvořák Symphony No. 8
Dvořák’s pen might as well have been a paint brush. In his tuneful Eighth you can practically see autumn’s most vivid colors and the heart-melting glow of an October sunset.
Performed in Newark and Red Bank
Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1
Opening Weekend | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Joyce Yang piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Jessie Montgomery Hymn for Everyone
We launch the season with Montgomery’s open-arms musical welcome. In her Hymn for Everyone you’ll hear an echo of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often called the Black National Anthem.
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1
Slammed as a flop at its premiere, Tchaikovsky more than had the last laugh: here’s jaw-dropping virtuosity for the soloist, sweeping melodies for the orchestra, and an audience favorite around the world.
- Antonín Dvořák Symphony No. 8
Dvořák’s pen might as well have been a paint brush. In his tuneful Eighth you can practically see autumn’s most vivid colors and the heart-melting glow of an October sunset.
Performed in Newark and Red Bank
Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1
Opening Weekend | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Joyce Yang piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Jessie Montgomery Hymn for Everyone
We launch the season with Montgomery’s open-arms musical welcome. In her Hymn for Everyone you’ll hear an echo of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often called the Black National Anthem.
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1
Slammed as a flop at its premiere, Tchaikovsky more than had the last laugh: here’s jaw-dropping virtuosity for the soloist, sweeping melodies for the orchestra, and an audience favorite around the world.
- Antonín Dvořák Symphony No. 8
Dvořák’s pen might as well have been a paint brush. In his tuneful Eighth you can practically see autumn’s most vivid colors and the heart-melting glow of an October sunset.
Performed in Newark and Red Bank
Disney’s Fantasia in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Constantine Kitsopoulos conductor
New Jersey Symphony
Experience Disney’s groundbreaking marriage of symphonic music and animation, Fantasia. Beloved repertoire from the original 1940 version and Fantasia 2000, including The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, and The Nutcracker Suite, will be performed by the New Jersey Symphony while Disney’s stunning footage is shown on the big screen. Enjoy iconic moments and childhood favorites like never before!
Performed in Morristown, Red Bank and New Brunswick
Disney’s Fantasia in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Constantine Kitsopoulos conductor
New Jersey Symphony
Experience Disney’s groundbreaking marriage of symphonic music and animation, Fantasia. Beloved repertoire from the original 1940 version and Fantasia 2000, including The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, and The Nutcracker Suite, will be performed by the New Jersey Symphony while Disney’s stunning footage is shown on the big screen. Enjoy iconic moments and childhood favorites like never before!
Performed in Morristown, Red Bank and New Brunswick
Disney’s Fantasia in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Constantine Kitsopoulos conductor
New Jersey Symphony
Experience Disney’s groundbreaking marriage of symphonic music and animation, Fantasia. Beloved repertoire from the original 1940 version and Fantasia 2000, including The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, and The Nutcracker Suite, will be performed by the New Jersey Symphony while Disney’s stunning footage is shown on the big screen. Enjoy iconic moments and childhood favorites like never before!
Performed in Morristown, Red Bank and New Brunswick
Rhapsody in Blue
Plus works by Florence Price & Carlos Simon!
Tito Muñoz conductor
Michelle Cann piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Florence Price Piano Concerto in One Movement
An American genius, Florence Price mixes luscious lyricism with ragtime stomp. This recently unearthed gem won Cann—the leading interpreter of Price’s piano music—a 2023 GRAMMY.
- George Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue
United Airlines knows a good tune when it hears one, and that melody is the heartbeat of Gershwin’s classic. But not before the famous swooping clarinet solo gets this piece of the Roaring Twenties underway.
- Carlos Simon Zodiac (Northeast Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)
Carlos Simon is one of America’s leading contemporary composers, and in his latest music, a proud co-commission of the New Jersey Symphony, Simon gives voice to all 12 zodiac signs—the music at turns fiery, ethereal, and soaring.
- Aaron Copland Suite from Billy the Kid
Cowboy songs, folk tunes, and a visionary composer—all the ingredients that made Copland’s wild-west ballet a hit in the ‘30s and a favorite still.
Performed in Newark, Princeton and New Brunswick
Rhapsody in Blue
Plus works by Florence Price & Carlos Simon!
Tito Muñoz conductor
Michelle Cann piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Florence Price Piano Concerto in One Movement
An American genius, Florence Price mixes luscious lyricism with ragtime stomp. This recently unearthed gem won Cann—the leading interpreter of Price’s piano music—a 2023 GRAMMY.
- George Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue
United Airlines knows a good tune when it hears one, and that melody is the heartbeat of Gershwin’s classic. But not before the famous swooping clarinet solo gets this piece of the Roaring Twenties underway.
- Carlos Simon Zodiac (Northeast Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)
Carlos Simon is one of America’s leading contemporary composers, and in his latest music, a proud co-commission of the New Jersey Symphony, Simon gives voice to all 12 zodiac signs—the music at turns fiery, ethereal, and soaring.
- Aaron Copland Suite from Billy the Kid
Cowboy songs, folk tunes, and a visionary composer—all the ingredients that made Copland’s wild-west ballet a hit in the ‘30s and a favorite still.
Performed in Newark, Princeton and New Brunswick
Discover Rhapsody
in Blue
New Jersey Symphony Family Concert
Tito Muñoz conductor
Michelle Cann piano
New Jersey Symphony
Discover what makes a live orchestra concert so special. We’ll take a deep dive into one of the greatest American piano concertos, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, followed by Copland’s lively Suite from Billy the Kid.
Performed in Newark
Rhapsody in Blue
Plus works by Florence Price & Carlos Simon!
Tito Muñoz conductor
Michelle Cann piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Florence Price Piano Concerto in One Movement
An American genius, Florence Price mixes luscious lyricism with ragtime stomp. This recently unearthed gem won Cann—the leading interpreter of Price’s piano music—a 2023 GRAMMY.
- George Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue
United Airlines knows a good tune when it hears one, and that melody is the heartbeat of Gershwin’s classic. But not before the famous swooping clarinet solo gets this piece of the Roaring Twenties underway.
- Carlos Simon Zodiac (Northeast Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)
Carlos Simon is one of America’s leading contemporary composers, and in his latest music, a proud co-commission of the New Jersey Symphony, Simon gives voice to all 12 zodiac signs—the music at turns fiery, ethereal, and soaring.
- Aaron Copland Suite from Billy the Kid
Cowboy songs, folk tunes, and a visionary composer—all the ingredients that made Copland’s wild-west ballet a hit in the ‘30s and a favorite still.
Performed in Newark, Princeton and New Brunswick
Rhapsody in Blue
Plus works by Florence Price & Carlos Simon!
Tito Muñoz conductor
Michelle Cann piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Florence Price Piano Concerto in One Movement
An American genius, Florence Price mixes luscious lyricism with ragtime stomp. This recently unearthed gem won Cann—the leading interpreter of Price’s piano music—a 2023 GRAMMY.
- George Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue
United Airlines knows a good tune when it hears one, and that melody is the heartbeat of Gershwin’s classic. But not before the famous swooping clarinet solo gets this piece of the Roaring Twenties underway.
- Carlos Simon Zodiac (Northeast Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)
Carlos Simon is one of America’s leading contemporary composers, and in his latest music, a proud co-commission of the New Jersey Symphony, Simon gives voice to all 12 zodiac signs—the music at turns fiery, ethereal, and soaring.
- Aaron Copland Suite from Billy the Kid
Cowboy songs, folk tunes, and a visionary composer—all the ingredients that made Copland’s wild-west ballet a hit in the ‘30s and a favorite still.
Performed in Newark, Princeton and New Brunswick
Elf in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Conner Gray Covington conductor
New Jersey Symphony
Buddy was accidentally transported to the North Pole as a toddler and raised to adulthood among Santa’s elves. Unable to shake the feeling that he doesn’t fit in, the adult Buddy travels to New York, in full elf uniform, in search of his real father. This holiday season, relive this heartwarming holiday classic on a giant screen as every note of John Debney’s wonderful score is played live to picture in: Elf in Concert!
Performed in Newark and Red Bank
Elf in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Conner Gray Covington conductor
New Jersey Symphony
Buddy was accidentally transported to the North Pole as a toddler and raised to adulthood among Santa’s elves. Unable to shake the feeling that he doesn’t fit in, the adult Buddy travels to New York, in full elf uniform, in search of his real father. This holiday season, relive this heartwarming holiday classic on a giant screen as every note of John Debney’s wonderful score is played live to picture in: Elf in Concert!
Performed in Newark and Red Bank
Handel’s Messiah
New Jersey Symphony Holiday Tradition
Anthony Parnther conductor
Caitlin Gotimer soprano
Maria Dominique Lopez mezzo-soprano
Orson Van Gay II tenor
Shyheim Selvan Hinnant bass-baritone
Montclair State University Singers | Heather J. Buchanan, director
New Jersey Symphony
Handel’s Messiah embraces every emotion, from the first voice singing “Comfort ye,” inviting you to step aside from the season’s frenzy, to the riveting Amen Chorus at the end. In between are moments of transcendence, loss, and deeply-felt awe—what makes a classic a classic.
Performed in Princeton and Newark
Handel’s Messiah
New Jersey Symphony Holiday Tradition
Anthony Parnther conductor
Caitlin Gotimer soprano
Maria Dominique Lopez mezzo-soprano
Orson Van Gay II tenor
Shyheim Selvan Hinnant bass-baritone
Montclair State University Singers | Heather J. Buchanan, director
New Jersey Symphony
Handel’s Messiah embraces every emotion, from the first voice singing “Comfort ye,” inviting you to step aside from the season’s frenzy, to the riveting Amen Chorus at the end. In between are moments of transcendence, loss, and deeply-felt awe—what makes a classic a classic.
Performed in Princeton and Newark
Handel’s Messiah
New Jersey Symphony Holiday Tradition
Anthony Parnther conductor
Caitlin Gotimer soprano
Maria Dominique Lopez mezzo-soprano
Orson Van Gay II tenor
Shyheim Selvan Hinnant bass-baritone
Montclair State University Singers | Heather J. Buchanan, director
New Jersey Symphony
Handel’s Messiah embraces every emotion, from the first voice singing “Comfort ye,” inviting you to step aside from the season’s frenzy, to the riveting Amen Chorus at the end. In between are moments of transcendence, loss, and deeply-felt awe—what makes a classic a classic.
Performed in Princeton and Newark
Randall Goosby Returns
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Randall Goosby violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Jean Sibelius Finlandia
Eight minutes that saved a nation. When Finland wrestled itself free from the Russian bear, Sibelius’ music was the Finns’ call to courage.
- Samuel Barber Violin Concerto
The most gorgeous violin concerto of the 20th century: the first two movements exquisitely touching, and the third a wild sprint for only the bravest of soloists.
- Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 2, “Ukrainian”
Three Ukrainian folksongs were all Tchaikovsky needed for inspiration. From them, he spun his most joyful symphony.
Performed in New Brunswick, Princeton, Newark and Morristown
Randall Goosby Returns
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Randall Goosby violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Jean Sibelius Finlandia
Eight minutes that saved a nation. When Finland wrestled itself free from the Russian bear, Sibelius’ music was the Finns’ call to courage.
- Samuel Barber Violin Concerto
The most gorgeous violin concerto of the 20th century: the first two movements exquisitely touching, and the third a wild sprint for only the bravest of soloists.
- Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 2, “Ukrainian”
Three Ukrainian folksongs were all Tchaikovsky needed for inspiration. From them, he spun his most joyful symphony.
Performed in New Brunswick, Princeton, Newark and Morristown
Randall Goosby Returns
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Randall Goosby violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Jean Sibelius Finlandia
Eight minutes that saved a nation. When Finland wrestled itself free from the Russian bear, Sibelius’ music was the Finns’ call to courage.
- Samuel Barber Violin Concerto
The most gorgeous violin concerto of the 20th century: the first two movements exquisitely touching, and the third a wild sprint for only the bravest of soloists.
- Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 2, “Ukrainian”
Three Ukrainian folksongs were all Tchaikovsky needed for inspiration. From them, he spun his most joyful symphony.
Performed in New Brunswick, Princeton, Newark and Morristown
Randall Goosby Returns
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Randall Goosby violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Jean Sibelius Finlandia
Eight minutes that saved a nation. When Finland wrestled itself free from the Russian bear, Sibelius’ music was the Finns’ call to courage.
- Samuel Barber Violin Concerto
The most gorgeous violin concerto of the 20th century: the first two movements exquisitely touching, and the third a wild sprint for only the bravest of soloists.
- Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 2, “Ukrainian”
Three Ukrainian folksongs were all Tchaikovsky needed for inspiration. From them, he spun his most joyful symphony.
Performed in New Brunswick, Princeton, Newark and Morristown
Romeo & Juliet
Featuring The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey
Xian Zhang conductor
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey
New Jersey Symphony
- Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture
Tchaikovsky gives you all the passion and drama of Shakespeare’s two young lovers, as the New Jersey Symphony becomes a storyteller in real time.
- Sergei Prokofiev Selections from Romeo and Juliet
Considered too difficult, even undanceable at its unveiling, Prokofiev’s ballet with scene after scene of strikingly original music soon became the treasure of every ballet house the world over.
Performed in Newark and Red Bank
Romeo & Juliet
Featuring The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey
Xian Zhang conductor
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey
New Jersey Symphony
- Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture
Tchaikovsky gives you all the passion and drama of Shakespeare’s two young lovers, as the New Jersey Symphony becomes a storyteller in real time.
- Sergei Prokofiev Selections from Romeo and Juliet
Considered too difficult, even undanceable at its unveiling, Prokofiev’s ballet with scene after scene of strikingly original music soon became the treasure of every ballet house the world over.
Performed in Newark and Red Bank
Romeo & Juliet
Featuring The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey
Xian Zhang conductor
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey
New Jersey Symphony
- Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture
Tchaikovsky gives you all the passion and drama of Shakespeare’s two young lovers, as the New Jersey Symphony becomes a storyteller in real time.
- Sergei Prokofiev Selections from Romeo and Juliet
Considered too difficult, even undanceable at its unveiling, Prokofiev’s ballet with scene after scene of strikingly original music soon became the treasure of every ballet house the world over.
Performed in Newark and Red Bank
Romeo & Juliet
Featuring The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey
Xian Zhang conductor
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey
New Jersey Symphony
- Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture
Tchaikovsky gives you all the passion and drama of Shakespeare’s two young lovers, as the New Jersey Symphony becomes a storyteller in real time.
- Sergei Prokofiev Selections from Romeo and Juliet
Considered too difficult, even undanceable at its unveiling, Prokofiev’s ballet with scene after scene of strikingly original music soon became the treasure of every ballet house the world over.
Performed in Newark and Red Bank
2026 Lunar New Year Celebration
Celebration of the Year of the Horse
Sunny Xia conductor
Haochen Zhang piano
Peking University Alumni Chorus
New Jersey Symphony
Enjoy an evening of community and cultural exchange that is wonderful for families and children, as we celebrate the Year of the Horse. Seattle Symphony Associate Conductor Sunny Xia and Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Winner Haochen Zhang make their New Jersey Symphony debuts in this festive concert that celebrates music from East and West.
Performed in Newark
Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony
Time for Three Performs Contact
Markus Stenz conductor
Time for Three
Ranaan Meyer double bass | Nick Kendall violin | Charles Yang violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Richard Wagner Prelude to Act I of Lohengrin
It begins with the strings alone playing a whisperquiet passage of holy serenity. Soon the whole orchestra joins and builds in a full-throated cry. Wagner’s operatic stage is set for the arrival of the knight Lohengrin sent on a mission from God.
- Kevin Puts Contact
Time for Three, a self-described “classically trained garage band,” brings you the GRAMMY Award-winning concerto written for them by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts. Created during the isolation of the early pandemic, Contact is “an expression of yearning for the fundamental need” of human connection.
- Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 5
Four notes—dah, dah, dah, DAH—launched Beethoven’s Fifth in 1808 and have stamped all of western classical music since.
Performed in Morristown and Newark
Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony
Time for Three Performs Contact
Markus Stenz conductor
Time for Three
Ranaan Meyer double bass | Nick Kendall violin | Charles Yang violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Richard Wagner Prelude to Act I of Lohengrin
It begins with the strings alone playing a whisperquiet passage of holy serenity. Soon the whole orchestra joins and builds in a full-throated cry. Wagner’s operatic stage is set for the arrival of the knight Lohengrin sent on a mission from God.
- Kevin Puts Contact
Time for Three, a self-described “classically trained garage band,” brings you the GRAMMY Award-winning concerto written for them by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts. Created during the isolation of the early pandemic, Contact is “an expression of yearning for the fundamental need” of human connection.
- Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 5
Four notes—dah, dah, dah, DAH—launched Beethoven’s Fifth in 1808 and have stamped all of western classical music since.
Performed in Morristown and Newark
Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony
Time for Three Performs Contact
Markus Stenz conductor
Time for Three
Ranaan Meyer double bass | Nick Kendall violin | Charles Yang violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Richard Wagner Prelude to Act I of Lohengrin
It begins with the strings alone playing a whisperquiet passage of holy serenity. Soon the whole orchestra joins and builds in a full-throated cry. Wagner’s operatic stage is set for the arrival of the knight Lohengrin sent on a mission from God.
- Kevin Puts Contact
Time for Three, a self-described “classically trained garage band,” brings you the GRAMMY Award-winning concerto written for them by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts. Created during the isolation of the early pandemic, Contact is “an expression of yearning for the fundamental need” of human connection.
- Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 5
Four notes—dah, dah, dah, DAH—launched Beethoven’s Fifth in 1808 and have stamped all of western classical music since.
Performed in Morristown and Newark
Bartók’s Concerto
for Orchestra
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Ruth Reinhardt conductor
Eva Gevorgyan piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Béla Bartók Romanian Folk Dances
Informed by his numerous research trips across Hungary, this short and spry set of folk dances bursts with Transylvanian flavor and energy.
- Frédéric Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2
There are moments here that make time, and your breath, stand still. If ever you need evidence of the human spirit’s capacity for beauty, look to this remarkable creation of 20-year-old Chopin.
- Béla Bartók Concerto for Orchestra
Every section of the orchestra gets the spotlight to dazzling effect, and the Concerto’s last moments are some of the most thrilling in all classical music.
Performed in Newark, Princeton, Red Bank and New Brunswick
Bartók’s Concerto
for Orchestra
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Ruth Reinhardt conductor
Eva Gevorgyan piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Béla Bartók Romanian Folk Dances
Informed by his numerous research trips across Hungary, this short and spry set of folk dances bursts with Transylvanian flavor and energy.
- Frédéric Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2
There are moments here that make time, and your breath, stand still. If ever you need evidence of the human spirit’s capacity for beauty, look to this remarkable creation of 20-year-old Chopin.
- Béla Bartók Concerto for Orchestra
Every section of the orchestra gets the spotlight to dazzling effect, and the Concerto’s last moments are some of the most thrilling in all classical music.
Performed in Newark, Princeton, Red Bank and New Brunswick
Bartók’s Concerto
for Orchestra
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Ruth Reinhardt conductor
Eva Gevorgyan piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Béla Bartók Romanian Folk Dances
Informed by his numerous research trips across Hungary, this short and spry set of folk dances bursts with Transylvanian flavor and energy.
- Frédéric Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2
There are moments here that make time, and your breath, stand still. If ever you need evidence of the human spirit’s capacity for beauty, look to this remarkable creation of 20-year-old Chopin.
- Béla Bartók Concerto for Orchestra
Every section of the orchestra gets the spotlight to dazzling effect, and the Concerto’s last moments are some of the most thrilling in all classical music.
Performed in Newark, Princeton, Red Bank and New Brunswick
Bartók’s Concerto
for Orchestra
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Ruth Reinhardt conductor
Eva Gevorgyan piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Béla Bartók Romanian Folk Dances
Informed by his numerous research trips across Hungary, this short and spry set of folk dances bursts with Transylvanian flavor and energy.
- Frédéric Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2
There are moments here that make time, and your breath, stand still. If ever you need evidence of the human spirit’s capacity for beauty, look to this remarkable creation of 20-year-old Chopin.
- Béla Bartók Concerto for Orchestra
Every section of the orchestra gets the spotlight to dazzling effect, and the Concerto’s last moments are some of the most thrilling in all classical music.
Performed in Newark, Princeton, Red Bank and New Brunswick
Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Juan Esteban Martinez clarinet
New Jersey Symphony
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Divertimento in D Major, K. 136
The spotlight opens on the New Jersey Symphony’s virtuoso strings playing the sunniest music Mozart ever created.
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Clarinet Concerto
Principal Clarinet Juan Esteban Martinez will shine in this sunny crown jewel of the clarinet repertoire, which was written for an earlier iteration of the modern clarinet.
- Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral”
His greatest inspiration came from long walks in nature, score paper, and pencil stuffed in his pocket. Beethoven takes us with him in his Sixth, his music full of open-air melodies, and the drama of a ferocious storm.
Performed in Newark and Morristown
Discover Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony
New Jersey Symphony Family Concert
Xian Zhang conductor
New Jersey Symphony
Discover the storytelling power of classical music! Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony was one of his only works that depicts very specific scenes and storylines, which we’ll dive into measure by measure in this concert.
Performed in Newark
Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Juan Esteban Martinez clarinet
New Jersey Symphony
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Divertimento in D Major, K. 136
The spotlight opens on the New Jersey Symphony’s virtuoso strings playing the sunniest music Mozart ever created.
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Clarinet Concerto
Principal Clarinet Juan Esteban Martinez will shine in this sunny crown jewel of the clarinet repertoire, which was written for an earlier iteration of the modern clarinet.
- Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral”
His greatest inspiration came from long walks in nature, score paper, and pencil stuffed in his pocket. Beethoven takes us with him in his Sixth, his music full of open-air melodies, and the drama of a ferocious storm.
Performed in Newark and Morristown
Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Juan Esteban Martinez clarinet
New Jersey Symphony
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Divertimento in D Major, K. 136
The spotlight opens on the New Jersey Symphony’s virtuoso strings playing the sunniest music Mozart ever created.
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Clarinet Concerto
Principal Clarinet Juan Esteban Martinez will shine in this sunny crown jewel of the clarinet repertoire, which was written for an earlier iteration of the modern clarinet.
- Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral”
His greatest inspiration came from long walks in nature, score paper, and pencil stuffed in his pocket. Beethoven takes us with him in his Sixth, his music full of open-air melodies, and the drama of a ferocious storm.
Performed in Newark and Morristown
Xian Conducts
Prokofiev & Strauss
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Francesca Dego violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Anton Webern Im Sommerwind
A lovingly lush hymn to the charms of summer, written just before Webern helped stand traditional classical music on its head.
- Sergei Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2
It opens with a wisp of melancholy Russian folksong and closes with castanets and Spanish flair, creating fireworks for a world-class violinist and orchestra.
- Richard Strauss Ein Heldenleben
Orchestras love this ode to “A Hero’s Life” for its bold, voluptuous sweep, created by Strauss as a musical pat on his own back.
Performed in Newark and Red Bank
Xian Conducts
Prokofiev & Strauss
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Francesca Dego violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Anton Webern Im Sommerwind
A lovingly lush hymn to the charms of summer, written just before Webern helped stand traditional classical music on its head.
- Sergei Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2
It opens with a wisp of melancholy Russian folksong and closes with castanets and Spanish flair, creating fireworks for a world-class violinist and orchestra.
- Richard Strauss Ein Heldenleben
Orchestras love this ode to “A Hero’s Life” for its bold, voluptuous sweep, created by Strauss as a musical pat on his own back.
Performed in Newark and Red Bank
Xian Conducts
Prokofiev & Strauss
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Francesca Dego violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Anton Webern Im Sommerwind
A lovingly lush hymn to the charms of summer, written just before Webern helped stand traditional classical music on its head.
- Sergei Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2
It opens with a wisp of melancholy Russian folksong and closes with castanets and Spanish flair, creating fireworks for a world-class violinist and orchestra.
- Richard Strauss Ein Heldenleben
Orchestras love this ode to “A Hero’s Life” for its bold, voluptuous sweep, created by Strauss as a musical pat on his own back.
Performed in Newark and Red Bank
Mozart’s Requiem
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Mei Gui Zhang soprano
Taylor Raven mezzo-soprano
Eric Ferring tenor
Dashon Burton bass-baritone
Montclair State University Chorale | Heather J. Buchanan, director
New Jersey Symphony
- Gabriel Fauré Pavane
A slowly winding melody that started as a simple little five-minute piano solo. But when Fauré orchestrated his Pavane and added the rich sound of a chorus, he made magic and his greatest hit.
- Gustav Mahler Songs of a Wayfarer
Come enjoy one of the finest voices in America: bass-baritone Dashon Burton sings the suite of beautiful songs Mahler wrote as he took solace in nature after being spurned in love.
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Requiem
A swansong full of fire, grace, and a transcendent prayer that the human spirit will live on. Mozart’s Requiem was left maddeningly incomplete at his all-too-early death, but is nevertheless his final masterpiece.
Performed in Newark and New Brunswick
Mozart’s Requiem
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Mei Gui Zhang soprano
Taylor Raven mezzo-soprano
Eric Ferring tenor
Dashon Burton bass-baritone
Montclair State University Chorale | Heather J. Buchanan, director
New Jersey Symphony
- Gabriel Fauré Pavane
A slowly winding melody that started as a simple little five-minute piano solo. But when Fauré orchestrated his Pavane and added the rich sound of a chorus, he made magic and his greatest hit.
- Gustav Mahler Songs of a Wayfarer
Come enjoy one of the finest voices in America: bass-baritone Dashon Burton sings the suite of beautiful songs Mahler wrote as he took solace in nature after being spurned in love.
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Requiem
A swansong full of fire, grace, and a transcendent prayer that the human spirit will live on. Mozart’s Requiem was left maddeningly incomplete at his all-too-early death, but is nevertheless his final masterpiece.
Performed in Newark and New Brunswick
Mozart’s Requiem
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Mei Gui Zhang soprano
Taylor Raven mezzo-soprano
Eric Ferring tenor
Dashon Burton bass-baritone
Montclair State University Chorale | Heather J. Buchanan, director
New Jersey Symphony
- Gabriel Fauré Pavane
A slowly winding melody that started as a simple little five-minute piano solo. But when Fauré orchestrated his Pavane and added the rich sound of a chorus, he made magic and his greatest hit.
- Gustav Mahler Songs of a Wayfarer
Come enjoy one of the finest voices in America: bass-baritone Dashon Burton sings the suite of beautiful songs Mahler wrote as he took solace in nature after being spurned in love.
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Requiem
A swansong full of fire, grace, and a transcendent prayer that the human spirit will live on. Mozart’s Requiem was left maddeningly incomplete at his all-too-early death, but is nevertheless his final masterpiece.
Performed in Newark and New Brunswick
Joshua Bell Leads Mendelssohn’s “Italian”
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Joshua Bell conductor & violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Felix Mendelssohn The Hebrides (Fingal’s Cave)
The music swells and surges just as the waves off Scotland’s coast carried the young Mendelssohn past moody cliffs and caves and sent him reaching for his score paper.
- Édouard Lalo Symphonie espagnole
Though called a “symphony,” this is where superstar Joshua Bell stands and lets his Stradivarius violin sing the silvery songs of Spain.
- Felix Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4, “Italian”
“The jolliest piece I’ve ever done,” wrote an ecstatic young Mendelssohn to his parents back in Berlin, after arriving in Italy and falling in love with its sunshine, sidewalk tunes, coast, and effervescent colors—all of which he poured into his Fourth Symphony.
Performed in Newark, Princeton and Morristown
Joshua Bell Leads Mendelssohn’s “Italian”
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Joshua Bell conductor & violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Felix Mendelssohn The Hebrides (Fingal’s Cave)
The music swells and surges just as the waves off Scotland’s coast carried the young Mendelssohn past moody cliffs and caves and sent him reaching for his score paper.
- Édouard Lalo Symphonie espagnole
Though called a “symphony,” this is where superstar Joshua Bell stands and lets his Stradivarius violin sing the silvery songs of Spain.
- Felix Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4, “Italian”
“The jolliest piece I’ve ever done,” wrote an ecstatic young Mendelssohn to his parents back in Berlin, after arriving in Italy and falling in love with its sunshine, sidewalk tunes, coast, and effervescent colors—all of which he poured into his Fourth Symphony.
Performed in Newark, Princeton and Morristown
Joshua Bell Leads Mendelssohn’s “Italian”
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Joshua Bell conductor & violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Felix Mendelssohn The Hebrides (Fingal’s Cave)
The music swells and surges just as the waves off Scotland’s coast carried the young Mendelssohn past moody cliffs and caves and sent him reaching for his score paper.
- Édouard Lalo Symphonie espagnole
Though called a “symphony,” this is where superstar Joshua Bell stands and lets his Stradivarius violin sing the silvery songs of Spain.
- Felix Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4, “Italian”
“The jolliest piece I’ve ever done,” wrote an ecstatic young Mendelssohn to his parents back in Berlin, after arriving in Italy and falling in love with its sunshine, sidewalk tunes, coast, and effervescent colors—all of which he poured into his Fourth Symphony.
Performed in Newark, Princeton and Morristown
Joshua Bell Leads Mendelssohn’s “Italian”
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Joshua Bell conductor & violin
New Jersey Symphony
- Felix Mendelssohn The Hebrides (Fingal’s Cave)
The music swells and surges just as the waves off Scotland’s coast carried the young Mendelssohn past moody cliffs and caves and sent him reaching for his score paper.
- Édouard Lalo Symphonie espagnole
Though called a “symphony,” this is where superstar Joshua Bell stands and lets his Stradivarius violin sing the silvery songs of Spain.
- Felix Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4, “Italian”
“The jolliest piece I’ve ever done,” wrote an ecstatic young Mendelssohn to his parents back in Berlin, after arriving in Italy and falling in love with its sunshine, sidewalk tunes, coast, and effervescent colors—all of which he poured into his Fourth Symphony.
Performed in Newark, Princeton and Morristown
Star Wars: The Last Jedi in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Constantine Kitsopoulos conductor
New Jersey Symphony
Don’t miss this big-screen battle with the score performed live by the New Jersey Symphony. The Resistance is in desperate need of help when they find themselves impossibly pursued by the First Order. While Rey travels to a remote planet called Ahch-To to recruit Luke Skywalker to the Resistance, Finn and Rose, a mechanic, go on their own mission in the hopes of helping the Resistance finally escape the First Order. But everyone finds themselves on the salt-planet of Crait for a last stand.
Performed in Red Bank, Newark and New Brunswick
Star Wars: The Last Jedi in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Constantine Kitsopoulos conductor
New Jersey Symphony
Don’t miss this big-screen battle with the score performed live by the New Jersey Symphony. The Resistance is in desperate need of help when they find themselves impossibly pursued by the First Order. While Rey travels to a remote planet called Ahch-To to recruit Luke Skywalker to the Resistance, Finn and Rose, a mechanic, go on their own mission in the hopes of helping the Resistance finally escape the First Order. But everyone finds themselves on the salt-planet of Crait for a last stand.
Performed in Red Bank, Newark and New Brunswick
Star Wars: The Last Jedi in Concert
New Jersey Symphony at the Movies
Constantine Kitsopoulos conductor
New Jersey Symphony
Don’t miss this big-screen battle with the score performed live by the New Jersey Symphony. The Resistance is in desperate need of help when they find themselves impossibly pursued by the First Order. While Rey travels to a remote planet called Ahch-To to recruit Luke Skywalker to the Resistance, Finn and Rose, a mechanic, go on their own mission in the hopes of helping the Resistance finally escape the First Order. But everyone finds themselves on the salt-planet of Crait for a last stand.
Performed in Red Bank, Newark and New Brunswick
Symphonie fantastique
Season Finale | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Emanuel Ax piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Allison Loggins-Hull New Work (World Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Commission)
You may have seen her performing with Lizzo at the GRAMMYs, or heard her on the soundtrack to The Lion King, or loved her Can You See? performed by the New Jersey Symphony last fall. Be the first to hear our Resident Artistic Partner’s latest creation.
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No. 22
Mozart in his late 20s took a tune he wrote when he was eight and turned it into this half-hour masterpiece, the second of its three movements so moving that its first audience demanded a repeat.
- Hector Berlioz Symphonie fantastique
Smitten with unrequited love, Berlioz funneled all his frustrations and utter mind-blowing genius into a whirlwind of orchestral color.
Performed in New Brunswick, Princeton, Red Bank and Newark
Symphonie fantastique
Season Finale | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Emanuel Ax piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Allison Loggins-Hull New Work (World Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Commission)
You may have seen her performing with Lizzo at the GRAMMYs, or heard her on the soundtrack to The Lion King, or loved her Can You See? performed by the New Jersey Symphony last fall. Be the first to hear our Resident Artistic Partner’s latest creation.
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No. 22
Mozart in his late 20s took a tune he wrote when he was eight and turned it into this half-hour masterpiece, the second of its three movements so moving that its first audience demanded a repeat.
- Hector Berlioz Symphonie fantastique
Smitten with unrequited love, Berlioz funneled all his frustrations and utter mind-blowing genius into a whirlwind of orchestral color.
Performed in New Brunswick, Princeton, Red Bank and Newark
Symphonie fantastique
Season Finale | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Emanuel Ax piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Allison Loggins-Hull New Work (World Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Commission)
You may have seen her performing with Lizzo at the GRAMMYs, or heard her on the soundtrack to The Lion King, or loved her Can You See? performed by the New Jersey Symphony last fall. Be the first to hear our Resident Artistic Partner’s latest creation.
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No. 22
Mozart in his late 20s took a tune he wrote when he was eight and turned it into this half-hour masterpiece, the second of its three movements so moving that its first audience demanded a repeat.
- Hector Berlioz Symphonie fantastique
Smitten with unrequited love, Berlioz funneled all his frustrations and utter mind-blowing genius into a whirlwind of orchestral color.
Performed in New Brunswick, Princeton, Red Bank and Newark
Symphonie fantastique
Season Finale | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Emanuel Ax piano
New Jersey Symphony
- Allison Loggins-Hull New Work (World Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Commission)
You may have seen her performing with Lizzo at the GRAMMYs, or heard her on the soundtrack to The Lion King, or loved her Can You See? performed by the New Jersey Symphony last fall. Be the first to hear our Resident Artistic Partner’s latest creation.
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No. 22
Mozart in his late 20s took a tune he wrote when he was eight and turned it into this half-hour masterpiece, the second of its three movements so moving that its first audience demanded a repeat.
- Hector Berlioz Symphonie fantastique
Smitten with unrequited love, Berlioz funneled all his frustrations and utter mind-blowing genius into a whirlwind of orchestral color.
Performed in New Brunswick, Princeton, Red Bank and Newark
Ben Folds with the New Jersey Symphony
Ben Folds performs his greatest hits!
Ben Folds guest artist
New Jersey Symphony
Emmy-nominated singer-songwriter-composer Ben Folds joins the New Jersey Symphony for a unique and unforgettable performance of music from across his career. Widely regarded as one of the major musical influences of our generation, Folds’ enormous body of genre-bending music includes pop albums with Ben Folds Five, multiple solo albums, and numerous collaborative records. His latest album, 2023’s What Matters Most, is a blend of piano-driven pop rock songs, while his 2015 Concerto for Piano and Orchestra soared to #1 on both the Billboard classical and classical crossover charts. He released his first Christmas album in 2024 and last Fall recorded a live album slated for release in 2025 with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., where he served for eight years as the first artistic advisor to the NSO.
Performed in Newark and New Brunswick
Ben Folds with the New Jersey Symphony
Ben Folds performs his greatest hits!
Ben Folds guest artist
New Jersey Symphony
Emmy-nominated singer-songwriter-composer Ben Folds joins the New Jersey Symphony for a unique and unforgettable performance of music from across his career. Widely regarded as one of the major musical influences of our generation, Folds’ enormous body of genre-bending music includes pop albums with Ben Folds Five, multiple solo albums, and numerous collaborative records. His latest album, 2023’s What Matters Most, is a blend of piano-driven pop rock songs, while his 2015 Concerto for Piano and Orchestra soared to #1 on both the Billboard classical and classical crossover charts. He released his first Christmas album in 2024 and last Fall recorded a live album slated for release in 2025 with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., where he served for eight years as the first artistic advisor to the NSO.
Performed in Newark and New Brunswick
Hooray for Bollywood!
New Jersey Symphony Family Concert
Concert Information
Estimated Concert Duration: 1 hour
Vinay Parameswaran conductor
Kulture Kool co-curators
Archana Athalye host
Indrajit Roy-Chowdhury sitar
Charu Suri arranger
Shamir Tandon arranger
Ruchika Grover events manager
New Jersey Symphony
Various (arr. Shameer Tandon/Jash Mistry) Bollywood Romantic Medley
S.D. Burman (arr. Indrajit Roy-Chowdhury) Tere Mere Milan Ki Yeh Raina
Various (arr. Charu Suri) Folk Medley 1
Reena Esmail Ram Tori Maya
Various (arr. Charu Suri) Folk Medley 2
Traditional Monsoon Wedding Theme
Various (arr. Shameer Tandon/Jash Mistry) Bollywood Uptempo Medley
Take a musical journey inspired by Bollywood, the Indian Hindi-language film industry. Hear captivating stories of Bollywood’s meteoric rise to international fame and dance along with special guests to signature music, moves and lyrics of this thrilling genre.
New Jersey Symphony family concerts are held in Victoria Theater at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark so the children in your life can sit closer to the action!
Pre-concert FUN starts at 12:30 pm with food trucks and interactive activities at 1:00 pm. Concert begins at 2:00 pm.
Dosa Spot (South Indian Food Truck)
Halal R Us (Middle Eastern)
Heritage Kulfi (Unique South Asian Ice Cream Flavors)
Henna Tables & a live Dhol Player for some dancing fun before the concert.
Singers – Ram Tori Maya
Aditi Dam
Anshi Agashiwala
Divyaj Shah
Dancers – Ram Tori Maya
Neysa Vineet
Charvi Kanna
Tavia Abdul Rasheed
Shrujana Praveen
Sanjushree Bastia
Jayita Iyengar
Dancers – Charu Suri Folk Medley
Cynthia Thek
Pallabini Sahoo
Liya George
Divya Thiagarajan
Dancers – Bollywood Uptempo Medley
Narina Nayyar Girotra
Riya Shah
Vidhi Shah
Aarna Domadia
Laila Khan
Serena Nguyen
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Artist Bio: Vinay Parameswaran, conductor
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Internationally recognised for his energetic presence, imaginative programming, and compelling musicianship, Vinay Parameswaran is one of the most exciting and versatile young conductors on the podium today.
Highlights of the 2022/23 season include Parameswaran’s debut with the Charlotte Symphony and return appearances with the Nashville Symphony and Rochester Philharmonic orchestras. He also conducts a series of education concerts with the Chicago Symphony. In the 2021/22 season, Parameswaran concluded five seasons with the Cleveland Orchestra, where he was Assistant Conductor from 2018/19 and promoted to Associate Conductor in 2021. During this period, he conducted many concerts each season at Severance Hall, Blossom Music Festival, and on tour. As Music Director, he led the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra on an acclaimed four-city European tour that included a performance at the Musikverein in Vienna.
Prior to his time with the Cleveland Orchestra, Parameswaran was the Associate Conductor of the Nashville Symphony for three seasons and led over 150 performances, which included his subscription debut with the Orchestra in 2016/17, conducting works by Gabriella Smith, Grieg, and Prokofiev. Other highlights have included debuts with the Pittsburgh Symphony, Detroit Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, Louisville Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony, Grant Park Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, and Jacksonville Symphony.
Equally at home in symphonic and operatic repertoire, and in the recording studio, Parameswaran has led performances of Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love with Curtis Opera Theater. In Cleveland, he has assisted Franz Welser-Möst on productions of Verdi’s Otello, Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen, Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde and Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos. With the Curtis Ensemble 20/21and violinists Jaime Laredo and Jennifer Koh, Parameswaran recorded the album Two x Four, featuring works by Bach, David Ludwig, Philip Glass, and Anna Clyne. In 2020/21, Parameswaran recorded a selection of concerts with the Cleveland Orchestra for the Orchestra’s digital streaming platform.
Parameswaran was a Conducting Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, and has participated in conducting masterclasses with David Zinman at the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, as well as with Marin Alsop and Gustav Meier at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. Parameswaran was a recipient of a Career Assistance Award by the Solti Foundation U.S. in May 2021.
A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Parameswaran graduated with honours from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts in music and political science. At Brown, he began his conducting studies with Paul Phillips. He received an Artist Diploma in conducting from the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with renowned pedagogue Otto-Werner Mueller as the Albert M. Greenfield Fellow.
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Artist Bio: Kulture Kool, co-curators
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Kulture Kool is a Performing Arts center for adults and children that specializes in South Asian Performing Arts & languages. Based in Rutherford, and with three other locations in Glen Ridge, Hoboken and West New York, the center hosts year-round programs and workshops in classical and instrumental music; classical, popular and folk dance; Hindi and other regional languages. They also offer western classical music lessons (Piano, Guitar, Drum), Musical Theater and well as language and academic enrichment.
More info about Kulture Kool can be found at kulturekool.com.
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Artist Bio: Archana Athalye, host
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Archana has a Masters in Communication and extensive experience in event management, artist and repertoire management & studio management. She worked in the music industry in India for 8 years and was a part of the team that launched EMI-Virgin in India. She also worked as a production manager on several international films that were filmed in India.
In the US, Archana worked for a few years in advertising and media buying before starting Kulture Kool in 2009. Kulture Kool is a South Asian cultural center in New Jersey, specializing in South Asian cultural arts and languages. Kulture Kool has 4 locations in North Jersey with over 500 students.
Archana also does national tour management for world music groups. She is very active in promoting diversity & cultural understanding through educational workshops and assemblies, schools, local museums, libraries and events in the NY/NJ Metropolitan area.
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Artist Bio: Indrajit Roy-Chowdhury, sitar
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Indrajit Roy-Chowdhury is one of the most talented young exponents of Rampur Senia Gharana in the venerated lineage of, Pandit Birendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury and Pandit Subroto Roy Chowdhury. Primarily trained in the Veen-Kar style of Sitar which draws techniques and idioms of the Veena, Indrajit has been able to carve a niche for himself with his eclecticism and versatility. Indrajit strives for a fine balance of traditionalism coupled with innovation and is renowned for his meditative alaap and brilliant taans.
Indrajit is based out of New York and maintains a rigorous tour schedule across the continents. As an international artist, Indrajit has performed in a range of distinguished venues, notably: Dover Lane Music Conference, Kolkata, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington DC, The Lincoln Center, New York, The Hammerstein Theater of New York, Toronto National Convention Center, Berlin Indian Embassy, Concordia Arts Poznan, Poland, Chayanaut Auditorium, Dhaka and Ramakrishna Mission Cultural Centre, Kolkata.
Indrajit has given numerous performances on Radio Stations including WKCR (New York City), WCR (Wolverhampton, UK). He is known for his mesmerizing performances on various Doordarshan Programs namely: Telescope, DD Bangla’s 20th Annniversary, Camera Cholche and Sokal Sokal. He was recently invited for a captivating performance on a morning show by Tara Muzik called Aaj Sokaler Amontrone. Indrajit has also embellished various NBC shows with his music compositions.
Brought up between USA and India, Indrajit has a rich diversified background to draw from which is clearly observed in his collaborations and own compositions. As a versatile and creative musician, he has performed with distinguished artists from other genres including the acclaimed Jazz artist, Wynton Marsalis. Indrajit has also collaborated with the Orchestra- Jazz at Lincoln Center and the same was featured in the film “Song of Lahore” which was premiered in Tribeca Film Festival.
In addition to his collaborations and tour performances, Indrajit is an arduous and a disciplined teacher. He was a visiting faculty of the renowned Department of Indian Classical Music at University of Pennsylvania and has conducted many student workshops in USA, UK and India. Indrajit is currently running Kolkata Sitar School, founded by his Guru, Pandit Subroto Roy Chowdhury and is humbly carrying his legacy by teaching many students around the world under his tutelage.
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Artist Bio: Charu Suri, arranger
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Pianist and composer Charu Suri treads fearlessly between genres, pulling global influences that range from the mood-anchoring Indian ragas, Sufi music, to the trio. Her ground-breaking albums, The Book of Ragas, and its sequel, The Book of Ragas vol. 2 have often elicited the response, "I've never heard this type of sound before."
One of the few female composers from India to perform work at Carnegie Hall, Charu has lived in four continents, and writes music that reflect her journey as both a traveler and her training as a classical music piano prodigy. She has been playing the piano since the age of five, and performing since the age of nine, and one of her best memories is winning an international piano competition at the age of 15.
What started purely as an experiment with her "Book of Ragas" has turned into a niche that she is now increasingly becoming known for. Her latest album is RAGAS & WALTZES, a first collaboration between her and Preservation Hall's jazz drummer, Joe Lastie.
In this album, dedicated to her late father, she explores European waltzes through her own jazz lens. The album also includes two ragas, performed by guitarist Noshir Mody and flutes by Al Jewer. RAGAS & WALTZES has received a lot of praise from critics. JAZZIZ Magazine has praised its classic reinvention of the European waltz, and All About Jazz said, "These are all Suri originals, with which she creates a mood that is a mix, tune-by-tune, of longing and solemnity, then of a lilting and uplifting beauty, segueing into tender reverence that shifts gear into a segment of lively swing before drifting back to loving respect. And that swing is surely inspired by New Orleans' Preservation Hall Jazz Band's drummer, Joe Lastie, Jr., sitting in the recording session's drummer's chair."
But she is no stranger to the art of the Songbook too (attribute this to her listening to numerous records of Bill Evans and Billie Holiday as a kid). "The New American Songbook" has garnered many awards, including a "Band Single of the Year" crystal trophy for her song, Bluesy, awarded by the International Singer-Songwriters Association (ISSA) in 2021.
Charu has performed at Lincoln Center and other prestigious concert halls around the world, including St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. She often performs with her band, and sometimes as a soloist. She embarks on a multi-city RAGAS & WALTZES tour to India starting with a performance at the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai, on September 16th.
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Artist Bio: Shamir Tandon, arranger
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Shamir Tandon is a very passionate entrepreneur. He quit a plum corporate job as the Country Head at EMI Virgin to pursue his true passion for music.
Even when young, Shamir was always singing and composing in school & college festivals. He also went on to do his MBA and Cost Accountancy and started his career in Merchant Banking. It was during this successful tenure that he decided to take up his passion for music and turn it into a full fledged career. Shamir is the first musician in his family. He isn’t formally trained but makes up for it by constantly learning and exploring different genres of music.
Shamir started working with EMI Virgin in 1998. In his 9 year stint, he grew from a Marketing Manager to a Country Head. He played a key role in marketing and distributing global acts like The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Frank Sinatra to Norah Jones, Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue. He was instrumental in bringing down to India bands like Deep Purple, Rolling Stone, MLTR and even Richard Clayderman. Having spent 12 years of his corporate life before diving into music full time, it allowed him to see the best of both worlds.
Shamir has been blessed to have legends sing under his baton. He is the only music director who has composed for Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Manna Dey, Jagjit Singh, Bhupinder Singh, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and many more.
Shamir has composed more than 150 ad jingles for popular brands such as Ambuja Cement, Idea, Big Bazaar, ICICI, Pepsi, Samsonite, SBI, LIC, Airtel and more.
Shamir curated and composed the No. 1 album of 2006-07, Asha and Friends where he got Asha Bhosle to sing with Sanjay Dutt, Urmila Matondkar, Brett Lee, etc.
He also composed the anthem for the 2007 Cricket World Cup where he made 11 leading singers sing together in one song. He was the first one to release an anti-piracy song for which the top singers of Bollywood collaborated together. His non-film album for the top four winners of Indian Idol 6, comprised five original tracks and four special renditions of the song “Pal” for each of the winners.
Shamir has also collaborated with the boy band Blue for the song “One Love” which featured Abhishek Bachchan and Bipasha Basu. He brought together Enrique Iglesias and Sunidhi Chauhan for the track “Heartbeat” which was featured on Enrique’s album.
Shamir has also worked with European artists for the film Bluffmaster and has worked with Jay Sean. He’s also got Brett Lee and Robbie Williams to sing with Asha Bhosle.
Shamir’s first break in Bollywood was the National award winning film Page 3. After the success of Page 3, he also composed for Madhur Bhandarkar’s Corporate and Traffic Signal. Apart from this, he has also worked with big names like Balaji, UTV Motion Pictures, Disney, Ashtavinayak, Shemaroo, Sahara, Viacom 18, Percept, Sangeet Sivan, Sanjay Gupta, Sanjay Leela Bhansali etc. His versatiity ranges from the thought provoking “Lamha Lamha Zindagi Hai” to the energetic qawwali “O Sikander” which was one of the biggest hits of 2006.
Apart from composing music, Shamir also consults for many brands, production houses and agencies. Currently, he’s consulting for Universal Music Group for their A&R and digital music space. He was also responsible for artist repertoire and music consultancy for Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s album Back to Love which won Mirchi and GIMA awards.
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Artist Bio: Ruchika Grover, events manager
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Ruchika is a seasoned program and operations leader who loves using her tremendous organizational skills to bring people and communities together to celebrate the moments that matter. She has been managing events for Kulture Kool and has recently started @Plan2Groove, an events planning enterprise.
Ruchika previously worked at professional and financial services corporations, including KPMG and Bank of America. Additionally, she has helped drive multiple fundraising initiatives and has worked with elementary schools and local communities across the NY/NJ Metropolitan area to help promote diversity and cultural understanding through educational and immersive events. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Marketing, along with a Master’s in Business Management from New York University.
Sponsor
NJ.com + JerseysBest.com: Proud centennial season partner and media sponsor of New Jersey Symphony.
New Jersey Symphony Family Series presented by The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey.
Programs and artists are subject to change.