Asbury Park Press: NJSO ‘a precious life force in the state’
The Asbury Park Press reviews the season finale and looks forward to the Orchestra’s future:
The repertoire for the Saturday evening concert featured a new work by a young composer, an ambitious performance of both the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 and two works by Ravel, one of the great masters of orchestral writing. Each of these offers an assortment of challenges that showed the musicians of the orchestra at their best. Taken as a whole, the evening offered a fine tribute to Lacombe’s leadership, which has always been marked by teamwork among musicians and audience.
It is that sense of teamwork, of community, that makes the NJSO a precious life force in the state — a vital, breathing entity made up of expert players. As the responsibility of music director changes hands, it is supremely important that we — state residents concerned about our culture — show our strong support for the music, for the group’s tradition of achievement and its dedication to beauty.
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Ravel’s writing, particularly for orchestra, is rich and surprising, full of nuanced colors, exquisite solos and wry twists of harmony that require delicacy and precision among the entire ensemble to pull off. Both pieces were wholly satisfying.
[Lacombe] conducts from memory, which I always find impressive. His physical grace and precision are bound to an interpretation that never wavers. He is engaged, but not excessive and draws a consistent beauty from the ensemble.
I’m excited about the coming music director, Xian Zhang — she is hugely talented, has a reputation as a rising star, and already has a rapport with the ensemble from her appearances as guest conductor ...
The NJSO itself is world class and represents us better than most are aware. The best way to return the favor is to support the orchestra by buying a season subscription. Individual ticket sales are fine, but robust subscription sales are a more important revenue base.
Subscriptions, under broader pressures from the economy and the growth of technology, have dropped off significantly in recent decades for all ensembles, and there is nothing to replace them. Buy subscriptions for yourself, buy them for your kids, for friends.
All NJSO performances should be sold out in advance. As residents of the state who are concerned about culture, that should be our goal.
For subscription tickets to the coming NJSO season, visit the group’s website, njsymphony.org, or call 800-255-3476.