Blasting News praises Zhang’s ‘spectacular’ Music Director debut

Blasting News hails the Music Director debut of “podium powerhouse” Xian Zhang, who conducts the NJSO in Beethoven & Haydn concerts this week:

Xian Zhang led a spectacular debut concert as Music Director ... She and upwards of 70 musicians, including Macedonian pianist Simon Trpčeski, gave rapturous readings of Tchaikovsky’s First Piano #Concerto and Fifth Symphony ...

Xian Zhang exudes abundant dynamic energy. She uses her body powerfully to extract from the players the precise sound she seeks. And what a sound! The Orchestra played with precision and majesty and sweep. Tchaikovsky’s passionate works repeatedly energized the audience.

...

Legendary Artur Schnabel once said: “The notes I handle no better than many pianists. But the pauses between the notes—ah, that is where the art resides!” In the Fifth Symphony score, Tchaikovsky wrote “grand pause” three times. These three moments—in the midst of incredibly melodic tumult—create heightened dramatic effect, as the entire orchestra goes from full-throttle sonority, inexorably intensified by exploding kettle drums, to absolute silence in a split second. Judging how many seconds to pause is tricky, but each time Xian Zhang and NJSO’s masterly musicians pulled it off to spine-tingling effect.

» Read the full review at us.blastingnews.com

 

Music Director Xian Zhang in the news

» The New York Times: Zhang ‘showed complete command’

» The Star-Ledger: ‘Xian Zhang dazzles’ in this weekend’s concerts

» Superconductor reviews Xian Zhang’s first concert as NJSO Music Director

» Listen: WQXR interviews Xian Zhang at rehearsal

» The New York Times chats with Zhang about ‘defining her own sound’

» U.S. 1 interviews Xian Zhang about NJ arrival

» The Times of Trenton previews Xian Zhang’s Music Director debut

» The Star-Ledger interviews Zhang ahead of music director debut

» Listen: WWFM interviews Music Director Xian Zhang

» The New York Times anticipates debut of ‘charismatic’ Xian Zhang

» U.S. 1 previews arrival of ‘vibrant’ Xian Zhang

» The Star-Ledger features NJSO in fall arts preview

» Princeton Magazine features Xian Zhang on September cover

» Newark Happening: Xian Zhang to debut as NJSO Music Director

» #TBT: ‘Xian Zhang burst onto the stage like a firecracker’

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Watch a behind-the-scenes “State of the Arts” feature on Zhang and her NJSO arrival, filmed during her week with the Orchestra in April:

 » Read press and see highlights from Zhang’s April week with the Orchestra

 

Xian Zhang’s debut concerts as NJSO Music Director

After debuting with a trio of Tchaikovsky scores October 27–30, Zhang leads a program featuring Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, Haydn’s Symphony No. 102 and Adagio from Piano Trio No. 40 and Strauss’ Suite from Der Rosenkavalier, November 3–6 in Englewood and Newark. The Beethoven concerto features NJSO Concertmaster Eric Wyrick, Principal Cello Jonathan Spitz and pianist Pedja Muzijevic.

» View concert details and purchase tickets

» Concert Coda: Read what audiences are saying about Zhang’s debut