The New Jersey Symphony and Daniil Trifonov bring new life into pieces from Brahms and Strauss
The first performance of 2023 at NJPAC from the New Jersey Symphony was a success, with the orchestra perfoming a solid collaboration with superstar pianist Daniil Trifonov. NJ Advance Media believed the successful night was because of the superb conducting from Music Director Xian Zhang.
The key ingredient to Saturday’s success at NJPAC in Newark was the symphony’s intrepid director Xian Zhang. She presided over both these composer’s works with vigor and insight. She has an innate ear for music of the Romantic era and so the three pieces she conducted all sounded well-rehearsed and true to the composers’ scores.
James C. Taylor of NJ Advance Media
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Town Topics gave the Princeton performance a spectacular review, giving high praise to the collaboration between the Symphony and Trifonov.
Zhang, Trifonov, and NJSO brought their collective magic to Richardson Auditorium last weekend, presenting one of Johannes Brahms’ most towering works. Last Friday night’s performance of Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major demonstrated to a very full house not only Trifonov’s range of musical imagination, but also numerous expressive solos from NJSO players.
Nancy Plum of Town Topics
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New Jersey Stage managed to speak to several attendees of the Morristown performance, including one attendee, Kelley from East Elmhurst, New York, who watched the performance in awe.
Each year, I come to see as many New Jersey Symphony concerts as I can ... Daniil Trifonov is incredible and his playing is so exciting there were times it seemed like he was flying out of his chair! His phrasing is exquisite and he makes everything look effortless ... Xian Zhang’s energy was just incredible, too! Don Juan is such a difficult piece to play, and the last Strauss piece, Suite from Der Rosenkavalier, made me feel so much.
Kelley of East Elmhurst, NY to New Jersey Stage