What makes a concert special?

When the artists are connected to the pieces they’re performing, the emotion comes through in a spectacular way. The two guest artists featured in next weekend’s concerts have those connections to the music.

Former NJSO Associate Conductor Gemma New, whose international career has blossomed with roles as the music director of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra in Canada and resident conductor of the St. Louis Symphony, returns to the NJSO! One of the pieces on the program, Lilburn’s Aotearoa Overture, has a special meaning to Gemma, a New Zealand native. Considered the father of New Zealand music, Lilburn specialized in painting sweeping landscapes in sound. This early overture is a musical portrait of the island nation’s breathtaking coastline, and Gemma’s connection to the music is sure to come through.

Pianist Stewart Goodyear also has a special relationship with the piece he will perform. He fell in love with Grieg’s Piano Concerto as a child, saying: “I was captivated—I loved the melodies and how unique and direct it was. Every time I would go to my grandparents’ house, they would play an LP of the Grieg on their huge gramophone, and the speakers would boom with the rumbling timpani. So every time I hear the concerto, I feel like I am at my grandparents’ cottage as a youngster.” Stewart first performed the concerto when he was just 13. His love for Grieg’s music inspired a trip to Norway to gain perspective on Grieg’s homeland.

» Read more about Stewart’s thoughts on the concerto.

The weekend’s program of nationalistic music concludes with Sibelius’ dramatic and rousing Symphony No. 2, which is often connected to Finland’s struggle for independence.

Join Gemma New, Stewart Goodyear and the NJSO October 6–9 and forge your own connections to the music.