Winter Festival preview: 'Sounds of Shakespeare'

Bank of America will sponsor renowned violinist Sarah Chang’s two-week residency with the NJSO during the Orchestra’s 2015 Winter Festival: Sounds of Shakespeare. Chang will perform Bernstein’s West Side Story Suite in all six NJSO venues statewide across two concert programs, January 16–18 in Princeton, Red Bank and Morristown and January 22–25 in Englewood, Newark and New Brunswick.

As part of her residency, Chang will visit and give masterclasses for two of the NJSO Academy’s flagship education programs, the NJSO Youth Orchestras and El Sistema-inspired NJSO CHAMPS (Character, Achievement and Music Project).

The impact Chang’s presence and feedback will provide these student musicians is invaluable, says NJSO Education & Community Engagement Conductor and Academy Orchestra Director Jeffrey Grogan: “The students are incredibly excited about the fact that someone at the level of Sarah Chang is visiting them. It has given them a real boost of inspiration and confidence—it gives them a sense that what they’re doing [with their own playing] is really important, that a star on her level would come to give them advice.

“I know that everything she’s going to address is going to go way beyond the notes and technique, into the really deep emotional and musical part of their playing. It will be really inspiring.”

CHAMPS Artistic Director Michelle Hatcher says the program’s young musicians—all of whom started playing a string instrument within the last two years—will benefit from meeting and hearing from Chang: “The students will have the opportunity to meet an incredible artist, and they’ll get to see what some of the possibilities are. Just to have the opportunity to interact with somebody whose life has been all about music and who has had such a spectacular career is a gift.”

“I think these children will put a smile on her face as well,” Hatcher says, “because their budding passion for music is so evident on their faces.”

For their part, CHAMPS students are excited at the possibilities of what Chang might want to teach them. Says Precious: “It’s going to be amazing to meet a violin superstar. She could help us with skills like reading notes better, better bow hold, better posture.”

Kyla says she can’t wait for the “cool” visit and says Chang could teach them “how to play more professionally.” Shantreea mimes vibrato and wonders if Chang will give them tips on it. She says that learning from a professional violin soloist “sounds like the best opportunity. And I’m excited to meet someone famous for the first time!”

For more information on the Winter Festival and related events, visit www.njsymphony.org/winterfestival.

  Sarah Chang’s residency with the NJSO is generously sponsored by Bank of America.