NJSO Celebrates Immigrant Composers at Winter Festival 2018

“This season, it (NJSO) celebrates the inspiration that is America, showcasing musical works by immigrants and foreign visitors…” Gabriel Van Aalst, President & CEO, NJSO

“These composers speak to me because their story is my own.  While I had a wonderful musical education at the Conservatory in Beijing, I needed to come to the United States to follow my dream of becoming a conductor”. Xian Zhang, NJSO Music Conductor

“(Xian Zhang’s) conducting gestures reveal a passion, a precise knowledge of the score and a constant attention to detail.  Her relationship with the musicians is producing great music and the orchestra members respond beautifully” …..The Asbury Park Press

By Mabel Pais

At the NJSO, January is always a busy month with the Winter Festival.  “This season, it (NJSO) celebrates the inspiration that is America, showcasing musical works by immigrants and foreign visitors who drew their stimulation from America’s wide-ranging impacts” said Gabriel Van Aalst, President and CEO of the NJSO, who opened the Winter Festival on January 11.

The 2018 Winter Festival highlights the myriad ways America has inspired not only those who call it home but also those who have visited its welcoming shores. Leveraging the power of art to transcend differences, a series of NJSO Accents and special events further explore the immigrant experience and how foreign artists have illustrated American inspiration in their work.

Spanning three weekends, January 11–28, the Winter Festival includes orchestral performances at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick, Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, Richardson Auditorium in Princeton, Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown and Bergen PAC in Englewood.

The NJSO Chamber Players perform a special chamber music concert at St. George’s-by-the-River Episcopal Church in Rumson and Calvary Episcopal Church in Summit.

Week I: America, Inspiring: Respighi & Prokofiev

Music Director Xian Zhang conducted NJSO premiere of Che Yi’s Ge Xu and Respighi’s Fountains of Rome. George Li performed Prokofiev’s Third Piano Concerto.  Zhang, the orchestra’s 14th music director, is the first woman to hold the position.

In a nod to Zhang’s own journey to America and New Jersey, she led Respighi’s Pines of Rome—a work she conducted in her first-ever performances with the NJSO in 2010. Chinese pianist George Li, the 22-year-old silver medalist of the XV International Tchaikovsky Competition, performed Prokofiev’s Third Piano Concerto.

Performances took place on Thursday, January 11 at Bergen PAC in Englewood; Saturday, January 13 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark; and Sunday, January 14, at State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick.

WEEK II: America, Inspiring: Ravel & Rachmaninoff

Andrew Constantine, conductor

Terrence Wilson, piano

MARTINŮ Thunderbolt P-47 (NJSO Premiere)

RAVEL Piano Concerto in G Major

RACHMANINOFF Symphonic Dances

Fri, Jan 19, at 8 pm | Richardson Auditorium in Princeton

Sat, Jan 20, at 8 pm | State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick

Sun, Jan 21, at 3 pm | NJPAC in Newark

NJSO ACCENTS:

Panel Discussion—Fri, Jan 19, at 6:45 pm and Sun, Jan 21, at 1:45 pm

Host Naomi Lewin and a panel of experts discuss the political climate in Europe that drove so many of the Winter Festival’s composers to come to America.

Wine Tasting—Sat, Jan 20, before the concert

Join wine and music expert Ron Merlino in an exclusive tasting of wines made of old-world grapes in new-world soil. For reservation and tickets, visit www.njsymphony.org/grapes

Performance & Painting—Sun, Jan 21, after the concert

Watch creative inspiration in action as artist Ken Ahlering (www.ken-ahlering.com) paints in response to a performance by the NJSO Chamber Players.

Full concert information is available at www.njsymphony.org/events/detail/america-inspiring-ravel-rachmaninoff.

America, Inspiring: Special Chamber Music Concert

 Tue, Jan 23, at 3 pm | St. George’s-by-the-River Episcopal Church in Rumson

Thu, Jan 25, at 7:30 pm | Calvary Episcopal Church in Summit

NJSO CHAMBER PLAYERS

Eric Wyrick, violin

Brennan Sweet, violin

David Blinn, viola

Na-Young Baek, cello

TAN DUN Eight Colors for String Quartet

BARTÓK String Quartet No. 2

DVOŘÁK String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96, “American”

A free pre-concert reception begins at 2 pm on Jan 23.

Full concert information is available at www.njsymphony.org/events/detail/america-inspiring-special-chamber-music-concert.

WEEK III: America, Inspiring: Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony

Fri, Jan 26, at 8 pm                           NJPAC in Newark

Sat, Jan 27, at 8 pm                          Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank

Sun, Jan 28, at 3 pm                         Mayo PAC in Morristown

Xian Zhang, conductor

Chloë Hanslip, violin

New Jersey Symphony Orchestra

BRITTEN Simple Symphony

KORNGOLD Violin Concerto

DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”

NJSO ACCENTS:

Prelude Performance—Fri, Jan 26, before the concert

Come early and hear the Anne Lieberson Ensemble from the NJSO’s Youth Orchestras perform a selection inspired by the Winter Festival.

Poetry Reading—Sun, Jan 28, after the concert

Poets Maria Gillan and Patrick Rosal reflect on their own immigrant experiences in the closing event of the Winter Festival.

Full concert information is available at www.njsymphony.org/events/detail/america-inspiring-dvoraks-new-world-symphony.

(Mabel Pais is a freelance writer.  She writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Health and Wellness, and Spirituality)