BENJAMIN EALOVEGA
XIAN ZHANG
The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra will return to its usual concert halls throughout the state for its 2021-22 season, which will begin in October. Because of the pandemic, it has not been able to present full-symphony in-person concerts since March 2020.
“The Orchestra and I cannot wait to perform for our audiences in person again,” music director Xian Zhang said in a press release. “This season speaks to our time, with many important voices of today, and celebrates great musical traditions of the past and present.”
Symphony artist-in-residence Daniil Trifonov will be featured in piano concertos by Brahms and Mason Bates. And the symphony’s resident artistic catalyst, Daniel Bernard Roumain, will have a new, commissioned work performed by the symphony. The symphony will also debut new works by Wynton Marsalis, Michael Abels and others; offer a weekend of all five Beethoven piano concertos featuring Louis Lortie; and welcome musicians such as Augustin Hadelich, Conrad Tao and Karen Gomyo.
Subscription packages are now available at njsymphony.org. Non-subscription tickets will go on sale in August.
Here is the season:
New Jersey Symphony Returns
Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 10 at 3 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark.
Xian Zhang, conductor; Daniel Bernard Roumain, violin.
Program includes a new work (world premiere, NJSO co-commission) by Michael Abels; Roumain’s Voodoo Violin Concerto; and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7.
Beethoven & Saint-Georges
Oct. 14 at 1:30 p.m. and Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; Oct. 17 at 3 p.m. at Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown.
Nicholas McGegan, conductor; Augustin Hadelich, violin.
Program includes Chevalier de Saint-Georges’ Overture to L’amante anonyme and Violin Concerto in A Major, Op. 5, No. 2; Beethoven’s Romance for Violin and Orchestra No. 2, and Symphony No. 2.
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1” in Concert
Oct. 30 at 2 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark.
DARIO ACOSTA
DANIIL TRIFONOV
Daniil Trifonov Plays Brahms
Nov. 4 at 1:30 p.m., Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 7 at 3 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. at Count Basie Center for the Arts, Red Bank.
Xian Zhang, conductor; Daniil Trifonov, piano.
Program includes Jessie Montgomery’s Starburst (Tong Chen, conductor); Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1; Smetana’s “The Moldau,” “Šárka” and “Blaník” from Má vlast.
Grieg’s Piano Concerto
Jan. 14 at 8 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium at Princeton University; Jan. 15 at 8 p.m. at Count Basie Center for the Arts, Red Bank; Jan. 16 at 3 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark.
Andrey Boreyko, conductor; Vladimir Feltsman, piano.
Program includes Thomas Adès’s Shanty — Over the Sea (U.S. premiere, NJSO co-commission); Grieg’s Piano Concerto; Stravinsky’s Petrushka (1947).
Xian Zhang Conducts Marsalis & Dvořák
Jan. 22 at 8 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; Jan. 23 at 3 p.m. at State Theatre, New Brunswick.
Xian Zhang, conductor.
Program includes Wynton Marsalis’ Fanfare (world premiere, NJSO co-commission); Joan Tower’s Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman No. 1; Dvořák’s Serenade for Wind Instruments and Carnival Overture; Copland’s Lincoln Portrait.
Lunar New Year Celebration
Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark
GABRIELLE REVERE
KAREN GOMYO
Karen Gomyo Plays Mozart
Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; Feb. 20 at 3 p.m. at State Theatre, New Brunswick.
Fabien Gabel, conductor; Karen Gomyo, violin.
Program includes Samy Moussa’s Nocturne; Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3; Saint-Saëns’s Symphony No. 3, “Organ.”
Tchaikovsky’s ‘Pathétique’
Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. at Count Basie Center for the Arts, Red Bank; Feb. 27 at 3 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark.
José Luis Domínguez, conductor; Eric Wyrick, violin; Juan Pablo Jofre, bandoneon.
Program includes Farrenc’s Overture in E Minor; Juan Pablo Jofre’s Double Concerto for Violin and Bandoneon; Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique.”
Ravel’s Boléro
March 4 at 8 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; March 6 at 3 p.m. at Mayo Performing Arts Center. Morristown.
Xian Zhang, conductor; Bart Feller, flute; Jonathan Spitz, cello.
Program includes Ravel’s Suite from Ma mère l’Oye; Nielsen’s Flute Concerto; Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1; Ravel’s Boléro.
Trifonov Is Back
March 10 at 1:30 p.m. and March 12 at 8 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; March 11 at Richardson Auditorium at Princeton University; March 13 at 3 p.m. at State Theatre, New Brunswick.
Xian Zhang, conductor; Daniil Trifonov, piano.
Program includes Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio italien; Romeo and Juliet Fantasy-Overture and Suite from Swan Lake; Mason Bates’ Piano Concerto.
Beethoven’s Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 5
March 31 at 1:30 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; April 1 at 8 p.m. at State Theatre, New Brunswick.
Xian Zhang, conductor; Louis Lortie, piano.
Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor.”
Beethoven’s Piano Concertos Nos. 2, 3 & 4
April 2 at 8 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; April 3 at 3 p.m. at Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown
Xian Zhang, conductor; Louis Lortie, piano.
Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Piano Concerto No. 3 and Piano Concerto No. 4.
Zhang Conducts Mozart’s ‘Jupiter’
April 8 at 8 p.m. and April 10 at 3 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; April 9 at 8 p.m. at Count Basie Center for the Arts, Red Bank.
Xian Zhang, conductor; Robert Wagner, bassoon.
Program includes Nokuthula Ngwenyama’s Primal Message; Mozart’s Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter”; Rouse’s Bassoon Concerto (East Coast premiere, NJSO co-commission); Rossini’s Overture to Guillaume Tell.
CONRAD TAO
Conrad Tao Plays Tchaikovsky
April 28 at 1:30 p.m. and April 30 at 8 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; April 29 at 8 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium at Princeton University; May 1 at Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown.
Jader Bignamini, conductor; Conrad Tao, piano.
Program includes Conrad Tao’s Spoonfuls for Piano and Orchestra (East Coast premiere); Shoshtakovich’s Symphony No. 9; Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1.
Mozart & Mendelssohn
June 2 at 1:30 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; June 3 at 8 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium at Princeton University; June 5 at 3 p.m. at State Theatre, New Brunswick.
Xian Zhang, conductor; Brennan Sweet, violin; Elzbieta Weyman, viola; Kathleen Nester, piccolo.
Program includes Rossini’s Overture to L’italiana in Algeri; Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola; Vivaldi’s Piccolo Concerto in C Major; Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, “Italian.”
An American Rhapsody
June 11 at 8 pm at Count Basie Center for the Arts, Red Bank; June 12 at 3 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark.
Xian Zhang, conductor; Chris Komer, horn; Aaron Dworkin, narrator.
Program includes a new work by Daniel Bernard Roumain (world premiere, NJSO commission); Jazz French Horn Concerto (world premiere, NJSO commission) with movements by Vivian Li, Gary Morgan, Christian McBride and Paquito D’Rivera; Aaron Dworkin/Coleridge-Taylor’s The American Rhapsody; Gershwin’s An American in Paris.
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