‘Gershwin & the Sounds of America’ to be among offerings of NJSO’s 2020-21 season

by JAY LUSTIG
NJSO 2020-21 season

BENJAMIN EALOVEGA

New Jersey Symphony Orchestra music director Xian Zhang.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and its music director, Xian Zhang, have announced their 2020-21 season. Among the offerings will be:

A Winter Festival with the theme of “Gershwin & the Sounds of America” …

Guest appearances by violinists Joshua Bell and Jennifer Koh, pianists Conrad Tao and Aaron Diehl, conductor Gemma New and others …

The continuation of the current season’s Beethoven 250 celebration (honoring the quarter-millennium anniversary of the composer’s birth) …

The premiere of a jazz concerto with movements written by jazz musicians Christian McBride, Paquito D’Rivera, Vivian Li and Gary Morgan …

And film-with-live-score presentations of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” (on Halloween), “Jurassic Park” and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.”

In addition to its usual venues, a new one — West Side Presbyterian Church in Ridgewood — will be the site of a May 2021 concert.

The season will run from October of this year until June of 2021. Subscriptions are currently available, with single tickets going on sale in August. For more information, visit njsymphony.org.

The orchestra’s next season (2021-22) will mark its centennial.

Here is the complete schedule:

JUERGEN FRANK

JENNIFER KOH

BEETHOVEN’S SEVENTH SYMPHONY

Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 11 at 3 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; Oct. 10 at 8 p.m. at Count Basie Center for the Arts, Red Bank

Xian Zhang, conductor; Jennifer Koh, violin

Beethoven’s Wellington’s Victory and Symphony No. 7; Tyshawn Sorey’s Work for Violin and Orchestra (World Premiere)

ZHANG CONDUCTS MOZART’S ‘JUPITER’

Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at BergenPAC, Englewood; Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium, Princeton; Oct. 17 at 8 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; Oct. 18 at 3 p.m. at Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown.

Xian Zhang, conductor; Bart Feller, flute; Jonathan Spitz, cello

Nielsen’s Flute Concerto; Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1; Mozart’s Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter”

BEETHOVEN’S BIRTHDAY BASH: THE COMPLETE VIOLIN SONATAS (PART 1)

Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m. at Concert Hall at Drew University, Madison

Eric Wyrick, violin; Drew Petersen, piano

Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas 1–4

‘HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 2’ IN CONCERT

Oct. 31 at 2 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark.

TODD ROSENBERG

JORGE FEDERICO OSORIO

MOZART & BRAHMS

Nov. 5 at 1:30 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium, Princeton; Nov. 7 at 8 p.m. at Count Basie Center for the Arts, Red Bank; Nov. 8 at 3 p.m. at State Theatre, New Brunswick

Jun Märkl, conductor; Jorge Federico Osorio, piano

Schumann’s Overture to Genoveva; Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25; Brahms’ Symphony No. 3

FAMILY CONCERT: BRITTEN’S ‘THE YOUNG PERSON’S GUIDE TO THE ORCHESTRA’

Nov. 14 at 2 and 3:30 p.m. at NJPAC’s Victoria Theater, Newark

BEETHOVEN’S BIRTHDAY BASH: THE COMPLETE VIOLIN SONATAS (PART 2)

Nov. 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Concert Hall at Drew University, Madison.

Eric Wyrick, violin; Alan Feinberg, piano

Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas 5–7

‘JURASSIC PARK’ IN CONCERT

Nov. 27 at 8 p.m. at Count Basie Center for the Arts, Red Bank; Nov. 28 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; Nov. 29 at 3 p.m. at State Theatre, New Brunswick

Constantine Kitsopoulos, conductor

SUXIAO-YANG

AUGUSTIN HADELICH

BEETHOVEN’S VIOLIN CONCERTO

Dec. 4 at 8 p.m and Dec. 6 at 3 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. at State Theatre, New Brunswick

Xian Zhang, conductor; Augustin Hadelich, violin

Jessie Montgomery’s Starburst; Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra; Beethoven’s Violin Concerto

BEETHOVEN’S BIRTHDAY BASH: THE COMPLETE VIOLIN SONATAS (PART 3)

Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Concert Hall at Drew University, Madison

Eric Wyrick, violin; Simone Dinnerstein, piano

Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas 8–10

HANDEL’S MESSIAH

Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium, Princeton; Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. at Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark

Ruth Reinhardt, conductor; Montclair State University Singers, Heather J. Buchanan, conductor

WINTER FESTIVAL: GERSHWIN & THE SOUNDS OF AMERICA, WEEK I

Jan. 15 at 8 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. at State Theatre, New Brunswick; Jan. 17 at 3 p.m. at Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown.

Xian Zhang, conductor; Terrence Wilson, piano; Aaron Dworkin, narrator

Weill’s Suite From The Threepenny Opera; Gershwin’s Three Preludes for Solo Piano, “I Got Rhythm” Variations for Piano and Orchestra and An American in Paris; Coleridge-Taylor/Aaron Dworkin’s The American Rhapsody

JOHN ABBOTT

AARON DIEHL

WINTER FESTIVAL: GERSHWIN & THE SOUNDS OF AMERICA, WEEK II

Jan. 21 at 7:30 p.m. at BergenPAC, Englewood; Jan. 23 at 8 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; Jan.24 at 3 p.m. at State Theatre, New Brunswick

Fabien Gabel, conductor; Aaron Diehl, piano

Herrmann’s Suite From Vertigo; Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F; Ellington’s Harlem; Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story

WINTER FESTIVAL: GERSHWIN & THE SOUNDS OF AMERICA, WEEK III

Jan. 29 at 8 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium, Princeton; Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. at Count Basie Center for the Arts, Red Bank; Jan. 31 at NJPAC, Newark

Xian Zhang, conductor; Chris Komer, horn; Morgan State University Choir, Eric Conway, director

Paquito D’Rivera, Vivian Li, Christian McBride and Gary Morgan’s Jazz French Horn Concerto (World Premiere); Gershwin’s Selections from Porgy and Bess

LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION

Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark

Xian Zhang, conductor

TCHAIKOVSKY’S VIOLIN CONCERTO

Feb. 25 at 1:30 p.m and Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. at State Theatre, New Brunswick; Feb. 28 at 3 p.m. at Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown

Gemma New, conductor; Karen Gomyo, violin

Thomas Adès’ New Work (U.S. Premiere); Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto; Walton’s Symphony No. 1

MICHAEL PAVIA

TOM BORROW

ZHANG CONDUCTS MAHLER 7

March 6 at 8 p.m. and March 7 at 3 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark

Xian Zhang, conductor; Tom Borrow, piano

Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20; Mahler’s Symphony No. 7

CHOPIN’S FIRST PIANO CONCERTO

March 11 at 1:30 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; March 12 at 8 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium, Princeton; March 13 at 8 p.m. at Count Basie Center for the Arts, Red Bank; March 14 at 3 p.m. at State Theatre, New Brunswick.

Xian Zhang, conductor; Haochen Zhang, piano

Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite No. 1; Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1; Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 2, “Little Russian”

‘STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI’ IN CONCERT

March 19 at 8 p.m. at Count Basie Center for the Arts, Red Bank; March 20 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; March 21 at 3 p.m. at State Theatre, New Brunswick

Constantine Kitsopoulos, conductor

BEETHOVEN’S FIFTH SYMPHONY

April 8 at 1:30 p.m. and April 10 at 8 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; April 11 at 3 p.m. at Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown

Mario Venzago, conductor; Vadim Gluzman, violin

Gluck’s Selections from Armide; Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2; Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5

BRANTLEY GUTIERREZ

CONRAD TAO

CONRAD TAO PLAYS TCHAIKOVSKY

April 29 at 1:30 p.m., April 30 at 8 p.m. and May 2 at 3 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; May 1 at 8 p.m. at State Theatre, New Brunswick

Jader Bignamini, conductor; Conrad Tao, piano

Conrad Tao’s Spoonfuls for Piano and Orchestra (East Coast Premiere); Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 9; Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1

MENDELSSOHN’S ‘ITALIAN SYMPHONY’

May 6 at 7:30 p.m. at West Side Presbyterian Church, Ridgewood; May 8 at 8 p.m. at Count Basie Center for the Arts, Red Bank; May 9 at 3 p.m. at State Theatre, New Brunswick

Xian Zhang, conductor; Brennan Sweet, violin, Elzbieta Weyman, viola; Kathleen Nester, piccolo

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”

FAMILY CONCERT: ‘THE COMPOSER IS DEAD’

May 15 at 2 and 3:30 p.m. at NJPAC’s Victoria Theater, Newark

ALMA DEUTSCHER

ALMA DEUTSCHER DEBUTS WITH THE NJSO

May 22 at 8 p.m. at Count Basie Center for the Arts, Red Bank; May 23 at 3 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark

Michael Francis, conductor; Alma Deutscher, violin, piano;

JOSHUA BELL RETURNS

June 10 at 1:30 p.m., June 12 at 8 p.m. and June 13 at 3 p.m. at NJPAC, Newark; June 11 at 8 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium, Princeton

Xian Zhang, conductor; Joshua Bell, violin

Rene Orth’s Chasing Light; Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1; Bloch’s Baal Shem for Violin and Orchestra; Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5

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