EXPERIENCE GERSHWIN AND MORE WITH NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY

• By Mabel Pais

GERSHWIN set classical music on fire with his jazzy ‘Rhapsody in Blue.’ 

Discover what makes a live orchestra concert so special. Experience an all-American program as vibrant and varied as our country, all brought to life by guest conductor TITO MUNOZ. Likewise, his contemporary Florence Price blended orchestral richness with a foot-stomping Piano Concerto. Pianist Michelle Cann has made these meteoric pieces her own. With Carlos Simon’s ‘Zodiac,’ you’ll wing into the heavens, and Copland’s ‘Billy the Kid’ will take you to the wide-open west.

Inspired by Leonard Bernstein’s masterful way of putting young audiences at the center of music-making, this interactive concert will feature inside tips, listening cues, and fun facts that make for the perfect Saturday afternoon family outing!

PROGRAM

Thursday, November 6 – 1:30 pm – NJPAC, Newark

Relaxed performance, details below                                     

Friday, November 7 – 7:30 pm – Richardson Auditorium, Princeton Saturday, November 8 – 7:30 pm – NJPAC, Newark Sunday, November 9 – 2:00 pm – State Theatre, New Brunswick

Duration – 1 hour and 45 minutes

Tito Muñoz conductor
Michelle Cann piano
New Jersey Symphony

Florence Price Piano Concerto in One Movement
George Gershwin ‘Rhapsody in Blue’
Carlos Simon ‘Zodiac’ (Northeast Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)
Aaron Copland Suite from ‘Billy the Kid’

The Thursday, November 6 performance at NJPAC in Newark will be a Relaxed Performance.

Learn more on the program and what a relaxed performance is at njsymphony.org/program_notes/detail/program-notes—rhapsody-in-blue

and njsymphony.org/relaxedperformance.

Concert Prelude

Thursday, November 6, at 12:30 pm at NJPAC in Newark

Experience a special pre-concert performance in the lobby by the New Jersey Intergenerational Orchestra (NJIO) Outreach Ensemble, conducted by Michelle Hatcher.

Classical Conversation

Saturday, November 8, at 6:30 pm at NJPAC in Newark and Sunday, November 9, at 1 pm at State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick
Enjoy a lively Classical Conversation before the performance. Learn more about the music from New Jersey Symphony musicians, guest artists and other engaging insiders.

New Jersey Symphony

New Jersey Symphony is a GRAMMY and Emmy Award-winning orchestra. Under the direction of Music Director Xian Zhang, the Symphony performs more than 55 mainstage concerts across the state at venues in Newark, Princeton, New Brunswick, Red Bank, and Morristown, as well as at schools and public spaces statewide.

Programming at the Symphony reflects an unwavering commitment to diverse communities throughout the state, while providing students unparalleled opportunities to achieve musical excellence through its Youth Orchestra and other education programs.

In 2024, the Symphony announced it would continue to deliver its statewide activities from a new, permanent office, rehearsal, and concert space in Jersey City, set to open in 2026. For more information about the New Jersey Symphony, visit njsymphony.org.

Connect with NJ Symphony @ njsymphony.org

Follow NJ Symphony on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube