Xian Zhang Conducts Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2 With New Jersey Symphony

New Jersey Symphony to present Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 with Music Director Xian Zhang conducting. The Symphony’s Colton Conducting Fellow Gregory D. McDaniel will conduct Debussy’s Clair de Lune and Nico Muhly’s Sounding.

The four performances will take place Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 1:30 pm, at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark; Friday, March 14, 2025, at 8 pm, at Richardson Auditorium in Princeton; Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 8 pm, at NJPAC; and Sunday, March 16, 2025, at 3 pm, at Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown.

The program starts with Debussy’s Clair de Lune, the third movement in his Suite Bergamasque, arranged by André Caplet. Originally composed in 1889 and later revised in 1903, Clair de Lune was inspired by a poem of the same name by Paul Verlaine and embodies both the beauty and sadness of moonlight. The first half of the program continues with the New Jersey premiere of Nico Muhly’s Sounding, which is a co-commission with Vermont Symphony. Adam Tendler played the premiere in Burlington last May and will be featured as the soloist in this program.

The program concludes with Zhang conducting Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2. While composing the symphony, Rachmaninoff was influenced by Tchaikovsky. In the same turn, Eric Carmen’s 1976 hit song “Never Gonna Fall in Love Again” drew inspiration from the Second Symphony’s slow movement.

The concert on Thursday, March 13, at 1:30 pm at NJPAC will follow a Relaxed Performance format, which is designed to accommodate the differing needs of our patrons. We encourage you to bring your own sensory manipulatives, noise-reduction headphones and other tools that will allow you to react and enjoy the music in a way that is most natural for you! For more information about our Relaxed Performances and the resources you can expect to be available, visit njsymphony.org/relaxedperformance.

Two pre-concert Classical Conversations will take place on Friday, March 14, at 7 pm at Richardson Auditorium in Princeton and Sunday, March 16, at 2 pm at Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown. Concertgoers will be able to learn more about the music from Symphony musicians, guest artists, and other engaging insiders.

New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra’s Curtland E. Fields Ensemble will present a Concert Prelude in the lobby on Saturday, March 15, at 7 pm at NJPAC in Newark.

Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2

New Jersey Symphony Classical

Xian Zhang conductor
Gregory D. McDaniel conductor

Adam Tendler piano
New Jersey Symphony

Newark → Thursday, March 13, 1:30 pm, NJPAC

Princeton → Friday, March 14, 8 pm, Richardson Auditorium

Newark → Saturday, March 15, 8 pm, NJPAC

Morristown → Sunday, March 16, 3 pm, Mayo Performing Arts Center

Claude Debussy Clair de Lune

Nico Muhly Sounding for Piano and Orchestra (New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)

Sergei Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2

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