New Jersey Symphony Orchestra to Present Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto, 10/31-11/3

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra presents Tchaikovsky's virtuosic First Piano Concerto at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark and the State Theatre in New Brunswick, October 31 and November 1-3. Guest conductor Christoph König returns to the NJSO stage; dynamic pianist Lukáš Vondrá?ek, a star on the rise, makes his NJSO debut with the Tchaikovsky concerto. The program also features Kodály's Dances of Galanta and Schumann's Fourth Symphony. Friday, November 1, is the first NJSO College Night of the 2013-14 season at NJPAC.

"These are three great works from three different important parts of the Romantic and early modern periods in Europe," Music Director Jacques Lacombe says of the works on the program. "Each has different European influences. The Kodály and Tchaikovsky works both have links to folk music; the Tchaikovsky and Schumann are connected in that Tchaikovsky's music has a German twist and Schumann [drew on the Viennese symphonic tradition]."

Of König's return engagement with the NJSO and Vondrácek's NJSO debut, Lacombe says: "Christoph König is a conductor with whom we have a great relationship, and we created this program in collaboration with him. He recommended Lukáš for the Tchaikovsky concerto. It's part of the NJSO's philosophy to introduce new faces to our audiences, and I am always excited to welcome young, upcoming soloists to perform with us."

Performances take place on Thursday, October 31, at 1:30 pm; Friday, November 1, at 8 pm and Sunday, November 3, at 3 pm) at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark and Saturday, November 2, at 8 pm at the State Theatre in New Brunswick. A Classical Conversation about the music on the program begins one hour before the November 1-3 performances in Newark and New Brunswick.

The NJSO hosts its first College Night of the season on Friday, November 1, at NJPAC in Newark. A special $10 student ticket includes entrance to the Orchestra's 8 pm performance and a post-concert all-student party.

The NJSO will provide free round-trip bus transportation to the concert from select New Jersey college campuses. Pick-up times and locations will be posted at www.njsymphony.org/college as buses become available.

The Orchestra has set aside a block of tickets as Tweet Seats, from which college students can post live concert commentary on social media. The NJSO (@NJSymphony) will tweet live commentary during the performance.

Following the success of last year's inaugural College Night, the NJSO hosts three college events this season; additional events take place at the March 2 performance of Grieg's Piano Concerto at NJPAC and April 5 performance of Verdi's Requiem at the State Theatre in New Brunswick.

To post a comment, you must register and login.