Sarah Chang Joins NJ Symphony for Winter Festival, Now thru 1/25

Renowned violinist Sarah Chang will perform Bernstein's West Side Story Suite in all six NJSO venues statewide across two concert programs led by Music Director Jacques Lacombe, today, January 16 - 18 in Princeton, Red Bank and Morristown and January 22 - 25 in Englewood, Newark and New Brunswick. Chang's two-week residency with the NJSO, sponsored by Bank of America, anchors the Orchestra's 2015 Winter Festival: Sounds of Shakespeare.

"We are thrilled to bring Sarah Chang to all six of our concert halls and give all of our audiences across the state the chance to hear her close to home," Lacombe says. "She is such a talented musician and has always had a unique connection with NJSO audiences. She is a generous artist and model for young musicians; I was amazed at how many young people came to see her the last time she performed with the NJSO.

"As artists, we often travel from one place to another, but it will be nice for her to be here for two weeks and have a broader impact -- not only playing concerts but also connecting with communities and working with young students [Chang will visit and give masterclasses for two of the NJSO Academy's flagship education programs]."

Chang performs the West Side Story arrangement David Newman wrote for her across two Winter Festival programs. She appears in Princeton, Red Bank and Morristown January 16-18 on a program that also includes Dvo?ák's Othello Overture, Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Love Duet, selections from Barber's Antony and Cleopatra and Delius' "The Walk to the Paradise Garden" from A Village Romeo and Juliet.

"Shakespeare has been such a huge source of inspiration for many artists and composers, so these programs explore multiple plays and the way composers responded to their themes," the music director says. "Dvo?ák's Othello is a very touching take on that play; he was partially inspired by the tenderness and peaceful parts of the drama, which allows him to make contrasts when exploring the play's violence and jealousy aspects."

In the festival finale, Chang performs the Bernstein suite in Englewood, Newark and New Brunswick January 22-25 on a program that also features Korngold's Much Ado About Nothing Suite and Elgar's Falstaff.

"One of the great elements of our Winter Festivals has been bringing new or forgotten repertoire, and the Elgar and Korngold works are perfect examples," the music director says. "Falstaff shows the maturity of Elgar's later works; Korngold's Much Ado About Nothing includes the use of a harmonium, which adds a very interesting color to the orchestra."

Winter Festival panel discussions explore the relationship between Shakespeare and music one hour before each concert. For more information on the Winter Festival and related events, visit www.njsymphony.org/winterfestival.

Tickets start at $20 and are available for purchase online at www.njsymphony.org or by phone at 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476).

Make it a date at NJPAC! For the Winter Festival concert at NJPAC in Newark on January 24, patrons can purchase a date-night package for two that includes a pair of concert tickets and a three-course prix-fixe dinner at NJPAC's NICO Kitchen + Bar. Dinner and a pair of C-section concert tickets are $128; dinner and A-section seats are $198. Patrons must purchase the package in advance through the NJSO.

THE PROGRAMS:

Sarah Chang Plays Bernstein

Friday, January 16, at 8 pm | Richardson Auditorium in Princeton *

Saturday, January 17, at 8 pm | Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank *

Sunday, January 18, at 3 pm | Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown *

Jacques Lacombe, conductor

Sarah Chang, violin

Elena Perroni, soprano

Heather Stebbins, soprano

Roy Hage, tenor

New Jersey Symphony Orchestra

DVORÁK Othello Overture

TCHAIKOVSKY Romeo and Juliet Love Duet

BARBER Selections from Antony and Cleopatra

DELIUS "The Walk to the Paradise Garden" from A Village Romeo and Juliet

BERNSTEIN West Side Story Suite

* Winter Festival Panel Discussion: Explore the relationship between Shakespeare and music through in-depth discussions starting one hour before each concert (free to ticketholders).

Full program information is available at www.njsymphony.org/events/detail/sarah-chang-plays-bernstein.

West Side Story with Sarah Chang

Thursday, January 22, at 7:30 pm | bergenPAC in Englewood *

Saturday, January 24, at 8 pm | NJPAC in Newark *

Sunday, January 25, at 3 pm | State Theatre in New Brunswick *

Jacques Lacombe, conductor

Sarah Chang, violin

New Jersey Symphony Orchestra

ELGAR Falstaff

KORNGOLD Much Ado About Nothing Suite

BERNSTEIN West Side Story Suite

* Winter Festival Panel Discussion: Explore the relationship between Shakespeare and music through in-depth discussions starting one hour before each concert (free to ticketholders).

Sarah Chang's residency with the NJSO is generously sponsored by Bank of America. NJSO Accents in Newark are generously sponsored by the Prudential Foundation.

Full program information is available at www.njsymphony.org/events/detail/west-side-story-with-sarah-chang.

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