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originally published: 05/19/2023 

Time For Three, photo by Shervin Lainez

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- 2023 GRAMMY Award-winning trio Time for Three leads off the Opening Weekend of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra’s 2023 Princeton Festival on Friday, June 9 at 7:00pm. Their high-octane eclecticism sets the tone for the 16-day showcase for the performing arts which includes opera, musical theater, orchestral music, Baroque and chamber music, dance, and more. Rounding out the weekend are Aretha, A Tribute on Saturday, June 10 at 7:00pm and a recital by pianist Christopher Taylor on Sunday, June 11 at 4:00pm. All three performances take place in the outdoor performance pavilion on the grounds of beautiful Morven Museum & Garden.

2022 Princeton Festival favorite Time For Three returns on Friday, June 9 at 7:00pm with more of their genre-defying program with arrangements of popular chart hits and fresh takes on classical repertoire. Double-bassist Ranaan Meyer and violinists Nick Kendall and Charles Yang have crafted a unique sound taking them beyond traditional string trio repertoire.

Edward T. Cone Music Director Rossen Milanov is pleased to be bringing the trio back this year. He says, “I’m thrilled that my friends in Time For Three are leading off this year’s Festival after wowing the audience with their electrifying performance in 2022. They are a perfect start to a great Festival.”

Time For Three is renowned for their charismatic and energetic performances in venues including Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, and The Royal Albert Hall. In 2020, the band partnered with cellist and composer Ben Sollee to put together the soundtrack to the new Focus Features’ film Land, starring and directed by Robin Wright. They have collaborated with artists as diverse as Ben Folds, Branford Marsalis, and Joshua Bell, and premiered original works by Pulitzer Prize-winners Jennifer Higdon and William Bolcom. Their most recent commission by Pulitzer Prize-winner Kevin Puts, Contact, is featured on their 2023 GRAMMY award-winning album, Letters for the Future, alongside Jennifer Higdon’s Concerto 4-3 (Deutsche Grammophon).

On Saturday, June 10 at 7:00pm, Drama Desk Award nominee Capathia Jenkins sings many of the Queen of Soul’s signature melodies in Aretha, A Tribute with three-time GRAMMY-nominated artist Ryan Shaw. Accompanying them is the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, conducted by John Devlin. The high-energy, glittering tribute includes iconic favorites “Respect,” “Think,” “A Natural Woman,” “Chain of Fools,” and more.

Capathia Jenkins

 

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Internationally renowned pianist Christopher Taylor takes the pavilion stage on Sunday, June 11 at 4:00pm. His recital program includes selections by composers of some of the world’s most thrilling works for the piano: Sergei Rachmaninoff, Nikolai Kapustin, Sofia Gubaidulina, and Sergei Prokofiev.

Christopher Taylor

The Festival takes place June 9-25 at Morven Museum & Garden, with performances almost every day, among them Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, hilarious improvisation with Broadway’s Next Hit Musical, Andrew Lippa’s musical tribute to Harvey Milk, a collaboration of Attacca Quartet & American Repertory Ballet, a Juneteenth Celebration featuring Met Opera star Will Liverman, a “feel good” Mazel Tov Cocktail Party!, Peter and the Wolf Family Concert, and more.

Tickets are available now, ranging from $10 - $125, at princetonsymphony.org/festival or by phone at 609-497-0020.

The Princeton Festival is the Princeton Symphony Orchestra’s flagship summer program showcasing the performing arts. Founded in 2004, the Princeton Festival quickly established a reputation for artistic excellence and innovative programming. Every year in June, thousands of people from the mid-Atlantic region and beyond come to the Festival to enjoy the quality and variety of its programs. Offerings include opera, musical theater, dance, orchestra and chamber music, and a constantly evolving selection of other genres, including jazz, world music, choral concerts, and country music. The Festival has long-standing partnerships with public libraries and local churches, and promotes life-long learning in the arts through free educational lectures presented to a wide and diverse community. 

Health and Safety: The Princeton Symphony Orchestra is closely monitoring and adhering to the New Jersey Department of Health’s COVID-19 Requirements. Princeton Festival attendees will receive information regarding safety procedures, entry, seating directions, etc. in advance of their selected live performance(s).

Accessibility: The Princeton Symphony Orchestra is committed to ensuring all programming is accessible for everyone, working with venues such as Morven Museum & Garden and Trinity Church to provide needed services. Contact ADA Coordinator Kitanya Khateri for questions about available services at kkhateri@princetonsymphony.org or 609-905-0973. Note: some services require at least two weeks’ notice to arrange.

Programs, artists, dates, and times are subject to change. 

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is a cultural centerpiece of the Princeton community and one of New Jersey’s finest music organizations, a position established through performances of beloved masterworks, innovative music by living composers, and an extensive network of educational programs offered to area students free of charge. Led by Edward T. Cone Music Director Rossen Milanov, the PSO presents orchestral, pops, and chamber music programs of the highest artistic quality, supported by lectures and related events that supplement the concert experience. Its flagship summer program the Princeton Festival brings an array of performing arts and artists to Princeton during multiple weeks in June. Through PSO BRAVO!, the orchestra produces wide-reaching and impactful education programs in partnership with local schools and arts organizations that culminate in students attending a live orchestral performance. The PSO receives considerable support from the Princeton community and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, regularly garnering NJSCA’s highest honor. Recognition of engaging residencies and concerts has come from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the PSO’s commitment to new music has been acknowledged with an ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming and a Copland Fund Award. The only independent, professional orchestra to make its home in Princeton, the PSO performs at historic Richardson Auditorium on the campus of Princeton University.