(CAMDEN, NJ) -- New Jersey-based young professionals orchestra Symphony in C presents harp player Daniel Benedict in the program Romantic Harp on Saturday, February 17, 2024 at Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts's Gordon Theater. Daniel Benedict, who is the Principal Harpist of Symphony in C and is currently attending The Curtis Institute of Music, performs Renié's Harp Concerto on a program alongside Mendelssohn's The Hebrides and Symphony No.1, Op. 11 led by Symphony in C's Music Director, Noam Aviel. Showtime is 8:00pm.
"Excitement fills the air as we kick off the new year with Symphony in C's rising stars and growing enthusiastic audience!” said Symphony in C’s Music Director, Noam Aviel. “I am looking forward to rewarding rehearsals and concerts that will enhance our connection as an ensemble, team, and community. Our Romantic Harp program, with the captivating beauty of Renié's Harp Concerto and the elevated spirit of Mendelssohn's music, will undoubtedly leave every listener inspired."
Tickets range from $30-$55, $10 for students, and are available for purchase online. The Gordon Theater, Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts is located at 314 Linden Street in Camden, New Jersey.
Daniel Benedict is a harpist and musician who strives to illustrate meaning through music to his audience. Daniel is from the Chicago area and was born and raised in Oak Park, Illinois. He began studying music and the harp at the age of eight with Marcia Labella. Daniel deepened his musical education growing up by playing with The Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras during High School. A deciding factor to pursue music as a career was when he won the concerto competition at Oak Park and River Forest High School with Maurice Ravel’s “Introduction et Allegro.” Daniel began to study with Elizabeth Hainen once in college. Daniel has had masterclasses with Marie-Pierre Langlamet, Sivan Magen, Mariko Anraku, and Judy Loman, as well as lessons with Catherine Michel, Ann Yeung, Joel Von Lerber, and Maria Luisa Rayan.
Daniel attended the National Repertory Orchestra in the summer of 2023 and performed a wide range of orchestra repertoire, as well as Mario Castel-Nuovo Tedesco’s “Concertino for Harp” with the orchestra. In previous summers Daniel attended the Académie d’Été de Nice with Marie-Pierre Langlamet. Daniel was a guest artist for the 2021 Illinois Summer Harp Class with Ann Yeung. The same summer, Daniel competed in the finals of the AHS Advanced competition and received a prize for fourth place. Daniel has played under the baton of Michael Stern, Osmo Vänskä, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Tania Miller, JoAnn Faletta, Jason Seber, and Carl Topilow. Daniel is the Principal Harpist of Symphony in C and is currently attending The Curtis Institute of Music.
Hailed for her artistic excellence, versatility and charismatic stage presence, Noam Aviel has emerged on the international scene as one of the most dynamic young conductors. She has been recognized for her musicianship, deep understanding of stylistic approaches in a wide range of repertoire from opera and symphonic to jazz, and sensitivity to the needs of the artists with whom she collaborates.
Following her recent debut with the Symphony in C in the US, Noam Aviel has been appointed the orchestra’s Music Director starting from the 2023/2024 season.
Former Associate Conductor of the San Antonio Symphony, Noam Aviel has made successful appearances conducting the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Norrköping Symphony Orchestra in Sweden, KwaZulu Natal Philharmonic and Johannesburg Philharmonic orchestras in South Africa as well as San Antonio Philharmonic. In 2022 Noam made her debuts at Opera Orlando with Thomas Albert’s contemporary music drama Lizbeth and at Mobile Opera in Alabama conducting L’elisir d’amore. Noam Aviel’s future engagements include concerts with Symphony in C, German symphonic debut with Dortmund Philharmoniker, a debut at Opera Tampa conducting Hansel and Gretel, as well as returns to Mobile Opera conducting Marriage of Figaro and Opera Orlando for Massenet’s Cendrillon. Noam Aviel has worked on numerous opera productions including La Traviata, La Bohème, Macbeth, Carmen, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and Lennox Berkeley’s A Dinner Engagement at the Illinois Festival Opera.
Born in Israel, Noam Aviel studied voice performance and orchestral conducting at Tel Aviv University, and later continued her studies in orchestral conducting at Illinois State University in the US. In 2017 Noam Aviel was appointed Assistant Conductor, later promoted to Associate Conductor, of the San Antonio Symphony where she has led the orchestra’s extensive educational, community and outreach concerts programme working closely with Sebastian Lang Lessing. In this role she quickly gained recognition for inventive programming and has been praised in the US press as one of 25 “Renaissance Women” who have shaped the city of San Antonio.
Symphony in C’s Virtuosi Series continues, highlighting Symphony in C musicians in an intimate chamber music setting at Haddonfield United Methodist Church, with Mozart & Halvorsen String Trios on Sunday, February 4, 2024 at 4:00pm. The concert includes Halvorsen’s Passacaglia for Violin and Viola (after Handel) and Mozart’s Divertimento for String Trio, K. 563. The Virtuosi Series concludes on Sunday, April 7, 2024 at 4:00pm with Saint-Saëns & Fauré Piano Quartets featuring Saint-Saëns’s Piano Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 41 and Fauré’s Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor, Op. 15.
Throughout the season, Symphony in C also continues its Music Matters! Educational Outreach Programs including the Symphony in C Youth Orchestra, All-South Jersey Audition Clinics, Symphony Summer Camp, school instrumental lessons at all four Catholic Partnership Schools, and its newest program at the Octavius Catto School in Camden that will include Meet the Instruments, instrumental lessons, and Music Together.
Symphony in C provides the next generations of musicians and composers with experiences in performance and in engaging with the community, helping musicians to develop skills and experiences for professional success. The Symphony seeks to support musicians in achieving their visions in the changing world of symphonic music.
Founded in 1952 as The Haddonfield Symphony, Symphony in C began as a community orchestra allowing amateur musicians to pursue their love of music by performing for the Haddonfield and southern New Jersey communities. Its debut performance was in January 1954 under music director Guido Terranova. Since then, it has grown into one of only three professional training orchestras in the United States preparing musicians and conductors who are on the cusp of world-class careers through concert, educational outreach and professional development programs.
During the 1987-1988 season, the Symphony began providing training and performance opportunities to young professional musicians with the establishment of its Professional Development Internship Program. Over the next 13 seasons, this program grew to encompass all 78 positions within the orchestra. In 1991, the Symphony established the position of assistant conductor. The first holder of this position, Alan Gilbert, was named music director of the Symphony in 1992. During his tenure, he appointed the first composer-in-residence, Daniel Dorff, and launched the Young Composers’ Competition. From 1997 to 2000, Music Director Daniel Hege expanded the Music Matters! educational programs and Professional Development Internship programs for Symphony musicians.
Assistant Conductor Rossen Milanov was appointed Music Director in 2000, and led the organization for fifteen years, attracting the finest young musicians and soloists and increasing the orchestra’s artistic profile. In July, 2014, Maestro Milanov announced his departure at the end of the season, after being named Music Director of the Columbus Symphony and the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra. After an extensive international search, the Board of Directors selected 31 year old Stilian Kirov as Music Director. Maestro Kirov served as Music director from 2015-2020. Symphony in C’s 2022-23 season featured 5 guest conductors vying for the position of Symphony in C’s next Music Director. As a result of the search season, Noam Aviel was selected as the new Music Director of Symphony in C.
In 2004, the Symphony was awarded the national MetLife Award for Community Engagement in recognition of its programs serving people with special needs. In 2006, the Symphony moved its concert series to the Gordon Theater at Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts, and changed its name to Symphony in C to reflect its commitment to the cultural and economic redevelopment of Camden. Symphony in C has been designated a Major Arts Organization by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and was awarded a Citation of Excellence.
Symphony in C performances and programs are made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, The New Jersey Cultural Trust, the Domenica Foundation, The Presser Foundation, Holman Enterprises,The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, the William G. Rohrer Charitable Foundation, the Connelly Foundation, South Jersey Charitable Foundation, TD Charitable Foundation, and Subaru of America. Symphony in C is a member of the South Jersey Cultural Alliance (SJCA).
