(NEWARK, NJ) -- NJ PBS will broadcast four New Jersey Symphony programs this spring, including performances with Music Director Xian Zhang, superstar soprano Renée Fleming, Resident Artistic Catalyst Daniel Bernard Roumain and acclaimed violinist Augustin Hadelich, as well as Peter and the Wolf in concert with animation and narration.
Peter and the Wolf airs April 13 at 8:00pm. In Prokofiev’s 1936 orchestral fairytale Peter and the Wolf, instruments portray the characters in the tale of a mischievous boy and a hapless wolf. The program features concert footage of the New Jersey Symphony recorded on stage at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, along with animation following each of the characters in the story. José Luis Domínguez conducts; Tiana Camacho narrates. 7 Wonders Cinema produced and edited the virtual concert.
Art Is Essential airs May 3 at 9:30pm. The program showcases the Symphony’s 2021–22 opening-weekend concert—the orchestra’s return to performing for live audiences following pandemic-related cancelations. Zhang conducts a celebratory program featuring Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, Daniel Bernard Roumain’s Voodoo Violin Concerto and the world premiere of Michael Abels’ Emerge. Roumain solos in his own concerto. Purple Critter Media produced and edited the program, recorded live at the Symphony’s concerts on October 8 and 10 at NJPAC.
A Woman’s Voice: Renée Fleming with the New Jersey Symphony airs May 8 at 8:00pm. Among the greatest sopranos ever to grace the stage, Renée Fleming joins the New Jersey Symphony for her first performance of Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder. The concert, led by Zhang, also features Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll and the Adagietto from Bizet’s L’Arlésienne Suite No. 1. The program features original poems by young New Jersey-born poets: “Elizabeth, NJ” by Michelle Moncayo and “The Deciphered World” by Jane Wong. Purple Critter Media produced and edited the program.
Beethoven & Saint-Georges airs May 10 at 9:30pm. Grammy-winning violinist Augustin Hadelich performs the Chevalier de Saint-Georges’ Violin Concerto in A Major, Op. 5, No. 2, and Beethoven’s Romance for Violin and Orchestra No. 2. Nicholas McGegan conducts the program, which also features Saint-Georges’ Overture to L’amante anonyme and Beethoven’s Second Symphony. Purple Critter Media produced and edited the program, recorded live at the Symphony’s concerts on October 14 and 16 at NJPAC.
Longtime New Jersey Symphony audio engineer and multiple Grammy Award winner Tim Martyn recorded and mixed the audio for these concerts. David Frost, a 16-time Grammy winner and regular producer for the Metropolitan Opera mixed the audio for Fleming’s performance.
Schedule information is available at njtvonline.org/schedule. Local listings are available at njtvonline.org/about/where-to-watch.
Production of digital concerts is made possible by the Digital Production and Programming Fund with major support from Ellen and Phil Neches. Peter and the Wolf is presented by The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey. Bank of America is proud to sponsor the New Jersey Symphony Resident Artistic Catalyst. Daniel Bernard Roumain as Resident Artistic Catalyst is made possible in part by Judith Musser. Renée Fleming’s performance is supported by a gift from Audrey Bartner.
The New Jersey Symphony will redefine what it means to be a nationally leading, relevant orchestra in the 21st century. Through adventurous performances, hands-on educational experiences and robust community programming, we encourage everyone to enjoy the power and creativity of orchestral music in all its forms. Across genres and venues, for audiences of all walks of life, we strive to bring music that’s meaningful to you, to you.
As we look toward celebrating our centennial, we are renewing our deeply rooted commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion by championing new, and often local, artists; engaging audiences for whom the inspiring depth and breadth of classical music will be new; and incorporating the broadest possible representation in all aspects of our organization—all to better reflect and serve our vibrant communities.
Our expansive educational offerings—including our youth orchestras, masterclasses and virtual learning opportunities—will build the next generation of listeners and musicians and help students grow, both musically and personally. And we will continue to seek new ways to connect with all New Jerseyans, through programs that resonate with a variety of cultural and musical backgrounds, as well as digital innovations that make our orchestra accessible to anyone, anywhere, anytime.
