Xian Zhang, photo by Rob Davidson Media
(NEWARK, NJ) -- The New Jersey Symphony presents free outdoor concerts in Newark, Jersey City, Toms River, South Amboy and Red Bank and will also perform at the Giralda Music and Arts Festival in Madison.
The family-friendly program features John Williams’ Theme from Jurassic Park, selections from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story, William Grant Still’s Festive Overture and more. New this season, the New Jersey Symphony will perform in Liberty State Park in Jersey City and Raritan Bay Waterfront Park in South Amboy.
The Symphony will also return to Marine Park in Red Bank, as well as Ocean County College in Toms River and Essex County Branch Brook concert in Newark. The Essex County Branch Brook Park concert includes fireworks.
The Chamber Players of the New Jersey Symphony are scheduled to perform a series of chamber music concerts at Hamilton Park in Jersey City. These concerts are free of charge and will feature a variety of repertoire, including a celebration of the best of Bollywood's Hindi-language film genre and an exhilarating program curated by the orchestra's Resident Artistic Catalyst, Daniel Bernard Roumain.
Clarinetist Timothy Lien, winner of the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra’s 2023 Henry Lewis Concerto Competition, joins the Symphony for the first movement of Ludwig Spohr’s Clarinet Concerto In C Minor, Op.26. for the Giralda Farms, Branch Brook Park, Marine Park and Liberty State Park concerts. José Luis Domínguez, the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra Artistic Director, conducts.
Free concerts take place:
* Tuesday, June 27 at 8:00pm at Ocean County College in Toms River
* Wednesday, June 28 at 7:30pm at Raritan Bay Waterfront Park in South Amboy
* Friday, June 30 at 7:30pm at Essex County Branch Brook Park in Newark (includes fireworks!)
* Saturday, July 1 at 8:00pm at Marine Park in Red Bank
* Sunday, July 2 at 7:30pm at Liberty State Park in Jersey City
Free Chamber Series at Hamilton Park in Jersey City
* Thursday, July 13 at 7:00pm: Sounds of the Summer with Nimbus Dance
* Thursday, July 27 at 7:00pm: The Music of Bollywood with Kulture Kool
* Thursday, August 10 at 7:00 pm: A Summer Evening with DBR
The Symphony will perform at the Giralda Music and Arts Festival in Madison on Saturday, June 25 at 6:00pm. Tickets go on sale in May.
All New Jersey Symphony performances follow safety measures in partnership with the venues and based on the guidance provided by the CDC and the State of New Jersey.
The Raritan Bay Waterfront Park performance is sponsored by Middlesex County.
The Ocean County College concert is sponsored by the Ocean County College Foundation.
The Raritan Bay Waterfront Park concert is presented by the Arts Institute of Middlesex County.
The Essex County Branch Brook Park concert is sponsored by the County of Essex—part of the 2023 Essex County Free Summer Music Series.
The Marine Park concert is presented by Red Bank RiverCenter.
The Liberty State Park concert is supported by Mayor Steven M. Fulop, the Jersey City Municipal Council, and the Office of Cultural Affairs. Supported with public funds from the Arts and Culture Trust Fund.
The Giralda Music and Arts Festival concert is presented by Morris Arts.
The New Jersey Symphony Chamber Series is a partnership between Hamilton Park & New Jersey Symphony. The Summer Sounds and Bollywood concerts are generously sponsored by the PSEG Foundation.
More information is available at njsymphony.org/summer
Summer Parks Concerts
Saturday, June 25 at 6:00 pm | Giralda Farms in Madison
Tuesday, June 27 at 8:00pm | Ocean County College in Toms River
Wednesday, June 28 at 7:30pm | Raritan Bay Waterfront Park in South Amboy
Friday, June 30 at 7:30pm | Branch Brook Park in Newark
Saturday, July 1 at 8:00pm | Marine Park in Red Bank
Sunday, July 2 at 7:30pm | Liberty State Park in Jersey City
Thursday, July 13 at 7:00pm | Hamilton Park in Jersey City
Thursday, July 27 at 7:00pm | Hamilton Park in Jersey City
Thursday, August 10 at 7:00pm | Hamilton Park in Jersey City
The Emmy and Grammy Award-winning New Jersey Symphony, which celebrated its Centennial Season in 2022–23, is redefining what it means to be a nationally leading, relevant orchestra in the 21st century. They are renewing their 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 their vibrant communities. Since 2021, Music Director Xian Zhang has worked together with composer, violinist, educator and social-justice advocate Daniel Bernard Roumain, the orchestra’s resident artistic catalyst, to offer programming that connects with diverse communities in Newark and throughout New Jersey.
Internationally renowned Chinese American conductor Xian Zhang began her tenure as the New Jersey Symphony’s current Music Director in 2016. Since her arrival at the New Jersey Symphony, Zhang has revitalized programming with an industry-leading commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in mainstage concerts. The centennial season opened in October with concerts featuring Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto with soloist Yefim Bronfman; Jessie Montgomery’s Banner; Nimbus Dance performing original choreography to Copland’s Appalachian Spring Suite; Strauss’ Burleske for Piano and Orchestra with soloist Michelle Cann; Brahms’ Fourth Symphony; and Dorothy Chang’s Northern Star. The centennial season will conclude in June 2023 with Zhang leading the orchestra and violinist Joshua Bell in Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and a commissioned world premiere by Daniel Bernard Roumain.
