New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Presents PETER AND THE WOLF, 2/11

Audiences of all ages will thrill to the adventures of a mischievous boy, hungry wolf, grumpy grandpa and collection of animal characters in Peter and the Wolf at New Jersey Symphony Orchestra family concerts on Saturday, February 11, at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. In his famous musical fairytale, Prokofiev cleverly matches each character to an instrument and a musical theme so listeners can imagine the exciting tale as it unfolds.

Conductor Gemma New, a longtime favorite of NJSO family audiences, leads the 2 pm and 3:30 pm concerts in NJPAC's Victoria Theater. Narrator Sid Solomon will set the scene, telling the classic story of Peter, a self-described young pioneer, and his encounters with a hapless wolf. Interactive Pre-Concert Adventures begin in the lobby one hour before each performance.

Commissioned to write a symphony for children in 1936, Prokofiev adapted the story of "a boy who paid no attention to his grandfather." The strings play Peter, whose theme is a light and carefree tune. The flute portrays the fluttering bird; the duck is a mournful quacking oboe. A sneaky-sounding clarinet voices the nimble cat; a deep bassoon describes Peter's slow and grumpy grandfather. The wolf is a bold trio of French horns, and the woodwinds voice the hunters who pursue him, the sound of their guns mimicked by the boom of the timpani (kettledrums).

Standing in the meadow outside his grandfather's house, Peter watches a duck, bird and cat chase each other. Peter's grandfather demands that Peter come in, because he is outside the gate without permission and a wolf might attack. Inside, Peter watches as a wolf creeps into the meadow and swallows the duck. As the wolf moves menacingly towards the bird and cat, Peter sneaks back outside with a rope to catch the wolf, asks the bird for help and climbs a tree to trap the vicious animal.

Once the wolf is lassoed, a group of hunters arrive, ready to kill it, but Peter urges them to lock him up in the zoo instead. Peter, the wolf, hunters, birds and even Peter's grandfather parade through the streets towards the zoo. As they march, the duck can be heard, still quacking inside the wolf's stomach, "for, in his hurry, the wolf had swallowed her whole."

The concert opens with an introduction to the brass, woodwind and string instruments in the Orchestra, and each instrument family will shine in the bright and vigorous music from Stravinsky's Danses concertantes.

Pre-Concert Adventures

Learn more about the music and participate in fun hands-on activities during this interactive time that's perfect for the whole family, with an instrument petting zoo and other special activities in the lobby. The Pre-Concert Adventure begins at 1 pm for the 2 pm performance, and at 2:30 pm for the 3:30 pm performance. Ticketholders should attend the Pre-Concert Adventure immediately prior to their concert.

TICKETS

Tickets are $10 for children and $20 for adults, available for purchase online at www.njsymphony.org or by phone at 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476).

THE PROGRAM

Peter and the Wolf

Saturday, February 11, at 2 pm | NJPAC in Newark

Saturday, February 11, at 3:30 pm | NJPAC in Newark

Gemma New, conductor

Sid Solomon, host

New Jersey Symphony Orchestra

Full concert information is available at www.njsymphony.org/events/detail/peter-the-wolf.

The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey presents the 2016-17 NJSO Family Series.

NJSO ACCENTS

Designed to inspire audiences, NJSO Accents are pre- or post-concert events that complement the concert experience and provide audience members with more opportunities to personally connect with the music and music makers.

Pre-Concert Adventure-one hour before the concert
Come early for arts and crafts, an instrument petting zoo and other special activities in the lobby. Ticketholders should attend the Adventure prior to their concert.

Learn more at www.njsymphony.org/accents.

The Prudential Foundation sponsors NJSO Accent events in Newark.

THE ARTISTS

Gemma New, conductor

Sought after for her insightful interpretations and dynamic presence, New Zealand-born conductor Gemma New is music director of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra in Ontario, Canada, and resident conductor of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. She maintains a close relationship with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, where she served as associate conductor, and Chamber Orchestra of San Antonio. This season, New also enjoys guest engagements with the Malmo SymfoniOrkester in Malmo, Sweden; Orlando Philharmonic; Orchestra of St. Luke's and Manitoba Chamber Orchestra in Winnipeg, Canada.

A former Dudamel Conducting Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, New has led youth, school and community programs with the LA Phil, and she has assisted its Music Director Gustavo Dudamel, Conductor Laureate Esa-Pekka Salonen and other guest conductors. She is also founder of the Lunar Ensemble, currently in its seventh season.

New holds a Master of Music degree in orchestral conducting from the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, where she studied with Gustav Meier and Markand Thakar. She graduated from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, with a Bachelor of Music (Honors) in violin performance.

Sid Solomon, host

Brooklyn-born actor and teaching artist Sid Solomon has performed with theater companies across the country, including The Acting Company, New York Classical Theatre, Guthrie Theater, Virginia Stage, Florida Rep, Georgia Shakespeare and Florida Stage, among many others.

As a teacher, he has worked with students from grade school to grad school in cities and towns from Arkansas to Ontario. From 2007-10, he served on the faculty of the Theatre Arts Training Program of the Tony Award-winning Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis. Currently, he is a member of the teaching staff of The Acting Company, and he has taught classes and workshops for Williamstown Theatre Festival, New York Classical Theatre, Northern Stage and The Studio in New Canaan, Connecticut.

Solomon is in his fifth year as the host of Musical Explorers, a concert series for elementary-school students at Carnegie Hall. He received his training at the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater BFA Actor Training Program and LaGuardia Arts High School in New York. He has been a member of Actors' Equity Association since 2010; he was elected to its National Council in 2015.

NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Named "a vital, artistically significant musical organization" by The Wall Street Journal, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra embodies that vitality through its statewide presence and critically acclaimed performances, education partnerships and unparalleled access to music and the Orchestra's superb musicians.

The NJSO welcomes new Music Director Xian Zhang in the 2016-17 season. The Orchestra presents classical, pops and family programs, as well as outdoor summer concerts and special events. Embracing its legacy as a statewide orchestra, the NJSO is the resident orchestra of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark and regularly performs at the State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick, Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, Richardson Auditorium in Princeton, Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown and bergenPAC in Englewood. Partnerships with New Jersey arts organizations, universities and civic organizations remain a key element of the Orchestra's statewide identity.

In addition to its lauded artistic programming, the NJSO presents a suite of education and community engagement programs that promote meaningful, lifelong engagement with live music. Programs include school-time Concerts for Young People performances, NJSO Youth Orchestras family of student ensembles and El Sistema-inspired NJSO CHAMPS (Character, Achievement and Music Project). NJSO musicians annually perform original chamber music programs at nearly 200 community events in a variety of settings through the NJSO's REACH (Resources for Education and Community Harmony) program. The Orchestra's ECE programs annually serve more than 60,000 New Jerseyans in nearly 21 counties.

For more information about the NJSO, visit www.njsymphony.org or email information@njsymphony.org. Tickets are available for purchase by phone at 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476) or on the Orchestra's website.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra's programs are made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, along with many other foundations, corporations and individual donors.