New Jersey Symphony Presents Mussorgsky's PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION, Now thru 3/3

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra presents Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition on a program of Russian and French Romantic music tonight, March 1-3 in Newark and New Brunswick. NJSO Concertmaster Eric Wyrick makes his annual solo appearance with the Orchestra, performing Chausson's Poème and Saint-Saëns' Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso. The program also includes Borodin's Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor; Eugene Tzigane conducts.

NJSO Music Director Jacques Lacombe says of Wyrick: "Eric is really a top violinist, and we are very lucky to have him as our concertmaster. He has the qualities of both a soloist and a chamber musician, which is very rare to find. He has such clear vision and instincts, and whenever he solos with the NJSO he really brings the Orchestra with him.

"The two pieces [Wyrick] will perform go back to our season-long tribute to the 200th anniversary of Wagner's birth. Wagner had a very big impact on French music-there were both pro- and anti-Wagner composers. Chausson was fascinated by Wagner's music, and we've paired his piece with a work by Saint-Saëns, who was [on the other side] and took a more classical approach."

Performances take place tonight, March 1, (8 pm) and Sunday, March 3, (3 pm) at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark and Saturday, March 2, (8 pm) at the State Theatre in New Brunswick. A Classical Conversation begins one hour before each performance. Friday, March 1, is College Night-student tickets are $10 and include the concert and a post-concert party. For more information on College Night, call 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476).

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

THE PROGRAM

LACOMBE CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN & TCHAIKOVSKY

Friday, March 1 at 8 pm | NJPAC in Newark +
Saturday, March 2 at 8 pm | State Theatre in New Brunswick + Sunday, March 3 at 3 pm | NJPAC in Newark +

Eugene Tzigane, conductor
Eric Wyrick, violin
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra

BORODIN CHAUSSON SAINT-SAËNS MUSSORGSKY

Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor Poème
Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso Pictures at an Exhibition

+ Classical Conversation begins one hour prior to the performance (free to ticketholders).

The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey is concert sponsor of the March 1 performance.

Eugene Tzigane, conductor: Eugene Tzigane is in his third season as Principal Conductor of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie in Germany; he has been Principal Guest Conductor of the Pomeranian Philharmonic in Poland since the 2009-10 season. He won second prize at the 2008 Solti Competition in Frankfurt, First Prize at the 2007 Fitelberg Competition in Katowice and Second Prize at the 2007 Matacic Competition in Zagreb. He studied conducting at The Juilliard School, where he garnered the Bruno Walter Memorial Scholarship, and completed his studies at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, where he was awarded the Franz Berwald Memorial Scholarship.

Tzigane has conducted the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Deutsches SinfonieorchesterBerlin and Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra. He has conducted extensively in Poland, including concerts with the Beethoven Academy Orchestra, Kraków Philharmonic and Choir at the Polish Music Festival.

He made his opera debut at the Bavarian State Opera in 2009 conducting a new production of Così fan tutte and assisted Sebastian Weigle with a new production of Die Fledermaus for Frankfurt Opera. He has led the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie on tours to Italy, Spain, Zurich and the United States.

Recent highlights include his Japanese debut with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, as well as performances with the Netherlands Philharmonic at the Concertgebouw, Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester, Bruckner Orchester Linz, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Deutsches Sinfonieorchester Berlin, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Tampere Philharmonic, Aarhus Symphony and Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra.

Eric Wyrick, violin: Violinist Eric Wyrick is Concertmaster of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and has been an Orpheus Chamber Orchestra member and frequent leader since 1988.

Born in New York City, Wyrick started playing the violin at 4 years old. He attended The Juilliard Pre-College Division and later The Juilliard School, studying with Dorothy DeLay. His varied orchestral career began with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic at the age of 14. He has been Concertmaster of the American Symphony, Eos and L'opera Francais de New York, as well as the Christmas String Seminar under the direction of Alexander Schneider.

Wyrick has appeared as a soloist with the Danish Radio Orchestra, Orchestre de Toulouse, Hudson Valley Philharmonic and San Angelo Symphony Orchestra. In annual New Jersey Symphony solo appearances, he has brought unusual and new violin repertoire to New Jersey stages, performing concertos of Sergei Prokofiev, Ferruccio Busoni, Darryl Kubian and Edward T. Cone. In addition, Wyrick has had several solo television appearances including the "Dance in America" presentation of Chausson's Poème, and, as featured soloist, the BBC's "Great Composers" Series.

An active chamber musician, Wyrick can be heard frequently with the NJSO Chamber Players and is a founding performer at the Bard Music Festival. He has recorded for Bridge Records, Vanguard and, with Orpheus, Deutsche Grammophon. He is the soloist on a recording of Kubian's 3-2-1 Concerto for Acoustic and Electric Violin with the Orquesta Sinfonica of Michoacan, available online.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra is comprised of some of the country's finest musicians. The Orchestra is proud to have Jacques Lacombe as its Music Director. Artistic excellence, innovative programming and community engagement are hallmarks of its mission. To best serve the people of New Jersey, the orchestra brings its programs to seven outstanding venues throughout the state. Education and community engagement programs enrich the listening experience for children and adults alike. Select performances of the NJSO are broadcast regionally and throughout North America.

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