Aaron Diehl Performs Florence Price's Piano Concerto And Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue With NJSO

Acclaimed jazz pianist Aaron Diehl performs Florence Price's Piano Concerto and Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, November 29-December 2 in Newark and New Brunswick. Joshua Weilerstein conducts the program, which also features Stravinsky's The Firebird Suite (1919) and Milhaud's La création du monde.

Performances take place on November 29 at 1:30 pm, November 30 at 8 pm and December 2 at 3 pm at NJPAC in Newark and December 1 at 8 pm at State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick.

Diehl brings his acclaimed improvisatory approach to Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. The New York Times wrote of his New York Philharmonic debut: "Mr. Diehl played [Gershwin's Concerto in F] magnificently. He had brilliance when called for during jazz-tinged passages of Lisztian runs and octaves. The roomy freedom of Mr. Diehl's playing in bluesy episodes was especially affecting. He also folded short improvised sections into the score, and it's hard to imagine that Gershwin would not have been impressed. The audience was."

The pianist also gives the NJSO premiere of Price's Piano Concerto, in the reconstructed orchestration by Drew University music department chair Trevor Weston that was commissioned by the Center for Black Music Research. In a profile of Price exploring the rediscovery of her works, The New Yorker writes: "She is widely cited as one of the first African-American classical composers to win national attention, and she was unquestionably the first black woman to be so recognized. Yet she is mentioned more often than she is heard ... her pieces warrant more attention than they are receiving now."

NJSO Accent events include a singalong on November 29 at 12:30 pm and a Prelude Performance by the NJSO Youth Orchestras' Chamber Orchestra on November 30 at 7 pm. The Orchestra presents Classical Conversations on December 1 at 7 pm and December 2 at 2 pm. Patrons can bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to the NJSO's annual Toys for Tots drive at all performances. More information on NJSO Accent events is available at njsymphony.org/accents.

Concert tickets start at $20 and are available for purchase at njsymphony.org or 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476).

CONCERT PROGRAM

Rhapsody in Blue & The Firebird

Thu, Nov 29, at 1:30 pm | NJPAC in Newark

Fri, Nov 30, at 8 pm | NJPAC in Newark

Sat, Dec 1, at 8 pm | State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick

Sun, Dec 2, at 3 pm | NJPAC in Newark

Joshua Weilerstein, conductor

Aaron Diehl, piano

New Jersey Symphony Orchestra

MILHAUD La création du monde

GERSHWIN Rhapsody in Blue

PRICE Piano Concerto (NJSO Premiere)

STRAVINSKY Suite from The Firebird (1919)

Additional concert information and artist bios are available at njsymphony.org/rhapsody.

To post a comment, you must register and login.