New Jersey Symphony Orchestra presents 2016–17 Opening Weekend Concerts With Sarah Chang

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra welcomes virtuoso violinist Sarah Chang for the Orchestra's 2016-17 season opening weekend, September 23-25 in Newark and New Brunswick. Chang performs a pair of showpieces by Piazzolla and Ravel on a program that also includes Bernstein's On the Town: Three Dance Episodes and Copland's Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes. Teddy Abrams, who has garnered critical attention as a conductor, composer and instrumentalist, makes his NJSO debut at the podium.

Performances take place on Friday, September 23, at 8 pm and Sunday, September 25, at 3 pm at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark and Saturday, September 24, at 8 pm at the State Theatre in New Brunswick.

Chang returns to the NJSO for the first time since her acclaimed two-week Winter Festival residency in 2015. The Star-Ledger has praised her "stunning," "thoroughly impressive and entertaining" performances with the NJSO and hailed the violinist's "characteristic athleticism and firepower" in her most recent New Jersey concerts. She solos in Piazzolla's The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires (these concerts mark the first time the NJSO will perform the work) and Ravel's Tzigane.

NPR writes that Abrams, the music director of the Louisville Symphony, is "brimming with ideas." The conductor has been the subject of a PBS documentary; The Wall Street Journal has called his energy "prodigious."

NJSO Accent events include College Night in at the State Theatre on September 24 and a post-concert American poetry reading at NJPAC on September 25. At the September 25 event, which is inspired by the American musical icons Bernstein and Copland and presented in partnership with the Dodge Poetry Festival, poet Kurtis Lamkin will give a live poetry reading, with tap accompaniment by Maurice Chestnut.

COLLEGE NIGHT

The NJSO hosts its first College Night of the season on Saturday, September 24, at the State Theatre in New Brunswick. A special $10 student ticket includes entrance to the Orchestra's 8 pm performance and a post-concert all-student party.

The NJSO will provide free round-trip bus transportation to the concert from select New Jersey college campuses. Pick-up times and locations will be posted at www.njsymphony.org/college as buses become available.

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

College Night student tickets are $10 and include the concert and a post-concert party. Student tickets are available for purchase online at www.njsymphony.org/college (using promo code COLLEGENIGHT) or by phone at 1.800.ALLEGRO.

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