Concert Music
Princeton Symphony Orchestra
“Forward Into Light,” the PSO’s season opener, takes its name from the new piece by nationally noted, Princeton-based artist Sarah Kirkland Snider’s musical meditation on American women suffragists.
As the composer notes in a statement, “‘Forward Into Light” is a meditation on perseverance, bravery, and alliance. The piece was inspired by the American women suffragists — Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Frances E.W. Harper, Ida B. Wells, Zitkála-Šá, and Mabel Lee Ping-Hua, to name but a few — who devoted their lives to the belief that women were human beings and therefore entitled to equal rights and protections under the law of the United States of America.
I wrote the music thinking about what it means to believe in something so deeply that one is willing to endure harassment, isolation, assault, incarceration, force-feedings, and life endangerment to fight for it.” Forward Into Light” does not attempt to tell the story of the American women’s suffrage movement, but rather to distill the emotional and psychological contours of faith, doubt, and what it means to persevere.”
The concert also features guest artist Steven Banks’ performance of 20th century French composer Henri Tomasi‘s “Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra” and Alabama-born William Dawson’s 1934 “Negro Folk Symphony,” one of the first full-length works by a Black composer to be performed by a major U.S. orchestra. Saturday, September 9, 8 p.m., and Sunday, September 10, 4 p.m.
Jennifer Koh, the American violinist, and Kenneth Bean, PSO assistant conductor, present works by 19th century German romantic composer Felix Mendelssohn and early 20th century Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Also featured is “Procession,” a new violin concerto by noted American composer — and Landsdale, PA, native — Missy Mazzoli. The work is drawn from ideas of music and healing, specifically medieval rituals performed during the time of the Plague. Saturday, October 14, 8 p.m., and Sunday, October 15, 4 p.m.
Mozart’s Requiem, performed with Westminster Symphonic Choir, and Pulitzer Prize-winning contemporary American composer (and occasional PSO violinist) Caroline Shaw’s “Entr’acte.” Saturday, November 11, 8 p.m. and Sunday, November 12, 4 p.m.
All performances take place in Richardson Auditorium on the Princeton University campus. Cost: $10 to $115. www.princetonsymphony.org.
Princeton University Concerts
Dreamers’ Circus, the Scandinavian-based trio, uses their violin, accordion, keyboard, and strings to present an evening of new compositions infused with folk, classical, pop, and jazz traditions. A Performances Up Close presentation, featuring audience seating on stage. $10 to $40. Sunday, October 8, 3 and 6 p.m.
Chanticleer, the internationally known Grammy Award-winning choir noted as an “orchestra of voices,” returns to Princeton with the thematic concert “Music of a Silent World.” Guest performers include members of the Princeton University Glee Club. $10 to $50. Thursday, October 12, 7:30 p.m.
“The Flamboyant Baroque” featuring French trained Théotime Langlois de Swarte on baroque Violin, and Franco-American Justin Taylor, harpsichord, performing music from 18th century London and Rome. A Performances Up Close presentation. $10 to $40. Thursday, October 26, 6 and 9 p.m.
The Danish String Quartet returns for its third appearance with the PUC with music that “blurs the line between classical repertoire and Scandinavian folk tunes.” $10 to $50. Thursday, November 2, 7:30 p.m.
Jean Rondeau, the internationally praised French harpsichordist, presents “Gradus Ad Parnassum,” a musical journey through four centuries of the classical music tradition. A Performances Up Close presentation. $10 to $40. Wednesday, November 8, 6 and 9 p.m.
Richardson Chamber Players, Princeton University’s resident ensemble featuring members of the university and guest artists, presents “Les Sex,” focusing mainly on the works by the early 20th French composers living in the Montparnasse section of Paris. $5 to $15. Sunday, November 19, 3 p.m.
All performances take place in Richardson Auditorium on the Princeton University campus. concerts.princeton.edu.
New Jersey Capital Philharmonic
Musician’s Choice Chamber Music Concert: “From Handel to Habanera,” Music for Woodwind Quintet from the classics to Latin and Jazz. Passage Theater, Mill Hill Playhouse, 205 East Front Street, Trenton. Ticket prices TBA. Sunday, September 24, 3 p.m.
“Pictures At An Exhibition” is a collaboration with Artworks Trenton that uses 19th century Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky’s visual art referencing piece to showcase new artwork by 10 regional artists. Also on the program is 20th century romantic Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3, performed by Serbian pianist Maja Rajkovic. War Memorial Building, Memorial Drive, Trenton. $10 to $50. Saturday, October 21, 7:30 p.m.
Musician’s Choice Chamber Music Concert presents the Harp, Fortepiano and Strings Ensemble Le Meslange des Plaisirs performing chamber music from 1750 to 1820. St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Warren Street, Trenton. Ticket prices TBA. Sunday, November 5, 3 p.m.
“L’histoire Du Soldat” by Igor Stravinsky. CPNJ partners with Passage Theater to present Stravinsky’s theatrical composition at the Mill Hill Playhouse. $10 to $40. Saturday, December 12, 3 and 7:30 p.m.
More information: www.capitalphilharmonic.org.
New Jersey Symphony
“Ellington & Dvořák: New Worlds” features Duke Ellington’s “New World A-Comin’” and Antonin Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World.” State Theater of New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. Sunday, October 15, 3 p.m.
“Snapshots” a New Jersey Symphony co-commission of a new work by New York-born American composer Jessie Mongomery, highlights a program also featuring 19th century romantic composer Robert Schumann’s cello concerto and English composer Edward Elgar’s “Enigma Variations.” Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. Friday, October 20, 8 p.m.
“Jurassic Park in Concert,” conductor Constatine Kitsopoulous and the orchestra perform celebrated film composer John Williams’ score live with a presentation of the film. State Theater of New Jersey, New Brunswick. Sunday, October 29, 3 p.m.
“Joshua Bell Leads the New Jersey Symphony” with internationally known violinist Bell leading the orchestra through Felix Mendelssohn’s “Overture to a A Midsummer’s Dream” and “Violin Concerto and Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 4.” State Theater of New Jersey, New Brunswick. Sunday, December 3, 3 p.m.
Handel’s Messiah returns to Princeton for the holiday season. The event features guest soloists and the Montclair State University Singers. Richardson Auditorium. Friday, December 15, 8 p.m.
More information: www.njsymphony.org.
Princeton Pro Musica
“Solomon,” George Fredrik Handel’s 1747 oratorio on the Biblical king, is presented in collaboration with New York Baroque. Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. $14 to $65. Saturday, November 4, 4 p.m.
More information: www.princetonpromusica.org.
The LOTUS Project
The group’s Veterans Day Concert features contemporary British composer Howard Goodall’s choral work “Eternal Light: A Requiem.” Trenton War Memorial, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton. Saturday November 11, 7 p.m.
More information: www.thelotusprojectnj.org.
McCarter Theater
Bach: Mass In B Minor featuring conductor John Eliot Gardiner and the Monteverdi Choir, and English Baroque Soloists. 91 University Place, Princeton. $35 to $90. Monday, October 23, 7:30 p.m.
More information: www.mccarter.org.
Boheme Opera
In “The Sound of Music: Iconic Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein,” three Broadway singers will share selections from “Oklahoma,” “South Pacific,” “The King and I,” and “The Sound of Music.” Monroe Township Library Performance Series, 4 Municipal Plaza, Monroe. Free. Thursday, October 19, 1 p.m.
“35th Anniversary Gala: A Night in Seville,” music, dinner, and performance by the Alborada Spanish Dance Theater. Mercer Oaks Golf Course. 725 Village Road West, West Windsor. $150 per person. Sunday, November 5, 5 to 9 p.m.
“Lily,” a lecture performance focusing on the creation of Philadelphia-born composer Garth Braxton’s operatic adaptation of “The House of Mirth,” American author Edith Wharton’s 1905 novel. Monroe Township Library Performance Series, 4 Municipal Plaza, Monroe. Free. Thursday, November 16, 1 p.m.
More information: www.bohemeopera.org.
