McCARTER THEATRE CENTER 2009-2010 THEATER SEASON SCHEDULE
Having Our Say
First Preview: Friday, September 11, 2009 – 8 pm
Press Opening: Thursday, September 17, 2009 – 8 pm
Closing Performance: Sunday, October 18, 2009 – 2 pm
She Stoops to Conquer
First Preview: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 – 7:30 pm
Press Opening: Friday, October 16, 2009 – 8 pm
Closing Performance: Sunday, November 1, 2010 – 2 pm
Fetch Clay, Make Man
First Preview: Friday, January 8, 2010 – 8 pm
Press Opening: Friday, January 15, 2010 – 8 pm
Closing Performance: Sunday, February 14, 2010 – 2 pm
American Buffalo
First Preview: Tuesday, March 9, 2010 – 7:30 pm
Press Opening: Friday, March 12, 2010 – 8 pm
Closing Performance: Sunday, March 28, 2010 – 2 pm
Take Flight
First Preview: Friday, April 30, 2010 – 8 pm
Press Opening: Friday, May 7, 2010 – 8 pm
Closing Performance: Sunday, June 6, 2010 – 2 pm
A Christmas Carol
(not part of Theater subscription series)
First Preview: Sunday, December 6, 2009 – 5:30 pm
Press Opening: Friday, December 11, 2009 – 7:30 pm
Closing Performance: Sunday, December 27, 2009 – 5:30 pm
American Repertory Ballet Announces 2009-2010 Performance Season
American Repertory Ballet, New Jersey’s premiere contemporary dance company, announces its 2009-2010 season. The Company is reviving audience favorites like Baker’s Dozen by Twyla Tharp, A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Graham Lustig, and the perennial favorite, Graham Lustig’s The Nutcracker.
Chance to Dance – A Scholarship Benefit for DANCE POWER
Hyatt Regency New Brunswick, 2 Albany Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, Oct 2, 2009 at 6:00pm
Tickets: $125 and up, www.arballet.org, 732.249.1254 ext 25
Raritan Valley Community College, 118 Lamington Road, Branchburg, NJ 08876, Senior Matinee: October 23, 2009 at 2:00pm; Evening Rep Show: October 24, 2009 at 8:00pm. Tickets: October 23: $15 & $20, October 24: $20 & $30, www.rvccArts.org, 908.725.3420; Performances will feature: Roses and Clover by Kirk Peterson, Baker’s Dozen by Twyla Tharp, Rhapsodia by Graham Lustig
Graham Lustig’s The Nutcracker
McCarter Theatre, 91 University Place, Princeton, NJ 08540, Nov 27, 2009 1:00pm and 4:30pm; Nov 28, 2009 at 1:00pm and 4:30pm; Nov 29, 2009 at 1:00pm and 4:30pm; Tickets: $35 and $45, www.mccarter.org, 609.258.ARTS
Graham Lustig’s The Nutcracker
Community Theatre at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts; 100 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960, December 4, 2009 at 7:00pm, December 5, 2009 at 1:00pm and 4:30pm; Tickets: $32, $42, $52, www.mayoarts.org, 973.539.8008
Graham Lustig’s The Nutcracker
Patriot’s Theatre at the War Memorial, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton, NJ 08619, Dec 12, 2009 at 1:00pm and 4:30pm; Tickets: $20, $24, $27, $30, www.thewarmemorial.com, 609.984.8400
Graham Lustig’s The Nutcracker – Featuring a live orchestra
The State Theatre, 15 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick, NJ 08901; Dec 19, 2009 at 1:00pm and 4:30pm; Dec 20, 2009 at 1:00pm and 4:30pm; Tickets: $32, $42, $52, www.statetheatrenj.org, 732.246.SHOW
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Community Theatre at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts, 100 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960, Feb 26, 2010 at 8:00pm, Tickets: $22, $32, $42, www.mayoarts.org, 973.539.8008; Performance will feature: Roses and Clover by Kirk Peterson,
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Graham Lustig
Dance Alive – Ballet Rocks! Raritan Valley Community College; 118 Lamington Road, Branchburg, NJ 08876, March 19, 2010 at 11:00am, Tickets: $7 and $10, www.rvccArts.org, 908.725.3420
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Raritan Valley Community College, 118 Lamington Road, Branchburg, NJ 08876; March 20, 2010 at 8:00pm; Tickets: $25 and $30, www.rvccArts.org, 908.725.3420. Performance will feature: Stardust by Graham Lustig, A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Graham Lustig,
South Orange Performing Arts Center; One SOPAC Way, South Orange, NJ 07079; April 17, 2010 at 8:00pm Tickets: $28, $35, www.sopacnow.org, 973.275.1114; Performance will feature: Stardust by Graham Lustig, A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Graham Lustig
ARB’s Princeton Ballet School Presents- The Sleeping Beauty, Patriot’s Theatre at the War Memorial, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton, NJ 08619; May 8, 2010 at 2:00pm and 7:00pm, Tickets: 609.921.7758
STUART OPENING NEW ART EXHIBIT
Off the Page Brings Regional Artists’ Books to Considine and Hamill Galleries
Princeton, N.J. (December 1, 2009) –Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart will celebrate the printed page with the opening of an exhibition of work February 7th in the school’s Considine and Hamill Galleries.
The exhibit, entitled Off the Page, will feature visual artists, poets, writers and printmakers who showcase their work in book form. Stuart will host an opening reception on February 7, 2010, from 1:00 to 3:00. The exhibit will run from January 28 to March 4, 2010. The participating artists are from the Princeton area, as well as New York and Pennsylvania. Two artists, Esther Smith and Miriam Schaer will sign copies of their books at the opening reception. Prior to the reception, there will also be a film screening at noon featuring, A Ripple in the Water: Healing Through Art, an award-winning documentary.
“Living Among Giants -- Seeing the Forest for the Trees”
D&R Greenway Land Trust’s art Exhibition, February 8 to March 19, Opening Reception: Friday, February 26, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.; Poets’ Night: Friday, March 19, 6 – 8 p.m. call to register for receptions: 609-924-4646; www.drgreenway.org
Princeton, New Jersey: D&R Greenway Land Trust’s art exhibition, “Living Among Giants: Seeing the Forest for the Trees,” is available for viewing in their Marie L. Matthews Galleries from February 8 until March 19. Challenging viewers to consider the magnificent beauty of individual trees, and the importance of preserving them, the exhibit’s free Artists’ Reception will take place Friday, February 26, from 5:30–7:30 p.m. To register: 609-924-4646. Art is available on business hours, business days; call to check whether galleries have been rented on day of visit.
ARTS CALENDAR - March 2010
D&R GREENWAY LAND TRUST
“LIVING AMONG GIANTS -- SEEING THE FOREST FOR THE TREES” ART EXHIBITION,0
FEB. 8 - MARCH 19, POETS’ NIGHT
MARCH 19, 6 – 8 PM.
D&R Greenway Land Trust’s art exhibition, “Living Among Giants: Seeing the Forest for the Trees,” is available for viewing in their Marie L. Matthews Galleries from February 8 until March 19. Challenging viewers to consider the magnificent beauty of individual trees, and the importance of preserving them. To register: 609-924-4646. Art is available on business hours, business days; call to check whether galleries have been rented on day of visit.
VOICES Choral
"WHEN IRISH EYES ARE SMILING"
March 5, 8 pm, Pennington Presbyterian Church,
13 S. Main Street, Pennington, NJ
Under the direction of Lyn Ransom, Music Director, and Andrew Monath, Assistant Conductor, the 65 singers of VOICES Chorale, instrumentalists and Irish Singer Gerry Dignan present a salute to the Irish spirit
The program presented by VOICES Chorale and Sotto Voce, its chamber group, includes the well-known favorites "Toora Loora Looral," "Danny Boy," arranged by Joseph Flummerfelt, and "Old Irish Blessing," other folk ballads, jigs, and laments, and two contemporary arrangements by David Mooney. The audience will be invited to sing along with Gerry Dignan and the chorale in some popular pieces.
Tickets:General Admission $18; children 12 and under $10; Family Pass $45. Advance sale: $3 off each ticket.
NJ Pass Holders: 25% discount. All tickets can be bought online at www.VOICESChorale.org, by leaving a message at 609-637-9383, or at the door.
RVCC Theatre
March 12, at 8 pm, "Project" To Perform
The Theatre at Raritan Valley Community College will present a performance by the chamber ensemble PROJECT. The performance is part of the Theatre's Major Artists Series. Tickets cost $25 each.
PROJECT excites audiences with energy and innovative style. Graduates of the Cleveland Institute of Music, PROJECT musicians Greg Pattillo, Eric Stephenson and Peter Seymour have played with such prestigious groups as the Cleveland Symphony, Aspen Festival Orchestra and the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra. Their sound can only be described as a fusion of jazz, hip-hop and world music-balanced by an allegiance to their classical roots.
To purchase tickets or for more information, call the Box Office, 908-725-3420, or order online at www.rvccArts.org. Senior citizen, student and group discounts are also available for a variety of performances.
American Repertory Ballet Magic, Mischief, Mayhem…and Love
March 19,11 am; Graham Lustig’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
(Student Matinee $7, $10) and Saturday, March 20 at 8 pm ($25, $30)
The Theatre at Raritan Valley Community College
American Repertory Ballet, New Jersey’s premier contemporary ballet company, is kicking off its 2010 spring season with Graham Lustig’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Theatre at Raritan Valley Community College in North Branch, NJ Saturday March 20. The performance will also feature Kirk Peterson’s lighthearted romp, Roses and Clover. The company is scheduled to perform a special Educational Matinee performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on March 19 at 11 am for students Kindergarten through 5th grade at the venue.
Arts Council of Princeton
Spring Break Camp: The Art of Japan
March 29 - April 2
The Arts Council of Princeton presents Spring Break Camp: The Art of Japan for children ages 5-12 at the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, from March 29 - April 2, from 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Each day includes supervised snack and lunch break (students bring snack, lunch and beverage) Enrollment costs $295/$275 ACP members. Aftercare is available from 9 - 9:30 am for an additional $25/week and 3:30 - 4 p.m. for an additional $25/week. For more information, or to enroll, please visit: www.artscouncilofprinceton.org or call 609-924-8777. The Paul Robeson Center for the Arts is located at 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ across from the Princeton Public Library. Parking is available in the Spring and Hulfish Street Garages as well as metered parking along Witherspoon Street and Paul Robeson Place.
MCCC's Kelsey Theatre
March 12-21 "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer"
One of the most beloved characters of American literature comes to life in the exuberant musical, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," at Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theatre. A pop rock Broadway version of Mark Twain's semi-autobiographical novel is presented by Maurer Productions OnStage Fridays, Mar. 12 and 19 at 7 p.m.; Saturdays, Mar. 13 and 20 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sundays, Mar. 14 and 21 at 2 p.m. Kelsey Theatre is located on the college's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening night performance on March 12.
Tickets are $16 for adults; $14 for seniors, and $12 for students and children. Free parking is available next to the theater. Tickets may be purchased online at www.kelseytheatre.net or by calling the Kelsey Box Office at 609-570-3333. Kelsey Theatre is wheelchair accessible. For a complete listing of adult and children's events for the remainder of the season, visit the Kelsey website or call the box office for a brochure.
UMCP
March 5 The Auxiliary of University Medical Center at Princeton cordially invites the public to a shared art exhibit and sale featuring the fine art photography of Natalie Caricato and Anthony Auciello. An opening-night cocktail reception will be held on Friday, March 5 from 5 pm to 7 pm in the dining room of the hospital with hors d’oeuvres and refreshments.
Grounds for Sculpture - free admission days
Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, 18 Fairground Rd, www.groundsforsculpture.com, will be open for free on Tuesdays through Thursdays, from 10 am to 6 pm. Hot chocolate and cookies available.
Princeton Girlchoir to Perform "(RE)KINDLE HOPE" Concert
at Richardson Auditorium on January 31st
Premier concert under the direction of Artistic Director Lynnel Joy Jenkins
Princeton, New Jersey—The Princeton Girlchoir’s advanced ensembles—the Concert Choir and the Cantores—celebrate the winter season with their 21st annual winter concert, “(RE)KINDLE HOPE,” at 4 p.m. on Sunday, January 31st, at Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall on the Princeton University campus.
The Concert Choir, conducted by Artistic Director Lynnel Joy Jenkins, and Cantores, conducted by Raegan Ruiz, will feature over one hundred singers. Both choirs will be accompanied by Elizabeth M. Hartnett on piano and harpsichord.
The January concert presents a collection of works with inspiring poetry and music to fuel and ignite hope for an improved world in this new year, 2010. Musical examples of persons exercising their hope against times of great adversity and despair will be performed, ranging from a psalmist of ancient times, to original authors of the African American spiritual, to contemporary works that capture the enduring American spirit.
The string quintet from the Greater Princeton Youth Orchestra will accompany the Concert Choir on "Dixit Dominus" and "Psalm 23." Percussionists Peter Griffin and David Kossoff, along with cellist Tomasz Rzeczycki, and Lisa Nettleship, French horn, will add to the excitement of the concert.
The concert will end with all PGC alumnae invited to join the combined choirs on stage to sing the traditional closing song, "May the Lord Bless You and Keep You," by John Rutter.
All five choirs of the Princeton Girlchoir will perform together at the 21th spring concert on May 23, 2010, at the Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton. For more information, visit princetongirlchoir.org or call 609.688.1888.
Arts Calendar - Feb 2010
The Arts Council of Princeton
Keith Monacchio CD Release Concert, Fri., Feb. 5, 8 pm;
At the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ across from the Princeton Public Library. Admission is $15/$10 for ACP members. To purchase tickets, or for more information: www.artscouncilofprinceton.org or call 609-924-8777. Parking is available in the Spring and Hulfish Street Garages as well as metered parking along Witherspoon Street and Paul Robeson Place.
RVCC
500 Clowns Frankenstein, Friday, February 5, at 8 pm.
The Theatre at Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) in Branchburg will present 500 Clown Frankenstein,. Tickets cost $27 and $32. To purchase tickets or for more information, call the Box Office, 908-725-3420, or order online at www.rvccArts.org. RVCC is located on 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, NJ. For further information, visit www.raritanval.edu.
Gallery 14
Feb.12 – March 14, Varanasi: India’s Holy City on the Ganges, Photos by Jim Hilgendorf.
Distillations, by Tasha O’Neill; opening Reception February 12, 6 – 9 pm
Meet the Photographers, Sunday, February 14, 1–3 pm, 14 Mercer Street, Hopewell, www.photogallery14.com.
RVCC EXHIBIT TO FEATURE WORK BY ART FACULTY
Raritan Valley Community College’s (RVCC) Visual and Performing Arts Department will present the ART FACULTY EXHIBITION, February 12-March 12, in the Art Gallery at the College’s Branchburg Campus. The show is being coordinated by RVCC Art Gallery Coordinator and Adjunct Instructor Darren McManus. An Artists’ Talk will be held Friday, February 19, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. A reception will follow from 6:30-8 p.m. Both are free of charge and open to the public.
The exhibition will feature work by 34 RVCC art faculty members, representing a wide range of media, including drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, video, graphic design, digital media and photography.
Work by the following faculty members will be on display: Joshua Azzarella (Brooklyn, NY), Lydia Grey (Somerville), Serena Bocchino (Basking Ridge), Tiffany Calvert (Brooklyn, NY), Lydia Chiappini (Blairstown), Gary D'Alessandro (Whitehouse Station), Robert Di Matteo (Pittstown), Matthew Fisher (Long Island City, NY), Andrea Freiwald (Highland Park), Barbara Friedman (Freehold), Richard Gabriele (Langhorne, PA), Kathleen Griffin (Astoria, NY), Jeff Hand (Summit), Christopher B. Koep (Hampton), Michael Lantz (Easton, PA), Phyllis Lerner (Flemington), William Macholdt (Raritan), Jeff Mason (Cranford), Darren McManus (Lambertville), Sue Miller (Katonah, NY), Kelly Oliver (Raritan), Dot Paolo (Flemington), Maria Pisano (Plainsboro), John Reinking (Hellertown, PA), Jonathan Ricci (Hamilton), Sarah Roche (Philadelphia, PA), Etta Roebig (Suffern, NY), Nancy Roselli (Frenchtown), Keary Rosen (Raritan), Kathleen Schulz (Annandale), Wes Sherman (Summit), Val Sivilli (Milford), Donna Stackhouse (Washington) and Ann Tsubota (Pittstown).
Gallery hours are Mondays, 3-8 p.m.; Tuesdays, noon-3 p.m.; Wednesdays, 3-8 p.m.; Thursdays, noon-6 p.m.; and Fridays, noon-3 p.m. For further information, call 908-218-8876.
Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None"
Friday, January 22 and 29 at 8:00 PM
Saturday, January 23 and 30 at 8:00 PM
Sunday, January 24 and 31 at 2:00 PM
Tickets $15, Seniors/Students $13
Somerset Valley Players
www.svptheatre.org
689 Amwell Road
Hillsborough, NJ 08844-3317
(908) 369-7469
Princeton Pro Musica Presents Ein deutsches Requiem
Johannes Brahms' Ein deutsches Requiem and Paul Moravec’s Songs of Love and War
Saturday, May 1, 2010, 8:00 pm; Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. Sarah Pelletier, soprano, Kelly Markgraf, baritone. Tickets $25 - $55; students with ID $10; 609-683-5122
THEATRE AT RVCC TO PRESENT IF YOU GIVE A PIG A PANCAKE & OTHER STORY BOOKS
The Theatre at Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) in Branchburg will present TheatreworksUSA’s production of If You Give a Pig a Pancake & Other Story Books, Sunday, January 31, at 1 and 3:30 p.m.
The performance is part of the Theatre’s Sampler Series. The series, recommended for youngsters age four and older, features events for children and their families.
If you liked TheatreworksUSA’s If You give a Mouse a Cookie & Other Story Books, you'll love this latest production of mini-musicals based on your children’s favorite books. Some of these include Diary of a Worm, Fluffy the Classroom Guinea Pig and Horace & Morris but Mostly Dolores.
Tickets cost $10 and $12 each. Subscription discounts are available.
For the sixth year in a row, Courier News readers voted The Theatre at RVCC as the “Best of the Best” in 2009 in the “Playhouse/Theater” category.
In addition to the Sampler Series, the Theatre is presenting this season the Major Artists Series; the 18th annual Merck Series, made possible by a generous grant from The Merck Company Foundation; Tuesdays with Stories, which features great American literature performed by solo actors from The American Place Theatre; School-Time Performances, a series for teachers and students grades pre-K to 12; and the Family Series, for families with children ages eight and older.
A variety of subscribers’ packages are available for all Theatre series. To purchase tickets or for more information, call the Box Office, 908-725-3420, or order online at www.rvccArts.org. Senior citizen, student and group discounts are also available for a variety of performances.
The Theatre offers birthday parties for both the Family and Sampler Series. For further information, call 908-725-3420.
RVCC, located on Route 28 and Lamington Road in Branchburg, NJ, and serving Somerset and Hunterdon County residents for over 40 years, offers more than 90 associate degrees and certificates. For further information, visit www.raritanval.edu.
BROOK THEATRE PRESENTS BATTLE OF THE BANDS
BOUND BROOK, NJ – The historic Brook Theatre located at 10 Hamilton Street in Bound Brook, New Jersey will present a “Battle of the Bands” on Saturday, March 25, 2010 from 5:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M.
Among the bands scheduled to perform at “Mutiny Within,” Small Town Scoundrels,” Shotty Mike & the Madheads,” and others.
Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Tickets may be purchased at Mama Rosina’s Restaurant at the Bound Brook Train Station, at www.ticketweb.com, or by calling the Brook at 732-469-7700
Arts Council of Princeton presents East & West Clay Works Exhibition
March 18 - April 30, 2010; The Arts Council of Princeton will present the exhibition East & West Clay Works in the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts’ Taplin Gallery from March 18 - April 30, 2010 with a reception for the artists on Saturday, April 3, 4:00 - 6:00 pm.
The East & West Clay Works was founded in 1998 by Korean artist and teacher, Professor Gil Hong Han. The intention was simply to bring together Ceramic Artists from different backgrounds and cultures to promote exchange, friendship and provide exhibition opportunities.
The medium of clay and the pursuit of ceramic art is the “common language” enabling this convergence of artists from three countries, including Korea, Japan and the United States. Biannual Exhibitions for the group have previously taken place in New York City, Seoul, Korea, and Mashiko, Japan.
The East & West Exhibition will be presented in two parts. Initially it will open beginning
March 18 with six U.S. artists (West): James Jansma, Shellie Jacobson, William C. MaCreath, Jong Sook Kang, Brad Taylor, Hoon Lee presenting their work. Midway through the run of the exhibition, and coinciding with the NCECA conference in Philadelphia on March 30th, we will re-install the exhibition with the addition of fifteen artists from Korea Japan (East): Ikuzo Fujiwara, Ayato Fujiwara, Ryo Suzuki, Yuchiko Baba, Emiko Asada, Satoshi Yokoo, GilHong Han, MyungAh Lee, ByungHo Seo, JungSuk Lee, YongPhil Lee, HyunHee Jung, EunpYoung Kim, YoungSim Lee, Kyeri Kim.
The key dates for this exhibition and related activities are:
Exhibition dates: March 18 - April 30, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 4:00 - 6:00 pm - Opening reception
Monday, April 5 - Morning: Artists “hands on” demonstrations (registration required)
Monday, April 5 - Afternoon: Artists to give visual presentations of work
Art Academy Opens In Hillsborough
On October 1st, the Art Academy of Hillsborough opened its doors for class and will be celebrating its grand opening on Saturday, November 14th from 12noon -2:30pm. The grand opening will offer an opportunity for artists of all ages to see what classical training is all about. Drawing and painting demonstrations will be the highlight of the event along with a Mayoral ribbon cutting ceremony (at noon). Several demonstration paintings will be given away to attendees at the event.
For more than six centuries the classical approach to art education has remained primarily unchanged. This approach to art training has endured in large part due to its high degree of success in producing exceptional artists.
The Art Academy offers a program steeped in the traditions practiced by ‘old masters’ dating back to the early 14oo’s.
“Great artists are not born that way; they are trained”. Founder and primary educator at the Academy, Kevin Murphy, says that his story is proof of this truth. “Contrary to common belief, no one is born with the skills to make art.”
Awash with schools for music, dance, gymnastics, and even young chefs, Hillsborough and its neighbors have been without a serious venue to have their artists, of all ages, schooled.
The Art Academy of Hillsborough continues the long standing tradition of Master to apprentice training that the great masters endorsed.
Kevin Murphy is a world renowned, international award-winning illustrator and fine artist.
The Art Academy of Hillsborough offers a range of classes from foundation drawing through master level painting techniques for students ages 6 – adult; the Academy has a class to fit all levels of interest and accomplishment.
Art Academy of Hillsborough, 3 Jill Court (Bldg. 15, Unit 5), Hillsborough, 201-240-9157,
www.ArtAcademyofHillsborough.com.
VOICES Concert Schedule 2009-2010 - A Season of National Styles!
An American Holiday: Conrad Susa’s Carols and Lullabies: Christmas in the Southwest for Chorus, Harp, Guitar and Marimba; carols by American composers from Colonial times to our time, Magnificat by Theodore Pachelbel of Colonial New England, “It’s Happy Holiday Time;” by Ken Guilmartin, and Christmas music from classic American films. Rochelle Ellis, soprano soloist.
Friday, December 18, 2009, at 8 pm; Pennington Presbyterian Church, 13 S. Main St., Pennington,
Saturday, December 19, 2009, at 8 pm; St. Paul R.C. Church, 214 Nassau St., Princeton
“When Irish Eyes Are Smiling”: A salute to the Irish spirit, with harp and fiddle, including well-known lullabies, ballads, jigs and laments including “Danny Boy,” “Bonny Wood Green,” “Old Irish Blessing,” “Toora Loora Looral,” and “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.”
Friday, March 5, 2010, at 8 pm; Pennington Presbyterian Church, 13 S. Main St., Pennington
Sunday, March 7, 2010, at 3 pm; Anchor Presbyterian Church, 980 Durham Rd. (Rt. 413), Wrightstown, PA
Young Composers Concert: Celebrate the musical creativity of song-writers ages 5 to 12 who participate in the VOICES Children’s Music Composition Workshops & Contest. We invite parents and music teachers to encourage children to write songs for birthdays, holidays, bedtimes, and family events. The deadline for this annual contest is March 1, 2010. To enter the contest, mail entries by February 22 to VOICES, P.O. Box 404, Pennington, NJ 08534! For more information: Debbie Gwynne, Program Chair, at 609-397-0756 / dgmusica@comcast.net.
Monday, April 12, 2010, at 7 pm; Music Together, 225 Hopewell-Pennington Rd., Hopewell, NJ
From St. Petersburg to Paris: A musical migration from Russia to France in the early 20th century. Excerpts from Rachmaninoff’s Vespers and Stravinsky’s Les Noces (The Wedding), Russian folk songs, and the Faure Requiem.
Friday, May 21, 2010, at 8 pm; Pennington Presbyterian Church, 13 S. Main St., Pennington
Sunday, May 23, 2010, at 3 pm; Anchor Presbyterian Church, 980 Durham Rd. (Rt. 413), Wrightstown, PA
Princeton Symphony Orchestra Announces 2009-2010 Season
Richardson Auditorium will be alive with anticipation on October 4, 2009, when the Princeton Symphony Orchestra begins what promises to be one of the most exciting seasons in its 30-year history. Along with the official debut of new Music Director Rossen Milanov, the PSO will present a roster of outstanding guest conductors and acclaimed soloists.
The PSO will kick off its 30th anniversary season with an entire weekend of events featuring the remarkable conductor, teacher, author and inspirational speaker Benjamin Zander.
On Sunday, October 4 at 4:00 p.m., Zander, who is renowned for his interpretations of Mahler, will conduct the PSO in the serene and magnificent Mahler Symphony No. 4 in G Major. Princeton soprano Sarah Pelletier will sing the finale’s beautiful Das Himmlishce Leben (The Heavenly Life), which takes its lyrics from the collection of German folk poetry called Des Knaben Wunderhorn. Thirteen-year old piano prodigy George Li will thrill concertgoers when he joins the PSO for Saint-Saёns’ brilliant and melodic Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor. Saint-Saёns’ most popular concerto, this piece is a favorite of soloists and audiences alike for its flair and musical showmanship. There will be a special free preconcert lecture at 2:45 p.m. at Richardson when Maestro Zander will share his insights about Mahler’s 4th. The weekend’s events are underwritten by a generous gift from Glenmede.
The PSO will present its annual Edward T. Cone Series concert on November 1, 2009 under the direction of guest conductor David Alan Miller. Music Director of the Albany Symphony Orchestra and a champion of American music, Miller will lead the PSO in a performance of works by John Harbison, a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer who grew up in Princeton. Harbison’s lively Canonical American Songbook, stirs images of medieval, Renaissance and Latin American dances, while his Concerto for Flute, featuring PSO’s founding principal flutist Jayn Rosenfeld, is filled with sounds of birdsongs and images of shimmering colors and changing textures. Balancing Harbison’s genius will be the beauty of Brahms’ Symphony No.1. Considered by some to be a tribute to Beethoven, this intensely heroic progression from tragic struggle to triumph and victory took Brahms 15 years to complete. Harbison, Rosenfeld and Miller will also participate in a panel discussion, part of a new PSO series Behind the Music, to give the public the opportunity to learn more about Harbison as a composer and the challenges and pleasures the conductor and flutist experience when performing the new music. Look for future announcements about this panel discussion.
On January 24, 2010, Rossen Milanov will make his official debut as Music Director of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, with a stylistically diverse program of orchestra gems by Ravel, Haydn, Prokofiev and Ginastera. The concert will open with the long flowing melodies of Ravel’s charming Ma Mère l’Oye. Based on favorite fairy tales, this piece illuminates Ravel’s thoughtful nature and invokes the bygone innocence of childhood. The PSO will follow with Haydn’s Symphony No. 88 in G Major, perhaps the brightest jewel in Haydn’s unparalleled collection and one of the masterworks of 18th century music. Also performed will be Prokofiev’s popular and accessible Symphony No.1, “Classical.” Although written in 1917 at the onset of the Russian revolution, this elegant and modern composition is free of any reference to the tumultuous times. The program will close with Ginastera’s Variaciones concertantes. Also written during politically difficult times, this powerful, lyrically expressive work draws on the composer’s Argentinean roots for its theme and 11 variations, each of which spotlights a different soloist in the orchestra.
The PSO Classical Season will continue on March 21, 2010 with returning guest conductor Andrew Grams. One of America’s most promising and talented young conductors, Grams has chosen three distinctly different 20th century compositions as a prelude to a private viewing of Princeton University Art Museum’s Exhibition “Architecture as Icon: Perception and Representations of Architecture in Byzantine Art.” Conceived in collaboration with the Princeton University Art Museum, this concert will feature works by Schoenberg, Barber and Tavener chosen for their direct connections to Byzantine traditions to enhance the audience’s appreciation for both the music and the art they will experience in this joint presentation. Shoenberg’s passionately romantic Verklärte Nacht, a tender and dramatic love story is followed by Barber’s well-known Adagio for Strings, a meditation of simplicity, poignancy and dignity. The spiritual majesty of the Adagio sets the stage for central work of this concert, Sir John Tavener’s The Protecting Veil, which takes its inspiration from the art of the Byzantine era. Considered a masterpiece, Byzantine influences are prevalent in this composition, which features a solo for cello that will be performed by PSO’s talented former principal cellist, Qiang Tu. The mystical intensity, spell-binding color and sonic opulence of Tavener’s music bring to mind the luminous presence of Byzantine icons. The audience is invited to a reception at the Princeton University Art Museum for a private showing of Byzantine treasures and icons. This concert is made possible by a generous gift from Wilmington Trust.
On May 16, 2010, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra will perform its final concert of the season under the baton of Music Director Rossen Milanov. This concert will feature three exceptional works by Mendelssohn, Currier and Elgar, each a uniquely personal expression of its composer. Mendelssohn’s Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage, an overture inspired by two short poems by Gõethe, depicts the haunting stillness of a becalmed ship to its triumphant homecoming. Broken Minuet for harp and string orchestra by award-winning American composer Sebastian Currier bridges contemporary musical practices with music of the past. With Bridget Kibby, a brilliant young harpist performing as the soloist, this piece offers the intimacy of a string quartet, but with a heightened sense of color. Elgar’s wistful, optimistic and mysterious Enigma Variations, propelled the composer to fame when it premiered in 1899. Its fourteen beguiling variations are a series of musical portraits of his friends and family. The “enigma,” however, is that Elgar’s principal theme – a subtle, personal creation assumed to be the composer’s self-portrait – is never directly stated.
PSO Pops! The Holiday Concert
“PSO Pops” will present its annual family Holiday Concert on December 19, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. in Richardson Auditorium, weaving together an entire community in holiday warmth and friendship. Holiday favorites, great symphonic classics, the Princeton High School Choir and the annual sing-along make this the perfect afternoon for the entire family.
PSO Pops! The Broadway Concert
On Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 8:00 p.m., PSO Pops! The Broadway Concert
will present The Great American Songbook, an extraordinary collection of irresistible hits from some of the greatest composers for American theater, including Arlen, Mancini, Rogers, Gershwin, Porter and Ellington. Returning after her successful engagement with PSO Pops! in 2008, the show-stopping soprano Teri Dale Hansen will perform with the sensational baritone William Michals, who thrilled guests at PSO’s spring’09 benefit.
Free Pre-concert Lecture
Every classical concert is preceded by a free lecture given by one of the key collaborators for each concert including guest conductors, composers, and Rossen Milanov, Music Director. Free to all ticket holders, the lectures take place in the concert hall beginning at 3:00 p.m. the day of the concert. No reservations are required.
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