The 97th season of the Plainfield Symphony Orchestra will include several world premieres under the baton of its dynamic conductor Charles Prince. A diverse range of exciting programs will dazzle concertgoers from Shostakovich to Ravel to Bernstein to Pautza to our talented musicians, themselves.
The season opener on October 8, 2016 will be “Shostakovich’s Testament: 10th Symphony” with a program featuring this monumental, Mahlerian-like work—one of tragedy, despair, terror, violence and triumph. The “Linz” Symphony, one of Mozart’s five great final symphonies, completes the program.
On November 19, 2016, the annual “Pops” concert will be “Sondheim Tonight!” featuring the music of award-winning Broadway legend, composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim with a quartet of well-known musical theater stars: Alexandra Silber, Ron Raines, Kerstin Anderson and Adam Levy. Charlie Harmon, a long-time associate of Leonard Bernstein, has arranged and orchestrated a work based on themes and songs from Bernstein’s musical “On the Town.”The world premiere of “On the Town Rhapsody” will be given with Evelyn Estava as soloist.
The annual free Afternoon Family Concert entitled “Around the World with the PSO” will take place on January 28, 2017 at 3pm. Jazz legend Artie Shaw’s Concerto for Clarinet will feature soloist Janice Coppola and a movement from Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor will also be performed. A special highlight of the program will be the world premiere of the symphony’s very own conductor-emeritus, Sabin Pautza’s Oldies and Goodies, a work dedicated to Charles Prince and the Plainfield Symphony Orchestra. Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer will round out the program.
The amazing musical talents of the various sections of the Plainfield Symphony will be showcased on the March 11, 2017 concert, “Orchestral Families.” The audience will be treated to Dvorak’s Serenade for Winds, Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, Arnold Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4 and the orchestral suite on Spanish themes by Rimsky-Korsakov, Capriccio Espanol, Op. 34.
The thrilling 97th Season will conclude on April 29, 2017 with “Impressions of Ravel”, showcasing France’s celebrated composer. The composer’s orchestral suites Le Tombeau de Couperin, and Daphnis and Chloe as well as the ever-popular Bolero will be performed. In addition, the annual YPCNJ piano medalist winner, Helen Shen, will perform Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21.
Come be a part of this exciting season as the music of the Plainfield Symphony Orchestra continues into its 97th season.
The Plainfield Symphony is New Jersey’s oldest community symphony and the third oldest in the country.
Season tickets for the 2016-2017 concerts are now on sale and can be purchased on our website, www.plainfieldsymphony.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the concert. For a brochure, please call (908)561-5140. Subscription concerts are held at the Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church located at 716 Watchung Avenue, Plainfield and begin at 7pm.