Overview

XIAN ZHANG conductor
DANIIL TRIFONOV piano

JESSIE MONTGOMERY Starburst (Tong Chen, conductor)
SMETANA “The Moldau,” “Šárka” and “Blaník” from Má vlast
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2 

Fresh off of a riveting NJSO Concert Film performance, Artist-in-Residence Daniil Trifonov returns for Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto. Trifonov brings his once-in-a-generation talent to the music Beethoven used to impress the Viennese with his own virtuosity. Jessie Montgomery’s sizzling Starburst leads things off before Xian Zhang brings a fresh take to a beloved Czech masterwork, Smetana’s Má vlast, tapping the warm strings and beautifully rounded brass threaded into the Symphony’s DNA by former music director Zdenek Macal.

Note: The concerto for this weekend’s program has changed from Brahms’ First Piano Concerto to Beethoven’s Second. Daniil Trifonov says: “I’m really looking forward to reuniting with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra for this weekend’s performances. However, because I have sustained a mild elbow injury, I will be changing the program so as not to exacerbate the problem in my arm. Instead of the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1, I will perform Beethoven’s Concerto No. 2. Thank you for your understanding, and I look forward to seeing you at the performance.”