New Jersey Symphony facts for kids

The New Jersey Symphony is a famous symphony orchestra in New Jersey. It used to be called the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. It's New Jersey's official state orchestra, playing amazing classical music concerts and special shows in six different places across the state. The orchestra often performs at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey. In 2020, they started "New Jersey Symphony Virtual," offering online concerts and educational programs.

History of the Symphony

The New Jersey Symphony was started in 1922 by Philip James. In the 1940s, the orchestra performed at Newark Symphony Hall. In 1968, Henry Lewis became the orchestra's music director. He was the first African American to lead a major orchestra in the United States.

Later, the orchestra faced some money problems. Despite these challenges, many people felt the orchestra's performances got even better. In 2007, the New Jersey Symphony announced that their music director, Neeme Järvi, would stay until the 2008–2009 season. After that, he became an artistic adviser and then a conductor laureate. The orchestra also made some changes, like reducing the number of concerts.

Since 2006, the New Jersey Symphony has had its concerts broadcast on the radio. This helped more people enjoy their music.

In 2008, Jacques Lacombe was a guest conductor. The next year, he was chosen as the orchestra's 13th music director, starting in 2010. He led the orchestra until the end of the 2015–2016 season.

After some changes in leadership, James Roe became the orchestra's president and CEO in 2013. In 2016, Gabriel van Aalst took over as the new CEO.

Xian Zhang first conducted the New Jersey Symphony in 2010. She returned for more guest performances in 2012 and 2015. In November 2015, she was named the orchestra's 14th music director, starting in 2016. She is the first woman to be the music director of the New Jersey Symphony! In 2022, her contract was extended, so she will continue to lead the orchestra until at least 2028.

In 2021, the organization officially changed its name from "New Jersey Symphony Orchestra" to "New Jersey Symphony." This was part of an effort to make their name simpler and easier to remember.

The New Jersey Symphony has also made several music recordings. They recorded works by famous composers like Hector Berlioz and Antonín Dvořák with former music director Zdeněk Mácal. With Jacques Lacombe, they recorded Carmina Burana.

Meet the Principal Players

The principal players are the lead musicians in each section of the orchestra. They are very important for the orchestra's sound!

• Eric Wyrick, Concertmaster (leads the violins)
• Brennan Sweet, Associate Concertmaster
• David Southorn, Assistant Concertmaster
• Adriana Rosin, Assistant Concertmaster
• Francine Storck, Principal Second Violin
• Rebekah Johnson, Assistant Principal Violin
• Frank Foerster, Principal Viola
• Elzbieta Weyman, Assistant Principal Viola
• Jonathan Spitz, Principal Cello
• Na-Young Baek, Assistant Principal Cello
• Ha Young Jung, Principal Bass
• Alexander Bickard, Assistant Principal Bass
• Bart Feller, Principal Flute
• Robert Ingliss, Principal Oboe/English Horn
• Karl Herman, Principal Clarinet/E-flat Clarinet
• Robert Wagner, Principal Bassoon
• Chris Komer, Principal Horn
• Garth Greenup, Principal Trumpet
• Anderson Romero, Assistant Principal Trumpet
• Charles Baker, Principal Trombone
• Derek Fenstermacher, Principal Tuba
• Gregory LaRosa, Principal Timpani
• David Fein, Principal Percussion

Orchestra Leadership

The New Jersey Symphony is guided by a team of leaders:

• Ann D. Borowiec, co-chair
• Eduardo A. Lara, co-chair
• Gabriel van Aalst, president and CEO

Concert Locations

The New Jersey Symphony performs classical, special, pops, and family concerts in many cities and venues across New Jersey:

• Newark: New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)
• Red Bank: Count Basie Theatre
• Morristown: Mayo Performing Arts Center
• New Brunswick: State Theatre
• Princeton: Richardson Auditorium at Princeton University
• Englewood: Bergen Performing Arts Center

The orchestra also performs summer concerts at various outdoor locations, such as:

• Overpeck County Park (Bergen County)
• Echo Lake Park (Union County)
• Giralda Farms (Madison)
• Branch Brook Park (Newark)
• Meadowland Park (South Orange)
• Pier A Park (Hoboken)
• Mercer County Park (Mercer County)

Also, smaller groups of New Jersey Symphony musicians play chamber music in different places through their Community Partners program.

Music Directors Through the Years

Here are the talented music directors who have led the New Jersey Symphony:

• Philip James: 1922–1929
• Rene Pollain: 1929–1939
• Frieder Weissmann: 1940–1947
• Samuel Antek: 1947–1958
• Matyas Abas: 1958–1960
• Kenneth Schermerhorn: 1962–1968
• Henry Lewis: 1968–1976
• Thomas Michalak: 1977–1983
• Hugh Wolff: 1985–1993
• Zdeněk Mácal: 1993–2002
• Neeme Järvi: 2005–2009
• Jacques Lacombe: 2010–2016
• Xian Zhang: 2016–present

The "Golden Age" Instrument Collection

In 2003, the New Jersey Symphony bought 30 special string instruments, including some made by the famous craftsman Antonio Stradivari. This collection was called the "Golden Age" string collection. The orchestra hoped these beautiful instruments would make their performances even better and attract more people to their concerts.

Over time, there were questions about the true value of these instruments. The orchestra later decided to sell the collection to help with their financial situation. In 2007, they sold the instruments to a group of investors for $20 million. A great part of the deal was that the orchestra could still use 28 of these amazing instruments for at least 5 more years! This helped the orchestra pay off its debts and continue to make wonderful music.