(NEWARK, NJ) -- NJ PBS airs EMERGE: An NJSO Concert Film Trilogy—presented by The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and DreamPlay Films—over three Wednesday evenings, beginning August 11. The trilogy pairs orchestral performances with stunning visuals, mesmerizing dance sequences and format-bending on- and off-stage elements. Music Director Xian Zhang conducts programs featuring a trio of star pianists—Daniil Trifonov, Simone Dinnerstein and Inon Barnatan. The films are directed by Yuri Alves and produced by DreamPlay Films, part of Newark-based DreamPlay Media.
Schedule information is available here and local listings are available here.
EMERGE Part 1 airs August 11 at 8:00pm. Zhang leads the East Coast premiere of Primal Message by American composer Nokuthula Ngwenyama, whom Gramophone has hailed for the “bold mesmerizing character” of her music. Simone Dinnerstein, whose “individual, compelling” (New York Times) interpretation of Bach’s Goldberg Variations propelled her to international fame, performs Bach’s Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056. The program closes with Schumann’s Fourth Symphony.
The film features captivating images of and inspired by the people of Newark, and is presented in anamorphic widescreen.
In EMERGE Part 2, which airs August 18 at 8:00pm, Inon Barnatan brings his “penetrating musicianship, compelling interpretive insight and elegant pianism” (BBC Music) to Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement. Zhang pairs the celebrated American concerto with Mozart’s Symphony No. 39.
The film features dance performances by celebrated local dancers Cori Barnes and M.A. Taylor, as well as behind-the-scenes images of NJSO musicians, and is presented in black and white.
Grammy Award winner and Musical America 2019 Artist of the Year Daniil Trifonov—“without question the most astounding young pianist of our age” (The Times)—kicks off his season-long NJSO residency in EMERGE Part 3, airing August 25 at 8:00pm. He performs Shostakovich’s First Piano Concerto, which also features NJSO Assistant Principal Trumpet Anderson Romero. Zhang brings the series to a close with Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony.
The film features riveting images inspired by and filmed in New Jersey. The final installment of the EMERGE film trilogy broadens the visual canvas beyond Newark and urban landscapes, going as far as Cape May, with a focus on nature and wildlife.
Zhang says: “For these programs, it was a thrill to reunite with the woodwind and brass players of the NJSO along with three world-class soloists for performances of some of my very favorite repertoire. From works by pathbreaking female composers of color like Nokuthula Ngwenyama and Florence Price to audience favorites from Shostakovich, Bach, Mozart and Beethoven, I hope you’ll join me and the musicians of the NJSO as we emerge from this difficult year and look to a brighter and more inclusive future.”
Alves says: “We aimed to exceed audience expectations for a filmed orchestral performance. I think people will be excited and surprised by this trilogy. All three films are united by an overarching concept and immersive style, yet each one varies significantly from the others—including in the format itself, as we go from anamorphic to black and white to behind the scenes to 360 video and more. And in each of them, you will see Xian, the amazing orchestra and the guest musicians at their best.”
The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra connects with the people and diverse communities of New Jersey through the power of live symphonic music to inspire, entertain and educate. Internationally renowned Music Director Xian Zhang has garnered critical acclaim on the podium and has deepened the NJSO’s commitment to presenting diverse voices that reflect the communities the Orchestra serves.
The NJSO embraces its legacy as a statewide orchestra through mainstage and chamber performances at venues across New Jersey, as well as partnerships with fellow Garden State arts organizations, universities and civic organizations. The Orchestra’s education and community engagement programs promote meaningful, lifelong engagement with live music.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NJSO has made virtual performances and educational online programs available for free, reaching more than 10 million people across the Orchestra’s digital channels. NJSO Concert Films pair world-class NJSO performances with stunning imagery of the people and cityscapes of New Jersey. The NJSO has presented innovative programs with fellow arts organizations, community ensembles and statewide partners. Musicians perform solo and chamber works from iconic New Jersey locations in NJSO Everywhere. NJSO at Home spotlights intimate at-home performances, instrument demonstrations, educational videos and hours of concert recordings.
The NJSO Youth Orchestras have not only continued virtual instruction but have introduced an entirely new dimension to the program. Students are working together on a yearlong creative composition project—a uniquely engaging opportunity for students to explore their own musical voices and shape new works that draw from all the genres that inspire them.
The Orchestra’s online hub for free musical content is njsymphony.org/virtual.
The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra’s programs are made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, along with many other foundations, corporations and individual donors.
Filmmaker Yuri Alves has written and directed films, primetime television programs and commercial projects in the US and Europe. Alves’ films have screened at over 100 film festivals worldwide, earning 20 awards. Alves’ projects include Grind, On the Cusp and Exit Road and the European primetime television series “Tempo Final” and “Filha da Lei.” Alves is the co-founder and creative director of DreamPlay Media and served as head of production at Fox Digital Studios. Alves is represented by the agency Brawler Los Angeles. Alves was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Portuguese parents, and grew up in Newark, New Jersey.
DreamPlay Films develops and produces narrative and documentary films, television programming and more. DreamPlay Films is a division of DreamPlay Media, an original and creative media company, based in Newark, NJ.
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