(PRINCETON, NJ) -- On Saturday, March 5 at 8:00pm and Sunday, March 6 at 4:00pm, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) welcomes Spanish cellist Pablo Ferrández back to Princeton for a performance of Antonín Dvořák’s iconic Cello Concerto in B Minor. Edward T. Cone Music Director Rossen Milanov conducts the program, which includes contemporary composer James Lee III’s recent work Amer’ican, and Igor Stravinsky’s beloved Firebird Suite (1919). Performances take place at Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall, on the campus of Princeton University.

Maestro Milanov says, “I am so looking forward to welcoming audiences back to our acoustically spectacular musical home—Richardson Auditorium—and to share the stage with the brilliant musician and our friend, the cellist Pablo Ferrández in Dvořák’s beloved concerto.”

Prizewinner at the XV International Tchaikovsky Competition and SONY Classical exclusive artist, Pablo Ferrández announces himself as a musician of stature. A captivating performer, “Ferrández has the lot: technique, mettle, spirit, authority as a soloist, expressivity and charm” (El Pais). In March 2021, he released his debut album under SONY Classical, “Reflections,” which explores his musical roots and the unexpected similarities between Russian and Spanish music at the beginning of the 20th century. The album has been highly acclaimed by critics, and earned him the Opus Klassik Award 2021 in the category of “Young Artist of the Year.” Recent highlights include debuts at the Hollywood Bowl with Los Angeles Philharmonic under Gustavo Dudamel, with Bayersichen Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra under Daniele Gatti, performances of the Brahms Double Concerto and Beethoven Triple Concerto with Anne-Sophie Mutter, and appearances with the London Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony, and Orchestre National de France, among others.

Composer James Lee III, born 1975 in St. Joseph, Michigan, cites as his major composition teachers Michael Daugherty, William Bolcom, Bright Sheng, Betsy Jolas, Susan Botti, Erik Santos, and James Aikman. His orchestral works have been commissioned and premiered by the National Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony Orchestra, and the orchestras of Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Omaha, Pasadena, Memphis, Grand Rapids, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Akron, and have been conducted by such artists as Leonard Slatkin, Marin Alsop, Michael Tilson Thomas, Juanjo Mena, David Lockington, Thomas Wilkins, and others. Dr. Lee is also a winner of a Charles Ives Scholarship and the Wladimir Lakond Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

James Lee III’s Amer’ican offers an alternative perspective on Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony. A passionate staple of the cello repertoire, Dvořák’s Concerto is a showcase piece for the virtuosic artist. Stravinsky extracted his Firebird Suite from his original score for The Firebird, a ballet commissioned by impresario and Ballets Russes founder Sergei Diaghilev.

Both concerts take place at the orchestra’s home venue of Richardson Auditorium, on the campus of Princeton University. All attendees are required to wear masks at all times while inside the building, be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, and must have received boosters, if eligible.

Tickets for the March 5 and 6 performances at Richardson Auditorium start at $20, youth (ages 5-17) are half price, and may be ordered through the Princeton Symphony Orchestra website at princetonsymphony.org or by calling 609-497-0020.

Health and Safety: Along with adhering to the New Jersey Department of Health's COVID-19 guidelines, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra is working closely with our venues to ensure your safety and comfort. Princeton University has a strict visitor policy in place. There will be a vaccination plus booster requirement with no exceptions. For details and to keep up to date with the most recent COVID safety requirements, please visit our Health & Safety website page.

Accessibility: The Princeton Symphony Orchestra is committed to ensuring all programming is accessible for everyone, working with venues to provide needed services. Contact ADA Coordinator Kitanya Khateri for questions about available services at kkhateri@princetonsymphony.org or 609 497-0020. Note: some services require at least two weeks’ notice to arrange.

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is a cultural centerpiece of the Princeton community and one of New Jersey’s finest music organizations, a position established through performances of beloved masterworks, innovative music by living composers, and an extensive network of educational programs offered to area students free of charge. Led by Edward T. Cone Music Director Rossen Milanov, the PSO presents orchestral, pops, and chamber music programs of the highest artistic quality, supported by lectures and related events that supplement the concert experience. Its flagship summer program The Princeton Festival brings an array of performing arts and artists to Princeton during multiple weeks in June. Through PSO BRAVO!, the orchestra produces wide-reaching and impactful education programs in partnership with local schools and arts organizations that culminate in students attending a live orchestral performance. The PSO receives considerable support from the Princeton community and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, regularly garnering NJSCA’s highest honor. Recognition of engaging residencies and concerts has come from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the PSO’s commitment to new music has been acknowledged with an ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming and a Copland Fund Award. The only independent, professional orchestra to make its home in Princeton, the PSO performs at historic Richardson Auditorium on the campus of Princeton University.

Photo of Pablo Ferrández ©IGOR STUDIO