Sandy Cameron performing with NJFO in 2013. Photo by Elizabeth Ryan

(WESTFIELD, NJ) -- The New Jersey Festival Orchestra is back outdoors in Westfield on Saturday, June 15, 2024 for a season finale starring virtuoso violinist Sandy Cameron performing Prokofievs's renowned Violin Concerto No. 2. The concert will also feature music by Beethoven and Stravinsky, a performance made possible in part through sponsorship by Ray Catena of Mercedes-Benz, Union.

Maestro David Wroe, music director and conductor of the professional orchestra, said that he is thrilled to welcome back Cirque du Soleil’s Sandy Cameron to perform in the orchestra’s season finale “Something new, Something Past,” under the stars in the gardens of one of Westfield’s finest residences.

Described by the Washington Post as "brilliant,” and as "a real showstopper," by Broadway World, violinist Sandy Cameron is has performed extensively as a soloist throughout the world. She presented the world premiere of Danny Elfman's Violin Concerto, "Eleven Eleven” at the Prague Proms in June 2017. It was received with great success, and Ms. Cameron continues to perform the piece for audiences worldwide. Other special stage appearances include performances for Cirque du Soleil, Tan Dun’s Martial Arts Trilogy, and Danny Elfman's Music from the Films of Tim Burton, Disney's The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast, all Live in Concert. Ms. Cameron is also featured in performances with renowned jazz trumpeter-composer Chris Botti, with whom she has toured globally.

Ms. Cameron has collaborated with numerous orchestras, including the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Kirov Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Virginia Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, and Tokyo Philharmonic. She has appeared at venues such as the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Germany, and the Sydney Opera House, and the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia.

“Sandy Cameron is undoubtedly one of the most strikingly unique artists of her generation,” declared Wroe. “We are honored that she has chosen to return to NJFO. Many will remember her acclaimed appearance with us back in 2013 when as a young student she wowed us all with her breathtaking performance. Her violin is sure to ring and sing in our superb outdoor setting on June 15th.”

The NJFO season finale program “Something new, Something Past” brings together three classical music giants, each work 'tipping its hat' to borrowed material from the past then spinning out in glorious symphonic splendor. Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite grabs 18th Century Italian court music and refreshes it with kaleidoscopic modern orchestral colors. Ukrainian-born Prokofiev highlights Russian folk melodies in his reflective Violin Concerto No. 2. Finally, NJFO will round out the concert with Beethoven’s Symphony No.7 presenting victorious and uplifting music, even requisitioning an Irish reel in the finale.

Tickets ($40 for general lawn admission, $85 for VIP reserved seating, chairs provided) may be purchased online at www.njfestivalorchestra.org, by phone (908) 232-9400 or in person at the NJFO office, 224 East Broad St. in Westfield.

The concert, made possible, in part, by Ray Catena of Union and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts will be professionally staged and lit.

“The Hertell Gardens ‘experience’ — under the stars, an acre of bucolic grounds, theatrically lit, acoustically enhanced sound, one of Westfield's grandest mansions as a backdrop — is back by popular demand for a superb summer celebration. Come enjoy an early summer sunset with an unforgettable artistic and social experience for the entire family.”

If you go

The performance on Saturday June 15th begins at 7:30pm. Bring your own lawn chairs and refreshments to the rear garden setting of NJFO Board President, Keith S. Hertell, at 241 E. Dudley Avenue in Westfield. Patrons are welcome to arrive as early as 5:30pm to set up and enjoy the sunset. VIP seating is available for those who wish to take advantage of a limited access to a reserved section of NJFO chair seating provided close to the stage.

Free on-street parking and full accessibility is available.