In Monday’s (9/13) Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey), Peggy McGlone writes, “The start of a music director’s tenure with an orchestra is always eagerly anticipated, but Jacques Lacombe’s debut with the New Jersey Symphony Tuesday night promises more drama than usual. First, there’s the stark contrast between Lacombe, the 47-year-old French Canadian up-and-comer, and his predecessor, European superstar Neeme Järvi. More importantly, there’s the sense that Lacombe’s arrival signals a new era for the orchestra, one that finds the orchestra trying to reinforce its roots in the community and make the case that it is a central part of the state’s cultural life. … Orchestra officials say the first few weeks of concerts—starting with the gala concert Tuesday and continuing with a series of concerts Sept. 24-26—showcase Lacombe’s artistic agenda. Tuesday’s gala concert selections range from Mozart to Gershwin to Stravinsky—not to mention the world premiere of a piece by New Jersey’s Robert Aldridge, a composer and professor at Montclair State University. … The upcoming season reflects [Lacombe’s] desire to focus on New Jersey artists, to collaborate with other arts groups and to push the boundaries of concert experiences.”
Posted September 14, 2010
