“The New Jersey Symphony … is currently enjoying a sort of confirmation of its mission statement,” writes James C. Taylor in Friday’s (4/22) Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ). “Two defining characteristics of the orchestra are that it performs all across the state … as well as its long commitment to engaging minority and female conductors and music directors…. This flexibility and diversity [are] serving it quite well…. Tuesday night, four players from the Garden State [traveled] to National Sawdust … in Brooklyn [to perform] two pieces as special guests on a program titled ‘DBR Lab.’ DBR are the initials of Daniel Bernard Roumain, … who last year was tapped by the New Jersey Symphony [as] ‘resident artistic catalyst.’ … The New Jersey Symphony played DBR’s Klap Ur Handz.’ … It started with violist Christine Terhune clapping her hands, then cellist Jonathan Spitz playing a funky baseline…. It grooved on, giving each of the soloists a chance to both clap and land a solo jam…. Violinist Bryan Hernandez-Luch announced the second piece, Terry Riley’s [1980] ‘Sunrise of the Planetary Dream Collector,’ … inspired by jazz and North Indian ‘raga’ classical music…. The New Jersey Symphony musicians manage to fit in and feel at home just about anywhere.”
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