It was a real pleasure to work with Augustin Dumay last week. His masterful playing in the Mozart Adagio, Rondo and Violin Concerto No. 5 inspired the orchestra to accompany him with style and finesse in every performance. Dumay has an honesty in his sound and a flawless intonation, and he changes the character and color of the music with ease. I thought the orchestra played extremely well together and provided especially sensitive accompaniment to some really beautiful solo violin playing the entire week. Also, the Schubert Overture and Mendelssohn Symphony were fresh and lively, and they highlighted a great deal of very fine playing from the entire orchestra, but special attention must be paid to our brilliant wind section. The performances we gave made me proud to be a member of the NJSO.

BEST OF SPANISH FLAIR
March 17–20
This sizzling program reveals the soul of Iberia. Romantic selections from Bizet’s Carmen and Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez offer a view from the Old World. Latin-American rhythms pulse through Gershwin’s Cuban Overture, Copland’s El Salón México and Falla’s Three-Cornered Hat.

MARC-ANDRÉ HAMELIN RETURNS
March 24–27
Lauded as a performer “whose abilities defy the imagination,” pianist Marc-André Hamelin stars in Mozart’s lively Concert Rondo and Strauss’ witty Burleske. A northern sun warms the snowy landscapes of Sibelius’ First Symphony.

TCHAIKOVSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO
April 7–10
Master melodists: Barber’s First Symphony is filled with lines that linger, while Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto soars on passionate themes. Haitian-American composer Daniel Bernard Roumain is a bright light on the current scene; his composition was co-commisioned by the NJSO and the Sphinx Organization.