The Princeton Symphony Orchestra opens its 2010-11 season, its first full season under Music Director Rossen Milanov on Sunday, October 3 at 4 p.m., giving the East Coast premiere of Princeton-based composer Steven Mackey’s Beautiful Passing, “a life-affirming work,” according to The Times of London. Violinist Leila Josefowicz, who served as soloist in the work’s 2008 world premiere in London with the BBC Philharmonic, reprises her role performing Mackey’s concerto with the PSO. Bookending the Mackey concerto will be dazzling works by Mozart and Tchaikovsky.  In choosing to showcase Princeton University professor and composer Steven Mackey in his opening concert, Mr. Milanov signals his season-long dedication of PSO concerts to collaborations with the cultural treasures that make Princeton extraordinary.

Steven Mackey was inspired to write Beautiful Passing as he experienced the death of his mother whose last words to him were, “Please tell everyone I had a beautiful passing.”  In program notes about this profoundly personal composition, Mackey writes, “Beautiful Passing is in two halves separated by a violin cadenza… The first half deals with the interaction between the sharply contrasting materials of the violin and the orchestra. … The governing metaphor of the work has to do with the violin gaining control of its own destiny, competing with, commanding and ultimately letting go of the orchestra.”

The program will open with Mozart’s Overture to The Magic Flute, an effervescent work that “lifted the spirits” of an ill Mozart near the end of his life. The major symphonic offering of the afternoon will be Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, one of the composer’s best-loved works and decidedly more jubilant in tone than the well-known Fourth and Sixth symphonies.

Steven Mackey was born in 1956 to American parents stationed in Frankfurt Germany. His first musical passion was playing the electric guitar in rock bands based in northern California. He later discovered concert music and has composed for orchestras, chamber ensembles, dance and opera. Mackey’s colleague at Princeton University, composer Paul Lansky, has written about Mackey .… “the qualities of his music – its originality, freshness, dazzling invention, a certain impertinence – strike the listener like an unusual stone discovered on a rock-strewn beach…brilliantly executed, uniquely American, and accessible to a new group of listeners, Mackey’s music comes from places that haven’t had much of a voice in the world of concert music.” Mackey  regularly performs his own work, including two electric guitar concertos as well as numerous solo and chamber works, and is also active as an improvising musician. A Guggenheim Fellowship winner, he has had works commissioned by the Chicago, San Francisco, and Saint Louis symphonies; Los Angeles Philharmonic; and Carnegie Hall, among many others.  Since 1985, Mr. Mackey has served as a professor of music at Princeton University, where he is currently the chair of the music department, teaches composition, theory, twentieth century music and improvisation. He is also co-director of the Princeton Composers’ Ensemble and in 1991 he was awarded the University’s first-ever Distinguished Teaching Award.

Princeton audiences will have the singular privilege of  hearing Mackey’s violin concerto performed by superstar violinist Leila Josefowicz for whom he composed the piece.  Mackey has praised Leila Josefowicz for her “robust virtuosity, her ability to groove hard, and the way she owned every phrase as if she had made it up herself in that moment.” The violinist came to national attention in 1994 when she made her Carnegie Hall debut with Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Since then she has performed with many of the world’s most prestigious orchestras and eminent conductors, and collaborated with other leading composers of the day such as John Adams and Oliver Knussen.  In recognition of her passionate advocacy and genuine commitment to the music of today, Ms. Josefowicz was awarded a 2008 MacArthur Foundation Fellowship.  She currently performs on a Del Gesu made in 1724.

Recognized as “one of the most promising figures in the upcoming generation of conductors” by The Seattle Times, Rossen Milanov was appointed Music Director of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra in 2009. During the 2009-10 season, he made a series of international debuts, including performances with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, the Rochester Philharmonic, the Hyogo Symphony in Japan, the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, and the China Philharmonic. In demand as guest conductor of orchestras around the world, Mr. Milanov continues to serve as Music Director of Symphony in C, based in Camden, New Jersey, Associate Conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra and is Music Director of the New Symphony Orchestra (Bulgaria).
Special events to accompany PSO’s October 3 concert

PSO is proud to introduce local audiences to Steven Mackey, an internationally renowned composer who has premiered works with major orchestras around the world and who lives in Princeton with his family.  To broaden this introduction, the public is invited to Behind the Music – A Public Forum to Learn about the Creation of New Music on Saturday, October 2,  2010 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m at The Paul Robeson Center at the Arts Council of Princeton. Composer Steven Mackey and conductor Rossen Milanov, will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process and reveal the inspirations for Beautiful Passing – its themes and structure, performance challenges and how musicians respond to the work. This event is jointly sponsored by the Arts Council of Princeton and the Princeton Symphony Orchestra and is free to the public.  Call the PSO for more information and to reserve seats.

On Sunday, October 3, to further share his views and allow the audience to learn more about his creative techniques and approach, Steve Mackey will join Rossen Milanov in PSO’s popular pre-concert lecture, free and open to ticket holders, at 3:00 p.m., prior to the concert in Richardson Auditorium.  This is another rare opportunity to hear the insights of a living composer who, according to a review of Beautiful Passing in The Guardian, (UK), “is the [composer] whose acquaintance I would most like to renew.”

About the Princeton Symphony Orchestra

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra is a cultural centerpiece of the Princeton community and one of the state’s finest musical organizations.  Founded in 1980 by Portia Sonnenfeld, the PSO has been hailed by critics as New Jersey’s “virtuoso Orchestra. “   The orchestra has been guided by an extraordinary Board of Trustees, whose ranks have included such visionaries as Frank E. Taplin, Jr., Edward T. Cone, William F. Scheide, Reid White, Nathaniel Burt, and Judy Thomson. The PSO was led for 22 years by Music Director Mark Laycock, who oversaw a period of artistic growth and achievement.  In 2009, Rossen Milanov was appointed the PSO’s third Music Director. Under the auspices of BRAVO!, the PSO also produces wide-reaching and innovative education programs carried out in partnerships with local schools, arts organizations and other community agencies. The PSO is proud to be a current recipient of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts’ highest honors: Citation of Excellence and designation as a Major Arts Institution.

Concert and Ticket Information

The PSO presents its five-concert classical subscription series and its Holiday and Broadway pops concerts in the 850-seat Richardson Auditorium (Princeton University campus) during a September-May season. Programs are subject to change. New subscriptions and single tickets are available by calling the PSO at (609) 497-0020. Season information may be found on the PSO’s website (www.princetonsymphony.org). Remaining single tickets, priced at $50, 38, 20, may also be purchased at the Richardson Auditorium box office, (609) 258-5000, and at www.princeton.edu/utickets. Richardson Auditorium is wheelchair accessible. Large-print programs are available.

Please visit our website at www.princetonsymphony.org or call the PSO offices at (609) 497-0020.
What: Princeton Symphony Orchestra 2010-11 Season Opening Concert: Power, Passion, and Grace

When: Sunday, October 3, 2010

Who: Rossen Milanov, conductorLeila Josefowicz, violin soloist
Program: Mozart – Overture to The Magic Flute
Steven Mackey – Beautiful Passing
Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 5

Pre-concert lecture: 3pm; led by Steven Mackey and Rossen Milanov
Where: Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall, on the Princeton University Campus

Tickets: $64, 50, 38, 20   Call:  609-497-0020

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

Melanie Clarke

PSO Executive Director

(609) 497-0020

melcog@hotmail.com

Our community is one that loves the library and loves books. The Princeton Children’s Book Festival is a celebration of this pairing. This well attended event continues to grow yearly and promises something for everyone. Here you may meet your favorite author or illustrator, listen to them discuss their work, have a book autographed or just have the opportunity to talk to them about their inspiration.

From picture book authors and illustrators to children’s fiction writers, live entertainment for children and their families and many activities throughout the afternoon, The Princeton Children’s Book Festival is an event that should not be missed. More than 50 nationally acclaimed authors and illustrators of Children’s and Young Adult books will be meeting their fans, discussing their work and signing books.

Books will be available for purchase through Barnes and Noble’s satellite book store located in the library’s Community Room. Live entertainment for children (Yosi) and adults (Kenn Kweder)  throughout the afternoon.

This year the Book Festival will include R. L. Stine the renowned author of the Goosebumps, Fear Street and the Nightmare Room series.

R.L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children’ s author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.
R.L. Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards and “Disney Adventures” Kids’ Choice Awards.

Right now he is busier than ever. He has two new series Rotten School which is about the most rotten school on earth and the much anticipated new Goosebump series Horrorland.

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The Princeton Children’s Book Festival is made possible by the of the partnership of Packet Publication of Princeton, Barnes & Noble booksellers and The Princeton Public Library.

Thank you to our planning committee: Allison Santos; Coordinator, Lucia Acosta, Courtney Bayne, Susan Conlon, Pamela Groves, Jan Johnson, Martha Perry, Suzanne Savidge, Ann Woodrow; Youth Services Staff, Kristin Friberg; Reader’s Services Librarian. Lindsey Forden; Development Director, Janie Hermann; Adult Program Coordinator, Tim Quinn; Public Information Director, and Debra Lampert-Rudman;  Community Relations Manager at Barnes & Noble.

Welcome to Aurélia’s Oratorio. Behind the red velvet curtain lies a topsy-turvy world of surreal surprises, tricks, and transformations, where dreams come to life and the impossible happens before your very eyes. Aurélia Thierrée has charmed audiences around the world with this dazzling display of stage illusion. Up is down and hot is cold in this whimsical, beguiling, and offbeat adventure. Get your tickets early for this limited engagement that has played to sold-out houses around the world! Recommended for ages 10 and up.

Aurelia’s Oratorio starring Aurélia Thierrée and featuring Jaime Martinez is created and directed by
Victoria Thierrée Chaplin and presented in association with ArKtype and Crying Out Loud UK.

“Aurelia’s Oratorio” presented Sep 10 – Oct 17 2010 at McCarter’s Berlind Theatre is a topsy-turvy world of surreal surprises, tricks, and transformations, where dreams come to life and the impossible happens before your very eyes. This dazzling performance is not to be missed!

Aurélia Thierrée has been performing on stage since early childhood. She began her career in her parents’ Le Cirque Imaginaire and Le Cirque Invisible, during which time she learned to combine a developing sense of the surreal with the demands and discipline required. During recent years she has worked with a number of film artists, including Milos Forman, Coline Serreau, and Jacques Baratier. For several years, she toured with The Tiger Lillies in The Tiger Lillies Circus. She has also worked in variety and cabaret in Berlin. Inspired by medieval drawings that depict worlds upside down and inside out, she collaborated with her mother, Victoria Thierrée Chaplin, to create Aurélia’s Oratorio for the stage.

For tickets and information visit www.McCarter.org

This Year’s Musical Line-up Includes:

Noon-1:00pm  Princeton University Jazztet
1:15-2:15pm   Alan Dale & the New Legacy Jazz Band
2:30-3:30pm   Nicki Parrott and Friends: Bucky Pizzarelli, Harry Allen and Rossano Sportiello
3:45-4:45pm   The Fins
5:00-6:00pm   Vince Giordano & the Nighthawks

This annual street festival draws more people to Princeton NJ than any other Palmer Square event.

New Jersey Jazz Society (NJJS) co-founder Jack Stine spent 18 years as JazzFeast’s only musical producer. As announced last year, Jack decided to pass the baton to another NJJS member, cornetist and bandleader Ed Polcer.

“We are so pleased to be working with Ed Polcer.  He did a great job keeping with the tradition of this event and is presenting a program that includes a broad spectrum of jazz styles, ranging from traditional through contemporary jazz,” says Anita Fresolone, Marketing Director for Palmer Square.

“Newcomers to Jazzfeast will be the international all-stars of Nicki Parrott and Friends,” explains Mr. Polcer.  “Nicki’s from Australia, pianist Rossano Sportiello is from Italy, while Bucky Pizzarelli hails from New Jersey and Harry Allen from Washington, DC.  Also new this year will be the ever-popular Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks, considered to be New York’s best classic jazz orchestra.”

In addition to great burgers, sausage sandwiches and the like, the menu at Jazzfeast is eclectic with food vendors serving up selections including jerk chicken, samosas, pad Thai, paella, pulled pork, grilled clams and more.

Participating Restaurants Include:

Blossom’s Catering,
Buzzetta’s Festival Foods,
Elements,
Masala Grill,
Mediterra,
Mehek,
Princeton Soup & Sandwich Company,
Teresa Caffe,
Thomas Sweet Chocolate,
Tico’s,
Tiger Noodles,
Tiger’s Tale,
Triumph Brewing Company,
Winberie’s Restaurant & Bar,
Whole Earth Center,
Yankee Doodle Tap Room,

The event takes place from Noon-6pm, rain or shine, on the Palmer Square Green.  Musical performances are free; food vendors charge accordingly.  BUCKS LIFE magazine is the Media Sponsor of the event.

Noon-1:00pm
Princeton University Jazztet, directed by Anthony D.J. Branker
The Princeton University Jazztet, directed by Dr. Anthony D.J. Branker is one of a number of outstanding groups that are part of the university’s jazz program. Princeton’s jazz students and ensembles have received national awards from Down Beat magazine; collaborated in performance with the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra and the Delaware Valley Philharmonic Orchestra; performed internationally in China and Estonia; appeared at the International Association for Jazz Education Conference, North Texas Jazz Festival, and the University of Notre Dame Intercollegiate Jazz Festival; and have performed in the IAJE Sisters-in-Jazz All Star Quintet in Toronto, Canada and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.  The members of the University Jazztet include trumpeter Will Livengood, trombonist Mark Nagy, pianist Jason Weinreb, bassist Eric Weiser, and drummer Will Kain

1:15pm -2:15pm
New Legacy Jazz Band

Celebrating their 19^th consecutive appearance at JazzFeast, the New Legacy Jazz Band is one of America’s premier full-time professional ensembles.  Led by the dynamic and relentlessly swinging drummer Alan Dale, The New Legacy Jazz Band performs at festivals, weddings, corporate and other private receptions, casinos, colleges and theatres throughout the mid-Atlantic states. Honoring a heritage of genius in American popular music, the New Legacy Jazz Band is dedicated to the highest standards of artistic elegance and professional excellence.

2:30pm-3:30pm
Nicki Parrott and Friends Bucky Pizzarelli, Harry Allen and Rossano Sportiello
Nicki Parrott came to New York in May 1994 on an Arts Council grant from Australia to study with the acclaimed bassist, Rufus Reid. Since coming to New York she has performed with notable musicians such as Clark Terry, Michel Legrand and New York Pops Orchestra.  She has also headlined with her sister, Lisa Parrott, at the prestigious Tribute to Mary Lou Williams festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.  Nicki has been known to play Monday nights at the Iridium Jazz Club with the legendary guitarist and inventor, Les Paul.  Her Broadway performances include Avenue Q, Charlie Brown and Jekyll and Hyde. Nicki has performed at major jazz festivals in Litchfield, CT, Newport, RI, and Detroit, MI, as well internationally in Canada, Poland and Australia.   Nicki has been honored by Swing Journal for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2007 and 2008.  Most recently she recorded a song on “All My Friends Are Here,” a tribute to Arif Mardin, alongside, Chaka Khan, Barry Gibbs, Norah Jones, Carly Simon and Bette Midler.

3:45pm-4:45pm
The Fins

The Fins, hailing from New Jersey, have brought together several particularly rich musical styles to form one powerful, hard driving sound. During their tenure they have been the vanguard of rhythm and blues. The Fins are credited with bringing big band blues to the east coast. Their blend of rhythm & blues, jump, swing, jazz and urban Chicago sound has been exciting audiences wherever they perform. Since the group’s inception, The Fins have performed and shared the stage with such legends as B.B. King, Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, Robert Cray, John Mayall, Johnny Winter, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Phil Woods, A.C. Reed, KoKo Taylor, Mitch Woods, Ronnie Earl, Otis Rush, Ray Charles, Bobby Rush, Mick Taylor, Dr. John, George Thorogood, Johnny Lang, Wilson Pickett, Rod Piazza and James Brown.  The Fins have been touring the United States and Europe in support of their two releases on M.A.S. Records, Bluesprint and Superstar.

5:00pm-6:00pm

Vince Giordano & the Nighthawks

Born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island, Vince began his odyssey into the world of music at the age of five. Vince began playing tuba, string bass, bass sax, and banjo.  Later he became interested in the music of Bix Beiderbecke and studied with Bill Challis, the legendary arranger for the Paul Whiteman and Jean Goldkette Orchestras. You’ve seen and heard Vince Giordano in movies by Woody Allen, Sam Mendes, Robert DeNiro and Martin Scorsese. And as the go-to guy for authentic 20’s & 30’s jazz arrangements he will be providing much of the music and appearing in the highly anticipated Scorsese HBO series Boardwalk Empire this September 19. Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks play every Monday and Tuesday night at Sofia’s downstairs at the Edison Hotel in NYC.

About Ed Polcer, Musical Producer

Like many jazzmen, Ed comes from a musical family. His father and uncle were prominent horn players in New Jersey, where Ed grew up. At Princeton University in the mid 50′s, he joined Stan Rubin’s Tigertown Five.

If you dropped in at Eddie Condon’s club in New York City between 1975 and 1985, chances are good you ran across Ed. Besides being the resident cornetist and bandleader at that historic jazz spot, he was also the manager and co-owner. President Clinton invited Ed to play for the 1994 Congressional Ball in the White House, and in 2001, Ed appeared in a command performance in Bangkok for the King of Thailand.
During the past several years, Ed Polcer has appeared in hundreds of concerts, festivals and jazz parties throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Ed’s musical versatility and leadership have earned him a reputation as a dynamic bandleader, and he is often called upon to organize festivals, concerts, dances and parties.

We caught up with Elizabeth Lemoine, Princeton University Student Outreach Coordinator to learn more about the Nassau Street Sampler scheduled for Thursday September 16th. This lively food festival is designed to introduce incoming students as well as Princeton community members to the tasty array of dining options available to them from local Princeton merchants just outside the “orange bubble.”

PNN: This is the second annual Nassau Street Sampler. Can you tell us a little bit about how this event got started?

ELIZABETH: We had a new director who came on board last year and we created a series of events at the University Art Museum called Late Thursdays. These are weekly programs on Thursday nights until 10pm that are open to the community and the student body.

PNN: Are they always at the Art Museum?

ELIZABETH: Yes, as part of our Late Thursday programming. Because we’ve extended the closing time at the Art Museum it has created these opportunities. It just so happens our first Late Thursday event coincides with the first day of classes. We were talking about what a freshman, or a new community member, would want as their first experience here. Part of that is that we obviously wanted to introduce everyone to the art museum and to explore their options on campus as well as outside of campus. So it’s really part of bringing the community and the University together, making that Town and Gown relationship stronger.

PNN: Which food vendors will be a part of this year’s Nassau Street Sampler?

ELIZABETH: We have many vendors participating this year. We have a long list, but it’s not completely finalized yet. So far we have received confirmation from the Bent Spoon, Fruity Yogurt, as well as Twist, McCaffrey’s supermarket, Tico’s Eatery, Cox’s market, Da’s Thai, Starbucks and Olives. A lot of local vendors will be here.

PNN: Small World Coffee?

ELIZABETH: Probably, yes. And Chez Alice is coming. Possibly some restaurants from the Terra Momo group because they participated last year. It’s really all about bringing the university and the community together as a whole.

PNN: Do you think that the students need incentives to get off campus?

ELIZABETH: I think it is especially important for the freshman. They may feel intimidated. It’s a whole new experience.

PNN: Well thank you, Elizabeth. This sounds like a terrific event and a great way to start the Late Thursdays series.

ELIZABETH: Yes. We are looking forward to another great series of Late Thursdays.

PNN: Well please keep us posted. We will be happy to spread the word.

ELIZABETH: I will. And there is also a printed catalog of events available in the lobby of the Art Museum.

The 2nd annual Nassau Street Sampler will feature food from many of Princeton’s eclectic restaurants, live music, and the chance to win great prizes (including t-shirts, posters, and gift certificates), this is an event you won’’t want to miss!

If you are interested in participating in this event, please contact Elizabeth Lemoine, Student Outreach Coordinator at (609) 258-9351.

Location: Princeton University Art Museum

Date/Time: 09/16/10  5:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Master magician Mark Mitton wants to WOW! you — not just with his amazing skills of sleight-of-hand — but with the wonder of playing at the limits of your own brain. In the course of the show “Deception / Perception,” audience members will learn three magic tricks that reveal the inner workings of the brain, they’ll get what they need to share the tricks with friends, and they’ll also take away a better understanding of what makes you say “WOW!”

For the past twenty-five years, Mark Mitton has been dazzling audiences around the world with his unique magic-comedy performances combining mind-boggling sleight-of-hand, uncanny stunts, and a keen interest in neuroscience. Mark’s real-time versatility and charming improvisational style put him in high demand for VIP gatherings of celebrities, business leaders, star athletes and Nobel-prize winners at both intimate and large-scale events. He regularly performs at one of the hottest (too hot to even name!) nightclubs in New York City, where he has entertained Sting, John Mayer, Beyoncé and others.

As a magic and special effects consultant, Mark has made Will Smith appear in the middle of Times Square, directed a freak-show opening act circus for Aerosmith, and taught sleight-of-hand to John Travolta, Tony Shalhoub, Stanley Tucci, and John Lithgow. He has created magic for film, TV, the Broadway stage, and the Public Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park.

Mark Mitton’s “Deception/Perception” is presented by the Princeton Theatre Experiment and the Arts Council of Princeton on Friday, September 17 and Saturday, September 18 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 for Arts Council members, students, and seniors. The event will take place in the Solley Theater at the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ. Parking is available in the Spring and Hulfish Street Garages as well as metered parking along Witherspoon Street and Paul Robeson Place. To purchase tickets, please call (609) 924-8777 or visit www.artscouncilofprinceton.org.

The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP), founded in 1967, is a non-profit organization with a mission of Building Community through the Arts. Housed in the landmark Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, designed by renowned architect Michael Graves, the ACP fulfills its mission by presenting a wide range of programs including exhibitions, performances, free community cultural events, and studio-based classes and workshops in the visual, performing and literary arts. Arts Council of Princeton programs are designed to be high-quality, engaging, affordable and accessible for the diverse population in the greater Princeton region.

For more information, please contact Todd Reichart, Artistic Director, Princeton Theatre Experiment at (609) 577-3184 or todd@toddreichart.com.