THE CAPITAL PHILHARMONIC of NEW JERSEY
An American Journey
Performance Date
Event Location
Sunday, May 17th, 2026 4:00 PM
New Jersey State Museum Auditorium
The Program
Chris Rogerson (b. 1988): Luminosity
(approx. 4 minutes)
Youth Concerto Competition Winner Benjamin Mandigo
Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B Minor.
(approx. 10–15 minutes)
Aaron Copland (1900–1990): Lincoln Portrait
(approx. 15 minutes)
Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904): Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95, “From the New World”
(approx. 40 minutes)
About this Performance
Sunday, May 17, 2026 · 4:00 PM
New Jersey State Museum Auditorium at 205 W State Street Trenton;
Joshua Gersen, Conductor. Celebrate the season finale with a powerful and family friendly concert that honors American spirit, young talent, and musical storytelling.
The program opens with New Jersey composer Chris Rogerson’s uplifting work, Luminosity, followed by a performance by the winner of our 2026 Mary Roebling Youth Concerto Competition, Benjamin Mandigo, cellist, playing Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B Minor. Aaron Copland’s stirring Lincoln Portrait, with narration by Rev. Rupert Hall reminding us of the enduring strength of American ideals.
The concert concludes with Dvořák’s beloved Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”, a rich and emotional journey inspired by the American landscape and spirit.
This is an afternoon of inspiration and reflection you won’t want to miss. Arrive by 3 PM and enjoy a showing at the Planetarium or other museum exhibits!
Narration by the Reverend Rupert A. Hall. Jr.
Rupert A. Hall Jr. is the Servant Pastor of Turning Point United Methodist Church where he seeks to make the Gospels relevant in the Urban Context. He is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Rutgers University School of Law.
Winner of our 2026 Mary Roebling Youth Concerto Competition, Benjamin Mandigo, cellist, playing Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B Minor.
Chamber Orchestra Concert
Performance Date
Sunday, March 1st, 2026 4:00 PM
Event Location
War Memorial Ballroom
The Program
Bohuslav Martinů (1890–1959): Nonet
for wind quintet, violin, viola, cello, and double bass
(approx. 15 minutes)
Caroline Shaw (b. 1982): Entr’acte
for string ensemble
(approx. 13 minutes)
Benjamin Britten (1913–1976): Sinfonietta, Op. 1
for wind quintet and strings
(approx. 16 minutes)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791): Symphony No. 29 in A Major, K. 201
for 2 oboes, 2 horns, and strings
(approx. 25 minutes)
About this Performance
Guest conductor Kenneth Bean — a rising star known for his engaging presence and musical sensitivity — leads this chamber orchestra program celebrating the interplay of winds and strings.
From the elegance of Mozart and the inventive textures of Caroline Shaw to Britten’s bold.Sinfonietta, each work showcases the ensemble’s distinct voices, culminating in Martinů’s vibrant Nonet, a joyful dialogue of instrumental color.
CELEBRATE NEW YEAR'S EVE with CPNJ
New Year's Eve Celebration Concert
Performance Date
Wednesday, December 31, 2025 8:00 pm
Event Location
Patriots Theater at the War Memorial
Pre-concert Organ recital by Ian Fraser at 7:10pm
The Program
Enescu, Romanian Rhapsody No. 1 (approx. 12 minutes)
Leroy Anderson, Blue Tango (approx. 3 minutes)
Enrique Granados, “Intermezzo” from Goyescas 5 (approx. 5 minutes)
Granados, “Andaluza” from Spanish Dances (approx. 4 minutes)
Gabriela Ortiz, Kauyumari (2021) (approx. 7 minutes)
Intermission
Johann Strauss Jr., The Beautiful Blue Danube (approx. 10 minutes)
Selections from Carmen (approx. 13 minutes)
Saint-Saens, Danse Bacchanal (approx. 8 minutes)
Champagne Polka (approx. 3 minutes)
About this Performance
After a stunning debut with us last fall, conductor Ruth Ochs returns to the podium as a Music Director finalist — this time to lead our most festive night of the year.
Celebrate the turning of the year with a program that dances across borders and centuries — from the swirling romance of Strauss’s Blue Danube to fiery selections from Bizet’s Carmen, featuring acclaimed mezzo-soprano Barbara Rearick. This joyful concert is filled with color, flair, and just the right amount of sparkle.
And the celebration doesn’t stop when the music ends — raise a glass at our post-concert champagne reception featuring live jazz performed by members of the orchestra.
Oh God...Beautiful Machine
Performance Date
Saturday, October 25th, 2025 7:30 pm
Event Location
Patriots Theater at the War Memorial
The Program
5:30 PM - Doors open, view vendor tables and artwork
6:00 PM - Pre-concert performances in the Patriots Theater
6:45 PM - Pre-concert lecture in the Patriots Theater
7:30 PM - Concert
Commissioned by the late Lawrence M. Hilton, Oh God…Beautiful Machine is a powerful new work by Princeton University composer Vince di Mura and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa.
Conducted by Sebastian Grand. Join us for an unforgettable evening as we premiere Oh God...Beautiful Machine — a genre-blending symphonic celebration of the Earth. Featuring jazz, classical, and Chinese influences with a choir and song. (This piece is approx. 90 minutes). There will be a brief intermission.)
Arrive early for festival-style fun:
• Live music and vendor tables
• Pre-concert talk with the composer
• Pre-concert performance
• Subscribers get VIP access to the exclusive post-concert.
About this Performance
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Tchaikovsky Symphony No.5
Performance Date
Saturday, April 11th, 2026 7:30 PM
Event Location
Patriots Theater at the War Memorial
The Program
Coleridge-Taylor - Ballade in A minor
(approx. 13 minutes)
Zoltan Kodaly - Dances of Galanta
(approx. 15 minutes)
Tchaikovsky - Symphony no. 5
(approx. 45 minutes)
About this Performance
Conductor Kyle Ritenauer leads a richly expressive program of sweeping Romanticism and vivid color. Coleridge-Taylor’s Ballade in A minor opens with lyrical power, followed by the folk-inspired brilliance of Kodály’s Dances of Galánta. The evening culminates in Tchaikovsky’s emotionally charged Symphony No. 5 — a masterwork of passion, fate, and triumph. A dynamic presence on concert stages across the U.S. and Europe, Ritenauer has conducted the New York Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra, and the Juilliard Orchestra. He currently serves as Director of Orchestral Studies at Montclair State University.