Principal horn of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Jennifer Montone joins the NJWS as guest soloist for this evening of music. The concert program will include Leonard Bernstein’s dynamic “Divertimento”.
Grammy Award Winner Jennifer Montone has been hailed by the New York Times for her “flawless horn solos… and warm and noble sound”. As Principal Horn of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and a world acclaimed soloist, chamber musician and teacher, she has been on the faculty at the Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School since joining the orchestra in 2006. Read More
Previously the Principal Horn of the Saint Louis Symphony and Associate Principal Horn of the Dallas Symphony, Ms. Montone was an adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University, performer/faculty at the Aspen Music Festival and School, and coaches on occasion at the New World Symphony. She was third horn of the New Jersey Symphony from 1997-2000, and has performed as a guest artist with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic.
Ms. Montone regularly performs as a soloist, with orchestras such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Saint Louis Symphony, the Dallas Symphony, the National Symphony, the Polish National Radio Symphony, the Warsaw National Philharmonic, among others. Her recording of the Penderecki Horn Concerto, “Winterreise” with the Warsaw National Philharmonic won a 2013 Grammy Award in the category of “Best Classical Compendium”. Other recordings include “Jennifer Montone Performs”- her first solo cd, “Still Falls the Rain”- works of Benjamin Britten, “Gabrieli” by the National Brass Ensemble, “Philadelphia Orchestra, Tchaikovsky and Ewald”- featuring the orchestra’s principals brass quintet, and Song of Shinobeu”- works of Haruka Watanabe.
Ms. Montone made her Carnegie Weil Hall solo recital debut on October 22, 2008. She has enjoyed appearing as a featured artist at many International Horn Society workshops, and as a soloist and collaborator with artists such as Emmanuel Ax, Eric Owens, Christoph Eschenbach, Shmeul Ashkenazi, and Joseph Silverstein, and David Soyer, among many others.
As a chamber musician Ms. Montone performs with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, National Brass Ensemble, Strings Music Festival in Steamboat Springs, Bravo Vail Chamber Music Festival,Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival, La Jolla Chamber Music Festival, Bay Chamber Concerts, Spoleto Italy Chamber Music Festival, and the Marlboro Music Festival.
Ms. Montone is a graduate of the Juilliard School, where she studied with Julie Landsman, legendary pedagogue and former principal horn of the Metropolitan Opera. In May 2006 Ms. Montone was awarded the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant. She is also the winner of the 1996 Paxman Young Horn Player of the Year Award in London, England. A native of northern Virginia, Ms. Montone studied with Edwin Thayer, principal horn of the National Symphony, in the National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship Program. She is married to double bass player, Timothy Ressler, and immensely enjoys spending time with her two young sons, Max and Felix.
In 1980, the Boston Symphony Orchestra commissioned Leonard Bernstein to compose a piece in celebration of their centennial season. The resulting work was Divertimento, a work consisting of eight very short pieces, each from a different musical genre. Each movement utilizes the notes B and C as a basis of thematic ideas – B, for “Boston”, and C, for “Centennial”.
We are excited to include this work on our program for our February 10th concert.
Winner of the 2019 National Band Association Revelli Composition Contest, Come Sunday composed by Omar Thomas is a two-movement tribute to the Hammond organ’s central role in black worship services. The first movement, Testimony, follows the Hammond organ as it readies the congregation’s hearts, minds, and spirits to receive The Word via a magical union of Bach, blues, jazz, and R&B. The second movement, Shout!, is a virtuosic celebration — the frenzied and joyous climactic moment(s) when The Spirit has taken over the service.
Mariachitlán by Juan Pablo Contreras is a musical homage to the composer’s birthplace, the Mexican state of Jalisco, where mariachi music originated. The piece incorporates traditional rhythms accompany original melodies inspired by the beautiful landscapes of Jalisco. Near the end of the piece, a “policeman” blows their whistle in an attempt to stop the party.
Comments from composer Pat Burns.
I have often said that the New Jersey Wind Symphony is my favorite band in the world that isn’t one of my own, and our 20-year association bears out my great affection for this incredible ensemble and its membership. In 2003, I wrote a piece called Perfect Trip for the then-called Ridgewood Concert Band’s 20th anniversary season, and so it’s fitting tonight, I think, to bookend that with a laudatory composition for their 40th. Read More
Here Begins Our Lasting Joy is a short fanfare where everyone gets to show off, and by “everyone” I mean ensemble and composer. I usually write more esoteric music but every now and again it’s a good thing to let all the dogs off the leash at the same time and that’s what I’ve attempted to do here. The title is from Shakespeare’s Henry VI (3rd Part), in which a different Henry (IV) celebrates victory in battle with some royal heraldry:
“Sound drums and trumpets! farewell sour annoy!
For here, I hope, begins our lasting joy.”
With all due respect to His Majesty, this piece begins with horns; the trumpets, and everyone else, soon joins the celebration, very much like characters taking the stage in a grand production.
Every concert is a victory, and 40 years of concerts is a sustained and glorious one. Congratulations to my dear friend Chris Wilhjelm and all members of the NJWS for their monumental achievements over the past four decades.
All New Jersey Wind Symphony Subscription Concerts are held at the West Side Presbyterian Church, Ridgewood, NJ. West Side Presbyterian Church is fully ADA compliant providing handicap accessible entry to the concert venue as well as bathroom facilities. Important signage and directions are presented in braille.