What a joyous occasion!

Capital Philharmonic, the Capital City’s professional orchestra, will be kicking off its 2022 season with a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 on October 22nd, 2022. The performance will be held at Patriots Theater at the Trenton War Memorial. The concert will feature the Capital Philharmonic, the Somerset Hills Chorus, Westminster Community Chorus, and featured performers from The LOTUS Project including:

  • Margaret Bergmark-Williams (Soprano)
  • Amber Johnson (Mezzo-soprano)
  • Stephen Ng (Tenor)
  • Mark Hightower (Bass-baritone)

The artists featured in this concert have performed with some of the best companies, ensembles, and orchestras in the area, and now they are ready to perform right here in Trenton. The concert will be conducted by Maestro Daniel Spalding. Spalding is a distinguished conductor who has worked with many of Europe’s top orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Mozart Players. Spalding has also garnered international acclaim as the music director of the Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra.

Trenton Daily had the opportunity to speak with Alicia Brozovich, who is the Conductor of the Westminster Community Chorus, the Outreach Coordinator for the Capital Philharmonic, and the Artistic Director for The LOTUS Project. When asked about the importance of this event and what it means for Trenton, the overarching theme of our conversation was community – Brozovich went on to note how she “couldn’t think of a better piece to open up the season with for the flagship music organization in Trenton.”

The LOTUS Project and the Capital Philharmonic first collaborated in July to host a fundraiser where they went on to raise $12,000 for an orphanage in Ukraine. Wanting to continue their collaborative efforts, the LOTUS Project and the Capital Philharmonic would go on “to join forces with the Somerset Hills Chorus, singers from the Trenton area and throughout New Jersey, and kick off the 2022 season in Trenton with joy and songs of brotherhood.” Noting how the concert came together, Brozovich stated that “what started as Daniel Spalding’s idea for an opening program has snowballed into a wonderful, huge collaboration”, joining artistic forces from all across the Garden State.

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, affectionally dubbed Ode to Joy, was Beethoven’s final symphony. Per the Capital Philharmonic, “the sustained appeal of this musical journey of struggle and brotherhood is the timeless call to fraternal bonds that transcend culture, conflict, and societal barriers.” Broken up into four movements, the symphony concludes with a grand finale of the Ode to Joy theme. This symphony is widely regarded as one of Beethoven’s most celebrated works.

The opening night will also feature a pre-concert lecture by Dr. Joel Phillips, a professor of composition and music theory at Westminster Choir College. Subscribers for the 2022-2023 season will also be invited to attend a reception and celebration following the conclusion of the concert.

If you’re interested in attending, tickets for the opening performance can be purchased here: Tickets – Ode to Joy. You can also enroll as a subscriber for the 2022-2023 season here: Subscriber Information. Any questions may be directed to the Capital Philharmonic at info@capitalphilharmonic.org or (609) 558-2292.

May be an image of text that says 'Somerset Hills Chorus October 22, 2022 7:30 pm Opening Night: Ode to Joy Joy- BEETHOVEN'S SYMPHONY NO. ("CHORAL") The Somerset Hills Chorus Stephen Sands, Artistic Director The LOTUS Project and Westminster Community Chorus Alicia Brozovich. Conductor'

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