Conductor Dan Spalding planning to score the successes for the orchestra.
By Dan Aubrey
“We need to keep things moving. So people will be thinking of the orchestra. If you don’t have concerts, nothing will happen,” says Daniel Spalding, conductor of the recently formed New Jersey Capital Philharmonic Orchestra.
The orchestra will present its second concert on Saturday, May 3, 8 p.m. at the Trenton War Memorial. The program will feature Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade,” Saint-Saens’ “Introduction and Capriccioso,” Bizet’s “Carmen Fantasy,” and Rossini’s “L’Italia in Algeri Overture.”
Ewing-based Spalding — who has conducted both nationally and internationally — says “this particular program is great music, colorful, and exciting. I thought it would be way to go to get people back to hearing the orchestra.”
Knowing that the “Scheherazade” has a huge array of violin solos, he invited an award-winning violinist and colleague Aisha Dossumova to be a guest artist.
“I have known her for six years. She is my concert master for the Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra. She is a very compelling musician,” says Spalding, who founded and conducts that orchestra.
The current concert helps the NJCPO to make statements beyond the music. The event engages 70 musicians (8 more than the New Year’s Eve event), is budgeted for $45,000, and reflects the orchestra’s plan to establish a season that will include concerts in October, New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, and May.
The effort is also part of an effort to maintain a professional symphony orchestra in New Jersey’s capital city.
“Right now, it is pretty much volunteer,” says Spalding, who serves as executive director. Steve Kyle is the orchestra manager, and some of the other musicians have volunteered to help out in some ways.
“It’s good camaraderie,” Spalding says. “I have never been in front of an orchestra as enthusiastic as this. The majority of musicians has been through some bad years with the GTSO (Greater Trenton Symphony Orchestra), and wants to see the new orchestra succeed.”
Spalding says there was interest in continuing the former orchestra, but there were problems as well.
“If we continued as the GTSO, we would have assumed their liabilities. They had lawsuits. Everything is fresh and new, except some of the musicians. But the leadership is all brand new,” he says.
Spalding says a foundation has been set in place to build the organization.
“We have an actual board. That was my first order of business in September, was to organize a board of 13,” he says.
Members include former Lawrence mayor Gloria Teti, who is serving as president, Trenton-based architect John Hatch, Trenton councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson, strategic planner Bernard McMullen, Steve Kyle, orchestra oboist Melissa Bohl, professional singer Sarah Dash, businessman Joe Teti, Terry West (aide to Brian Hughes), and other civic leaders interested in seeing the orchestra succeed.
While organizers have filed a federal application to the IRS to become a tax-exempt organization, the orchestra is being assisted by the Trenton Downtown Association, which stepped forward to serve as a fiscal agent.
The organization has also developed a mechanism to sell tickets for its events, since the War Memorial no longer has an active box-office staff.
“We are selling our tickets through (website) Ticketfly. They sell the tickets for us. And by telephone. The box office at the War Memorial will be open the day of the concert and people can buy tickets that day,” he says.
“I hope that we’re able to carry out our plans to establish a real season next year and in subsequent years expanded. We’re being realistic about what we can do. But I would like to see the orchestra thrive. I believe the ingredients are all here to make it success,” Spalding says.
Patriots Theater at the War Memorial Building, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton, Saturday, May 3, 8 p.m., $12.50 to $65. Call (877) 987-6487 or go to capitalphilharmonic.org for more information.
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