Critiques

It was also clear from the outset of the concert that although Mr. Lacombe’s relationship with the orchestra is only a few weeks old, his rapport with the players gives the impression of having known them for a very long time… ...The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra has always held a strong position in the state’s arts scene, and has committed to reaching into new corners of repertory and audiences under Mr. Lacombe’s leadership. As he musically announced his governance of the ensemble from the podium on Friday night, Mr. Lacombe made it clear that this is a relationship which will continue long into the future.

Under music director Jacques Lacombe, the orchestra partnered her (Yuja Wang) with striking vigor and finesse. That’s not to say that they couldn’t be just as enjoyable in a more subdued piece. In Gershwin’s “Lullaby,” a lilting opener, the NJSO showed off an unforced, mellow charm. But the increasingly apparent and impressive ability of the new conductor and the orchestra to pull off a kind of controlled chaos, where ferocity and clarity combine so as to avoid the extremes of sounding clinical or cacophonous, was on full display.