The Garden State Philharmonic to premiere Ben Goldberg’s The Gift

Composer Ben Goldberg comes home to Toms River to premiere his chamber piece, The Gift, on the Garden State Philharmonic’s upcoming concert, Chamber: Spring Sonata. This intimate concert event is taking place on Sunday, March 15th at 3:00 p.m. at the Island Heights United Methodist Church.

An alumnus of the Toms River Regional School district, Goldberg developed his musical talents through playing in the band, jazz band and singing in the chorus at Toms River North High School. Upon graduation, Goldberg continued his music education at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, where he received a Bachelor of Music degree in film composition. With much of his early work in music for media (film, television and advertising), Goldberg shifted focus to pursue his driving passion for concert music.

The Gift, originally scored for a film, is filled with rich melodies and moments of extreme tension. Audience members will be enveloped and entranced by the melodic story as it unfolds between the cello and violin. Goldberg expertly blends the acoustic tonal sounds of the violin, cello and piano with electronic modern elements. “The Gift appeals to everyone. I strive to translate modern technology into a more accessible language for the audience,” explains Goldberg. Audiences should not be wary of the electronic element of the piece. Goldberg has manipulated acoustic instruments through pitch bending and the speeding up or slowing down of sounds to create a new sound and experience. Members of the Garden State Philharmonic performing The Gift include Jameson Platte, cello; Uli Speth, violin; Craig Ketter, piano, and Ben Goldberg, electronics.

“I am very excited to have The Gift premiere in my hometown and have the opportunity to share this experience with so many people that have watched me grow up, including my parents.”

In addition to Goldberg’s premiere, Chamber: Spring Sonata will include Rachmaninoff’s Sonata for Cello and Piano performed by Jameson Platte and Craig Ketter and Amy Beach’s Violin Sonata, Op. 34 performed by Uli Speth and Craig Ketter.

The performance will take place on Sunday, March 15th at 3:00 p.m. at the Island Heights United Methodist Church, 111 Ocean Ave., Island Heights, NJ. Tickets are available at gardenstatephilharmonic.org/buy-tickets or by calling 732-255-0460.

ABOUT THE GARDEN STATE PHILHARMONIC

The Garden State Philharmonic, Inc. (GSP) is now celebrating its 64th Anniversary Season (2019-20). From its community orchestra roots in Ocean County, NJ, the organization has grown into a critically acclaimed professional orchestra, a three-tiered youth orchestra, a youth chorus, and a community chorus serving over 20,000 people of all ages on the Jersey Shore.

Under the leadership of Music Director Diane Wittry, the mission of the GSP is to maintain and operate a professional symphony orchestra at the Jersey Shore; to give concerts of cultural and educational value in and for the community, and to foster such related activities that encourage an interest in and appreciation of music.

The Garden State Philharmonic is supported in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Achilles Bodman Foundation, Investors Bank Foundation, OceanFirst Foundation, The Cultural and Heritage Commission of Ocean County, and the Rea Foundation.

For more information, visit GardenStatePhilharmonic.org or call 732-255-0460.