The Orchestra of St. Luke's Performs with Natalie Merchant at New Jersey Performing Arts Center 6/25

AN EVENING WITH NATALIE MERCHANT: KEEP YOUR COURAGE TOUR

featuring the Orchestra of St. Luke’s

Sunday, June 25 at 7 PM

Tickets: $49.50 - $129.50

NJPAC

Prudential Hall

Betty Wold Johnson Stage

One Center Street

Newark, New Jersey 07102

www.njpac.org

(Newark, New Jersey- May 22, 2023) North to Shore Music Festival presents An Evening with NATALIE MERCHANT as she brings her Keep Your Courage Tour to New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) on Sunday, June 25 at 7:00 p.m. This special one-night only performance includes the artist and former lead singer of 10,000 Maniacs Natalie Merchant and the Grammy Award-winning Orchestra of St. Luke’s - “one of the most versatile and galvanic ensembles in the U.S.” (WQXR). Program includes works off of her ninth album Keep Your Courage (Nonesuch Records) featuring lush orchestrations by seven composers including: Gabriel Kahane, Stephen Barber, Colin Jacobson, and Megan Gould. This sole New Jersey performance is part of an international tour to 40 cities.

Over her 40-year career, Merchant has attained a place among America’s most respected recording artists. She began her musical career as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the pop music band 10,000 Maniacs, releasing one platinum, two double-platinum, and one triple-platinum record with the group. Merchant’s nine albums as a solo artist have a combined sales of seven million copies.

Merchant is a multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter and producer known for her distinctive voice and captivating literary-pop songs. She has released several critically acclaimed albums, including Tigerlily and Ophelia, and has received numerous awards and nominations. Her music blends folk, rock, and influences from around the world, and she is revered as a groundbreaking figure in alternative music.

Her newest album, Keep Your Courage, is her ninth solo studio album and first of new material since 2014’s self-titled record, is available now. It finds Merchant in peak form with songs about love and human connection in its many iterations, sung with a voice that keeps you hanging on every word. The eclectic album produced by Merchant features two duets sung with vocalist Abena Koomson-Davis with contributions from Celtic folk group Lanasa, Syrian virtuoso clarinetist Kinan Azmeh and horn arrangements by jazz trombonist Steve Davis, orchestrations by today’s top contemporary composers, and more.

Tickets for Natalie Merchant are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting NJPAC.org or calling 888. GO.NJPAC (888.466.5722) or by visiting the NJPAC Box Office at 1 Center Street, Newark, New Jersey.

About Orchestra of St. Luke’s
Regular seasons see OSL perform in diverse musical genres at New York’s major concert venues, drawing on an expanded roster for large-scale works, and collaborating with artists ranging from Joshua Bell and Rene´e Fleming to Bono and Metallica. The orchestra has commissioned more than 60 new works and has given more than 175 world, U.S., and New York City premieres, while also participating in 118 recordings, four of which have been recognized with Grammy Awards. Internationally celebrated for his expertise in 18th-century music, Bernard Labadie was appointed as OSL’s Principal Conductor in 2018, continuing the orchestra’s long tradition of working with proponents of historical performance practice. Built and operated by OSL, the DiMenna Center for Classical Music opened in 2011. New York City’s only rehearsal, recording, education and performance space expressly dedicated to classical music, it serves more than 500 ensembles and 30,000 musicians each year.

About NJPAC

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, N.J., is America’s most diverse performing arts center, and the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey – where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state’s and the world’s best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted 10 million visitors (including more than 1.8 million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents.

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