Formerly known as Philharmonie zuidnederland, Philzuid is the only professional symphony orchestra in the south of the Netherlands as well as one of the largest in the country. Founded in 2013 and based in Eindhoven and Maastricht, Philzuid was created by merging the Brabant Orchestra and the Linburg Symphony Orchestra. Chief Conductor Duncan Ward leads a high energy performance of Philzuid’s 2024 New Year’s program which centers Latin rhythms and American dance with works by Gershwin, Montsalvatge, and Bernstein, as well as the premiere recording of the swinging Cuban Suite by Cuban composer Jenny Peña Campo. The orchestrated version of Xavier Montsalvatge’s Cinco canciones negras features Adriana Bignagni Lesca, a rising star mezzo-soprano from Gabon with a rich contralto hue.