THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY MAGAZINE
SEPTEMBER 2018
VIVA LAS VEGAS 14
August 31, September 1 & 2
OPENING NIGHT WITH YUJA WANG 18 . September 8
FIESTA SINFÓNICA 24
MAHLER’S RESURRECTION SYMPHONY 28
BRONFMAN PLAYS PROKOFIEV 34
K.D. LANG INGÉNUE REDUX TOUR 38 .
celebrating Y E A R S
September 9
September 13, 15 & 16
September 21, 22 & 23
September 24
DVOŘÁK’S STABAT MATER 40 September 27, 29 & 30
ANDRÉS OROZCO-ESTRADA M U S I C
D I R E C T O R
YUJA WANG
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InTUNE | S E P T E M B E R
2018
Programs
Viva Las Vegas August 31, September 1 & 2 �������������������������������������������������������������� 14 Opening Night with Yuja Wang September 8 ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 18 Fiesta Sinfónica September 9 ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������24 Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony September 13, 15 & 16 ��������������������������������������������������������������������������28 Bronfman Plays Prokofiev September 21, 22 & 23 ������������������������������������������������������������������������34 k.d. lang Ingénue Redux Tour September 24 ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������38 Dvořák’s Stabat Mater September 27, 29 & 30 ����������������������������������������������������������������������� 40
Features
Letter to Patrons ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������2 Five Years of Andrés �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 12 Backstage Pass with Richard Harris ���������������������������������������������������56
Your Houston Symphony
Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Music Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Orchestra Roster ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������5 Houston Symphony Chorus ������������������������������������������������������������������������6 Staff Listing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Our Supporters
New Century Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Leadership Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Vision 2025 Implementation Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Houston Symphony Donors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Young Associates Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Chorus Endowment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Society Board of Trustees ���������������������������������������������������������������������������49 Corporate, Foundation and Government Partners ���������������������50 Capital Investments ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 51 Sustainability Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Houston Symphony Endowment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Legacy Society & In Memoriam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Education and Community Engagement Donors . . . . . . . . . 54 In-Kind Donors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Musician Sponsorships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
The Houston Symphony celebrates the start of Andrés Orozco-Estrada's 5th year as Music Director
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InTUNE is published by the Houston Symphony. 615 Louisiana, Suite 102, Houston, TX 77002 713.224.4240 | houstonsymphony.org All rights reserved.
Elaine Reeder Mayo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editorial Consultant Shweiki Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printing Ventures Marketing Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advertising The activities and projects of the Houston Symphony are funded in part by grants from the City of Houston, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Texas Commission on the Arts. The Houston Symphony currently records under its own label, Houston Symphony Media Productions, and for Pentatone and Naxos. Houston Symphony recordings also are available on the Telarc, RCA Red Seal, Virgin Classics and Koch International Classics labels. CAMERAS, RECORDERS, CELL PHONES & PAGERS Cameras and recorders are not permitted in the hall. Patrons may not use any device to record or photograph performances. Please silence cell phones, pagers and alarm watches and refrain from texting during performances.
InTUNE
In THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY
This month’s brilliant roundup of international artists and adventurous programs will give all of you a taste of what’s in store over the coming months. Our POPS Series gets off to a swinging start with Viva Las Vegas — a special program featuring music from some of Sin City’s best acts, including Elvis Presley, the Rat Pack and more. Superstar pianist Yuja Wang joins the orchestra for our glamorous Opening Night Concert and Gala before Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada returns to lead Mahler’s epic Resurrection Symphony, which features the full forces of the Houston Symphony and Houston Symphony Chorus. Andrés then teams up with the legendary Yefim Bronfman for Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and brings the month to a close with the Houston Symphony Chorus again featured in Dvořák’s powerful Stabat Mater. Finally, we are proud to present our 30th annual Fiesta Sinfónica, a free program in celebration of Hispanic Heritage month on Sunday, September 9. Thank you for joining us, and I look forward to seeing you at Jones Hall this month and in the months ahead. Enjoy the concerts!
MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016
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VERY MERRY
24
I LOVE A PIANO
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A MOZART THANKSGIVING
32
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SEPTEMBER 2018
Planning our season begins long before the orchestra reconvenes after its August break for the first notes of rehearsal, and even before we announce the season in January. For certain conductors, artists and projects that we want to share with you, conversations can begin years in advance. We’re excited to launch our 105th season, and to celebrate our fifth year with our inspired Music Director, Andrés Orozco-Estrada. In this issue, we take a look back at some of the highlights of Andrés' tenure and of the new season he has planned for us (see page 12).
InTune is produced by the Houston Symphony’s Marketing and Communications department. Trazanna Moreno. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chief Marketing Officer Linsey Whitehead . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director, Creative Services Calvin Dotsey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Publications Editor Melanie O'Neill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Publications Designer
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2 | Houston Symphony
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OROZCO-ESTRADA MUSIC DIRECTOR
ROY AND LILLIE CULLEN CHAIR Houston Symphony Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada began his tenure in the 2014–15 season. He immediately established a dynamic presence on the podium and a deep bond with the musicians of the orchestra. He carefully curates his programs to feature engaging combinations of classical masterworks paired with the music of today, significant artistic collaborations with composers and guest artists, and innovative use of multimedia and visual effects, all in order to make meaningful connections with the audience. In the 2017–18 season, Andrés continued to engage with audiences both with casual commentary from the stage and discussions with guests in “Behind the Scenes with Andrés” videos. After the commercial release of the critically acclaimed Dvořák series featuring the composer’s last four symphonies, he and the orchestra recently released a Haydn—The Creation recording in collaboration with the Houston Symphony Chorus and a Music of the Americas disc featuring Gershwin’s An American in Paris, Revueltas’ Sensemayá, Piazzolla’s Tangazo and Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. Born in Medellín, Colombia, Andrés began his musical studies on the violin and started conducting at age 15. At 19, he entered the renowned Vienna Music Academy, where he studied with Uroš Lajovic (pupil of the legendary Hans Swarowsky), and completed his degree with distinction conducting the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra at the Musikverein. Andrés burst onto the international scene with two substitutions with the Vienna Philharmonic: the first, his debut in 2010, standing in for Esa-Pekka Salonen, and then in 2012, substituting for Riccardo Muti at the Musikverein. Andrés now regularly appears with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the Vienna Philharmonic, the Santa Cecilia Orchestra in Rome, the Orchestre National de France, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. His engagements for the 2017-18 season featured debuts at the Tonhalle Orchester Zürich and the Staatskapelle Dresden with two concerts at the Salzburg Easter Festival. As a guest, he performed once again with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and with the Vienna Philharmonic, which he led on a tour to Paris and Budapest. In June 2018, he toured Asia for two weeks with his Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra. In addition to his post in Houston, Andrés is chief conductor of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and principal guest conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He was recently named chief conductor of the Vienna Symphony as of the 2021-2022 season.
4 | Houston Symphony
ROSTER
ORCHESTRA Andrés Orozco-Estrada Music Director Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair FIRST VIOLIN Position Vacant, Concertmaster Max Levine Chair Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster Ellen E. Kelley Chair Qi Ming, Assistant Concertmaster Fondren Foundation Chair Marina Brubaker Tong Yan MiHee Chung Sophia Silivos Rodica Gonzalez Ferenc Illenyi** Si-Yang Lao Kurt Johnson Christopher Neal Sergei Galperin Boson Mo* Jenna Barghouti*
DOUBLE BASS Robin Kesselman, Principal Mark Shapiro, Acting Associate Principal Eric Larson Andrew Pedersen Burke Shaw Donald Howey Michael McMurray Michael Marks*
TRUMPET Mark Hughes, Principal George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Chair John Parker, Associate Principal Robert Walp, Assistant Principal Richard Harris TROMBONE Allen Barnhill, Principal Bradley White, Associate Principal Phillip Freeman
PICCOLO Kathryn Ladner
BASS TROMBONE Phillip Freeman
OBOE Jonathan Fischer, Principal Lucy Binyon Stude Chair Anne Leek, Associate Principal Colin Gatwood Adam Dinitz
TUBA Dave Kirk, Principal TIMPANI Leonardo Soto, Principal Matthew Strauss, Associate Principal
ENGLISH HORN Adam Dinitz
VIOLA Wayne Brooks, Principal Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor Legacy Society Chair Joan DerHovsepian, Associate Principal George Pascal, Assistant Principal Wei Jiang Linda Goldstein Sheldon Person Fay Shapiro Daniel Strba Jarita Ng Phyllis Herdliska
Community-Embedded Musicians David Connor, double bass Rainel Joubert, violin
HORN William VerMeulen, Principal Robert Johnson, Associate Principal Jesse Clevenger*, Assistant Principal Brian Thomas Nancy Goodearl Ian Mayton
FLUTE Aralee Dorough, Principal General Maurice Hirsch Chair Matthew Roitstein, Associate Principal Judy Dines Kathryn Ladner
SECOND VIOLIN MuChen Hsieh, Principal Hitai Lee Mihaela Frusina Annie Kuan-Yu Chen Jing Zheng Martha Chapman Tianjie Lu Anastasia Sukhopara Tina Zhang Jordan Koransky Lindsey Baggett* Katrina Bobbs Savitski*
CELLO Brinton Averil Smith, Principal Janice and Thomas Barrow Chair Christopher French, Associate Principal Anthony Kitai Louis-Marie Fardet Jeffrey Butler Maki Kubota Xiao Wong Charles Seo Emileigh Vandiver* James R. Denton**
Steven Reineke Principal POPS Conductor Robert Franz Associate Conductor, Sponsor, Ms. Marie Taylor Bosarge Betsy Cook Weber Director, Houston Symphony Chorus
PERCUSSION Brian Del Signore, Principal Mark Griffith Matthew Strauss
CLARINET Mark Nuccio, Principal Thomas LeGrand, Associate Principal Christian Schubert Alexander Potiomkin
HARP Megan Conley, Principal**
E-FLAT CLARINET Thomas LeGrand BASS CLARINET Alexander Potiomkin Tassie and Constantine S. Nicandros Chair BASSOON Rian Craypo, Principal Eric Arbiter, Associate Principal Elise Wagner
KEYBOARD Scott Holshouser, Principal *Contracted Substitute ** On Leave
CONTRABASSOON Position Vacant
Orchestra Personnel Manager Michael Gorman
Librarian Thomas Takaro
Assistant Orchestra Personnel Manager Josh Hall
Assistant Librarians Hae-a Lee Michael McMurray
Stage Manager Mark Grady
Stage Technicians Ritaban Ghosh Jose Rios Ryan Samuelsen David Stennis
InTUNE — September 2018 | 5
CHORUS
HOUSTON SYMPHONY
Anna Diemer Chorus Manager Scott Holshouser Accompanist Tony Sessions Librarian/Stage Manager
Betsy Cook Weber Director
The Houston Symphony Chorus, under the direction of Betsy Cook Weber since 2014, is the official choral unit of the Houston Symphony and consists of highly skilled and talented volunteer singers. Over the years, members of this historic ensemble have learned and performed the world’s great choral-orchestral masterworks under the batons of Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Hans Graf, Christoph Eschenbach, Robert Shaw and Helmut Rilling, among many others. In addition, the Chorus enjoys participating in the Houston Symphony’s popular programming under the batons of conductors such as Steven Reineke and Michael Krajewski. Recently, the ensemble sang the closing subscription concerts with the Prague Symphony Orchestra in the Czech Republic. Singers are selected for specific programs for which they have indicated interest. A singer might choose to perform in all 45 concerts, as was the case in a recent season, or might elect to participate in a single series. The Houston Symphony Chorus holds auditions by appointment and welcomes inquiries from interested singers.
Betsy Cook Weber | Houston Symphony Chorus, Director Dr. Betsy Cook Weber was appointed Director of the Houston Symphony Chorus in Fall 2014. She also serves as professor of music and director of choral studies at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music. In high demand as a conductor, clinician, adjudicator and lecturer, she has conducted performances in more than half of the states in this country. Internationally, she has conducted prize-winning performances in competitions in France, Wales, Germany and Hungary. In 2017, Betsy prepared and conducted the Houston Symphony Chorus for a series of concerts in the Czech Republic. She is editor of the Betsy Cook Weber Choral Series with Alliance Music Publishing, and in 2013, became the 13th person and first woman to receive the Texas Choral Director Association’s coveted Texas Choirmaster Award. She holds degrees from the University of North Texas, Westminster Choir College and the University of Houston.
CHORUS ROSTER | REHEARSAL CONDUCTORS Janet Menzie Keith Dixon2
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SECTION LEADERS Brianna Fernandez Cris Bocanegra Julia FitzGerald Lee Williams Stephen James
CHORUS COUNCIL Susan Casper Nicole Colby Randy Eckman Robert Gomez Julia Hall Ken Mathews Janet Menzie
6 | Houston Symphony
1
MAHLER’S RESURRECTION SYMPHONY • September 13, 15 & 16 DVOŘÁK’S STABAT MATER • September 27, 29 & 30
2
ROSTER Steve Abercia1,2 Melissa Adams1,2 Wilton Adams 2 Mary Ann Addis1 Jennifer Agbu2 Bob Alban1,2 Sterling Allen2 Ramona Alms1,2 Kelli Amick1 Lauren Andersen1,2 Keith Anthis1,2 Joe Anzaldua1,2 Christina Aranda1,2 Stuart Aron1 Ellis Bardin1,2 Enrique Barrera III1 Justin Becker1,2 Chelsea Berner2 John Bice1 Randy Boatright1,2 Criselda Bocanegra1,2 Joanne Bonasso2 Harvey Bongers1,2 Jonathan Bordelon1,2 Janene Bostwick1,2
Emily Boudreaux1,2 Timothy Boyer1,2 Robyn Branning1 Sara Brannon2 Nancy Bratic1,2 Jennifer Breneman2 James Bue1,2 Patricia Bumpus1,2 Kimberly Butler1 Steve Buza1,2 Susan Casper1,2 Tsung-Yen Chang1,2 Tatiana Chavanelle2 William Cheadle1,2 Elizabeth Chrisman2 Nancy Christopherson1 Evan Clawson1 Paige Clawson1 Nicole Colby1,2 Swatara Collins1 Victoria Crossan1,2 Paul Dabney1,2 Anna Diemer1,2 Keith Dixon2 Michael Dorn1,2 Steve Dukes1,2 Emily Eads1,2
Randy Eckman1,2 Paul Ehrsam1,2 Raul Enriquez1,2 Chris Fair1,2 Brianna Fernandez2 Amanda Fetter-Matthys1,2 Ian Fetterley1,2 Julia FitzGerald1,2 Raymond Fonseca1,2 Katie Fry1,2 Joseph Frybert1,2 Rachel Gehman1,2 Sajju George1,2 Rex Gillit1,2 Rebecca Girardet1,2 Taylor Golden White1,2 Robert Gomez1,2 Daniel Gorelick1,2 Hannah Gronseth2 Will Hailey1,2 Julia Hall1,2 Susan Hall1,2 Austin Hart1,2 Jen Hart 2 Scott Hassett1,2 Matthew Henderson1.2 Megan Henry2
CHORUS ROSTER continued Catherine Howard1 George Howe1 Jillian Hughes2 Jerome Hunter1 Sylvia Hysong1,2 Sean Jackson1 Stephen James1,2 Timothy Joya1,2 Brionne Kelly1,2 Chris Kersten1,2 Michael Kessler1 Karen King-Ellis1,2 Nobuhide Kobori1,2 David Kolacny1 Elizabeth Kragas2 Gillian Kruse1 Kat Kunz2 Julie Kutac2 Brian Lassinger2 Cynthia Lavenda1 Josh Levine2 Benjamin Luss1,2 Laura Martin1,2 Ken Mathews1,2 Ben May1 Sarah McConnell1,2 Janet Menzie1 Scott Mermelstein1.2 Dan Miner2 Travis Mohle1,2 Jim Moore1 Jeb Mueller1,2 Shelby Murphy1 Teonna Murphy2 Robert Nash1,2 Benedict Nguyen2 Theresa Olin1,2 David Opheim1,2 Alyssa Orlando1,2 Janwin Overstreet-Goode1,2 Marie Parisot1,2 Bill Parker1,2 Jennifer Paulson1,2 Sydney Peltier1,2 Charnele Pendarivs-Romero2 Alex Perez1,2 Daniel Ponce1 Chantel Potvin1,2 Lauren Price1,2 Jayna Queen1,2 Greg Railsback1,2 Karen Ramirez1,2 Jessica Rangel1,2 Natalia Rawle1,2 Linda Renner1,2 Rachel Rentz1 John Richardson1 Douglas Rodenberger1,2 Carolyn Rogan1,2 James Roman1 Grace Roman1 Micah Schirado1,2 Gary Scullin2 Angela Seaman2 Tony Sessions1,2 Claire Sewell1 Debra Siebert1 Jeff Simmons1 Aubrey Smith2 Christopher Song1,2
Dewell Springer1,2 Mark Standridge1,2 Cecilia Sun1 Suzanne Thacker1,2 Alisa Tobin2 Marin Trautman1 Lisa Trewin1,2 Shane Tucker1,2 Michael Vallikappil1,2 Paul Van Dorn1 Abby Veliz2 Mary Voigt1,2 Christine Voss1,2 Lori Wagner1,2 Heidi Walton1 Jo Beth Wasicek1 Beth Weidler1,2 Alex Weldy1 Kat White1,2 Lee Williams1,2 Jessie Wong2 Carol Yip1 Victoria Zielinski1,2 Jessica Zuniga1
EMERITUS MEMBERS Bruce Boyle Barbara Bush Anne Campbell James R. Carazola Carol Carthel James Carthel Rochella Cooper Debby Cutler Roger Cutler Marilyn Dyess Christine Economides Sally Evans Richard Field David Fox Mary Gahr Clarice Gatlin Bill Goddard John Grady Judy Hill Chuck Izzo Berma Kinsey David Knoll Joyce Lewis John MacDonald Joan Mercado Dave Nussmann Janis Parish Nina Peropoulos Peter Peropoulos Linda Peters Jan Russell June Russell Menthola Stevenson Tony Vazquez Vicki Westbrook Jim Wilhite Pam Wilhite Patsy Wilson
InTUNE — September 2018 | 7
STAFF
ADMINISTRATIVE
The Houston Symphony Administrative Staff is made up of 67 full-time and part-time professionals who work diligently behind-the-scenes to ensure all operations within the organization are run effectively and efficiently. This inspiring team is dedicated to bringing the great music of the Houston Symphony to our community. SENIOR MANAGEMENT GROUP
FINANCE/ADMINISTRATION/IT/HR
John Mangum, Executive Director/CEO, Margaret Alkek Williams Chair Pam Blaine, Chief of Education and Community Programming Elizabeth S. Condic, Chief Financial Officer Vicky Dominguez, Chief Operating Officer Trazanna Moreno, Chief Marketing Officer Mary Beth Mosley, Interim Co-Chief Development Officer/ Director, Institutional Giving and Stewardship Molly Simpson, Interim Co-Chief Development Officer/ Director, Individual Giving and Major Gifts
Lucy Alejandro, Senior Accountant Angela Alfred, Director of Planning and Analysis Brittany Basden, Support Engineer Caitlin Boake, IT Associate Joel James, Senior HR Manager Christian Kuri, Payroll and Accounts Payable Analyst Mateo Lopez, Accounting Clerk Anthony Stringer, IT Associate Justine Townsend, Director of Finance Ariela Ventura, Office Manager/HR Coordinator
Christine Kelly-Weaver, Executive Assistant/Board Liaison
MARKETING/COMMUNICATIONS/PATRON SERVICES
DEVELOPMENT Michael Arlen, Associate Director, Individual Giving and Major Gifts Liam Bonner, Manager, Annual Giving Groups Julie Busch, Manager, League Relations and Fundraising Irma M. Carrillo, Development Manager, Gifts and Records Timothy Dillow, Director, Special Events Amanda T. Dinitz, Major Gifts Officer Sydnee E. Houlette, Development Associate, Institutional Giving Rachel Klaassen, Manager, Special Events Leticia Konigsberg, Director, Corporate Relations Patrick Quinn, Director, Planned Giving Martin Schleuse, Development Communications Manager Sarah Slemmons, Patron Donor Relations Manager Christina Trunzo, Associate Director, Foundation & Government Grants
Mark Bailes, Patron Service Representative Shelby Banda, Patron Service Representative Calvin Dotsey, Communications Specialist Heather Fails, Manager, Ticketing Database Elizabeth Faulkinberry, Front of House Manager Samuel Garcia, Patron Service Representative Kristin Hawkins, Graphic Designer Kathryn Judd, Director, Marketing Melanie O'Neill, Creative Specialist Sarah Rendón, Assistant Manager, Patron Services Mireya Reyna, Public Relations Coordinator Vanessa Rivera, Digital Marketing Manager Ashley Rodriguez, Patron Services Senior Representative Katie Sejba, Senior Director, Marketing & Sales Marylu Treviño, Digital Communications Manager Linsey Whitehead, Director, Creative Services Jenny Zuniga, Director, Patron Services
EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING
OPERATIONS/ARTISTIC
Allison Conlan, Director, Education Emily Nelson, Associate Director, Education and Community Programming Ana Rodriguez, Education & Community Engagement Assistant Garrett Shaw, Education & Community Programming Coordinator
Carlos Andrés Botero, Musical Ambassador Becky Brown, Director, Operations Anna Diemer, Chorus Manager Jessica Fertinel, Assistant to the Music Director Michael Gorman, Orchestra Personnel Manager Mark Grady, Stage Manager Joshua Hall, Assistant Orchestra Personnel Manager Hae-a Lee, Assistant Librarian Michael McMurray, Assistant Librarian Karoline Melstveit, Artistic Assistant Lesley Sabol, Director, Popular Programming Brad Sayles, Recording Engineer Thomas Takaro, Librarian Meredith Williams, Associate Director, Operations Rebecca Zabinski, Director, Artistic Planning
8 | Houston Symphony
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InTUNE — September 2018 | 9
New Century Society FOR ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION The New Century Society for Artistic Excellence and Innovation recognizes the Houston Symphony’s most committed and loyal supporters who have pledged their leadership support over a three-year period to help secure the orchestra’s financial future. Ms. Marie Taylor Bosarge Margaret Alkek Williams Janice Barrow Rochelle & Max Levit Cora Sue & Harry Mach John & Lindy Rydman / Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods/ Spec’s Charitable Foundation Bobby & Phoebe Tudor Clare Attwell Glassell Albert & Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation Mr. John N. Neighbors Mr. & Mrs. Jim R. Smith Mike Stude Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor
Robin Angly & Miles Smith Gary & Marian Beauchamp Barbara J. Burger Ron Franklin & Janet Gurwitch The Hearst Foundation, Inc. The Joan and Marvin Kaplan Foundation Joella & Steven P. Mach Mr. & Mrs. J. Stephen Marks Barbara & Pat McCelvey Houston Methodist Carol & Michael Linn & The Michael C. Linn Family Foundation Rand Group Mr. & Mrs. William K. Robbins Jr. / The Robbins Foundation Steven & Nancy Williams
Baker Botts L.L.P. Beauchamp Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Edward F. Blackburne Jr. Viviana & David Denechaud/ Sidley Austin LLP Stephen & Mariglyn Glenn Dave & Alie Pruner Mr. & Mrs. James A. Shaffer
Member SPOTLIGHT New Century Society Members Mr. and Mrs. William K. Robbins Jr. and The Robbins Foundation provide leadership support of our Robbins Foundation Student Concert Series. Because of their generosity, these performances reached more than 37,000 students during our 2017-18 Season.
Leadership COUNCIL Leadership Council donors have committed $45,000 or more in support of the Annual Fund, special projects and fundraising events over a three-year period ($15,000+ annually). Danielle & Josh Batchelor Mr. & Mrs. Walter V. Boyle Justice Brett & Erin Busby The Elkins Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Fred L. Gorman
The Melbern G. and Susanne M. Glasscock Foundation Mr. & Mrs. U. J. LeGrange Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis Billy & Christie McCartney Rita & Paul Morico
Susan & Edward Osterberg Ken* & Carol Lee Robertson Michael J. Shawiak Stephen & Kristine Wallace Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber
Robert G. Weiner & Toni Blankmann Mr. & Mrs. C. Clifford Wright Jr. *deceased
For more information or to pledge your support for the New Century Society or the Leadership Council, please contact: Mary Beth Mosley, Interim Co-Chief Development Officer /Director, Institutional Giving and Stewardship, 713.337.8521 Molly Simpson, Interim Co-Chief Development Officer /Director, Individual Giving and Major Gifts, 713.337.8526
10 | Houston Symphony
Vision
2025 Implementation Fund
Vision 2025, the Houston Symphony’s ten-year Strategic Plan, describes our vision to be America’s most relevant and accessible top ten orchestra by 2025. Since the plan was launched in 2015, the Houston Symphony has received generous contributions from hundreds of donors in support of the Vision 2025 Implementation Fund which surpassed $10 million in donations in the 2017-18 season. The fund includes support of specific initiatives that advance the goals of the Strategic Plan, such as: • The orchestra’s first multi-city European Tour in 20 years. • New and expanded education and community programming like the industry-leading Community-Embedded Musicians initiative. • Commissioning and recording initiatives like our cycle of late Dvořák symphonies, Music of the Americas; Haydn—The Creation, and Berg: Wozzeck, which recently earned the Houston Symphony’s first Grammy Award®. In addition, in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, donors have also supported the Symphony’s Harvey Recovery Fund, allowing us to continue to work toward our vision during a challenging time. We are honored by their generous support. $1 MILLION OR MORE
The Brown Foundation, Inc. Rochelle & Max Levit
$500,000-$999,999
Janice Barrow Barbara J. Burger Janet F. Clark The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Bobby & Phoebe Tudor Margaret Alkek Williams
$250,000-$499,999
The Cullen Foundation Clare Attwell Glassell Houston Endowment Mr. John N. Neighbors C. Howard Pieper Foundation Spec's Charitable Foundation Shirley W. Toomim
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ANDRÉS
of Y E A R S
C E L E B R AT I N G A D Y N A M I C M U S I C D I R E C T O R This season will be Andrés Orozco-Estrada’s fifth as the Houston Symphony’s music director. During his tenure, Andrés has established a deep bond with the orchestra that has resulted in electrifying performances. His virtuoso technique, openness, out-of-the-box ideas and enthusiasm for collaboration have brought new excitement to the Jones Hall stage and beyond. Here are just a few highlights of Andrés’ first four years in Houston.
HIGHLIGHTS EUROPEAN TOUR
In March 2018, Andrés led the orchestra on its first major European tour in more than twenty years. Critics and audiences alike hailed the orchestra in Brussels, Essen, Berlin, Warsaw, Vienna, Hamburg, Hannover and Munich.
OPERA AND DANCE
Keen to explore all facets of the repertoire, Andrés has championed a diverse array of collaborative theatrical projects. Performances of Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio, Beethoven’s Fidelio (with guest narrator Phylicia Rashad), Peter and the Wolf (with guest narrator Ben Kingsley), Stravinsky’s Petrouchka, Schumann’s The Pilgrimage of the Rose and The Rite of Spring 3D have delighted audiences and enhanced the versatility of the orchestra. This season ends with highly-anticipated performances of Bartók’s operatic thriller, Bluebeard’s Castle.
RECORDING
Andrés has expanded your Grammy Award®-winning Houston Symphony’s rich recorded legacy with several critically acclaimed recordings, including Dvořák’s Symphonies Nos. 6, 7, 8 and 9; Haydn—The Creation; and Music of the Americas.
WORLD PREMIERES
Committed to the music of today, Andrés has conducted world premieres of works by Gabriela Lena Frank and John Corigliano right here in Houston. He also inaugurated the Houston Symphony’s Young Composer Competition in the 2016-17 Season. This season, audiences can look forward to the world premiere of a Violin Concerto by Composer-inResidence Jimmy López.
GREAT PERFORMANCES
From his Houston Symphony debut with Berlioz’ Symphonie fantastique in 2012, the orchestra has been entranced and inspired by Andrés’ leadership. Collaborations with Emanuel Ax, Hilary Hahn, Lang Lang, Gil Shaham and Yo-Yo Ma have yielded unforgettable performances, and audiences have given standing ovations to his interpretations of both familiar masterpieces by Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms and modern classics by Mahler, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Bartók, Lutosławski and Ives. As we look forward to the years ahead, we can expect more great music as his relationship with the orchestra continues to deepen and mature. 12 | Houston Symphony
Time Future Time Past
Season
18-19
Richard Goode, piano
Works of Hadyn, Mozart, Schubert and Chopin
“Richard Goode is one of the finest pianists in the world.” The Washington Post
September 29 Cullen Theater, Wortham Center
Da Camera and Houston Early Music present
Jordi Savall
French Baroque music from the film Tous les matins du monde March 1
New York Philharmonic String Quartet
Featuring former Houston Symphony concertmaster Frank Huang March 29
Tickets: dacamera.com or call 713-524-5050
Sarah Rothenberg
For tickets
InTUNE — September 2018 | 13
FEATURED PROGRAM
VIVA LAS VEGAS Friday Saturday Sunday
August 31, 2018 8:00pm September 1, 2018 8:00pm September 2, 2018 7:30pm
Jones Hall
Steven Reineke, conductor Frankie Moreno, vocalist, guitar and piano Tony Moreno, bass Alec Zeilon, guitar Mike Zerbe, drums Fabricio Bezerra, James D'Arrigo, saxophones Pete Bresciani, trumpet Crystal Robinson, Ashley Kellough, Markevious Faulkner, vocalists Lacey Schwimmer, dancer
TONIGHT’S PROGRAM WILL BE ANNOUNCED FROM THE STAGE. THERE WILL BE ONE INTERMISSION.
14 | Houston Symphony
Viva Las Vegas | Program Biographies
Program BIOGRAPHIES These performances are generously supported in part by: Underwriter
Official Airline
Video enhancement of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation through a special gift celebrating the foundation’s 50th anniversary in 2015.
Steven Reineke | conductor Steven Reineke has established himself as one of North America's leading conductors of popular music. In addition to being Principal POPS Conductor at the Houston Symphony, Steven is the music director of The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, principal pops conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and principal pops conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. He previously held the posts of principal pops conductor of the Long Beach and Modesto Symphony Orchestras and associate conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. Steven is a frequent guest conductor with The Philadelphia Orchestra and has been on the podium with the Boston Pops Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia. His extensive North American conducting appearances include Atlanta, Cincinnati, Edmonton and San Francisco. On stage, Steven has created programs and collaborated with a range of leading artists from the worlds of hip hop, Broadway, television and rock, including Common, Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Sutton Foster, Megan Hilty, Cheyenne Jackson, Wayne Brady, Peter Frampton and Ben Folds, among others. In 2017, he was featured on National Public Radio's All Things Considered leading the National Symphony Orchestra—in a first for the show’s 45-year history—performing live music excerpts between news segments.
United Airlines has been a long-time supporter of a variety of charitable and artistic organizations, believing it is essential for a global corporation to be socially responsible. United’s philosophy has always been to demonstrate excellent corporate citizenship in its interactions with its employees, the community and the environment. United is proud to have been the Official Airline of the Houston Symphony for many years. United Airlines operates more than 4,500 flights a day to more than 357 airports in 48 countries, flying 148 million passengers in 2017. More than 88,000 United employees reside in every U.S. state and in countries around the world, with more than 14,000 in Houston alone. George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is the airline’s gateway to Latin America, and more than half of United’s 91 daily nonstop international departures are to Mexico, Latin America or the Caribbean. United’s MileagePlus loyalty program was awarded Best Frequent Flyer Bonus Program and Best Overall Frequent Flyer Program by Global Traveler magazine for the 12th consecutive year.
As the creator of more than 100 orchestral arrangements for the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Steven’s work has been performed worldwide and can be heard on numerous Cincinnati Pops Orchestra recordings on the Telarc label. His symphonic works Celebration Fanfare, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Casey at the Bat are performed frequently in North America, including performances by the New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic. His Sun Valley Festival Fanfare was used to commemorate the Sun Valley Summer Symphony’s pavilion, and his Festival Te Deum and Swan’s Island Sojourn were debuted by the Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops Orchestras. His numerous wind ensemble compositions are published by the C.L. Barnhouse Company and are performed by concert bands worldwide. A native of Ohio, Steven is a graduate of Miami University of Ohio, where he earned Bachelor of Music degrees with honors in both trumpet performance and music composition. He currently resides in New York City with his husband, Eric Gabbard.
InTUNE — September 2018 | 15
Program BIOGRAPHIES , continued
Frankie Moreno | vocalist Singer, showman, songwriter, musician… Frankie Moreno is all of these and more. As a child prodigy on the piano and a gifted multi-instrumentalist, Frankie was first introduced to American audiences at age 10 on CBS’ Star Search. Since then, named Las Vegas Headliner of the Year three times, he has wowed audiences from coast to coast performing his own brand of pianopounding rock ‘n’ roll. Frankie’s performance on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars returned him to America’s living rooms. Performing his self-penned hit “Tangerine Honey,” he has stayed there with more television appearances, magazine covers and sold-out concerts, including New York’s Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and the Hollywood Bowl. The recipient of an Emmy nomination for his national TV special, Songs at Home, Frankie is now starring in PBS’ nationwide special, Frankie Moreno In Concert. With one million record sales worldwide, Frankie has collaborated on new music with producer, engineer and guitar legend, Pat Thrall (Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber). “Frankie is one of the most naturally gifted musicians I’ve ever worked with. We both share the same vision for music, so it’s a fun and exciting process,” Pat says. Frankie's latest collaboration for Sony Records, with worldrenowned violinist Joshua Bell, reached #1 on the Billboard charts in two categories. Other artists on this album were Sting, Josh Groban, Chris Botti, Kristin Chenoweth and Regina Spektor. Together, they filmed Great Performances: Live from Lincoln Center for PBS. He toured the United States with Grammy-nominated country artist Billy Currington and country superstars Sugarland. He has toured as musical director with multi-platinum artists, Air Supply, and he wrote their recent single, “Dance with Me,” which reached Billboard’s Top 40. In addition to touring from Paris to Oslo and Tokyo to Seoul, Frankie is writing and producing music for other artists. He recently embarked on an orchestral tour with his new show, Blue Suede Tunes, opening at Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and continuing and in Baltimore, Indianapolis, Toronto and New York. Frankie Moreno continues to command audiences with his highly contagious music and playful stage antics. With his cleverly crafted songs and virtuoso musicianship, he is unquestionably a unique artist and an all-around talent who puts his heart and soul into his music. 16 | Houston Symphony
Lacey Schwimmer | dancer Lacey Schwimmer is best known for her success as a finalist on Fox's So You Think You Can Dance (Season 3) and as a professional dancer on ABC's Dancing with the Stars (six consecutive seasons). She has choreographed many awardwinning contemporary, hip hop, jazz, Latin, swing and ballroom pieces and has won multiple U.S. and world titles for swing and international Latin dance. She continues to judge and teach dance around the world. Lacey was born into a dancing family. Her father, Buddy, choreographed the motion picture American Graffiti; her mother, Laurie, was classically trained as a ballerina; and her brother, Benji, won Season 2 of So You Think You Can Dance. Lacey got her first U. S. swing dance title when she was just 10 years old, and she went on to be the World Swing Dance Champion and United States Youth Latin Champion, ranked 42nd in the world for international Latin dancing. Along with her famous dancing family, Lacey owns and co-directs The Dance Center, a competitive dance studio in Redlands, California. Her many choreography and artistic direction credits include Dancing with the Stars, Strictly Come Dancing, So You Think You Can Dance; stage shows such as Frankie Moreno LIVE, Frankie Moreno Under the Influence, Legends in Concert and Pin Up starring playmate Claire Sinclair, Ballroom with a Twist and Dance to the Movies; the Knicks City Dancers; and Broadway Dance Center. Lacey has choreographed and directed many Grammy Award®winning artists such as Christina Aguilera, Nicki Minaj, LMFAO, OneRepublic, Reba McEntire, Whitney Houston and the Jackson Family. Her first pop single, “Love Soundz,” reached #7 on the Billboard Dance charts. She has also choreographed for Holland America's Dancing with the Stars at Sea and a Lionsgate’s Dancing with the Stars workout DVD. Lacey has been a guest designer for Discount Dance Supply with her signature line. Recently, she filmed two new dance-based TV shows and was the cohost of Dancing with the Stars All Access.
OCTOBER CONCERTS BBVA COMPASS FAMILY SERIES OPENER
Peter and
the Wolf
The Music of
ABBA
OCTOBER 6
SYMPHONIC SPOOKTACULAR
OCTOBER 5-7
OCTOBER 13
PERLMAN Plays & Conducts OCTOBER 18, 20, 21
Itzhak Perlman, conductor and violin Margaret Alkek Williams, Underwriter Shirley W. Toomim, Underwriter
“Indisputably one of the great violinists” – THE GUARDIAN
ITZHAK PERLMAN, violin
KAREN GOMYO, violin
HANSON STRING
TCHAIKOVSKY’S
THEORY, Live with the Houston Symphony
Violin Concerto OCTOBER 26-28
OCTOBER 23 Tickets start at $25
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FEATURED PROGRAM
OPENING NIGHT WITH YUJA WANG Saturday
September 8, 2018 7:30pm
Jones Hall
Gustavo Gimeno, conductor Yuja Wang, piano
The Star-Spangled Banner
ca. 2
Ravel
Alborada del gracioso from Miroirs
ca. 7
Ravel
Concerto for Piano, Left Hand, in D major
ca. 19
Overture to The School for Scandal
ca. 8
Selections for solo piano
ca. 15
Suite No. 2 from Romeo and Juliet, Opus 64ter 1. Montagues and Capulets: Andante Suite No. 1 from Romeo and Juliet, Opus 64bis 5. Masks: Andante marciale 6. Romeo and Juliet: Larghetto 7. The Death of Tybalt: Precipitato
ca. 5
J.S. Smith/ Ormandy
Barber Rachmaninoff Prokofiev
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORBERT KNIAT
18 | Houston Symphony
ca. 3 ca. 8 ca. 5
Did you know? • Maurice Ravel visited Houston during his tour of the United States in 1928 and gave a lecture at the Rice Institute, which later became Rice University. • Paul Wittgenstein, the pianist who commissioned Ravel's Concerto for the Left Hand, came from a talented family: his brother, Ludwig Wittgenstein, became a famous philosopher.
Opening Night is supported in part by:
Opening Night with Yuja Wang | Program Biographies
Program BIOGRAPHIES Corporate Sponsor & Lead Corporate Gala Underwriter
Gustavo Gimeno | conductor
Opening Night Concert & Gala Dinner Donna & Max Chapman, Chairs Daniela & Manolo Sánchez, Honorary Chairs
ConocoPhillips Steinway & Sons Margaret Alkek Williams Donna & Max Chapman Janet F. Clark Mariglyn and Stephen Glenn Cora Sue and Harry Mach / Joella and Steven P. Mach Bobby and Phoebe Tudor BBVA Compass Cameron Management Kirkland & Ellis LLP Katie and Bob Orr / Oliver Wyman Betty & Jesse B. Tutor in honor of Donna & Max Chapman, Daniela & Manolo Sánchez Robin Angly and Miles Smith Beck Redden LLP Chevron Jena and Buddy Clark Alie and Dave Pruner Miwa Sakashita and John Stroehlein Daniela and Manolo Sánchez UTHealth Jo Dee and Cliff Wright
ConocoPhillips has been a proud supporter of the Houston Symphony for five decades. It applauds the Symphony’s efforts to promote music education, cultural awareness and Houston’s vibrant arts community. As one of the world’s largest independent exploration and production companies, ConocoPhillips is committed to being a great neighbor and responsible citizen in the communities in which it lives and works. The company’s support of the Houston Symphony is just one example of how it gives back to the community.
MARCO BORGGREVE
The Opening Night Concert & Gala Dinner has received leadership support from:
Gustavo Gimeno has been music director of the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg (OPL) since 2015. He has conducted the OPL in a wide variety of concert formats, appearing with the orchestra in many of the most prestigious concert halls throughout Europe. He builds on the successful tours of previous seasons with guest performances in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Turkey and Greece. Gustavo and the OPL will continue their series of recordings, launched in 2017, on the classical label Pentatone. Since this collaboration began, the First Symphonies of Dmitri Shostakovich and Anton Bruckner, Maurice Ravel’s complete ballet music to Daphnis et Chloé and, most recently, Gustav Mahler’s Fourth Symphony have been released. During past seasons, Gustavo has shared the Luxembourg Philharmonie stage with soloists Daniel Barenboim, Krystian Zimerman, Khatia Buniatishvili, Bryn Terfel and Frank Peter Zimmermann. Guest artists during the 2018/2019 season will include Leonidas Kavakos, Yuja Wang and Katia and Marielle Labèque. Gustavo is also a much sought-after guest conductor. In 2018-19, he returns to the Cleveland Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna Symphony, the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic. He makes his debut conducting this orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the St. Louis Symphony, the Seattle Symphony, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. He will return to the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, which specializes in historically informed performance practice, conducting symphonies by Robert Schumann. He will appear at the Zürich Opera for the first time in January 2019 with Verdi’s Rigoletto, in a production directed by Tatjana Gürbaca. He will also conduct concert performances of this opera with the OPL in Luxembourg and Paris. Gustavo made his opera debut in 2015 with Bellini’s Norma at the Valencia Opera House. In 2017, he conducted Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra and Mozart’s Don Giovanni with the OPL at Luxembourg’s Grand Théâtre. Born in Valencia, Gustavo Gimeno began his international conducting career in 2012 as assistant to Mariss Jansons, while he was a member of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. He also gained invaluable experience as assistant to Bernard Haitink and Claudio Abbado, who strongly supported and influenced him as a mentor.
InTUNE — September 2018 | 19
Program BIOGRAPHIES , continued
Program NOTES
Yuja Wang | piano
Alborada del gracioso from Miroirs
KIRK EDWARDS
“Her combination of technical ease, colouristic range and sheer power has always been remarkable … but these days there is an ever-greater depth to her musicianship, drawing you into the world of each composer with compelling immediacy.” Financial Times, June 2018 Critical superlatives and audience ovations have followed Yuja Wang’s dazzling career. The Beijing-born pianist, celebrated for her charismatic artistry and captivating stage presence, is ready to register fresh achievements during the 2018-19 season, which features recitals, concert series, season residencies and tours with some of the world’s most venerated ensembles and conductors. She began the summer of 2018 with a performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 at the Tanglewood Music Center with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Andris Nelsons. That performance was followed by a tour with the Berlin Philharmonic and Kirill Petrenko on a program featuring Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.#3. Later engagements include an extensive recital tour to South America as well as several concerts with the Munich Philharmonic and Valery Gergiev in Asia. She will be the artist-in-residence for the Carnegie Foundation’s Perspectives as well as at the Wiener Konzerthaus and for the Philharmonie Luxembourg. In addition to these performances, highlight engagements include concerts with the Vienna Philharmonic at Versailles as well as the Summer Night Concert Schönbrunn with Gustavo Dudamel. She also embarks on tours with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla. Other notable appearances include concerts in Istanbul, Toronto, Los Angeles, Chicago and Kotor. Spring 2019 sees Yuja embark on a tour to Los Angeles, Seoul and Tokyo with the Los Angeles Philharmonic to give the first-ever performances of John Adams’ newest piano concerto. She reunites with cellist and frequent collaborator Gautier Capuçon for a vast U.S. chamber tour. Yuja Wang was born into a musical family. After childhood piano studies in China, she received advanced training in Canada and at Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music under Gary Graffman. Her international breakthrough came in 2007 when she replaced Martha Argerich as soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Two years later, she signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon and has since established her place among the world’s leading artists with a succession of critically acclaimed performances and recordings. Yuja was named Musical America’s Artist of the Year for 2017. 20 | Houston Symphony
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Although he lived most of his life in or near Paris, Maurice Ravel was actually born in the village of Ciboure near the Spanish border. His mother, a Basque woman, imparted him with a love of Basque and Spanish culture which inspired many of his greatest masterpieces. Ravel’s Spanish-inflected Alborada del gracioso began life as part of Miroirs, a suite of short piano pieces composed in 1905. Ravel later employed his unsurpassed imagination as an orchestrator to turn the Alborada into a glittering piece for orchestra. Alborada del gracioso translates as “The Jester’s Aubade”—an aubade is a love song meant to be sung in the morning (as opposed to a serenade, which is traditionally sung in the evening). This, however, is a jester’s aubade, and the music has a sunny, whimsical sense of humor. Quick, brilliant outer sections surround a calmer inner section, which features a prominent solo for bassoon—perhaps this is the jester’s love song. The Instruments: 3 flutes (3rd doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, crotales, triangle, tambourine, castanets, side drum, cymbals, bass drum, xylophone, 2 harps and strings
Concerto for Piano, Left Hand, in D major Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Less than a month after the start of World War I, the pianist Paul Wittgenstein, a junior officer in the Austro-Hungarian army, was assigned to a reconnaissance mission that went terribly wrong. He was shot in his right elbow, and most of his arm had to be amputated. Thanks to his remarkable perseverance, he nevertheless went on to have an influential career as a pianist; he commissioned many leading composers to write new works for him. At his behest, Richard Strauss, Sergei Prokofiev and Benjamin Britten would all contribute to the left-hand piano literature, but perhaps the greatest work Wittgenstein commissioned is Ravel’s Concerto for the Left Hand. Ravel met Wittgenstein in March 1929 and completed the concerto by September 1930. At 55, Ravel was at the height of his fame and powers, and he was intrigued by the challenge of composing a piano concerto that used only one hand. “A severe limitation of this sort poses a rather arduous problem for the composer. The attempts at resolving this problem, moreover, are extremely rare,” he explained. “The fear of difficulty, however, is never as keen as the pleasure of contending with it, and, if possible, of overcoming it. That is why I acceded to Wittgenstein’s request to compose a concerto for him. I carried out my task with enthusiasm […]”
Opening Night with Yuja Wang | Program Notes
Indeed, he did overcome the challenge he set himself; early critics praised the work as miraculous, responding to the illusion of two-handed playing that Ravel created with rich, full sonorities for the one-handed soloist. In addition to its sensuous appeal, this concerto is also one of Ravel’s most profoundly moving compositions, a testament to the power of human creativity to overcome even seemingly insurmountable challenges. The concerto is structured as one movement with two clear parts. The first has a slower tempo and alternates grand passages for orchestra with moving piano solos. The faster second part takes the form of a march and features dancing melodies for the soloist. From the murky beginning to the brilliant conclusion, Ravel creates astonishing orchestral effects with unusual combinations of instruments; perhaps better than any other composer, Ravel knew how to make the orchestra ring. In this piece, the waves of crescendos and decrescendos are especially masterful. The Instruments: 3 flutes (1 doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, E-flat clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp and strings
Overture to The School for Scandal Samuel Barber (1910-1981)
Penned by the Irish playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal was the hit comedy of the London stage in 1777. A witty parable about the often deceptive nature of appearances, the play contrasts two brothers: one has an upstanding reputation but proves unscrupulous, while the other lives a profligate life of drinking and gambling but has a heart of gold. In 1931, the play inspired the 21-year-old American composer Samuel Barber to compose his first major work. He wrote it during an idyllic summer spent in the Italian lake country with his boyfriend, Gian Carlo Menotti, a fellow music student at Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute, who would become his life partner and a famous composer in his own right. The overture’s tunefulness and formal perfection have made it one of Barber’s most popular works. It has three main musical ideas: the mischievous opening, with its gossipy whispers; a warm, lyrical theme for oboe; and a more playful idea introduced by the clarinet. After a brief development based on the first idea, these themes are reprised, leading to an effervescent ending. The Instruments: 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, celesta and strings
Selections from Romeo and Juliet, Opus 64 Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (1891-1953)
The Soviet government offered Prokofiev the commission for the ballet Romeo & Juliet in 1934 as part of a charm campaign to lure him back to Russia. Homesick and disappointed with his career in the West, he hoped to find more success in his native land, even if he had to make occasional artistic compromises with Soviet apparatchiks. Needless to say, he vastly underestimated the level of harassment and terror he would have to endure once he and his family permanently relocated. Romeo and Juliet would have a particularly troubled genesis. His new Soviet colleagues heavily criticized the initial draft Prokofiev presented in 1935 and demanded revisions, but such disputes were ultimately overshadowed by Stalin’s purges and the execution of the Bolshoi’s administrative director in 1937. The ballet’s premiere thus took place in Brno, Czechoslovakia in 1938. When the ballet was at last performed in Leningrad in 1940, it proved to be one of the great triumphs of Prokofiev’s career. Despite the circumstances, Prokofiev had written one of the greatest ballet scores in history and one of the most evocative musical interpretations of Shakespeare’s story. No other version captures so well the characters’ adolescent irreverence or the tragic absurdity of their fate. The score contains some of Prokofiev’s most memorable melodies, and continues to be performed in concert halls and ballet theaters across the world. The four selections on this program were taken from suites Prokofiev prepared in 1936 when the prospects of a staged performance seemed dim. The first excerpt, titled Montagues and Capulets, begins with an imposing dissonance representing the hatred between the two families. This segues into the famous music from the ball scene; structurally, the oppressive opening melody is reprised after a more delicate, contrasting section. The second selection, Masks, is the music that accompanies the dance of Romeo and his Montague friends as they sneak into the Capulet’s masked ball; it perfectly captures the attitude of these devil-may-care teenagers. The next number, Romeo and Juliet, adapts music from the balcony scene. The last selection, The Death of Tybalt, telescopes the action of Tybalt’s murder of Romeo’s friend Mercutio and Romeo’s subsequent revenge. The music begins as a dangerous game, but becomes more intense as the violins’ virtuoso runs illustrate the fury of Romeo and Tybalt’s duel. The implacable, pounding rhythms of the final section accompany Tybalt’s fateful demise. —Calvin Dotsey The Instruments: 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, piano doubling celesta and strings InTUNE — September 2018 | 21
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Houston Youth Symphony
Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4, Op. 36 Fall Concert, featuring 4 orchestras Sunday, November 4; 4:00 pm Stude Concert Hall, Rice University Shepherd School of Music
Music Director Andrés Orozco Estrada and President of Chevron Technology Ventures L.L.C. Barbara Burger
FIESTA sinfónica
Sponsor HoustonYouthSymphony.com • 713.785.2422
SPOTLIGHT InTUNE — September 2018 | 23
FEATURED PROGRAM
FIESTA SINFÓNICA Sunday
September 9, 2018 6:00pm
Jones Hall
Pablo Rus Broseta, conductor Jason Vieaux, guitar
Falla
Rodrigo
Rimsky-Korsakov
J.P. Moncayo
Three Dances from El Sombrero de tres picos (The Three-Cornered Hat) III Final Dance (Jota): Poco mosso—Allegro ritmico, molto moderato e pesante
ca. 7
Did you know?
Concierto de Aranjuez for Guitar and Orchestra I Allegro con spirito II Adagio III Allegro gentile
ca. 22
• Jason Vieaux started playing the guitar at age 5 after his mother noticed his interest in music and bought him a small, 3/4 size guitar.
Capriccio espagnol, Opus 34 I Alborada: Vivo e strepitoso— II Variazioni: Andante con moto— III Alborada: Vivo e strepitoso— IV Scena e Canto gitano: Allegretto— V Fandango asturiano
ca. 15
Huapango
ca. 9
24 | Houston Symphony
• This year marks the Houston Symphony's 30th presentation of our annual Fiesta Sinfónica concerts. Enjoy!
Fiesta Sinfónica | Program Biographies
Program BIOGRAPHIES Fiesta Sinfónica is sponsored in part by:
Pablo Rus Broseta | conductor
Video enhancement of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation through a special gift celebrating the foundation’s 50th anniversary in 2015.
Chevron is one of the world's leading integrated energy companies with more than 60,000 people conducting business worldwide—including a workforce of more than 10,000 right here in Houston. Each year, Chevron contributes millions of dollars and thousands of volunteer hours to nonprofit organizations that serve the needs of the communities where the company operates. Houston employees have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to local charities and provide nearly 30,000 volunteer hours each year. Chevron has a long legacy of philanthropy in the Bayou City. In fact, this year, Chevron celebrates its 30th anniversary of supporting the Houston Symphony’s Education and Community Programs. Chevron provides high-quality energy products to customers, value to investors and benefit to the Houston community through direct involvement. Chevron calls that the power of human energy. Learn more at www.chevron.com.
YUEN LUI STUDIO
Pablo Rus Broseta is associate conductor of the Seattle Symphony and music director of the Jove Orquestra de la Generalitat Valenciana. He is rapidly building a wideranging repertoire from Handel to John Adams with a focus on the great symphonic repertoire. This season, he leads the Seattle Symphony in a wide variety of concerts, including Bruch’s Violin Concerto with Itzhak Perlman, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and a festival of Brahms concertos. In the 2017-18 season, he conducted a benefit concert featuring Macklemore, Ryan Lewis and Ciara; a festival of Prokofiev concertos; and an all-Russian program with pianist Beatrice Rana. As guest conductor, Pablo’s 2018-19 season includes debuts with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Omaha Symphony and Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, and return engagements here and with the North Carolina Symphony; in Europe, he conducts the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia and SWR Symphonieorchester in Stuttgart. Recent highlights include performances with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Orquesta de Valencia, WDR Köln and Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música. In 2014, Pablo led a joint performance of the SWR Symphonieorchester and the Ensemble Modern at the Festival Musica in Strasbourg. He has since appeared with the Orquesta Filarmónica de Buenos Aires, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica de Radio Televisión Española, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Orchestre Les Siècles (which performs on period instruments) and with orchestras such as the Beethoven Orchester Bonn and Bochumer Symphoniker. He has appeared at numerous music festivals, including the Klangspuren Schwaz, Transart Festival Bolzano, Ensems Festival Valencia and the Cresc…Frankfurt. He has worked closely with composers Wolfgang Rihm, Hans Zender, Johannes Maria Staud, Thomas Adès, Philippe Manoury, Magnus Lindberg, Martin Matalon, Francisco Coll and Luca Francesconi. Pablo studied composition and saxophone at the Conservatory of his native Valencia, with further studies in conducting in Lyon, at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and Universität der Künste Berlin. He has received invaluable guidance from Bernard Haitink, Pierre Boulez, David Zinman, Kurt Masur and Steven Sloane. He served as assistant conductor of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège (2009-10), the Dutch National Opera Academy (2010) and the Jove Orquestra de la Generalitat Valenciana (2010-13). In 2011, he founded the Spanish chamber orchestra Grup Mixtour, which he still directs and aims to revitalize concert experiences through eclectic programming of music from different eras and with diverse aesthetics. InTUNE — September 2018 | 25
Program BIOGRAPHIES , continued
Jason Vieaux | guitar
GMD THREE
Jason Vieaux, who is “among the elite of today's classical guitarists” (Gramophone), is the guitarist who goes beyond the classical. His most recent solo album, Play, won the 2015 Grammy Award® for Best Classical Instrumental Solo. Jason has performed as soloist with more than 100 orchestras in this country and abroad. Recent and future highlights include performances at Caramoor Festival as artist-in-residence, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, the National Gallery of Art, San Francisco’s Herbst Theatre, Buenos Aires’ Teatro Colón, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, New York's 92Y, Ravinia Festival and many other distinguished series. A first-rate chamber musician and programmer, he frequently collaborates with artists such as the Escher String Quartet, harpist Yolanda Kondonassis and accordion/bandoneon virtuoso Julien Labro. His passion for new music has fostered premieres by Jonathan Leshnoff, Avner Dorman, Jeff Beal, Dan Visconti, David Ludwig, Vivian Fung, José Luis Merlin and others. He continues to bring important repertoire alive in the recording studio. Jason has upcoming releases on Azica, BIS and Naxos. Recent recordings include Infusion (Azica) with Labro; Ginastera’s Guitar Sonata, which is featured on Ginastera: One Hundred (Oberlin Music) produced by Kondonassis; and Together (Azica), a duo album with Kondonassis. In 2012, the Jason Vieaux School of Classical Guitar was launched with ArtistWorks, an interface with Jason that provides one-onone online study for guitar students around the world. In 2011, he co-founded the guitar department at the Curtis Institute of Music; in 2015, he was invited to inaugurate the guitar program at the Eastern Music Festival. Jason has taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music since 1997, heading the guitar department since 2001. He has received a Walter W. Naumburg Foundation top prize, a Cleveland Institute of Music Distinguished Alumni Award, Guitar Foundation of America International Guitar Artist Competition First Prize and a Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant. He was the first classical musician to be featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk series. Jason Vieaux plays a 2013 Gernot Wagner guitar with Augustine strings. Visit www.jasonvieaux.com.
26 | Houston Symphony
Program NOTES Final Dance (Jota) from El Sombrero de tres picos (The Three-Cornered Hat) Manuel de Falla (1876-1946)
Manuel de Falla’s ballet El Sombrero de tres picos began as El corregidor y la molinera, a short pantomime composed in 1917. Sergei Diaghilev, the impresario of Paris’ Ballets Russes, was impressed by the pantomime and commissioned Falla to expand it into a full ballet. With sets designed by Picasso, the new version, El Sombrero de tres picos, caused a sensation in London at its 1919 premiere. Based on Alarcón’s novel of the same name, the ballet tells the story of a magistrate who attempts to seduce a miller’s wife; through a series of comic misunderstandings, his lecherous plot is foiled. Falla chose the rhythms of the jota, a lively dance from northern Spain, to accompany the ballet’s finale, in which the other characters toss the magistrate up in the air with a blanket. The Instruments: 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, celesta, piano and strings
Concierto de Aranjuez for Guitar and Orchestra Joaquín Rodrigo (1901-1999)
Joaquín Rodrigo was born in Sagunto, a small town near Valencia at the dawn of the 20th century. A severe case of diphtheria left him blind at age 3, but this disability may have encouraged him to explore the worlds of sound and music; he later reflected, “I don’t think I would have become a musician had I not been blind.” After studying piano and composition in Valencia, he moved to Paris as a young man to become a pupil of Paul Dukas, the famous composer of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. During his studies, the Spanish Civil War erupted, tearing his homeland apart. Rodrigo remained abroad for the duration of the war, but he longed to return to Spain. Composed in early 1939 near the end of the war, his Concierto de Aranjuez was the product of this yearning. The Concierto, however, bears no trace of the troubled times from which it emerged; instead, it conjures a past world of peace, lightness and charm. Located about 50 kilometers south of Madrid, Aranjuez is a town famous for its Renaissance-era royal palace and beautiful gardens. The Concierto’s sound world is inspired by the courtly atmosphere of the town and its history. The Concierto begins as the solo guitar strums a rhythmic idea above the drone of the double basses. This simple idea forms the
Fiesta Sinfónica | Program Notes
basis of the first movement, which is constructed of variations and elaborations of this germinal seed. The gentle play of sounds between orchestra and guitar lead to forceful chords that introduce a contrasting second theme characterized by its mercurial changes of mood. A cello solo introduces a more developmental passage, after which the main themes of the movement are reprised. The slow second movement is the emotional heart of the Concierto; its main melody is introduced as a duet between the English horn and guitar. After a series of delicately ornamented solos and developments, the guitar returns to the melody alone. A passionate passage for the orchestra then leads to the cadenza, a long solo for the guitar. The orchestra then returns to the main melody, and the music fades away.
morning (a serenade, on the other hand, is meant to be sung in the evening). It features a prominent solo for clarinet and pizzicato strings that imitate the strumming of a guitar. The slower second movement is a set of variations on a theme first presented by the horns. It is then taken up by the cellos before being transformed into a duet between the English and French horns. Variations featuring the violins and the blended sounds of the orchestra follow.
The light, graceful finale is marked “Allegro gentile,” a reference to the refinement of life at the Aranjuez palace. The soloist introduces a theme with a dance-like character that is soon taken up by the orchestra. This main theme alternates with contrasting episodes, leading to the Concierto’s understated, wink-and-asmile ending.
The third movement reprises the opening alborada, but this time the clarinet solos are played by a violin. The fourth movement, entitled “Scene and Gipsy Song,” begins with a drum roll and a brassy fanfare, which is soon answered by a virtuoso violin solo. The orchestra then strikes up the gipsy song, interspersed with solos for flute, clarinet, harp and cello. The orchestration becomes increasingly brilliant as the song glitters and whirls, building in a crescendo to the final movement without pause. The finale, an Asturian fandango, features foot-stomping rhythms and castanets. After a brief reprise of the gipsy song, the fandango builds to a climatic return of the alborada, and the music races faster and faster to a thrilling finale.
The Instruments: 2 flutes (1 doubling piccolo), 2 oboes (1 doubling English horn), 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets and strings
The Instruments: 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes (1 doubling English horn), 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp and strings
Capriccio espagnol, Opus 34
Huapango
Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera The Snow Maiden achieved such success upon its premiere in 1882 that the composer was unsure of what to write next; he entered a prolonged period of creative crisis during which he mostly revised old works and sought to complete the unfinished masterpieces of his recently deceased friend Modest Mussorgsky. The years 1887-88 saw his return to original composition, but instead of composing the grand operas he saw as his true calling, he produced a series of orchestral works including Capriccio espagnol, Scheherazade and the Russian Easter Overture. He would then return to composing operas, and he saw these orchestral works as being of secondary importance in his output. Nevertheless, they have become his most famous and popular pieces in the concert hall.
Born in Guadalajara, José Pablo Moncayo composed Huapango, his most popular piece, in 1941. Dedicated to developing a national style of Mexican classical music, Moncayo based Huapango on several folkdances, including el siquisiri, el balajú and el gavilán. The huapango itself is a popular folkdance characterized by its alternation between compound and simple meters.
Inspired by the music of Spain, Capriccio espagnol fully displays Rimsky-Korsakov’s genius for orchestration with its vivid colors and original combinations of instruments. The opening movement is a fast, brilliant alborada, a type of song meant to be sung in the
The Instruments: 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, E-flat clarinet, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp and strings
Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908)
José Pablo Moncayo (1912-1958)
Throughout the piece, solo instruments introduce the main melodies, which are then developed by the full orchestra. There are three main themes: the first is introduced by the trumpet; the second by the oboe; and the third by the flute. After the flute melody, the others are reprised in reverse order, leading to a celebratory conclusion. —Calvin Dotsey
InTUNE — September 2018 | 27
FEATURED PROGRAM
MAHLER’S RESURRECTION SYMPHONY Thursday Saturday Sunday
September 13, 2018 September 15, 2018 September 16, 2018
8:00pm 8:00pm 2:30pm
Jones Hall
Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor Nicole Heaston, soprano Kelley O’Connor, mezzo-soprano *Peter Dugan, piano Houston Symphony Chorus Betsy Cook Weber, director *Houston Symphony debut
Ives Mahler
Symphony No. 4 I Prelude: Maestoso
ca. 3
Symphony No. 2 in C minor (Resurrection) I Allegro maestoso, Mit durchaus ernstem und feierlichem Ausdruck II Andante moderato, Sehr gemächlich, Nie eilen III In ruhig fliessender Bewegung— IV Urlicht: Sehr feierlich, aber schlicht— V Im Tempo des Scherzo, Wild herausfahrend—Langsam
ca. 77
28 | Houston Symphony
Did you know? • Mahler confided to his friend Max Marschalk that his Second Symphony was actually a sequel to his First: “I have called the first movement Todtenfeier [Funeral Rites], and if you would like to know, I am interring the hero of my D major [First] Symphony...”
Mahler's Resurrection Symphony | Program Biographies
Program BIOGRAPHIES
FROST BANK GOLD CLASSICS
These performances are generously supported in part by:
Andrés Orozco-Estrada | conductor
Diamond Guarantor Houston Symphony Endowment
Please see Andrés Orozco-Estrada's biography on page 4.
Nicole Heaston | soprano
The Classical Season is endowed by The Wortham Foundation, Inc. in memory of Gus S. and Lyndall F. Wortham. These concerts are part of the Margaret Alkek Williams Sound + Vision Series, which is also supported by The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Endowed Fund for Creative Initiatives. Video enhancement of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation through a special gift celebrating the foundation's 50th anniversary in 2015.
FADIL BERISHA
Guarantor General and Mrs. Maurine Hirsch Memorial Concert Fund
Praised by the Houston Chronicle for her “warm, supple soprano” and The New York Times for her “radiant” and “handsomely resonant voice,” soprano Nicole Heaston has appeared with opera companies throughout the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, Houston Grand Opera (HGO), San Francisco Opera, The Dallas Opera, Washington National Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Semperoper Dresden, Deutsche Oper am Rhein and the Glyndebourne Festival. In the 2018-19 season, Nicole makes three significant role debuts: Mimì in La bohème at HGO, Liù in Turandot with the Orquesta Filarmónica de Jalisco and the title role in Didone abbandonata at Theater Basel. She sings her first Mahler Symphony No. 2 in these performances and will also appear in recital at the Wang Center in Naples, Florida. In the 2017-18 season, her engagements included Brahms’ Requiem here, the title role in Alcina at Theater Basel, Alice Ford in Falstaff at the Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville and a gala concert at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. Since her debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Nicole has appeared regularly with the theater, singing Ilia in Mozart’s Idomeneo, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte and Echo in Ariadne auf Naxos. She has established a long-standing relationship with the HGO, beginning as a member of the HGO Studio and including her debut in the title role of Roméo et Juliette, Gilda in Rigoletto, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro and Zerlina in Die Zauberflöte. Nicole also created the title role in the company’s world premiere of Jackie O, which was recorded for the Argo label. Equally active as a concert and recital soloist, Nicole has performed with the Baltimore, Fort Worth, Honolulu, National, Detroit, Indianapolis and Kalamazoo orchestras; and the University Musical Society in Ann Arbor Michigan. Her recordings include a Grammy Award®-nominated issue of Bach’s B minor Mass with Boston Baroque (Teldarc), Gluck’s Armide with Les Musiciens du Louvre and Marc Minkowski (Archiv Production) and Haydn—The Creation with the Houston Symphony and Andrés Orozco-Estrada (Pentatone). Nicole completed her master’s degree in Voice at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and received her undergraduate degree in music at the University of Akron. Her various awards and prizes include the Shoshana Foundation Grant, Robert Weede Corbett Award, Oper Guild of Dayton Competition, Opera/ Columbus Competition, San Antonio Opera Guild Competition, Metropolitan Opera Regional Audition-Encouragement Award and Houston Grand Opera's Eleanor McCollum Competition.
InTUNE — September 2018 | 29
Program BIOGRAPHIES , continued
KRISTINA CHOE JACINTH
Kelley O'Connor | mezzo-soprano Possessing a voice of uncommon allure, musical sophistication far beyond her years and intuitive dramatic artistry, the Grammy Award®-winning mezzosoprano Kelley O'Connor has emerged as one of the most compelling performers of her generation. During the 2018-19 season, her impressive symphonic calendar features these performances of Mahler’s Second Symphony; his Third Symphony with Donald Runnicles and the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra, Michael Stern and the Kansas City Symphony, and Andrés Orozco-Estrada and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; and Das Lied von der Erde both with the Dallas and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestras. Sought after by many of today’s most heralded composers, Kelley gives the world premiere of Joby Talbot’s A Sheen of Dew on Flowers with the Britten Sinfonia at the Victoria and Albert Museum to celebrate the opening of the institution’s new jewelry wing, debuts with the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in the title role of John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary under the baton of the composer, presents the West Coast premiere of Bryce Dessner’s Voy a Dormir with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra led by Jaime Martín, brings Peter Lieberson’s Neruda Songs to life in performances with Stéphane Denève and the St. Louis Symphony and with Brett Mitchell and the Colorado Symphony. She performs Bernstein’s Songfest for her Boston Symphony Orchestra debut under the baton of Bramwell Tovey, and she is heard in performances of this work with Thomas Dausgaard leading the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Kelley returns to the Los Angeles Philharmonic for a Stravinsky Festival singing multiple works there under the direction of Esa-Pekka Salonen, and she assays the title role of Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia presented by Boston Lyric Opera in a new production by Broadway director Sarna Lapine conducted by David Angus. For her debut with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in Ainadamar, she joined Robert Spano for performances and a Grammy Award®winning Deutsche Grammophon recording. Her discography includes Mahler’s Third Symphony with Jaap van Zweden and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Lieberson’s Neruda Songs with Spano and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Franz Welser-Möst and the Cleveland Orchestra.
30 | Houston Symphony
Peter Dugan | piano Pianist Peter Dugan’s 2017 debut solo performances with Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony were described by the Los Angeles Times as “stunning” and by the San Francisco Chronicle as “fearlessly athletic.” He has appeared as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician across North America and abroad. Valuing versatility as the key to the future of classical music, Peter is equally at home in classical, jazz and pop idioms. A sought-after crossover artist, Peter has performed in duos and trios with artists ranging from Itzhak Perlman and Joshua Bell to Jesse Colin Young and Glenn Close. The Wall Street Journal described his collaboration with violinist Charles Yang as a “classical-meets-rockstar duo.” Peter’s recent chamber music recitals include the Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach, Music@Menlo and a Weill Hall debut presented by Carnegie Hall. His debut album with baritone John Brancy, A Silent Night: A WWI Memorial in Song, pays homage to composers who lived through, fought in and died in the Great War. Brancy and Peter won first prize at the 2017 Montreal International Music Competition and second prize at the Wigmore Hall International Song Competition. Peter holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The Juilliard School, where he studied under Matti Raekallio. He lives in New York with his wife, mezzo-soprano Kara Dugan, and serves on the piano faculty at the Juilliard Evening Division. Peter Dugan is a Yamaha Artist. Visit www.peterduganpiano.com.
Program NOTES Symphony No. 4: I. Prelude: Maestoso Charles Ives (1874-1954)
Though he would live several decades more, Charles Ives mysteriously stopped composing by 1927. Begun around 1910, his last symphony was thus one of his final works; Ives labored over it for years, refining the score into the 1920s. In many ways, the work is a summation of all he had accomplished. The musical and technical challenges of Ives’ Fourth are legendary: the symphony calls for chorus, two conductors, offstage ensembles, a quarter-tone piano, an ether organ (usually played on an ondes Martinot today), gongs and an Indian drum; the strings are divided into so many groupings that nearly every desk has a different part; in certain passages the orchestra divides into groups that play completely different meters and tempos (hence the second conductor); and many indications in the score are optional.
Mahler's Resurrection Symphony | Program Notes
did you know? The third movement of Mahler's Second Symphony is based on his earlier setting of a German folk poem that gives an ironic account of St. Anthony's legendary sermon to the fishes. St. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) was renowned for his preaching; the legend gained currency after his death as artists sought ways to distinguish him from other saints in paintings. This depiction of the famous sermon was painted by Arnold Böcklin in 1892, just as Mahler was composing his symphony.
Ives’ innovations, however, were not merely for the sake of novelty: as with much of his music, Ives’ imbued this, his most ambitious completed piece, with a spiritual mission. Like an Old Testament prophet whose message is misunderstood by his people, Ives often faced incomprehension throughout his life when he presented his most original works to others. Though Ives would never hear a complete performance of his Fourth Symphony, the first two movements were premiered in 1927, and the program notes from that performance (informed by and possibly ghost-written by Ives) explain that the work explores “the searching questions of What? and Why? which the spirit of man asks of life. This is particularly the sense of the prelude,” the first movement. “The three succeeding movements are the diverse answers in which existence replies.” The brief prelude is associated with “the silence of the Sabbath hour when the soul, beset and weary of earthly vexations, turns toward the Infinite, toward life and in upon itself with questions of the ultimate meaning of existence.” It begins with a dramatic gesture from the depths of the string section that is answered by a cry from the violins. Marked as “distant choir” or “angelic host,” an offstage ensemble of harp and violins then plays fragments of the hymn “Nearer My God to Thee.” Played by either violin or cello, a solo line reaches out to the distant choir, until the real chorus enters with Ives’ setting of the hymn “Watchman Tell Us of the Night.” The singers ask, “Dost thou see?” above a complex, yet delicate accompaniment that twinkles like the night sky. The other movements will be performed throughout this season; the second, one of Ives’ most astounding creations, opens our Bronfman Plays Prokofiev concerts on September 21-23. For this program, the Prelude is a fitting introduction to Mahler’s Second Symphony, which explores similar themes of meaning and existence. The Instruments: Distant Choir (four violins and harp), flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, celesta, timpani, percussion, piano and strings
As part of its commitment to supporting the Texas communities it serves, Frost Bank is pleased to underwrite the Houston Symphony’s Gold Classics series. Founded in San Antonio in 1868, Frost—one of the 50 largest U.S. banks—is the banking subsidiary of Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (NYSE:CFR). The $30 billion financial holding company operates more than 134 financial centers across Texas, including 30 Houston-area locations. Frost was the only top-10 Texas-based bank to survive the economic downturn of the 1980s on its own and became the first bank in the nation to turn down TARP bailout funds during the financial crisis of 2008. At every level, the company brings a high level of personal service to banking, investments and insurance relationships, offering the resources, products and technology of a larger bank, delivered with the personalized customer service of a community bank. Frost has a 150-year heritage and is committed to meeting the financial needs of generations of Texans to come.
InTUNE — September 2018 | 31
Program NOTES , continued
MAHLER'S PROGRAM NOTES W I T H
C O M M E N TA R Y
B Y
C A LV I N
D O T S E Y
Symphony No. 2 in C minor
(RESURRECTION) Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
A towering work of the classical repertoire, Mahler’s Second Symphony takes listeners on an epic spiritual journey through death, the apocalypse and eternal bliss. Mahler began composing it in 1888, shortly after completing his First Symphony, but he would not complete it until 1894. In preparation for a performance in Dresden in 1901, Mahler wrote his own note for this piece. Although Mahler viewed it as only “a superficial indication” of the symphony’s meaning, it still provides insights for those new to the work.
32 | Houston Symphony
Mahler's Resurrection Symphony | Program Notes
1ST MOVEMENT We stand by the coffin of a well-loved person. His life, struggles, passions and aspirations once more, for the last time, pass before our mind’s eye.—And now in this moment of gravity and of emotion which convulses our deepest being, when we lay aside like a covering everything that from day to day perplexes us and drags us down, our heart is gripped by a dreadfully serious voice which always passes us by in the deafening bustle of daily life: What now? What is this life— and this death? Do we have an existence beyond it? Is all this only a confused dream, or do life and this death have a meaning?—And we must answer this question if we are to live on. Mahler also gave an alternative program to a friend: “The first movement depicts the titanic struggles of a mighty being still caught in the toils of this world; grappling with life and with the fate to which he must succumb—his death.”
2ND MOVEMENT A happy moment from the life of his beloved departed one, and a sad recollection of his youth and lost innocence. Privately, Mahler added a telling detail: “The Andante tells of love.”
3RD MOVEMENT The spirit of unbelief, of presumption, has taken possession of him, he beholds the tumult of appearances and together with the child’s pure understanding he loses the firm footing that love alone affords; he despairs of himself and of God. The world and his life become for him a disorderly apparition; disgust for all being and becoming lays hold of him with an iron grip and drives him to cry out in desperation. This movement was adapted from a song Mahler wrote when he resumed work on the symphony in 1893. The song describes how St. Anthony, finding his church empty, went to preach to the fishes. The various kinds of fish (which resemble various kinds of people) all enjoy his sermon, but forget it and return to their sinful ways as soon as it ends.
5TH MOVEMENT We again confront all the dreadful questions and the mood of the end of the 1st movement.—The voice of the caller is heard: the end of all living things is at hand, the last judgement is announced, and the whole horror of that day of days has set in.—The earth trembles, graves burst open, the dead arise and step forth in endless files. The great and the small of this earth, kings and beggars, the just and ungodly—all are making the pilgrimage; the cry for mercy and grace falls terrifyingly on our ear.—The crying becomes ever more dreadful—our senses forsake us and all consciousness fades at the approach of eternal judgment. The ‘great summons’ is heard; the trumpets from the Apocalypse call;—in the midst of the awful silence we think we hear in the farthest distance a nightingale, like the last quivering echo of earthly life! Softly there rings out a chorus of the holy and the heavenly: “Risen again, yea thou shalt be risen again!” There appears the glory of God! A wonderful gentle light permeates us to our very heart—all is quiet and blissful!—And behold: there is no judgement.—There is no sinner, no righteous man—no great and small.—There is no punishment and no reward! An almighty feeling of love illuminates us with blessed knowing and being! Mahler struggled with the finale of the symphony; it was not until he heard the text of Klopstock’s poem Resurrection sung by a choir at the funeral of his mentor, the eminent conductor Hans von Bülow, that he knew how to end the work. Mahler used the beginning of Klopstock’s poem for the entrance of the chorus, although he supplemented it with verses of his own. Raised in the Jewish faith, Mahler faced anti-Semitism throughout his life, and his vision of an all-embracing divine love is undoubtedly meant to include people of all religions. “The increasing tension, working up to the final climax, is so tremendous that I don’t know myself, now that it is over, how I ever came to write it,” Mahler later reflected. The Instruments: 4 flutes (4 doubling piccolo), 4 oboes (2 doubling English horn), 3 clarinets (1 doubling bass clarinet), 2 E-flat clarinets (1 doubling clarinet), 4 bassoons (1 doubling contrabassoon), 10 horns, 8 trumpets, 4 trombones, tuba, percussion, 2 harps, organ and strings
4TH MOVEMENT The moving voice of naïve faith sounds in his ear. “I am of God, and desire to return to God! God will give me a lamp, will light me unto the life of eternal bliss!” Like the previous movement, this one began as a song, “Urlicht,” or “Primordial Light.” In this case, however, Mahler retained the vocalist and the words, taking up the gauntlet laid down by Beethoven with the choral finale of his Ninth Symphony.
InTUNE — September 2018 | 33
FEATURED PROGRAM
BRONFMAN PLAYS PROKOFIEV Friday Saturday Sunday
September 21, 2018 September 22, 2018 September 23, 2018
8:00pm 8:00pm 2:30pm
Jones Hall
Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor Yefim Bronfman, piano Peter Dugan, piano (Ives)
Ives Prokofiev
Symphony No. 4 II Comedy: Allegretto
ca. 12
Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Opus 16 I Andantino—Allegretto II Scherzo: Vivace III Intermezzo: Allegro moderato IV Finale: Allegro tempestoso
ca. 31
I N T E R M I S S I O N
Prokofiev
Shostakovich
Symphony No. 1 in D major, Opus 25 (Classical) I Allegro con brio II Larghetto III Gavotte: Non troppo allegro IV Finale: Molto vivace
ca. 13
Symphony No. 9 in E-flat major, Opus 70 I Allegro II Moderato III Presto— IV Largo— V Allegretto
ca. 26
34 | Houston Symphony
Did you know? • The Classical Symphony was one of the last pieces Prokofiev wrote before fleeing postrevolutionary Russia. To obtain permission to go abroad, he met with the People’s Commissariat for Education. Prokofiev recalled their conversation: “‘You ought to stay here, what do you want to go to America for?’ ‘I’ve worked for a year and now I want to get some fresh air [...] Just think of it, to be cutting diagonally right across the Pacific ocean!’ ‘All right, just fill in this form and we’ll give you the necessary papers.’” Prokofiev then invited the Commissariat to a rehearsal of his new symphony.
Bronfman Plays Prokofiev | Program Biographies
Program BIOGRAPHIES SHELL FAVORITE MASTERS SERIES
These performances are generously supported in part by:
Andrés Orozco-Estrada | conductor
Please see Andrés Orozco-Estrada's biography on page 4.
Grand Guarantor Rochelle and Max Levit
Yefim Bronfman | piano Internationally recognized as one of today's most acclaimed and admired pianists, Yefim Bronfman stands among a handful of artists regularly sought by festivals, orchestras, conductors and recital series. His commanding technique, power and exceptional lyrical gifts are consistently acknowledged by the press and audiences alike.
Video enhancement of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation through a special gift celebrating the foundation's 50th anniversary in 2015.
ROCHELLE AND MAX LEVIT Bronfman Plays Prokofiev is generously underwritten by Rochelle and Max Levit, members of the Houston Symphony family for more than 30 years and members of the New Century Society for Artistic Excellence and Innovation. Rochelle serves as a Governing Director of the Symphony’s Board of Trustees and is a member of the Artistic and Orchestra Affairs Committee. In recent seasons, Max and Rochelle have supported the orchestra’s concerts with Itzhak Perlman, Emanuel Ax, Daniil Trifonov and, last season, Kirill Gerstein. They also sponsor First Violinist Sergei Galperin and support the Symphony’s special events. The Levits are especially excited by the Symphony’s artistic direction under the leadership of Andrés Orozco-Estrada. The Houston Symphony thanks the Levits for making these performances possible.
DARIO ACOSTA
The Classical Season is endowed by The Wortham Foundation, Inc. in memory of Gus S. and Lyndall F. Wortham.
In celebration of the 80th birthday of Maestro Yuri Temirkanov, Yefim’s 2018-19 season begins with a European tour with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra. It is followed by a Scandinavian tour with the Royal Concertgebouw. The season includes concerts in Paris, London, Cologne, Rome, Berlin and with the Vienna Philharmonic on tour. In the United States, he returns here and with orchestras in Cleveland, New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Cincinnati, San Francisco and Dallas. In recital, he can be heard in New York, Berkeley, Stanford, Aspen, Madrid, Geneva, Cologne, Leipzig, Munich, Berlin, Naples, Rome and on tour in the spring with mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená. Yefim works regularly with an illustrious group of conductors, and he routinely performs at the major festivals of Europe and America. Always keen to explore chamber music repertoire, his partners have included Pinchas Zukerman, Martha Argerich, Kožená, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Emmanuel Pahud and many others. He has also given numerous solo recitals in the leading halls of North America, Europe and the Far East. In 1991, he gave a series of joint recitals with Isaac Stern in Russia, marking Yefim’s first public performances there since his emigration to Israel at age 15. That same year, he was awarded the prestigious Avery Fisher Prize, one of the highest honors given to American instrumentalists. In 2010, he received the Jean Gimbel Lane prize in piano performance from Northwestern University. Widely praised for his solo, chamber and orchestral recordings, Yefim has been nominated for six Grammy Awards®, winning in 1997 with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic for their recording of the three Bartók Piano Concerti. His catalog of recordings is prolific. Born in Tashkent in the Soviet Union, Yefim Bronfman immigrated in 1973 with his family to Israel where he studied with pianist Arie Vardi, head of the Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University. In the United States, he studied at The Juilliard School, Marlboro Music School and the Curtis Institute of Music, under Rudolf Firkušný, Leon Fleisher and Rudolf Serkin. He is a 2015 recipient of an honorary doctorate from the Manhattan School of Music.
Peter Dugan | piano
Please see Peter Dugan's biography on page 30. InTUNE — September 2018 | 35
Program NOTES Symphony No. 4: II. Comedy: Allegretto
Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Opus 16
For more information on Ives’ Fourth Symphony, see page 31.
Prokofiev composed his second piano concerto at age 21 while on winter break from his studies at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. He had already established himself as something of a bad boy with his brilliant First Piano Concerto; with his second, he sought to evoke darker, deeper emotions. The result is one of the most technically difficult and fascinating piano concertos in the repertoire.
Charles Ives (1874-1954)
The second movement of Ives’ Fourth Symphony was adapted from a piece for piano entitled The Celestial Railroad after a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne. In Hawthorne’s story, the narrator dreams that a luxurious railroad has been constructed between the City of Destruction (this world) and the Celestial City (heaven), allowing paying passengers to bypass the trials that lie between. One of its directors, Mr. Smooth-it-away, invites the narrator on board. As the train pulls away from the station, two pilgrims set off on foot only to be mocked by the passengers. During the journey, Mr. Smooth-it-away explains away the horrors outside the train as the passengers revel inside. After a long stopover in Vanity Fair, a city where anything can be bought for the price of one’s conscience, the passengers discover that the Railroad does not take them all the way to the Celestial City; they must take a ferry across an icy river to reach its gates. Just as the boat starts to sink, the narrator wakes up, thankful that it was all just a dream. Ives’ musical illustration of the story is one of the most complex pieces of music in the repertoire. Two conductors are usually employed in passages that divide the orchestra into groups that play shifting tempos in different meters. Some indications in the score are optional, and the scoring is unusual (see “The Instruments” below). The arrangement of the musicians on and off stage is also unconventional. Combined with the music’s polytonal, contrapuntal complexity, these characteristics ensure that no two performances are ever exactly alike. This might seem extravagant, but the piece's powerful musical storytelling would be impossible without Ives’ innovations. It begins with a bleak depiction of the City of Destruction. Gradually, we hear the train pull away from the station and accelerate, its wheels grinding in the lower strings. The gentle strains of the hymn “In the Sweet Bye and Bye” suddenly appear in the strings, representing the pilgrims traveling on foot. The passengers on the train jeer at them, and the ensuing cacophony, a dense wall of collage-like quotations of popular music of the early 20th century, depicts the revelry onboard the train and the horrors outside it. At length, the train slows and the music becomes quieter as we stop for a tea party in Vanity Fair with Mr. Smooth-it-away. The train then resumes its hell-bent journey, until we glimpse the Celestial City in a brief, quiet moment before the train’s “last and horrible” scream. The Celestial City appears, represented by the hymn “Beulah Land” as a violin solo. Suddenly, the dream ends, and, adding his own twist to Hawthorne’s story, we awaken to what Ives describes as “the Fourth of July in Concord.” The Instruments: 2 flutes, piccolo, 3 clarinets, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, 2 bassoons, 6 trumpets (trumpet 6 optional), 4 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, celesta, piano, quarter-tone piano, solo piano, optional ether organ and strings 36 | Houston Symphony
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (1891-1953)
Unusually, Prokofiev's Second Piano Concerto has four movements instead of three, reflecting perhaps the composer's expressive ambitions. The first movement begins with a dark, expansive melody that intensifies as more of the orchestra enters. By way of contrast, this music leads to one of Prokofiev's characteristically sardonic, teasing themes. Halfway through the movement, the orchestra falls silent as the soloist returns to the opening melody. The piano solo becomes increasingly virtuosic, until at the most dissonant moment, the orchestra reenters with terrifying force. The movement ends as the soloist plays a ghostly echo of the opening theme. The fiendish second movement is a perpetuum mobile that requires the soloist to play at top speed nonstop. The soloist has little chance to rest as the orchestra begins the third movement, a grotesque march. The last movement begins maniacally, but after the initial chaos, Prokofiev reveals an introspective, melancholy melody. The madness of the opening soon returns, and the movement ends with a hair-raising tour de force for piano and orchestra. One of the first people to hear Prokofiev play through his new concerto was his best friend, Max Schmidthof, a classmate who had impressed Prokofiev with his encyclopedic knowledge of music. Shortly after Prokofiev completed the concerto, Max took a train to the Finnish forests and shot himself; he and his mother were in dire financial straits, and he could not pay the debts he had secretly accrued while living beyond his means. Prokofiev was one of two people who received Max's suicide note. Shocked and devastated, he dedicated the concerto to his friend's memory. The concerto's controversial premier provoked equally intense boos and cheers, although on other occasions it met with greater success. Prokofiev set the work aside until 1920, when he learned the orchestral score had been burned in the aftermath of the Bolshevik takeover of Russia. Living in Paris at the time, he recomposed it, giving us the version we know today. The Instruments: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion and strings
Bronfman Plays Prokofiev | Program Notes
Symphony No. 1 in D major, Opus 25 (Classical) Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (1891-1953)
At first, Prokofiev was not overly troubled by the outbreak of the Russian Revolution in February 1917; despite some chaos, it seemed that 300 years of oppressive Romanov rule would be replaced by constitutional democracy. He composed one of his best-loved pieces, his “Classical” Symphony, during the following summer on an idyllic farm just outside Petrograd. In an era when symphonies were often sprawling, emotionally intense works, Prokofiev decided to subvert expectations by composing his along Mozartian lines. It would be concise and playful, updating traditional classical forms with modern harmonies, rhythms and orchestral colors. After an introductory flourish, the first movement proceeds according to 18th-century formal principals; a bright, skittering main theme leads to a simpler second theme in the violins, which features large leaps from high notes to low notes. The two themes are then developed in a more tumultuous section before being reprised. The second movement is a more relaxed Larghetto. After four introductory bars, a melody appears high in the violins, full of decorative trills and lilting figures. Alternating with contrasting episodes, this melody returns twice with varied harmonies and accompaniments. In place of the usual minuet that Mozart would have written, Prokofiev substitutes a different 18th-century dance for the third movement: a gavotte, marked by its 4/4 meter and two prominent upbeats. Prokofiev noted that he “scrapped” the original finale because it “seemed to me too ponderous and not characterful enough for a classical symphony.” His friend, the composer and musicologist Boris Asafyev, “put into my mind an idea he was developing, that there is no true joyfulness to be found in Russian music. Thinking about this, I composed a new finale, lively and blithe enough for there to be a complete absence of minor triads in the whole movement, only major ones.” Featuring virtuoso parts for flutes and oboes, this sparkling finale brings the symphony to a breathless ending. The Bolshevik coup the following October led Prokofiev to emigrate, but he managed to conduct the work’s successful premiere in April 1918 before leaving Russia. A few weeks later, he was on his way to the United States, where he would try to make his name in the West. The Instruments: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani and strings
Symphony No. 9 in E-flat major, Opus 70 Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich (1906-1975)
Like Prokofiev’s First Symphony, Shostakovich’s Ninth was written in a fateful year: 1945. The double significance of the U.S.S.R.’s victory in World War II and the numerical symbolism of a Ninth Symphony (which invited comparisons with Beethoven’s Ninth) put pressure on Shostakovich to compose a grandiose piece that
would glorify Stalin’s regime. Having been terrorized by Stalin, Shostakovich was not particularly willing to comply; open defiance, however, was impossible, and Shostakovich promised a symphony that would use “not only the orchestra, but also a chorus as well as soloists.” What he actually wrote could not have been more different. Shostakovich’s Ninth is devoid of pompous grandeur; in its place is a concise, classically oriented work not unlike Prokofiev’s First Symphony. But in place of Prokofiev’s pure joy is a more complex emotional landscape. Yevgeny Mravinsky, the conductor of the symphony’s premiere, wrote that it “scoffs at complacency, pompousness, the ‘desire to rest on one’s laurels’, and sing one’s own praises,” but also noted that “the symphony is not entirely ironical. It also has genuine lyricism and profound sorrow.” The first movement begins with a chipper theme in the violins that dispels any expectation of monumentality. The snare drum and a trombone announce the march-like second theme. Mravinsky suggested that its “light-hearted, frivolous ‘jesting’” parodied “a self-satisfied, narrow-minded and, essentially, utterly indifferent Philistine,” a veiled reference to the cultural apparatchiks who controlled Soviet music. In conformity with the practices of Mozart’s day, Shostakovich includes a repeat of the two main themes before going on to the development, during which the “Philistine” second theme returns in a belligerent guise. The main themes are then reprised, although the unsettling developmental music continues to permeate the movement up until its sudden, perfunctory ending. The slower second movement features two main ideas: a long, twilight melody introduced by a solo clarinet and an uncanny, swaying figure introduced by the strings. It provides an uneasy respite between the frenetic activity of the surrounding movements. The third movement begins with a fast, cheerful theme that becomes increasingly maniacal, spinning out of control. After a dramatic trumpet solo, the maniacal opening theme returns, but now unravels as it progresses. The music becomes softer and slower, fading seamlessly into the next movement. The fourth movement begins with an oppressive idea in the low brass that alternates with plaintive bassoon solos. In a wicked twist, the bassoon’s final note introduces the finale’s clownish main theme, which then alternates with contrasting episodes. Mravinsky noted that the “merriment of the finale” seems “somehow affected, unjustified.” This tension erupts at the movement’s climax, and the symphony ends with a satirical version of the clownish theme as a vaudeville-like presto. Surprisingly, the symphony was initially well-received by Soviet critics; it was not until Andrei Zhdanov issued his infamous decree the following year that it was condemned. Shostakovich managed to weather this storm, but he would not compose another symphony until Stalin was safely dead. —Calvin Dotsey The Instruments: 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion and strings InTUNE — September 2018 | 37
FEATURED PROGRAM
K.D. LANG INGÉNUE REDUX TOUR Monday
September 24, 2018
7:30pm
Jones Hall
k.d. lang, headliner Mak Grgić, opening act
TONIGHT’S PROGRAM WILL BE ANNOUNCED FROM THE STAGE. THERE WILL BE ONE INTERMISSION.
38 | Houston Symphony
k.d. lang Ingénue Redux Tour | Program Biographies
Program BIOGRAPHIES Mak Grgić | opening act k.d. lang has won four Grammy Awards,® eight Juno Awards, a BRIT (British Phonographic Industry), an AMA (American Music Award), a VMA (MTV Video Music Award) and four awards from GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). In 1996, she received Canada’s highest civilian honor, the Order of Canada. In 2013, she was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the Juno Awards. k.d. has appeared alongside such musical luminaries as Roy Orbison, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, Loretta Lynn and Tony Bennett. “She’s the best singer of her generation,” observed Bennett, who has frequently toured with her since their 2002 Wonderful World duets album. She also has contributed to numerous soundtracks and appeared in many films. In 2014, she made her Broadway debut in the seven-time Tony Awardnominated musical After Midnight. Last year, she united with Neko Case and Laura Veirs to create case/lang/veirs, a collaborative record released in June. This year, she continues to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her platinum-selling breakthrough album, Ingénue, which was re-issued last year on Nonesuch. k.d. is renowned for her live shows, prompting The New York Times’ Stephen Holden to observe: “Few singers command such perfection of pitch. Her voice, at once beautiful and unadorned and softened with a veil of smoke, invariably hits the middle of a note and remains there.”
RYAN HUNTER
k.d. lang | headliner
The expansiveness of Mak Grgić’s repertoire winds its way through a dizzying array of approaches, from music of the baroque and renaissance (for which he received praise from The Washington Post) to music of a cinematic nature, ethnic music of his native Balkan Peninsula, and extreme avant-garde and microtonal music. His first solo release on Marquis Records, Cinema Verismo, explores adept guitar arrangements of music from the movies. His latest recordings, Balkanisms for Naxos Music and MAKrotonal for MicroFest Records (an album produced by the Grammy Award®winning producer John Schneider), explore a vast repertoire spanning ethnic music, microtonal newly composed music and early music on re-fretted instruments. Born in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Mak studied guitar in Zagreb with the revered Ante Čagalj at the Elly Bašić Conservatory of Music and earned his bachelor’s degree with Álvaro Pierri at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, Austria. He finished his doctoral degree at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music as a student of William Kanengiser and Scott Tennant of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet and Brian Head, artistic director of Guitar Foundation of America. This year, Mak begins an artist diploma program at USC, the first guitarist in the university’s history to receive such an honor. When he is not involved in music, Mak helps fundraise for Bosnian children who are experiencing financial difficulties.
InTUNE — September 2018 | 39
FEATURED PROGRAM
DVOŘÁK’S STABAT MATER Thursday Saturday Sunday
September 27, 2018 September 29, 2018 September 30, 2018
8:00pm 8:00pm 2:30pm
Jones Hall
Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor *Lucy Crowe, soprano Sasha Cooke, mezzo-soprano Toby Spence, tenor *Dashon Burton, baritone Houston Symphony Chorus Betsy Cook Weber, director *Houston Symphony debut
Dvořák
Stabat Mater, Opus 58 I Stabat mater dolorosa: Andante con moto II Quis est homo, qui non fleret: Andante sostenuto III Eja, Mater, fons amoris: Andante con moto IV Fac, ut ardeat cor meum: Largo V Tui nati vulnerati: Andante con moto, quasi allegretto VI Fac me vere tecum flere: Andante con moto VII Virgo virginum praeclara: Largo VIII Fac, ut portem Christi mortem: Larghetto IX Inflammatus et accensus: Andante maestoso X Quando corpus morietur: Andante con moto—Allegro molto
40 | Houston Symphony
ca. 1:25
Did you know? • The Stabat mater dolorosa text has been set by many composers over the centuries, including Vivaldi, Pergolesi, Haydn, Rossini, Liszt, Verdi and Poulenc.
Dvořák’s Stabat Mater | Program Biographies
Program BIOGRAPHIES
GREAT PERFORMERS SERIES
The Classical Season is endowed by The Wortham Foundation, Inc. in memory of Gus S. and Lyndall F. Wortham.
Please see Andrés Orozco-Estrada's biography on page 4.
Lucy Crowe | soprano
MARCO BORGGREVE
Video enhancement of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation through a special gift celebrating the foundation's 50th anniversary in 2015.
Andrés Orozco-Estrada | conductor
Lucy Crowe has established herself as one of the leading lyric sopranos of her generation. Performing at the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Lyric Opera of Chicago, English National Opera, Glyndebourne and Canadian Opera Company, her roles include Pamina, Adele, Eurydice, Adina, Sophie, Gilda, Susanna, Countess, Rosina, Iole, Vixen, Micaëla and Merab. In recital, she has appeared at the Concertgebouw, Carnegie Hall, Aldeburgh, Edinburgh, Mostly Mozart and Salzburg festivals and the BBC Proms. In concert, she has worked with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Nézet-Séguin; City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra with Haïm, Oramo and Nelsons; Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under Mackerras and Egarr; Scottish Chamber Orchestra with Mackerras and Nézet-Séguin; the Monteverdi Orchestra under Gardiner and the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia with Pappano. Recordings include a solo Handel disc, ll caro Sassone, with Harry Bicket and The English Concert (Harmonia Mundi); Mendelssohn’s Lobgesang with the London Symphony Orchestra under Gardiner for LSO Live; Handel’s Il pastor fido and a Handel and Vivaldi disc with La Nuova Musica under David Bates (Harmonia Mundi); a Lutosławski disc with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Edward Gardner; Handel’s Alceste with Christian Curnyn and the Early Opera Company; and Eccles’ The Judgement of Paris (Chandos). Engagements this season and beyond include Haydn’s Die Jahreszeiten with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Handel’s Messiah with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Mahler Symphony No. 2 with the Berlin Philharmonic, Pamina in The Magic Flute for English National Opera, the title role of Rodelinda for Frankfurt Opera, Vixen in The Cunning Little Vixen with the London Symphony Orchestra and returns to the Royal Opera and the Metropolitan Opera. Lucy is a Fellow to the Royal Academy of Music.
InTUNE — September 2018 | 41
Program BIOGRAPHIES , continued
Sasha Cooke | mezzo-soprano
In 2018-19, Sasha’s operatic engagements include role debuts as Eduige in Rodelinda at the Gran Teatre del Liceu and the title role of Orlando with the San Francisco Opera. She returns to the title role in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel, which she performs with the Los Angeles Opera under the direction of James Conlon. Orchestral appearances include the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for Handel’s Messiah, the National Symphony Orchestra for Ravel’s Shéhérazade under Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla, and the Houston Symphony in her first performance of Dvořák’s Stabat Mater led by Andrés OrozcoEstrada. Sasha celebrates the centennial of Leonard Bernstein’s birth by performing his songs with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, in addition to the Symphony No. 1, Jeremiah, with the Nashville Symphony and Symphony No. 3, Kaddish, with the St. Louis Symphony with Leonard Slatkin. She will reprise Passage (a work she created at the Kennedy Center in 2017) with the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra. Sasha Cooke has performed at the Metropolitan Opera, Opéra National de Bordeaux, San Francisco Opera, English National Opera, Dallas Opera, Houston Grand Opera and Seattle Opera. Previous orchestral engagements have included the New York, Hong Kong, Netherlands Radio and Los Angeles Philharmonics; the Philadelphia and Cleveland Orchestras; the Boston, London and Chicago Symphony Orchestras; and the Tokyo, New Zealand, San Francisco, Seattle, Melbourne and New World Symphonies. Leading conductors with whom she has worked include Riccardo Muti, Bernard Haitink, Sir Andrew Davis, Alan Gilbert, Edo de Waart, Michael Tilson Thomas, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Jaap van Zweden, Gustavo Dudamel, and Sir Mark Elder. Sasha is a recording artist for Hyperion Records, Naxos, Bridge, Yarlung, GPR Records, and Sono Luminus labels. Her most recent recording, Sasha Cooke LIVE, is a collection of her performances from the Music@Menlo chamber music festival. Sasha is a graduate of Rice University, The Juilliard School and the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Development Program.
42 | Houston Symphony
An honor graduate and choral scholar from New College, Oxford, Toby Spence pursued opera studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He was the winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society 2011 Singer of the Year award.
MITCH JENKINS
Grammy Award®-winning mezzosoprano Sasha Cooke has been called a “luminous standout” (New York Times) and “equal parts poise, radiance and elegant directness” (Opera News). Sasha is sought after by the world’s leading orchestras, opera companies and chamber music ensembles for her versatile repertoire and commitment to new music.
Toby Spence | tenor
In concert, Toby has sung with the Cleveland Orchestra under Christoph von Dohnányi, Berlin Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonica under Sir Simon Rattle, San Francisco Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas, the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia under Antonio Pappano, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra under Valery Gergiev, London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Los Angeles Philharmonic under Gustavo Dudamel, Bayerischer Rundfunk, and at the Salzburg Easter and Edinburgh International Festivals. Recent appearances include The Creation with this orchestra; The Seasons with the Philharmonie de Paris; Bruckner F minor Mass with the Sinfonieorchester Basel; Messiah, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy and Haydn’s Nelson Mass with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in Mumbai; and Missa Solemnis with the LSO under Tilson Thomas. Recent opera engagements include Ghandi in Satyagraha at English National Opera; Captain Vere in Billy Budd for Teatro Real, Madrid and Teatro dell' Opera di Roma; Anatol in Vanessa for Oper Frankfurt; Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni at the Liceu Opera Barcelona; Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus and Antonio in The Tempest for the Metropolitan Opera; Don Ottavio and Tito for the Vienna State Opera; Essex in Gloriana and Tamino in Die Zauberflöte for the Royal Opera House, where his previous roles have also included Ferdinand in The Tempest, David in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Count Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Ramiro and Tom Rakewell; among other important performances for English National Opera, Edinburgh International Festival, Bavarian State Opera and Opéra national de Paris. Toby’s 2018-19 season engagements include these performances of Dvořák’s Stabat Mater, Britten’s War Requiem with Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Szymanowski’s 3rd Symphony for the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and Orff’s Carmina Burana in Shanghai and Beijing with Long Yu and Aida Garifullina for Deutsche Grammophon’s 120th anniversary. Opera engagements include Captain Vere in Billy Budd for the Royal Opera House and a staged version of Britten’s Les Illuminations for Teatro Real, Madrid.
Dvořák’s Stabat Mater | Program Notes
Program NOTES
TATIANA DAUBEK
Dashon Burton | baritone Praised for his “nobility and rich tone,” (The New York Times) and his “enormous, thrilling voice seemingly capable ... [of ] raising the dead” (The Wall Street Journal), bass-baritone Dashon Burton has established a vibrant career in opera, recitals and orchestral concerts. In key elements of his repertoire—Bach’s St. John Passion, St. Matthew Passion and the B minor Mass; Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Brahms’ Requiem, Handel’s Messiah and Mozart’s Requiem—Dashon is a frequent guest with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Handel and Haydn Society, Boston Baroque; the symphony orchestras of Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Kansas City; and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. He is a regular guest with the Cleveland Orchestra and Franz Welser-Möst, appearing there in the Brahms and Mozart Requiems, Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen and recently on tour in Europe and Japan in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. In June 2018, he opened the Grant Park Music Festival in Chicago’s Millenium Park singing Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast. Dashon’s 2018-19 season begins with his debut at the Salzburg Festival in Salomé. In addition to these performances of the Stabat Mater, he sings Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Mozart’s Coronation Mass with Philharmonia Baroque, and the Mozart's Requiem with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. He sings the role of Zebul in Handel’s Jeptha, the Verdi Requiem and Mussorgsky’s Songs and Dances of Death; and he returns to the Cleveland Orchestra for a subscription week of Schubert’s Mass in E-flat major. With the contemporary vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth, of which Dashon is an original member, he appears in Peter Sellars’ production of Claude Vivier’s Kopernikus, Ritual de la mort in Paris. He appears in recital in Boston and San Francisco. His opera engagements include Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte in Dijon and Paris, and the role of Jupiter in Rameau’s Castor and Pollux with Les Talens Lyriques. He has toured Europe in the St. John Passion with Le Concert Lorrain and Italy with Masaaki Suzuki and the Yale Schola Cantorum in the St. Matthew Passion. Dashon’s recording of “Songs of Struggle & Redemption: We Shall Overcome” was singled out by The New York Times as “profoundly moving…a beautiful and lovable disc” in its May 2016 Classical Playlist. A graduate of Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Dashon holds a master’s degree from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music.
Stabat Mater, Opus 58
Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) On August 21, 1875, the Dvořák family suffered a tragedy. The newest addition to the family, a daughter, Josefa, passed away only two days after her birth. Six months later, Antonín Dvořák began to set to music the Stabat mater dolorosa, a Latin poem composed by Franciscans in the 13th century that meditates on the Virgin Mary’s grief at the death of her son, Jesus. At 35, Dvořák was still little known outside Prague, and no commission lay behind the Stabat Mater; this was a piece he wrote for himself. An unorchestrated draft was completed by May 1876, but the piece remained unfinished until an even greater tragedy befell his family during the summer of 1877. While unattended, his 11-monthold daughter, Růžena, ingested a fatal amount of a phosphorous solution that was then commonly used in households for making matches, and his 3-year-old son Otakar died of smallpox a month later. Though they would later be blessed with several more children, Dvořák and his wife were left childless by September. Almost immediately, Dvořák returned to the Stabat Mater, completing it two months later. Dvořák would not find an opportunity for the premiere of his masterpiece until 1880, after he had won international fame as the composer of the Slavonic Dances. The sacred piece left audiences profoundly moved, and helped secure Dvořák’s reputation as a serious composer, particularly in chorus-loving England and America. In addition to being a response to personal tragedy, Dvořák’s Stabat Mater was also an ambitious artistic statement; it ranks among the most substantial of Stabat Mater settings. The piece is also a response to contemporary trends in religious music. The Cecilian movement, for instance, was against the use of orchestral instruments in sacred music and called for a return to a more restrained, a capella style. At the other end of the spectrum, Rossini’s popular Stabat Mater, perhaps the most famous recent setting of the poem, was overtly theatrical and full of operatic, virtuoso singing that many felt was too worldly for such a serious text. Dvořák would chart a middle course between these extremes; his Stabat Mater uses the full resources of the orchestra but is also a profound meditation on loss and faith. It takes listeners on an emotionally honest journey through grief to spiritual healing, concluding with a radiant, optimistic ending. The opening movement is the most symphonic; it begins with a substantial orchestral passage that introduces the main themes of the movement, both of which are based on a descending chromatic scale, a musical symbol of death and suffering since the baroque era. The first is an anguished melody that arises out of a misty
InTUNE — September 2018 | 43
Program NOTES , continued
opening; the second is a sweeter, more lyrical idea. When the chorus enters, it gives words to these two melodies, adding new material of its own and building to a series of powerful climaxes. The soloists introduce a more developmental section based on the anguished melodic idea but fall silent as the chorus alone reprises the main melodies. The soloists reappear near the end to sing a brief reminiscence of the main theme.
on the words “Quando corpus morietur” (“When my body perishes”), the powerful, anguished music from the first movement returns, but this time climaxes with a turn to major at the words “grant that my soul be given the glory of Paradise.” The lyrical theme from the first movement then reappears, leading to a radiant fugue on the word “Amen.” The splendor of the fugue fades to the work’s serene conclusion, leaving listeners full of hope and peace. —Calvin Dotsey
The subsequent movements mostly fall into two categories; those with a ternary structure (ABA—a main melody with a contrasting middle section) and those with a binary structure (ABAB—two main ideas are introduced and reprised with some variations). The second movement is an example of the former, an exquisite quartet in which the soloists enter one by one, asking “Who is the man who would not weep if he should see the Mother of Christ in such great distress?” They then pair into duets in a contrasting middle section, which leads back to a reprise of the first part and a haunting coda in which the soloists chant together, “She saw her sweet Son, whose dying caused his desolation, while he yielded up his Spirit.”
The Instruments: 2 flutes, 2 oboes (1 doubling English horn), 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, organ and strings
The binary-structured third movement features the chorus, which sings “O Mother, fount of love, make me feel the force of your grief, so that I may mourn with you.” It begins with a melody composed of short, almost hesitant phrases which lead to a more lyrical outpouring. The music builds to a powerful climax on the word “fac” (the “make” of “make me feel”), which is followed by a reprise of the movement’s themes. The fourth movement is also binary in structure; a penitent bass solo leads to a contrasting idea sung by an angelic female chorus accompanied by organ. These ideas are then reprised, with the choral section expanded to include the men of the chorus. The bass solo concludes the movement with a solemn coda. In the choral fifth movement, the mood begins to lighten somewhat with flowing triplets in a major key; the contrasting middle section of this ternary movement, however, is more dramatic in tone. The binary sixth movement continues the progress toward healing as the tenor soloist leads the men of the chorus in a simple, pious melody. As with the previous movement, the contrasting second idea is more intense. The seventh movement, however, is a gentle chorus that remains lyrical throughout. The eighth movement, an expressive duet for soprano and tenor, is more continuously developmental in structure, building from a point of rest to increased instability and back again. A solo for the mezzo-soprano, the penultimate movement, returns to a darker, minor key sonority, though the contrasting central section of this ternary form turns to major. Stylistically, the main theme recalls baroque music with its walking bassline. The finale brings the work full circle, at last resolving the harmonic tension of the opening. After a dark, minor-key quartet and chorus 44 | Houston Symphony
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Brazos Towers at Bayou Manor and its sister property, The Hallmark, are the senior living communities of Brazos Presbyterian Homes, Inc. Brazos Presbyterian Homes, Inc. serves older adults of all faiths, regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, age or handicap, except as limited by state and federal law.
InTUNE — September 2018 | 45
yo
THANK
Our DONORS ANNUAL SUPPORT
The Houston Symphony gratefully acknowledges those who support our artistic, educational and community engagement programs through their generosity to our Annual Fund and our Special Events. For more information, please contact: Mary Beth Mosley, Interim Co-Chief Development Officer /Director, Institutional Giving and Stewardship, 713.337.8521 Molly Simpson, Interim Co-Chief Development Officer /Director, Individual Giving and Major Gifts, 713.337.8526
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46 | Houston Symphony
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Catherine & Brian James Dr. Sippi & Mr. Ajay Khurana Mr. & Mrs. U. J. LeGrange Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis Mr. & Mrs. J. Stephen Marks Nancy & Robert Peiser
Laura & Mike Shannon Lisa & Jerry Simon Dr. John R. Stroehlein & Miwa Sakashita Shirley W. Toomim Steven & Nancy Williams Ms. Ellen A. Yarrell
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$15,000-$24,999
Viviana & David Denechaud Mr. & Mrs. Marvy A. Finger Mr. & Mrs. Fred L. Gorman Mr. & Mrs. David Hatcher Mrs. James E. Hooks Rebecca & Bobby Jee Michelle & Jack Matzer Mr. Gary Mercer Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan E. Parker
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Dr. Rita Justice Dr. & Mrs. I. Ray Kirk Ms. Nancey G. Lobb Marilyn G. Lummis John & Regina Mangum Jay & Shirley Marks Dr. & Mrs. Malcolm L. Mazow Billy & Christie McCartney Gene* & Betty McDavid Martha & Marvin McMurrey Rita & Paul Morico Bobbie Newman Scott & Judy Nyquist Toni Oplt & Ed Schneider Katie & Bob Orr / Oliver Wyman Mr. & Mrs. Anthony G. Petrello Radoff Family
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Gloria & Joe Pryzant Hugh & Ann Roff Mrs. Sybil F. Roos Michael J. Shawiak Alana R. Spiwak & Sam L. Stolbun Mr. & Mrs. Alan Stein Drs. Carol & Michael Stelling Susan & Andrew Truscott Dede & Connie Weil
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*Deceased
The Houston Symphony thanks the almost 4,000 donors who supported the Houston Symphony Annual Fund over the past year. To note any errors or omissions, please contact Michael Arlen, Associate Director, Individual Giving and Major Gifts, at 713.337.8529.
continued
InTUNE — September 2018 | 47
Young Associates COUNCIL The Houston Symphony’s Young Associates Council is a philanthropic membership group for young professionals, music aficionados and performing arts supporters interested in exploring symphonic music within Houston’s flourishing artistic landscape. YAC members are afforded exclusive opportunities to participate in musically focused events that take place not only in Jones Hall, but also in the city’s most sought-after venues, private homes and friendly neighborhood hangouts. From behind-the-scenes interactions with the musicians of the Houston Symphony to jaw-dropping private performances by world-class virtuosos, the Houston Symphony’s Young Associates Council offers incomparable insight and accessibility to the music and musicians that are shaping the next era of orchestral music.
Young Associate Premium Farida Abjani Ann & Jonathan Ayre James M. Bell Eric Brueggeman Valerie Palmquist Dieterich & Tracy Dieterich Amanda & Adam Dinitz
Young Associate
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Vicky Dominguez Terry Everett & Eric Cheyney Jennifer & Joshua Gravenor Jarod Hogan Stacy & Jason Johnson Kiri & Jeffrey Katterhenry Shane Miller
$1,500 - $2,499
Dr. Genevera Allen & Michael Weylandt Ahmed Al-Saffar – Oliver Wyman Michael Arlen Drs. Laura & William Black Drs. Tiffany & Desmond Bourgeois Sverre & Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl Divya & Chris Brown Sara Cain Helen Chen Crystal & Mike Cox Darrin Davis & Mario Gudmundsson Nina Delano & Wirt Blaffer
Garreth DeVoe Jennifer & Steve Dolman Christine Falgout-Gutknecht – Island Operating Co., Inc. Kimberly Falgout & Evan Scheele Mark Folkes & Christopher Johnston Alexandra & Daniel Gottschalk Rebecca & Andrew Gould Jeff Graham Nicholas Gruy Claudio Gutierrez Ashley & John Horstman Kurt Johnson & Colleen Matheu
Sami & Jud Morrison Tim Ong & Michael Baugh Toni Oplt & Ed Schneider Kusum & K. Cody Patel Becky Shaw Tony Shih – Norton Rose Fulbright
Molly Simpson & Patrice Abivin Rebeca & Chad Spencer Drs. Ishwaria & Vivek Subbiah Georgeta Teodorescu & Bob Simpson Candace & Brian Thomas
Gerrit Leeftink Brian McCulloch & Jeremy Garcia Charyn McGinnis Ashley McPhail Emily & Joseph Morrel Porter Hedges LLP Aprill Nelson Courtney & Jose Obregon Rosemin Premji Brooke & Nathaniel Richards Alan Rios Ahmed Saleh Emily Schreiber Liana & Andrew Schwaitzberg
Nadhisha & Dilanka Seimon Dr. Paulina Sergot & Dr. Theo Shybut Justin & Caroline Simons Michelle Stair Dr. Shilpa Trivedi Jovon Tyler Elise Wagner
The Young Associates Council is supported in part by BB&T. For more information, please contact: Liam Bonner, Manager, Annual Giving Groups, 713.337.8536.
Chorus ENDOWMENT
DONORS
The Endowment for the Choral Music Fund supports numerous projects of the Houston Symphony Chorus, including the recent release of Haydn—The Creation, the first classical recording to feature the Chorus.
$500 or more
Mrs. Ramona Alms Mr. & Mrs. Richard M. Armes Ms. Carolyn Belk Mr. David Black Nancy & Walter Bratic Mr. Brent Corwin Robert Lee Gomez George E. Howe David G. Nussman Mrs. Joan O'Conner Peter & Nina Peropoulos Roland & Linda Pringle Douglas & Alicia Rodenberger Carolyn Rogan Michael J. Shawiak Susan L. Thompson Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber Beth Weidler & Stephen James Anonymous (2)
$50-$499
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Mr. Mike Gilbert Mr. & Mrs. William C. Goddard John Goode & Janwin OverstreetGoode Ms. Julia Hall Mrs. Susan Hall Mr. Daren Hamaker Ms. Phyllis Harris Mr. Richard Henry Mr. Larry R. Hitt Mr. Francisco J. Izaguirre Ms. Marjorie Kessler Ms. Karen King-Ellis Ms. Kat Kunz Karen Lach Mr. Brian Lassinger Cynthia Lavenda Mr. Jarrod Martin Mr. Daniel Mead McClure Ms. Melissa Medina Joan K. Mercado
To make a gift please contact: Michael Arlen, Associate Director, Individual Giving and Major Gifts, at 713.337.8529. 48 | Houston Symphony
Mr. & Mrs. Jim K. Moore Dr. James Murray Mr. Takashi Nishimura Mr. & Mrs. Bill Parker Ms. Allison Poe Natalia Rawle Linda A. Renner Mr. James Roman Mr. Frank Rynd Mr. Gary B. Scullin Mr. & Ms. Rick Stein Dr. Cecilia Sun Mr. & Mrs. William J. Thacker Lisa Rai Trewin Ms. Jeanna Villanueva Mary Voigt Ms. Heidi Walton Anonymous (3)
Society Board of TRUSTEES
(2018-19 SEASON)
Executive Committee Janet F. Clark President Steven P. Mach Immediate Past President
Bobby Tudor Chairman Paul R. Morico General Counsel
Mike S. Stude Chairman Emeritus Barbara McCelvey Secretary
Danielle Batchelor Chair, Popular Programming Barbara J. Burger Chair, Finance Justice Brett Busby Chair, Artistic & Orchestra Affairs Mary Kathryn Campion, Ph.D. Chair, Pension Brad W. Corson Chair, Governance & Leadership Viviana Denechaud Chair, Development Tracy Dieterich Chair, Community Partnerships Mary Lynn Marks Chair, Volunteers & Special Events
Billy McCartney Chair, Education Robert Peiser^ At Large Alexandra Pruner^ President, Houston Symphony Endowment David Pruner Chair, Strategic Planning Manolo Sánchez Chair, Marketing & Communications Jesse B. Tutor Immediate Past Chair, Chair, Audit Maureen Higdon^ President, Houston Symphony League
Andrés Orozco-Estrada^ Music Director John Mangum^ Executive Director/CEO Sergei Galperin^ Musician Representative Mark Hughes^ Musician Representative Mark Nuccio^ Musician Representative Christine Kelly-Weaver^ Assistant Secretary ^Ex-Officio
GOVERNING DIRECTORS Farida Abjani Michael W. Adler Marcia Backus Janice Barrow** Danielle Batchelor Gary Beauchamp Marie Taylor Bosarge Ralph Burch Barbara J. Burger Justice Brett Busby Andrew Calder Janet F. Clark Michael H. Clark Brad W. Corson Viviana Denechaud
Michael Doherty David Frankfort Ronald G. Franklin Sippi Khurana, M.D. Rochelle Levit, Ph.D. Cora Sue Mach ** Steven P. Mach Paul M. Mann, M.D. Jay Marks ** Mary Lynn Marks Rodney Margolis** Billy McCartney Barbara McCelvey Alexander K. McLanahan ** Paul R. Morico
Kevin O’Gorman Robert Orr Cully Platt David Pruner John Rydman** Helen Shaffer ** Jim R. Smith Miles O. Smith Mike S. Stude ** William J. Toomey II Bobby Tudor ** Betty Tutor ** Jesse B. Tutor ** Judith Vincent Margaret Alkek Williams **
Scott Wulfe David Wuthrich
Susan Hansen Eric Haufrect, M.D. Gary L. Hollingsworth, M.D. Brian James Joan Kaplan I. Ray Kirk, M.D. Ulyesse LeGrange ** Carlos J. Lopez Michael Mann, M.D. Jack Matzer Jackie Wolens Mazow Gene McDavid ** Gary Mercer Marilyn Miles Janet Moore Bobbie Newman Scott Nyquist Edward Osterberg Jr. Robert A. Peiser**
Gloria G. Pryzant Tadd Pullin Roman Reed Gabriel Rio Richard Robbins, M.D. J. Hugh Roff Jr. ** Miwa Sakashita Manolo Sánchez Ed Schneider Michael E. Shannon ** Jerry Simon Kafi Slaughter Robert Sloan, Ph.D. Tad Smith Ishwaria Subbiah, M.D. L. Proctor (Terry) Thomas Shirley W. Toomim Andrew Truscott Margaret Waisman, M.D.
Fredric Weber Mrs. S. Conrad Weil Robert Weiner Vicki West Steven J. Williams Frank Wilson Ed Wulfe ** Ellen A. Yarrell Robert Yekovich Frank Yonish
Ex-Officio Mary Kathryn Campion, Ph.D. Tracy Dieterich Sergei Galperin Maureen Higdon Mark Hughes Nina McGlashan Mark Nuccio Robert A. Peiser** Gloria Pryzant **Lifetime Trustee
TRUSTEES Philip Bahr Devinder Bhatia, M.D. James M. Bell Nancy Shelton Bratic Terry Ann Brown** Dougal Cameron Mary Kathryn Campion, Ph.D. John T. Cater ** Evan Collins, M.D., MBA Andrew Davis, Ph.D. Tracy Dieterich Terry Elizabeth Everett Kelli Cohen Fein, M.D. Jeffrey B. Firestone Eugene Fong Julia Anderson Frankel Betsy Garlinger Evan B. Glick
Ex-Officio Alexandra Pruner Art Vivar Jessie Woods **Lifetime Trustee
PAST PRESIDENTS OF HOUSTON SYMPHONY Mrs. Edwin B. Parker Miss Ima Hogg Mrs. H. M. Garwood Joseph A. Mullen, M.D. Joseph S. Smith Walter H. Walne H. R. Cullen Gen. Maurice Hirsch Charles F. Jones Fayez Sarofim John T. Cater Richard G. Merrill Ellen Elizardi Kelley John D. Platt
THE SOCIETY E.C. Vandagrift Jr. J. Hugh Roff Jr. Robert M. Hermance Gene McDavid Janice H. Barrow Barry C. Burkholder Rodney H. Margolis Jeffrey B. Early Michael E. Shannon Ed Wulfe Jesse B. Tutor Robert B. Tudor III Robert A. Peiser Steven P. Mach
PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY LEAGUE Mrs. Harry H. Gendel Miss Ima Hogg Mrs. John F. Grant Mrs. Robert M. Eury Mrs. J. R. Parten Mrs. E. C. Vandagrift Jr. Mrs. Andrew E. Rutter Mrs. J. Stephen Marks Mrs. Aubrey Leno Carter Terry Ann Brown Nancy Strohmer Mrs. Stuart Sherar Mary Ann McKeithan Mrs. Julian Barrows Ann Cavanaugh Ms. Hazel Ledbetter Mrs. Albert P. Jones Mrs. James A. Shaffer Mrs. Ben A. Calhoun Lucy H. Lewis Mrs. James Griffith Lawhon Catherine McNamara Shirley McGregor Pearson Mrs. Olaf LaCour Olsen Paula Jarrett Mrs. Ralph Ellis Gunn Cora Sue Mach Mrs. Leon Jaworski Kathi Rovere Mrs. Garrett R. Tucker Jr. Norma Jean Brown Mrs. M. T. Launius Jr. Mrs. Thompson McCleary Barbara McCelvey Lori Sorcic Jansen Mrs. Theodore W. Cooper Mrs. Allen W. Carruth Nancy B. Willerson Mrs. David Hannah Jr. Jane Clark Nancy Littlejohn Mary Louis Kister Donna Shen Mrs. Edward W. Kelley Jr. Mrs. John W. Herndon Dr. Susan Snider Osterberg Mrs. Charles Franzen Dr. Kelli Cohen Fein Mrs. Harold R. DeMoss Jr. Vicki West Mrs. Edward H. Soderstrom Mrs. Jesse Tutor Mrs. Lilly Kucera Andress Darlene Clark Ms. Marilou Bonner Beth Wolff Mrs. W. Harold Sellers PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY LEAGUE BAY AREA Shirley Wettling Fran Strong Jo Anne Mills Selma Neumann Phyllis Molnar Julia Wells Pat Bertelli Dagmar Meeh Priscilla Heidbreder Emyre B. Robinson Harriett Small Dana Puddy Nina Spencer Angela Buell Elizabeth Glenn Pat Brackett Ebby Creden Joan Wade Charlotte Gaunt Yvonne Herring Norma Brady Deanna Lamoreux Cindy Kuenneke Glenda Toole Helen Powell Carole Murphy Sharon Dillard Patience Myers Diane McLaughlin James Moore Roberta Liston Mary Voigt Suzanne Hicks Martha McWilliams Sue Smith
FRIENDS OF JONES HALL REPRESENTATIVES Justice Brett Busby
Ronald G. Franklin
Steven P. Mach
Barbara McCelvey InTUNE — September 2018 | 49
Corporate, Foundation & Government PARTNERS The Houston Symphony is proud to recognize the leadership support of our corporate, foundation and government partners that allow the orchestra to reach new heights in musical performance, education and community engagement for Greater Houston and the Gulf Coast Region. For more information on becoming a foundation or government partner, please contact Mary Beth Mosley, Interim Co-Chief Development Officer/Director, Institutional Giving and Stewardship, at 713.337.8521 or marybeth.mosley@houstonsymphony.org. For more information on becoming a Houston Symphony corporate donor, please contact Leticia Konigsberg, Director, Corporate Relations, at 713.337.8522 or leticia.konigsberg@houstonsymphony.org.
CORPORATE PARTNERS Principal Corporate Guarantor $250,000 and above *Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods / Spec’s Charitable Foundation Grand Guarantor $150,000 and above BBVA Compass ConocoPhillips *Houston Public Media— News 88.7 FM; Channel 8 PBS *KTRK ABC-13 Phillips 66 *Rand Group, LLC *Oliver Wyman Guarantor $100,000 and above Bank of America Chevron *Houston Methodist Medistar Corporation PaperCity *United Airlines Underwriter $50,000 and above *Baker Botts L.L.P. *BB&T *Cameron Management ENGIE *The Events Company Exxon Mobil Corporation Frost Bank Houston Baptist University Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Kalsi Engineering
(as of August 1, 2018)
Kirkland & Ellis LLP *The Lancaster Hotel Mann Eye Institute Occidental Petroleum Corporation Palmetto Partners Ltd./The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation Shell Oil Company Vinson & Elkins LLP Sponsor $25,000 and above Bank of Texas *Bright Star EOG Resources Goldman, Sachs & Co. *Houston Chronicle *Houston First Corporation *Jackson and Company KPMG LLP Marine Foods Express, Ltd. McGuireWoods, LLP *Neiman Marcus Sidley Austin LLP *Silver Circle Audio SPIR STAR, Ltd. The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center Wells Fargo WoodRock & Co.
CORPORATE MATCHING GIFTS Aetna Aon Apache Corporation Bank of America BBVA Compass BHP Billiton The Boeing Company BP Foundation Caterpillar 50 | Houston Symphony
Partner $15,000 and above Accenture Anadarko Petroleum Corporation *City Kitchen *Glazier’s Distributors Gorman’s Uniform Service H-E-B Tournament of Champions Heart of Fashion Independent Bank Laredo Construction, Inc. Locke Lord LLP Lockton Companies of Houston Macy's The Newfield Foundation USI Southwest Supporter $10,000 and above *Abraham’s Oriental Rugs *Agua Hispanic Marketing CenterPoint Energy Emerson Northern Trust *Silver Eagle Distributors Star Furniture *Zenfilm
Wortham Insurance and Risk Management Patron Gifts below $5,000 Adolph Locklar, Intellectual Property Law Firm Amazon Baker Hughes Bering's Beth Wolff Realtors Burberry Dolce & Gabbana USA, Inc. Intertek Kinder Morgan Foundation Quantum Bass Center* SEI, Global Institutional Group Smith, Graham & Company Stewart Title Company TAM International, Inc. The Webster * Includes in-kind support
Benefactor $5,000 and above Barclay’s Wealth and Investment Management Beck Redden LLP Louis Vuitton Nordstrom Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, L.L.P. *Randalls Food Markets Russell Reynolds Associates, Inc. *University of St. Thomas
(as of August 1, 2018)
Chevron Chevron Phillips Chubb Group Coca-Cola ConocoPhillips Eli Lilly and Company EOG Resources Exxon Mobil Corporation Freeport – McMoRan Oil & Gas
General Electric General Mills Goldman, Sachs & Company Halliburton Hewlett-Packard Houston Endowment IBM ING Financial Services Corporation KBR
Merrill Lynch NAACO Industries, Inc. Neiman Marcus Northern Trust Occidental Petroleum Corporation Phillips 66 Shell Oil Company Union Pacific Williams Companies, Inc.
FOUNDATIONS & GOVERNMENT AGENCIES Diamond Guarantor $1,000,000 and above The Brown Foundation, Inc. Houston Symphony Endowment Houston Symphony League The Wortham Foundation, Inc. Premier Guarantor $500,000 and above City of Houston and Theater District Improvement, Inc. The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation The C. Howard Pieper Foundation Grand Guarantor $150,000 and above City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board The Cullen Foundation Houston Endowment MD Anderson Foundation
Guarantor $100,000 and above The Elkins Foundation Underwriter $50,000 and above The William Stamps Farish Fund The Fondren Foundation The Hearst Foundations Houston Symphony Chorus Endowment The Humphreys Foundation League of American Orchestras' Futures Fund LTR Lewis Cloverdale Foundation John P. McGovern Foundation The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation / Palmetto Partners Ltd. The Powell Foundation The Robbins Foundation
Capital INVESTMENTS Beauchamp Foundation Miller Outdoor Theatre Sound Shell Ceiling Portativ organ Berlioz bells Adam's German Timpani Orchestra synthesizer Adam's vibraphone Small percussion and other instruments The Fondren Foundation Miller Outdoor Theatre Sound Shell Ceiling
(as of August 1, 2018) Sponsor $25,000 and above Beauchamp Foundation The Melbern G. & Susanne M. Glasscock Foundation National Endowment for the Arts Texas Commission on the Arts Partner $15,000 and above Edward H. Andrews Foundation Ruth & Ted Bauer Family Foundation The Hood-Barrow Foundation Houston Symphony League Bay Area The Schissler Foundation The Vivian L. Smith Foundation The Vaughn Foundation
Benefactor $5,000 and above William E. & Natoma Pyle Harvey Charitable Foundation Leon Jaworski Foundation The Scurlock Foundation Keith & Mattie Stevenson Foundation Strake Foundation Patron Gifts below $5,000 The Lubrizol Foundation
Supporter $10,000 and above The Carleen & Alde Fridge Foundation Petrello Family Foundation Radoff Family Foundation Anonymous
The Houston Symphony thanks the generous donors who, since 2012, have made possible infrastructure additions to further enhance the sound and quality of our orchestral performances.
Albert & Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation Enhancements to Jones Hall Video System
Vicky & Michael Richker Family Adolfo Sayago, Orquestas
Houston Symphony League Steinway Concert Grand Piano Instrument Petting Zoo
Sybil F. Roos Rotary Trumpets
Ms. Nancey G. Lobb Piccolo Timpani LTR Lewis Cloverdale Foundation Lyon & Healy Harp
Silver Circle Audio Enhancements to Jones Hall Recording Suite Beverly Johnson, Ralph Wyman and Jim Foti, and Thane & Nicole Wyman in memory of Winthrop Wyman Basset Horns and Rotary Trumpets Mr. & Mrs. Charles Zabriskie Conductor’s Podium
Sustainability FUND The Houston Symphony pays special tribute to the 137 donors who made transformational gifts to complete the Sustainability Fund. On December 31, 2015, the Houston Symphony celebrated an extraordinary achievement: the completion of a five-year, $15 million Sustainability Fund, which has transformed the orchestra’s financial position. The Symphony was able to close out the campaign thanks to challenge grant funds totaling $1,050,000 provided by Bobby & Phoebe Tudor, Cora Sue & Harry Mach, Janice Barrow, Steve & Joella Mach and Robert & Jane Cizik. The Ciziks provided the final $500,000 to allow the Symphony to reach its $15 million Sustainability Fund goal. Houston Endowment Estate of Jean R. Sides Bobby & Phoebe Tudor Ms. Marie Taylor Bosarge Janice Barrow Margaret Alkek Williams Jane & Robert Cizik
Clare Attwell Glassell Mrs. Kitty King Powell* The Cullen Foundation The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts The Brown Foundation, Inc. Cora Sue & Harry Mach The Wortham Foundation, Inc.
John & Lindy Rydman / Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods / Spec’s Charitable Foundation MD Anderson Foundation Joella & Steven P. Mach Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor
Barbara J. Burger Ron Franklin & Janet Gurwitch The Joan & Marvin Kaplan Foundation Carol & Michael Linn & The Michael C. Linn Family Foundation Barbara & Pat McCelvey Estate of Mary Ann Holloway Phillips Sybil F. Roos Steven & Nancy Williams
Robin Angly & Miles Smith Gary & Marian Beauchamp Laura & Michael Shannon Mr. & Mrs. Philip A. Bahr Nancy & Walter Bratic Janet F. Clark Linda & Gene Dewhurst Bert & Joan Golding Mr. & Mrs.* Robert M. Griswold
Marilyn & Robert Hermance C. Howard Pieper Foundation Tad & Suzanne Smith Alice & Terry Thomas Shirley W. Toomim Janet & Tom Walker *Deceased
InTUNE — September 2018 | 51
Houston Symphony ENDOWMENT The Houston Symphony Endowment is a separate nonprofit organization that invests contributions to earn income for the benefit of the Houston Symphony Society. TRUSTEES Alexandra Pruner, President Gene Dewhurst
James Lee Jerry Simon
William J. Toomey II Fredric A. Weber
An endowed fund can be permanently established within the Houston Symphony Society through a direct contribution or via a planned gift such as a bequest. The fund can be designated for general purposes or specific interests. For more information, please contact: Patrick T. Quinn, Director, Planned Giving, 713.337.8532, patrick.quinn@houstonsymphony.org. GENERAL ENDOWMENT FUNDS
to support operational and annual activities
Accenture (Andersen Consulting) Fund AIG American General Fund M.D. Anderson Foundation Fund Mr. & Mrs. Philip Bahr Fund Janice H. & Thomas D. Barrow Fund Mrs. Ermy Borlenghi Bonfield Fund Jane & Robert Cizik Fund Mr. Lee A. Clark Fund Cooper Industries, Inc. Fund Gene & Linda Dewhurst Fund DuPont Corporation Fund Elkins Charitable Trust Agency Fund The Margaret & James A. Elkins Foundation Fund Virginia Lee Elverson Trust Fund Charles Engelhard Foundation Fund William Stamps Farish Fund Dr. Kelli Cohen Fein & Martin J. Fein Fund Stephen & Mariglyn Glenn Fund Jo A. & Billie Jo Graves Fund
DESIGNATED FUNDS
George & Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation Fund Dr. Gary L. Hollingsworth & Dr. Ken Hyde Fund Houston Arts Combined Endowment Fund Drs. M.S. & Marie-Luise Kalsi Fund Mr. & Mrs. Marvin Kaplan Fund Ann Kennedy & Geoffrey Walker Fund Martha Kleymeyer Fund Rochelle & Max Levit Fund Mr. E. W. Long Jr. Fund Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis Fund Jay & Shirley Marks Fund Mr. & Mrs. J. Stephen Marks Fund/ The Marks Charitable Foundation Marian & Speros Martel Foundation Fund Barbara & Pat McCelvey Fund The Menil Foundation Fund Monroe Mendelsohn Jr. Estate Sue A. Morrison & Children Fund National Endowment for the Arts Fund
to support annual performance activity
The Brown Foundation Guest Pianist Fund The Cullen Foundation Maestro’s Fund General & Mrs. Maurice Hirsch Memorial Concert Fund in memory of Theresa Meyer and Jules Hirsch, beloved parents of General Maurice Hirsch, and Rosetta Hirsch Weil and Josie Hirsch Bloch, beloved sisters of General Maurice Hirsch The Houston Symphony Chorus Endowment Fund
ENDOWED CHAIRS
to attract, retain and support world-class conductors, musicians, guest artists and executive leadership
Janice & Thomas Barrow Chair Brinton Averil Smith, Principal Cello Roy & Lillie Cullen Chair Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Music Director Fondren Foundation Chair Qi Ming, Assistant Concertmaster General Maurice Hirsch Chair Aralee Dorough, Principal Flute Ellen E. Kelley Chair Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster Max Levine Chair George P. & Cynthia Woods Mitchell Chair Mark Hughes, Principal Trumpet Tassie & Constantine S. Nicandros Chair Alexander Potiomkin, Bass Clarinet Lucy Binyon Stude Chair Jonathan Fischer, Principal Oboe Winnie Safford Wallace Chair
ENDOWED FUNDS
to attract, retain and support world-class conductors and guest artists American General Fund Speros P. Martel Fund Stewart Orton Fund Dan Feigal Prosser Fund
52 | Houston Symphony
Stewart Orton Fund Papadopoulos Fund Nancy & Robert Peiser Fund Rockwell Fund, Inc. Fund Mr. & Mrs. Clive Runnells Fund Estate of Mr. Walter W. Sapp Fund Mr. & Mrs. Matt K. Schatzman Fund The Schissler Foundation Fund Mr. & Mrs. James A. Shaffer Fund Mr. & Mrs. William T. Slick Jr. Fund Texas Eastern Fund Dorothy Barton Thomas Fund Bobby & Phoebe Tudor Fund Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor Fund Dede & Connie Weil Fund The Wortham Foundation Fund Anonymous (5)
Fayez Sarofim Guest Violinist Fund through The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts The Wortham Foundation Classical Series Fund endowed in memory of Gus S. & Lyndall F. Wortham
to support annual education and community engagement activities Margarett & Alice Brown Endowment Fund for Education Ronald C. Borschow Fund Lawrence E. Carlton, M.D. Endowment Fund for Youth Programs Richard P. Garmany Fund for the Houston Symphony League Concerto Competition The William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs Selma S. Neumann Fund Spec’s Charitable Foundation Salute to Educators Concert Fund to support new commissions and innovative artistic projects The Micajah S. Stude Special Production Fund
to support access and expand geographic reach The Alice & David C. Bintliff Messiah Concert Fund The Brown Foundation’s Miller Outdoor Theatre Fund in memory of Hanni and Stewart Orton Mach Family Audience Development Fund George P. & Cynthia Woods Mitchell Summer Concerts Fund
to support electronic media initiatives The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Fund for Creative Initiatives
to support the Ima Hogg Competition Nancy B. Willerson Mr. & Mrs. C. Clifford Wright Jr.
to support piano performance Mary R. Lewis Fund for Piano Performance C. Howard Pieper Foundation
LEGACY COMMITMENTS
through The Brown Foundation Challenge to support artistic excellence Janet F. Clark Gloria Goldblatt Pryzant Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor Legacy Society Chair Wayne Brooks, principal viola Ms. Vicki West in honor of Hans Graf Anonymous (1)
LEADERSHIP GIFTS OF WORKING CAPITAL
provided as part of the Campaign for the 20th Century, Campaign for Houston Symphony and My Houston, My Symphony—Campaign for a Sound Future Hewlett Packard Company Fund The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation Neva Watkins West Fund Gift in memory of Winifred Safford Wallace for the commission of new works
Legacy SOCIETY The Legacy Society honors those who have included the Houston Symphony Endowment in their long-term estate plans through bequests, lifeincome gifts or other deferred-giving arrangements. If you would like to learn more about ways to provide for the Houston Symphony Endowment in your estate plans, please contact Patrick T. Quinn, Director, Planned Giving, at 713.337.8532 or patrick.quinn@houstonsymphony.org. Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey B. Aron Daniel B. Barnum George* & Betty Bashen Dr. Joan Hacken Bitar Dorothy B. Black Ermy Borlenghi Bonfield Kerry Levine Bollmann James & S. Dale Brannon Zu Broadwater Joan K. Bruchas & H. Philip Cowdin Mr. Christopher & Mrs. Erin Brunner Eugene R. Bruns Cheryl & Sam Byington Sylvia J. Carroll Dr. Robert N. Chanon William J. Clayton & Margaret A. Hughes Mr. & Mrs. Byron Cooley The Honorable & Mrs. William Crassas Dr. Lida S. Dahm Leslie Barry Davidson Judge & Mrs. Harold DeMoss Jr. Susan Feickent Ginny Garrett Mr. & Mrs. Harry H. Gendel Mauro H. Gimenez & Connie A. Coulomb Mr. Robert M. Griswold Randolph Lee Groninger
Claudio J. Gutierrez Mr. & Mrs. Jerry L. Hamaker Mrs. Gloria Herman Marilyn & Robert M. Hermance Timothy Hogan & Elaine Anthony Dr. Gary L. Hollingsworth Dr. Edward J. & Mrs. Patti Hurwitz Dr. Kenneth Hyde Brian & Catherine James Dr. & Mrs. Ira Kaufman, M.D. John S. W. Kellett Ann Kennedy & Geoffrey Walker Dr. James E. & Betty W. Key Dr. & Mrs. I. Ray Kirk Mrs. Frances E. Leland Mrs. Lucy Lewis E. W. Long Jr. Samuel J. Levine Sandra Magers David Ray Malone & David J. Sloat Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis Jay & Shirley Marks James G. Matthews Mr. & Mrs. John H. Matzer III Dr. & Mrs. Malcolm L. Mazow Mary Ann & David McKeithan Mr. & Mrs. Alexander K. McLanahan Dr. Tracey Samuels & Mr. Robert McNamara
Mr. & Mrs. D. Bradley McWilliams Catherine Jane Merchant Dr. Georgette M. Michko Marilyn Ross Miles & Stephen Warren Miles Foundation Katherine Taylor Mize Richard & Juliet Moynihan Gretchen Ann Myers Patience Myers Mr. John N. Neighbors, in memory of Jean Marie Neighbors Mr. & Mrs. Richard C. Nelson Bobbie Newman John & Leslie Niemand Leslie Nossaman Dave G. Nussmann John Onstott Macky Osorio Edward C. Osterberg Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Edmund & Megan Pantuliano Imogen “Immy” Papadopoulos Christine & Red Pastorek Peter & Nina Peropoulos Sara M. Peterson Darla Powell Phillips Geraldine Smith Priest Dana Puddy Patrick T. Quinn
Lila Rauch Ed & Janet Rinehart Mr. Floyd W. Robinson Evie Ronald Walter Ross Dr. & Mrs. Kazuo Shimada Lisa & Jerry Simon Tad & Suzanne Smith Sherry Snyder Marie Speziale Emily H. & David K. Terry Stephen G. Tipps Steve Tostengard, in memory of Ardyce Tostengard Jana Vander Lee Bill & Agnete Vaughan Dean B. Walker Stephen & Kristine Wallace David M. Wax* & Elaine Arden Cali Geoffrey Westergaard Nancy B. Willerson Jennifer R. Wittman Daisy S. Wong / JCorp Lorraine & Ed Wulfe David & Tara Wuthrich Katherine & Mark Yzaguirre Edith & Robert Zinn Anonymous (7)
Mr. Ronald Mikita & Mr. Rex Spikes Ione Moran Sidney Moran Sue A. Morrison & children in memory of Walter J. Morrison Mr. & Mrs. Marvin H. Mueller Drs. John & Dorothy Oehler Robert A. Peiser Gloria G. Pryzant Clive Runnells, in memory of Nancy Morgan Runnells Mr. Charles K. Sanders Donna Scott Charles & Andrea Seay Mr. & Mrs. James A. Shaffer
Michael J. Shawiak Jule* & Albert Smith Mr. & Mrs. Louis J. Snyder Mike & Anita* Stude Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor Elba L. Villarreal Margaret Waisman, M.D. & Steven S. Callahan, Ph.D. Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber Robert G. Weiner Vicki West in honor of Hans Graf Jo Dee Wright Susan Gail Wood Ellen A. Yarrell Anonymous (2)
CRESCENDO CIRCLE $100,000+ Dr. & Mrs. George J. Abdo Priscilla R. Angly Janice Barrow James Barton Joe Brazzatti Terry Ann Brown Drs. Dennis & Susan Carlyle Janet F. Clark Mr. William E. Colburn Darrin Davis & Mario Gudmundsson Harrison R.T. Davis Andria N. Elkins Jean & Jack* Ellis Andria N. Elkins The Aubrey & Sylvia Farb Family Eugene Fong
Mrs. Aggie L. Foster Michael B. George Stephen & Mariglyn Glenn Evan B. Glick Jo A. & Billie Jo Graves Bill Grieves Jacquelyn Harrison & Thomas Damgaard Dr. Rita Justice Mr. & Mrs. U. J. LeGrange Ms. Nancey G. Lobb Joella & Steven P. Mach Bill & Karinne McCullough Betty & Gene* McDavid Dr. & Mrs.* Robert M. Mihalo
In MEMORIAM
*Deceased
We honor the memory of those who in life included the Houston Symphony Endowment in their estate plans. Their thoughtfulness and generosity will continue to inspire and enrich lives for generations to come. Mr. Thomas D. Barrow George Bashen Paul M. Basinski W. P. Beard Ronald C. Borschow Mrs. H. Raymond Brannon Anthony Brigandi Lawrence E. Carlton, M.D. Mrs. Albert V. Caselli Lee Allen Clark William J. & Patricia S. Cunningham Fredell Lack Eichhorn Jack Ellis Mrs. Robin A. Elverson
Frank R. Eyler Dr. & Mrs. Larry L. Fedder Helen Bess Fariss Foster Lila-Gene George Mr. & Mrs. Keith E. Gott John Wesley Graham Dorothy H. Grieves Mrs. Marcella Levine Harris Gen. & Mrs. Maurice Hirsch Miss Ima Hogg Burke & Octavia Holman David L. Hyde Dr. Blair Justice Mr. Max Levine
Dr. Mary R. Lewis Mrs. L. F. McCollum Mr. & Mrs. Charles E. McKerley Doretha Melvin Monroe L. Mendelsohn Jr. Robert Austin Moody Mrs. Janet Moynihan Arthur Newman Constantine S. Nicandros Hanni Orton Stewart Orton, Legacy Society co-founder Dr. Michael Papadopoulos Miss Louise Pearl
Mary Anne H. Phillips Mr. Howard Pieper Walter W. Sapp, Legacy Society co-founder Ms. Jean R. Sides Lola Sinclair Blanche Stastny John K. & Fanny W. Stone Dorothy Barton Thomas Dr. Carlos Vallbona Mrs. Edward Wilkerson Anonymous (1)
InTUNE — September 2018 | 53
Education & Community Engagement DONORS The Houston Symphony acknowledges those individuals, corporations and foundations that support our education and community engagement initiatives. Each year, these activities impact the lives of more than 97,000 children and students and provide access to our world-class orchestra for more than 150,000 Houstonians free of charge.
Principal Guarantor $250,000+
John & Lindy Rydman / Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods /Spec’s Charitable Foundation
Guarantor
$100,000+
BBVA Compass Ms. Marie Taylor Bosarge City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board Houston Endowment Houston Symphony Endowment Mr. John N. Neighbors
Underwriter $50,000+
Chevron The Elkins Foundation ENGIE Exxon Mobil Corporation The Hearst Foundations, Inc. League of American Orchestras' Futures Fund Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo The John P. McGovern Foundation The Robert & Janice McNair Foundation Occidental Petroleum Corporation The Powell Foundation Mr. & Mrs. William K. Robbins Jr./ The Robbins Foundation Shell Oil Company
Sponsor
Partner
$15,000+
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation Ruth and Ted Bauer Family Foundation The Melbern G. and Susanne M. Glasscock Foundation H-E-B Tournament of Champions Macy's The Newfield Foundation Vivian L. Smith Foundation Mr. Jay Steinfeld & Mrs. Barbara Winthrop Texas Commission on the Arts Ellen A. Yarrell in memory of Virginia S. Anderson and in honor of Cora Sue Mach
Supporter
$10,000+
CenterPoint Energy George & Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation Houston Symphony League Nancy & Robert Peiser TPG Capital
Benefactor
$5,000+
William E. & Natoma Pyle Harvey Charitable Trust Houston Symphony League Bay Area Marathon Oil Corporation Nordstrom Randalls Food Markets
$25,000+
Mr. & Mrs. John P. Dennis III/ WoodRock & Co. Sterling-Turner Foundation Wells Fargo
In-Kind DONORS 26 Daisies A Fare Extraordinaire Aker Imaging Alexander’s Fine Portrait Design Alpha-Lee Enterprises, Inc. Aspire Executive Coaching, LLC Barbara Davis Gallery Bergner & Johnson Design Bering’s BKD, LLP Boat Ranch Burberry Cognetic Complete Eats Cullnaire Carl R. Cunningham DLG Research & Marketing Solutions Elaine Turner Designs 54 | Houston Symphony
Donor
$1,000+
Lilly & Thurmon Andress Diane & Harry Gendel Kinder Morgan Foundation Cora Sue & Harry Mach Karinne & Bill McCullough Tricia & Mark Rauch Hazel French Robertson Education & Community Residency Strake Foundation
Support by Endowed Funds Education and Community programs are also supported by the following endowed funds, which are a part of the Houston Symphony Endowment:
Support for Symphony Scouts Cora Sue & Harry Mach in honor of Roger Daily’s 13 years of service as Director of the Houston Symphony’s Education and Community Programs
Support for the Community-Embedded Musician Initiative The Community-Embedded Musicians Initiative is supported in part by a generous grant from the American Orchestras' Future Fund, a program of the League of American Orchestras made possible by funding from the Ann & Gordon Getty Foundation.
Margarett & Alice Brown Endowment Fund for Education Spec’s Charitable Foundation Salute to Educators Concert Fund The Brown Foundation's Miller Outdoor Theatre Fund in honor of Hanni & Stewart Orton The William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs Lawrence E. Carlton, M.D. Endowment Fund for Youth Programs Richard P. Garmany Fund for Houston Symphony League Concerto Competition Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Competition Endowed Fund Selma S. Neumann Fund
The Houston Symphony residency at Crespo Elementary is presented by BBVA Compass and the BBVA Compass Foundation. We are also thankful to HISD and these lead supporters of the CommunityEmbedded Musician program:
John L. Worthan & Son, L.P. John Wright/Textprint JW Marriott Houston Downtown Karbach Brewing Co. Kuhl-Linscomb LG Entertainers Limb Design Martha Turner Properties Meera Buck & Associates Michael’s Cookie Jar Minuteman Press – Post Oak Momentum Jaguar Music & Arts New Leaf Publishing, Inc. Nos Caves Vin The Parson Family in memory of Dorothy Anne Parson Pro/Sound
Randalls Food Markets Rice University Richard Brown Orchestra Saint Arnold’s Brewery Saks Fifth Avenue Shecky’s Media, Inc. Singapore Airlines Staging Solutions Stewart Title Tony’s Tootsies Valobra Jewelry & Antiques Versace Village Greenway VISION Yahama
Robert and Janice McNair Foundation Medistar National Endowment for the Arts Spec’s Wines, Spirits and Finer Foods / Spec’s Charitable Foundation Nancy & Robert Peiser Mr. Jay Steinfeld & Mrs. Barbara Winthrop H-E-B Tournament of Champions LTR Lewis Cloverdale Foundation
(as of August 1, 2018)
Elegant Events by Michael Elliot Marketing Group Elsie Smith Design Festari Foster Quan LLP Gremillion Fine Art Gucci Hermann Park Conservancy Hilton Americas – Houston Hotel Granduca Hotel Icon Hotel ZaZa Memorial City Houston Astros Houston Grand Opera Houston Texans InterContinental Hotel Houston Jim Benton of Houston, LLC JOHANNUS Organs of Texas
MUSICIAN SPONSORSHIPS Donors at the Conductor’s Circle Silver Baton level and above are provided the opportunity to be recognized as sponsoring a Houston Symphony Musician. For more information, please contact Liam Bonner, Manager, Annual Giving Groups, at 713.337.8536 or liam.bonner@houstonsymphony.org. Janice Barrow Sophia Silivos, First Violin Mrs. Bonnie Bauer Fay Shapiro, Viola Gary & Marian Beauchamp Martha Chapman, Second Violin Mr. & Mrs. Edward F. Blackburne Jr. Sergei Galperin, First Violin Zarine M. Boyce Brinton Averil Smith, Principal Cello Nancy & Walter Bratic Christopher Neal, First Violin Ralph Burch Robin Kesselman, Principal Double Bass Barbara J. Burger Andrew Pedersen, Double Bass Dougal & Cathy Cameron Brian Thomas, Horn Dr. M.K. Campion Rodica Gonzalez, First Violin Drs. Dennis & Susan Carlyle Louis-Marie Fardet, Cello Jane & Robert Cizik Qi Ming, Assistant Concertmaster Mr. Michael H. Clark & Ms. Sallie Morian George Pascal, Assistant Principal Viola Roger & Debby Cutler Tong Yan, First Violin Mr. Richard Danforth Jeffrey Butler, Cello Leslie Barry Davidson & W. Robins Brice Colin Gatwood, Oboe Scott Ensell & Family Donald Howey, Double Bass Kelli Cohen Fein & Martin Fein Ferenc Illenyi, First Violin Mr. & Mrs. Russell M. Frankel Aralee Dorough, Principal Flute Stephen & Mariglyn Glenn Christian Schubert, Clarinet Evan B. Glick Tong Yan, First Violin Mr. & Mrs. Fred L. Gorman Christopher French, Associate Principal Cello
Dr. Gary L. Hollingsworth & Dr. Kenneth J. Hyde Robert Walp, Assistant Principal Trumpet Drs. M.S. & Marie-Luise Kalsi Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster The Joan & Marvin Kaplan Foundation Mark Nuccio, Principal Clarinet Dr. & Mrs. I. Ray Kirk Linda Goldstein, Viola Mr. & Mrs. U. J. LeGrange Thomas LeGrand, Associate Principal Clarinet Rochelle & Max Levit Sergei Galperin, First Violin Cornelia & Meredith Long Brinton Averil Smith, Principal Cello Cora Sue & Harry Mach Joan DerHovsepian, Associate Principal Viola Joella & Steven P. Mach Eric Larson, Double Bass Mrs. Carolyn & Dr. Michael Mann Ian Mayton, Horn Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster Mr. & Mrs. J. Stephen Marks Brian Del Signore, Principal Percussion Jay & Shirley Marks Sergei Galperin, First Violin Michelle & Jack Matzer Kurt Johnson, First Violin Dr. & Mrs. Malcolm L. Mazow Rodica Gonzalez, First Violin Barbara & Pat McCelvey Adam Dinitz, English Horn Betty McDavid Linda A. Goldstein, Viola Mr. & Mrs. Alexander K. McLanahan William VerMeulen, Principal Horn Martha & Marvin McMurrey Rodica Gonzalez, First Violin Dr. Robert M. Mihalo Brian Thomas, Horn Rita & Paul Morico Elise Wagner, Bassoon Mr. & Mrs. Robert E. Nelson Mihaela Frusina, Second Violin
Bobbie Newman Rodica Gonzalez, First Violin
Mike Stude Brinton Averil Smith, Principal Cello
Scott & Judy Nyquist Sheldon Person, Viola
Linda & Paul Thomas Robert Johnson, Associate Principal Horn
Susan & Edward Osterberg MiHee Chung, First Violin Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan E. Parker Nancy Goodearl, Horn Nancy & Robert Peiser Jonathan Fischer, Principal Oboe Dave & Alie Pruner Matthew Strauss, Percussion Gloria & Joe Pryzant Matthew Strauss, Percussion Ron & Demi Rand Myung Soon Lee, Cello Lila Rauch Christopher French, Associate Principal Cello Sybil F. Roos Mark Hughes, Principal Trumpet Mr. Glen A. Rosenbaum Aralee Dorough, Principal Flute Linda & Jerry Rubenstein Brian Del Signore, Principal Percussion John & Lindy Rydman / Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods Anthony Kitai, Cello Mr. & Mrs. Walter Scherr Phyllis Herdliska, Viola Mr. & Mrs. James A. Shaffer Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster Laura & Michael Shannon Rian Craypo, Principal Bassoon Donna & Tim Shen Tina Zhang, Second Violin The Julia and Albert Smith Foundation Eric Arbiter, Associate Principal Bassoon
Susan L. Thompson George Pascal, Assistant Principal Viola Bobby & Phoebe Tudor Bradley White, Associate Principal Trombone Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor Daniel Strba, Viola Ms. Judith Vincent Matthew Roitstein, Associate Principal Flute Shirley & Joel Wahlberg Matthew Strauss, Percussion Margaret Waisman, M.D. & Steven S. Callahan, Ph.D. Mark Griffith, Percussion Stephen & Kristine Wallace Allen Barnhill, Principal Trombone Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber Megan Conley, Principal Harp Vicki West Rodica Gonzalez, First Violin Steven & Nancy Williams MiHee Chung, First Violin Jeanie Kilroy Wilson & Wallace S. Wilson Xiao Wong, Cello Mr. & Mrs. C. Clifford Wright Jr. Jarita Ng, Viola Lorraine & Ed Wulfe Dave Kirk, Principal Tuba Nina & Michael Zilkha Kurt Johnson, First Violin
Tad & Suzanne Smith Marina Brubaker, First Violin Alana R. Spiwak & Sam L. Stolbun Wei Jiang, Viola Mr. & Mrs. Robert R. Springob, Laredo Construction, Inc. Mihaela Frusina, Second Violin Carol & Michael Stamatedes Eric Larson, Double Bass
InTUNE — September 2018 | 55
Meet Richard Harris, trumpet Richard Harris joined the Houston Symphony as second trumpet in 2018. Previously, for eight years he was a member of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, where he became the only musician in an American orchestra to win auditions for each position in one trumpet section. A Yamaha Performing Artist, he has performed with the Seoul and Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestras, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Kansas City Symphony and many other orchestras. Rich served on the faculty at Winthrop University from 2013-2018 and at UNC Charlotte from 2007-2009. Rich studied with Thomas Booth and Barbara Butler and holds degrees from Texas Tech University and Southern Methodist University. Born in Lander, Wyoming, Rich is the youngest of five siblings. A chess enthusiast, through his volunteer work with inner-city schools in Charlotte, Rich taught and ran chess camps for underprivileged kids. In 2013, he met his wife, Angela. They have two children, Edward and Eva. Though you previously served as a contracted substitute, this is your first official season with the Houston Symphony. How does it feel to be an official member of the orchestra? Becoming a member of this orchestra has been the culmination of my entire life’s work as a musician. Sitting next to these world-class musicians each day is inspiring, and compels me to refine and hone my craft in new ways. What inspired you to become a musician? I have always been surrounded by music. My mother is violinist, and my father loved to play classical guitar. We listened to classical music often in our house. When I was 5, my mother asked me to pick an instrument to learn. I wanted to learn the trumpet, but since trumpet is rarely taught to children at that age I wasn't able to start until I was 8. Instead, I picked the cello, which I still play today. Is there a notable performance or event in your career you’d like to share? There are two significant performances that come to mind. In 2012, I organized and performed a benefit concert for a school that helps children with autism spectrum disorders learn life skills that enable them to be more independent. The concert was a big success, and the money we raised helped many children. The other performance was this year when I was honored to perform at the funeral for former first lady Barbara Bush with the Houston Symphony Brass Quintet. What does music mean to you? Music is capable of speaking to the absolute truth, beauty, and love in all things. It expresses ideas that words can never fully say.
Top: My Houston Symphony portrait Middle: My family - Edward, Angela and Eva Bottom: Trumpet section celebrating after I won the audition for 2nd Trumpet
56 | Houston Symphony
Your Values. Your Influence. Your Legacy. Our Advice.
From left: Tom Williams, Leah Bennett, Allen Lewis, Bill Cunningham, Susan Wedelich, Maureen Phillips, Donnie Roberts
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