InTune | April 2023

InTUNE

Perlman Conducts Mozart Requiem Mozart, Farrenc & Haydn

Chris Botti Mahler 1

welcome to the houston symphony

Jaakko Kuusisto—his inventive, impish, and witty Violin Concerto, a work brimming with energy and ideas, with soloist Elina Vähälä—and Mahler’s First Symphony (April 20, 22, and 23).

Dear Music Lovers,

I can’t believe it’s already April. The 2022–23 Season seems to have flown by, with only this month and next remaining before we plunge into summer.

We start our April with two weekends centered around the Viennese classics. First, our Artistic Partner Itzhak Perlman conducts an outstanding quartet of soloists, our Chorus, and the Houston Symphony in one of the towering monuments of the repertoire, Mozart’s Requiem (April 1 & 2). The next weekend, Concertmaster Yoonshin Song leads a program featuring Mozart’s First Violin Concerto, Louise Farrenc’s utterly charming Nonet, and Haydn’s “Clock” Symphony, full of majesty, elegance, and moments of rollicking good humor (April 7 & 8).

On April 13, we welcome three stellar saxophonists and the One O’Clock Lab Band® from The University of North Texas for a special collaboration that dives into the worlds of jazz and the orchestra, with music by John Williams, beloved jazz standards, and a new work for two saxophones, jazz ensemble, and orchestra by Alan Baylock. Our Principal POPS Conductor Steven Reineke returns for a special weekend with trumpet legend Chris Botti and several special guests joining the Symphony (April 14–16).

We round out the month with guest conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste, who returns to Houston after a long absence to lead music by his countryman

We’ve also announced our 2023–24 Season, Music Director Juraj Valčuha and the Symphony’s second together. They’ll perform some of the greatest works together, including music by Beethoven, Berlioz, Brahms, Mahler, Rachmaninoff, and Ravel, alongside new works, including a U.S. premiere from Julia Wolfe. Steven Reineke and the Symphony will ring in the New Year together, celebrate the legendary Etta James and George Gershwin’s 100 th birthday, and pay tribute to the best of contemporary Broadway and John Williams’s masterful music for the Star Wars ennealogy. We’ll welcome great artists to the Jones Hall stage, including pianists Emanuel Ax, Lang Lang, Marcus Roberts, and Jean-Yves Thibaudet; conductors Christoph Eschenbach, David Robertson, Xian Zhang, and Thomas Wilkins; Broadway legend Norm Lewis, and so many more. Plus we’ll have live-to-film performances of the first Star Wars and Harry Potter™ movies. And we end the season with a two-week festival that looks at the music of Richard Strauss, composer of symphonic works, art song, and opera, culminating in semi-staged performances of his overwhelming Salome with an incredible cast and Juraj on the podium.

There truly is something for everyone here at the Symphony—this month, next month, and all next season. Thank you for being with us today, and I hope we’ll see you again soon.

All my best,

John Mangum Executive Director/CEO

Margaret Alkek Williams Chair

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JONES HALL

Since the opening of Jones Hall in 1966, millions of arts patrons have enjoyed countless musical and stage performances at the venue. Dominating an entire city block, Jones Hall features a stunning travertine marble facade, 66-foot ceilings, and a brilliantly lit grand entrance. Jones Hall is a monument to the memory of Jesse Holman Jones, a towering figure in Houston during the first half of the 20 th century.

CONCERT DISRUPTION

We strive to provide the best possible auditory experience of our world-class orchestra. Noise from phones, candy wrappers, and talking is distracting to the performers on stage and those around you. Please help us make everyone’s concert enjoyable by silencing electronic devices now and remaining quiet during the performance.

FOOD & DRINK POLICY

The Encore Café and in-hall bars are open for Symphony performances, and food and drink will be permitted in bar areas. Food is not permitted inside the auditorium. Patrons may bring drinks into the auditorium for Bank of America POPS Series concerts and Symphony Specials. Drinks are not permitted inside the auditorium for Classical concerts.

LOST & FOUND

For lost and found inquiries, please contact Patron Experience Coordinator Freddie Piegsa during the performance. He also can be reached at freddie.piegsa@houstonsymphony.org. You also may contact Houston First after the performances at 832.487.7050

ETIQUETTE

For Classical concerts, if a work has several movements it is traditional to hold applause until the end of the last movement. If you are unsure when a piece ends, check the program or wait for the conductor to face the audience. If you feel truly inspired, however, do not be afraid to applaud!

CHILDREN

Children ages six and up are welcome to all Classical, Bank of America POPS, and Symphony Special concerts. Children of all ages are welcome at PNC Family Series performances. Children must have a ticket for all ticketed events.

LATE SEATING

Each performance typically allows for late seating, which is scheduled in intervals and determined by the conductor. Our ushers and Patron Experience Coordinator will instruct you on when late seating is allowed.

TICKETS

Subscribers to six or more Classical or Bank of America POPS concerts, as well as PNC Family Subscribers, may exchange their tickets at no cost. Tickets to Symphony Specials or single ticket purchases are ineligible for exchange or refund. If you are unable to make a performance, your ticket may be donated prior to the concert for a tax-donation receipt. Donations and exchanges may be made in person, over the phone, or online.

Juraj valČuha

Conductor Juraj Valčuha is recognized for his effortless expressiveness and depth of musicianship. With sharp baton technique and natural stage presence, the impressive ease of his interpretations translate even the most complex scores into immersive experiences. His profound understanding of composer and score, taste, and naturally elegant style make him one of the most sought-after conductors of his generation.

Since 2016, Valčuha has been music director of the Teatro di San Carlo, Naples, and first guest conductor of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin. He was chief conductor of the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI from 2009 to 2016.

The 2005–06 Season marked the start of his international career with exciting concerts on the podium of the Orchestre National de France followed by remarkable debuts in the U.K. with the Philharmonia London, in Germany with the Munich Philharmonic, and in the United States with the Pittsburgh Symphony. His Italian debut took place at Teatro Comunale in Bologna with a sensational production of La bohème.

He has since led the Berlin Philharmonic, Dresden Staatskapelle, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra,

Frankfurt Radio Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic, the NDR Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, the Vienna Symphony, Czech Philharmonic, Swedish Radio Symphony, Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre National de France, BBC Symphony, Philharmonia London, Amsterdam Royal Concertgebouw, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Maggio Musicale in Florence, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Milan’s Filarmonica della Scala, Montréal Symphony, and NHK and Yomiuri orchestras in Tokyo. His active career in the United States has taken him to the orchestras of Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, St. Louis, and Utah. He enjoys regular collaborations with orchestras in Houston, Minnesota, New York, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco.

International touring with the Orchestra Sinfonica della RAI took them to the Musikverein in Vienna and the Philharmonie in Berlin, as well as Cologne, Düsseldorf, Zurich, Basel, and Munich, and to the Enesco Festival in Bucharest and the Abu Dhabi Classics. He has also toured with the Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin to Riga, Vilnius, and Tallinn to mark the 100 th anniversary of the Baltic nations.

Music Director Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair

Valčuha champions the compositions of living composers and aims to program contemporary pieces in most of his concerts. He has conducted world premieres, including Christopher Rouses’s Supplica with the Pittsburgh Symphony, Steven Mackey’s violin concerto with Leila Josefowicz and the BBC Symphony in Manchester, and Nico Muhly’s Bright Idea with the Houston Symphony. In 2005, he conducted, in the presence of the composer, Steve Reich’s Four Sections at the Melos-Ethos Festival in Bratislava. Other composers he has supported and continues to follow with interest are Bryce Dessner, Andrew Norman, Luca Francesconi, James MacMillan, and Steven Stucky, among others.

On the opera stage, he has conducted Madama Butterfly, Elisir d‘amore, and Marriage of Figaro at the Bavarian State Opera Munich; Elektra and Turandot

at the Deutsche Oper Berlin; Faust and The Love for Three Oranges in Florence; Jenůfa, Peter Grimes, Salome, Tristan und Isolde, and Ariadne auf Naxos in Bologna; Peter Grimes in Venice; and Elektra, Carmen, Bluebeard’s Castle, Die Walküre, The Girl of the Golden West, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, Katja Kabanova, and Pique Dame in Naples.

Juraj Valčuha was awarded the Premio Abbiati 2018 from Italian Music critics in the Best Conductor category.

His engagements in the 2022–23 Season take him to the Houston, Pittsburgh and San Francisco orchestras, the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra dell’Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, and the Orchestre National de France. He conducts Verdi’s Don Carlo at Teatro San Carlo in Naples, and La bohème and Tristan und Isolde at the Bavarian State Opera Munich.

Born in Bratislava, Slovakia, Juraj studied composition and conducting in his birth place, then at the Conservatory in St. Petersburg (with Ilya Musin), and finally, at the Conservatoire Supérieur de la Musique in Paris.

jurajvalcuha.com

ORCHESTRA ROSTER

Juraj Valčuha

Music Director

Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair

FIRST VIOLIN

Yoonshin Song, 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

Julia Schilz+

SECOND VIOLIN

MuChen Hsieh, Principal

Amy Semes, Associate Principal

Annie Kuan-Yu Chen

Mihaela Frusina

Jing Zheng

Martha Chapman*

Tianjie Lu*

Anastasia Ehrlich

Tina Zhang

Boson Mo

Teresa Wang+

Samuel Park+

VIOLA

Joan DerHovsepian, Acting Principal

Wei Jiang, Acting Associate Principal

Sheldon Person

Fay Shapiro

Phyllis Herdliska

Keoni Bolding

Samuel Pedersen

Meredith Harris+

Suzanne LeFevre+

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

Jeremy Kreutz

COMMUNITY-EMBEDDED

MUSICIANS

David Connor, double bass

Rainel Joubert, violin

ASSOCIATE LIBRARIAN

Luke Bryson

ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN

Hae-a Lee

Steven Reineke, Principal POPS Conductor

Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Conductor Laureate

Yue Bao, Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation

Assistant Conductor

Allen Hightower, Director

Houston Symphony Chorus

DOUBLE BASS

Robin Kesselman, Principal

Timothy Dilenschneider, Associate Principal

Mark Shapiro

Eric Larson

Andrew Pedersen

Burke Shaw

Donald Howey

FLUTE

Aralee Dorough, Principal General Maurice Hirsch Chair

Matthew Roitstein*

Associate Principal

Judy Dines Acting Associate Principal

Mark Teplitsky+

Kathryn Ladner

PICCOLO

Kathryn Ladner

OBOE

Jonathan Fischer, Principal Lucy Binyon Stude Chair

Anne Leek, Associate Principal

Colin Gatwood

Adam Dinitz

ENGLISH HORN

Adam Dinitz

CLARINET

Mark Nuccio, Principal

Bobbie Nau Chair

Thomas LeGrand, Associate Principal

Christian Schubert

Alexander Potiomkin

E-FLAT CLARINET

Thomas LeGrand

BASS CLARINET

Alexander Potiomkin

Tassie and Constantine

S. Nicandros Chair

BASSOON

Rian Craypo, Principal

Isaac Schultz, Associate Principal

Elise Wagner

Adam Trussell

STAGE PERSONNEL

Stefan Stout, Stage Manager

José Rios, Assistant Stage Manager

Nicholas DiFonzo and Justin Herriford, Stage Technicians

Giancarlo Minotti, Recording Assistant

CONTRABASSOON

Adam Trussell

HORN

William VerMeulen, Principal

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander K. McLanahan

Endowed Chair

Robert Johnson, Associate Principal

Brian Thomas

Ian Mayton

Jesse Clevenger+

David Raschella+

TRUMPET

Mark Hughes, Principal

George P. and Cynthia Woods

Mitchell Chair

John Parker, Associate Principal

Robert Walp, Assistant Principal

Richard Harris

TROMBONE

Bradley White, Acting Principal

Ryan Rongone+

Phillip Freeman

BASS TROMBONE

Phillip Freeman

TUBA

Dave Kirk, Principal

TIMPANI

Leonardo Soto, Principal

Matthew Strauss, Associate Principal

PERCUSSION

Brian Del Signore, Principal

Mark Griffith

Matthew Strauss

HARP (Vacant)

KEYBOARD

Scott Holshouser, Principal

LIBRARIAN

Jeanne Case, Principal

*on leave + contracted substitute

SOCIETY BOARD OF TRUSTEES

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

John Rydman President

Janet F. Clark Chair

Barbara J. Burger President-Elect

Mike S. Stude Chairman Emeritus

Jonathan Ayre Chair, Finance

Brad W. Corson Chair, Governance & Leadership

Manuel Delgado Chair, Marketing & Communications

Evan B. Glick Chair, Popular Programming

Lidiya Gold Chair, Development

Sippi Khurana Chair, Education

GOVERNING DIRECTORS

Jonathan Ayre

Marcia Backus

Gary Beauchamp

Tony Bradfield

Eric Brueggeman

Bill Bullock

Barbara J. Burger

Janet F. Clark

Lidiya Gold

Claudio J. Gutiérrez

William D. Hunt

Rick Jaramillo

Sippi Khurana, M.D.

Mary Lynn Marks Chair, Volunteers & Special Events

Robert Orr Chair, Strategic Planning

Ed Schneider Chair, Community Partnerships

Miles O. Smith Chair, Artistic & Orchestra Affairs

Jesse B. Tutor Chair, Audit

Steven P. Mach ^ Immediate Past Chairman

Paul Morico General Counsel

Barbara McCelvey Secretary

Bobby Tudor^ At-Large Member

Cheryl Byington^ President, Houston Symphony League

James H. Lee^ President, Houston Symphony Endowment

Juraj Valčuha^ Music Director, Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair

Joan DerHovsepian^ Musician Representative

John Mangum^ Executive Director/CEO

Margaret Alkek Williams Chair

Mark Hughes^ Musician Representative

Adam Trussell^ Musician Representative

Mark Nuccio^ Musician Representative

Katie Salvatore^ Assistant Secretary

Carey Kirkpatrick

Kenny Kurtzman

Isabel Stude Lummis

Cora Sue Mach**

Rodney Margolis**

Jay Marks**

Mary Lynn Marks

Elissa Martin

Barbara McCelvey

Paul R. Morico

Robert Orr

Chris Powers

John Rydman**

Miles O. Smith

Anthony Speier

William J. Toomey II

Bobby Tudor**

Betty Tutor**

Jesse B. Tutor**

Judith Vincent

Gretchen Watkins

Robert Weiner

Margaret Alkek Williams**

EX-OFFICIO

Cheryl Byington

Brad W. Corson

Manuel Delgado

Joan DerHovsepian

Evan B. Glick

Mark Hughes

James H. Lee

Steven P. Mach

John Mangum

Mark Nuccio

Katie Salvatore

Ed Schneider

Adam Trussell

Juraj Valčuha

TRUSTEES

David J. Beck

James M. Bell Jr.

Devinder Bhatia, M.D.

Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl

Nancy Shelton Bratic

Terry Ann Brown**

Lindsay Buchanan

Ralph Burch

Dougal Cameron

John T. Cater**

Robert Chanon

Michael H. Clark

Virginia Clark

Evan D. Collins, M.D., MBA

Brad W. Corson

Andrew Davis, Ph.D.

Denise Davis

Manuel Delgado

Tracy Dieterich

Bob Duff

Joan Duff

Connie Dyer

Jeffrey B. Firestone

Eugene A. Fong

Aggie L. Foster

Julia Anderson Frankel

Ronald G. Franklin

Carolyn Gaidos

Evan B. Glick

Gary L. Hollingsworth

Stephen Incavo, M.D.

Brian James

I. Ray Kirk, M.D.

David Krieger

Andrew Go Lee, M.D.

Ulyesse J. LeGrange**

Matthew Loden

Steven P. Mach

Michael Mann, M.D.

Jack Matzer

PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY SOCIETY

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

E.C. Vandagrift Jr.

J. Hugh Roff Jr.

PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY LEAGUE

Miss Ima Hogg

Mrs. John F. Grant

Mrs. J. R. Parten

Mrs. Andrew E. Rutter

Mrs. Aubrey Leno Carter

Mrs. Stuart Sherar

Mrs. Julian Barrows

Ms. Hazel Ledbetter

Mrs. Albert P. Jones

Mrs. Ben A. Calhoun

Mrs. James Griffith Lawhon

Mrs. Olaf LaCour Olsen

Mrs. Ralph Ellis Gunn

Mrs. Leon Jaworski

Mrs. Garrett R. Tucker Jr.

Mrs. M. T. Launius Jr.

Mrs. Thompson McCleary

Mrs. Theodore W. Cooper

Mrs. Allen W. Carruth

Mrs. David Hannah Jr.

Mary Louis Kister

Mrs. Edward W. Kelley Jr.

Mrs. John W. Herndon

Mrs. Charles Franzen

Mrs. Harold R. DeMoss Jr.

Mrs. Edward H. Soderstrom

Mrs. Lilly Kucera Andress

Ms. Marilou Bonner

Mrs. W. Harold Sellers

Mrs. Harry H. Gendel

Mrs. Robert M. Eury

Mrs. E. C. Vandagrift Jr.

Mrs. J. Stephen Marks

Terry Ann Brown

FOUNDATION FOR JONES HALL REPRESENTATIVES

Dougal A. Cameron

Janet F. Clark

Jackie Wolens Mazow

Alexander K. McLanahan**

Marilyn Miles

Shane A. Miller

Aprill Nelson

Tammy Tran Nguyen

Leslie Nossaman

Scott Nyquist

Edward Osterberg Jr.

Zeljko Pavlovic

David Pruner

Gloria G. Pryzant

Miwa Sakashita

Ed Schneider

Helen Shaffer**

Robert B. Sloan, D.D., Theol.

Jim R. Smith

Quentin Smith

Mike S. Stude **

Ishwaria Subbiah, M.D.

Shirley W. Toomim

Margaret Waisman, M.D.

Fredric A. Weber

Mrs. S. Conrad Weil

Vicki West

Steven J. Williams

David J. Wuthrich

Ellen A. Yarrell

Robert Yekovich

EX-OFFICIO

John Steven Cisneros, Ed.D.

Juan Zane Crawford

Kusum Patel

Frank F. Wilson IV

**Lifetime Trustee

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

Janet F. Clark

Nancy Strohmer

Mary Ann McKeithan

Ann Cavanaugh

Mrs. James A. Shaffer

Lucy H. Lewis

Catherine McNamara

Shirley McGregor Pearson

Paula Jarrett

Cora Sue Mach

Kathi Rovere

Norma Jean Brown

Barbara McCelvey

Lori Sorcic Jansen

Nancy B. Willerson

Jane Clark

Nancy Littlejohn

Donna Shen

Barbara McCelvey

Dr. Susan Snider Osterberg

Dr. Kelli Cohen Fein

Vicki West

Mrs. Jesse Tutor

Darlene Clark

Beth Wolff

Maureen Higdon

Fran Fawcett Peterson

Leslie Siller

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

SENIOR MANAGEMENT GROUP

John Mangum, Executive Director/CEO, Margaret Alkek Williams Chair

Elizabeth S. Condic, Chief Financial Officer

Vicky Dominguez, Chief Operating Officer

Nancy Giles, Chief Development Officer

Gwen Watkins, Chief Marketing and External Relations Officer

DEVELOPMENT

Lauren Buchanan, Development Communications Manager

Alex Canales, Development Ticket Concierge

Timothy Dillow, Senior Director, Development

Amanda T. Dinitz, Senior Major Gifts Officer

Zitlaly Jimenez, Annual Fund Manager

Hadia Mawlawi, Senior Associate, Endowment and Planned Giving

Meghan Miller, Special Events Associate

Emilie Moellmer, Development Associate, Gifts & Records

Tim Richey, Director, Individual Giving

Katie Salvatore, Development Officer

Ika Soemampauw, Senior Development Associate, Administration

Christine Ann Stevens, Senior Director, Development

Lena Streetman, Manager, Research and Development Operations

Stacey Swift, Director, Special Events

Sarah Thompson, Institutional Giving Associate

Christina Trunzo, Director, Foundation Relations

Alexa Ustaszewski, Major Gifts Officer

FINANCE | ADMINISTRATION | IT | HR

Henry Cantu, Finance Accountant

Kimberly Cegielski, Staff Accountant

Tiffany Gentry, Junior System Administrator

Richard Jackson, Database Administrator

Joel James, Director of Human Resources

Tanya Lovetro, Director of Budgeting and Financial Reporting

Morgana Rickard, Controller

Gabriela Rivera, Senior Accountant

Pam Romo, Office Manager/HR Coordinator

Lee Whatley, Senior Director, IT and Analytics

MARKETING | EXTERNAL RELATIONS

Education and Community Engagement

Pam Blaine, Chief of Education and Community Engagement

Allison Conlan, Director, Community Engagement

Jennifer Lanham, Student Concerts Coordinator Marketing and Communications

Mark Bailes, Marketing Revenue Manager

Olivia Cantrell, Marketing and External Relations Coordinator

Heather Fails, Manager, Ticketing Database

Kathryn Judd, Director, Marketing

Yoo-Ell Lee, Junior Graphic Designer

Fiona Legesse-Sinha, Graphic Design Manager

Ciara Macaulay, Creative Director

Mariah Martinez, Email Marketing Coordinator

Bianca Montanez, Content Marketing Coordinator

Eric Skelly, Senior Director, Communications Patron Services

Freddie Piegsa, Patron Experience Coordinator

Ashlan Walker, Manager, Patron Services

Jenny Zuniga, Director, Patron Services

OPERATIONS | ARTISTIC

Stephanie Alla, Associate Director of Artistic Planning

Lila Atchison, Assistant Orchestra Personnel Manager

Becky Brown, Director, Operations

Luke Bryson, Associate Librarian

Catherine Goode, Chorus Manager

Janwin Overstreet-Goode, Chorus Manager

Michael Gorman, Orchestra Personnel Manager

Lauren Moore, Associate Director of Digital Concert Production

José Rios, Assistant Stage Manager

Brad Sayles, Senior Recording Engineer

Claudia Schmitz, Artist Liaison and Assistant to the Music Director

Stefan Stout, Stage Manager

Meredith Williams, Associate Director, Operations

Rebecca Zabinski, Director, Artistic Planning

BY THE NUMBERS

ENGAGEMENT AND DIVERSITY

Traditionally, the Houston Symphony brings music to more than 400,000 people in the Greater Houston area through our artistic programming, robust array of education programs, and community engagement initiatives. Through our interactions with 86 partners at local schools, community centers, hospitals, and other nonprofits, we serve a wide range of Houstonians that reflect the diversity of our city. The Houston Symphony is committed to serving the residents of Houston—not only at Jones Hall, but in underserved communities throughout the city as well. We strive to remove economic and geographical barriers to music so that people from all walks of life can enjoy an inclusive and vibrant cultural landscape in Houston.

WE SERVE A WIDE RANGE OF HOUSTONIANS THAT REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF OUR CITY THROUGH EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES:

NEARLY

50%

OF OUR EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PARTICIPANTS ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.

55

86 NONPROFIT PARTNERS PARTICIPATE IN OUR COMMUNITY TICKETS PROGRAM, OFFERING FREE TICKETS

COMMUNITY IMPACT

600+ volunteers*

5,250+ free tickets provided to underserved communities 200,000+ participate in free and low-cost programming

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS FOR OUR EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES

POPULATIONS SERVED THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS

• students

• senior citizens

• refugees and immigrants

• veterans

• individuals with intellectual & developmental disabilities

• low-income families

Houstonians served in a typical year 400,000+

• bereaved families

• and many more

*including members of the Houston Symphony Chorus, Hispanic and African American Leadership Councils, Board of Trustees, Houston Symphony League, and the Young Associates Council

Perlman conducts mozart requiem

Itzhak Perlman, conductor

*Felicia Moore, soprano

*Sun-Ly Pierce, mezzo-soprano

Jack Swanson, tenor

Hadleigh Adams, baritone

Houston Symphony Chorus, Allen Hightower, director

0:28 MOZART – Symphony No. 29 in A major, K. 201 I. Allegro moderato II. Andante III. Menuetto IV. Allegro con spirito

0:51 MOZART – Requiem, K.626 I. Introitus (Requiem)—

*Houston Symphony debut

About the Music

Saturday, April 1 Jones Hall

8:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 2 Jones Hall & Livestream 2:30 p.m.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Houston Symphony Endowment

Diamond Guarantor

Program Insight

Underwriter

Underwriter

Mr. Floyd W. Robinson Partner

Livestream of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by Barbara J. Burger

Video enhancement of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by the Albert & Ethel Herzstein Foundation through a special gift celebrating the foundation’s 50 th anniversary in 2015

The Classical Season is endowed by The Wortham Foundation, Inc., in memory of Gus S. and Lyndall F. Wortham

This weekend, Houston Symphony Artistic Partner Itzhak Perlman returns to Jones Hall to conduct two works that display the breadth of Mozart’s genius. Completed almost exactly 249 years ago this weekend, Mozart’s Symphony No. 29 in A major brims with youthful high spirits, displaying the 18-year-old composer’s maturing musical voice. By contrast, Mozart’s Requiem, unfinished upon his untimely death at 35, is one of his darkest works. The result of a mysterious, anonymous commission, Mozart’s setting of the traditional Catholic Mass for the dead has prompted countless legends. According to his wife, Constanze, Mozart grew to believe he was writing the Requiem for himself as his health precipitously declined in his final months. A masterpiece of the choral-orchestral repertoire, this work looks back to the Baroque with its elaborate counterpoint and forward to the Romantic era with its powerful emotions and haunting backstory. —Calvin

Dotsey

Program Notes

MOZART

Symphony No. 29 in A major, K.201 (1774)

Mozart’s well-loved Symphony No. 29 dates from a transitional period in his career: the end of his time as a touring childhood prodigy. The last tour of this sort he made with his father was a visit to Italy during the winter of 1772–73, which saw the successful production of his opera Lucio Silla in Milan. Upon their return to Salzburg, Mozart composed his First Violin Concerto (featured in the Houston Symphony’s upcoming April 7 and 8 concerts) before setting out with his father for Vienna. The Mozarts likely hoped to secure a post for young Wolfgang in the Austrian capital, but unfortunately nothing came of the visit.

Mozart then settled into what was perhaps the most stable period of his career: life as a somewhat underemployed, part-time concertmaster

Program Notes

MOZART

Symphony No. 29 in A major, K.201 (1774)

for the court of Prince-Archbishop Hieronymus von Colloredo, the Mozarts’ infamously unappreciative employer. With his official duties easily dispatched, many of Mozart’s works from this period were composed either for his own pleasure or at the behest of local musicloving aristocrats. For the next four years, Mozart produced only about a dozen new works per year—ample perhaps for another composer, but a relatively small output by Mozart’s standards. At the same time, for many critics, this is the period of his first real maturity. Although Mozart’s earlier childhood works are generally excellent and show a precocious mastery of contemporary styles and practices, this Salzburg period witnessed works of great originality that remain frequently performed today.

This bright, sunny symphony, completed on April 6, 1774, is a perfect example. Particularly notable throughout this work is the 18-year-old Mozart’s trademark chromaticism, by turns playful, expressive, and sensuous. For instance, the first movement, a joyful "Allegro moderato," opens with rich chromatic harmonies supporting a rising melodic line in the first violins. Mozart’s melodic inventiveness is also on display; this movement features three main themes rather than the usual two. After the chromatic opening idea, a transition leads to a pause, like a singer taking a breath before launching into an aria. The violins introduce a soft, tuneful second theme. A transition then leads to the third theme, which begins quietly as a duet between the first and second violins. These ideas are then developed and recapitulated with Mozart’s fine contrapuntal technique and harmonic adventurousness.

The following "Andante" features muted violins, which introduce a gentle melody based on dotted (short-long) rhythms. The first violins then engage in a delicate counterpoint with the seconds, leading to a broad second theme, which features sighing chromatic figures at the ends of its phrases. As in the first movement, a third theme follows, first in the violins and then the oboes. A brief development leads to a reprise of these themes and an understated coda.

The third movement picks up the dotted rhythms of the second in a stately "menuetto," and Mozart’s playful chromaticism reappears in the lyrical middle section. The last movement, marked “Allegro con spirito,” invokes the tradition of the hunt-themed finale with its horn calls and jig-like 6/8 meter. A bounding opening theme leads to a quieter second theme that starts with a subtle musical joke: the first violins begin, but their figure turns out to be just the accompaniment—the second violins get the melody. After a spirited development focused on the opening idea, the main themes are reprised. A coda brings the symphony to an effervescent end. —Calvin

Dotsey

Program Notes

MOZART/SÜSSMAYR

Requiem, K.626 (1791–92)

Composers’ biographies often influence interpretations of their works, but sometimes a work influences the interpretation of a composer’s biography. Perhaps only Tchaikovsky’s Symphony Pathétique (which the Houston Symphony performs in May) can rival Mozart’s Requiem for the legends and speculation it has generated about its composer’s final days. The facts alone are curious enough. On February 14, 1791, Countess Anna von Wallsegg died at the tender age of 20, leaving her husband bereft. An avid amateur musician, Count von Wallsegg had a habit of commissioning composers to write works, which he passed off as his own. Likely with this purpose in mind, he anonymously commissioned Mozart to compose a Requiem Mass as a memorial to his wife, employing either his lawyer or estate manager as a go-between. Mozart likely agreed to this mysterious request in August 1791 for 50 ducats, but probably did not begin work until October, occupied as he was with his operas La clemenza di Tito and Die Zauberflöte. While also busy with other projects, Mozart made progress on the Requiem at least until November 20, when he took to his bed with the fever that plagued Vienna that winter. After a life of ill health which made him particularly susceptible, Mozart died on December 5.

Upon his death, the Requiem remained unfinished. Mozart had virtually completed the "Introitus" and "Kyrie," but he had only finished the vocal parts and bassline for the "Sequenz" and "Offertorium," occasionally filling in the first violin part or other key orchestral details. The Lacrymosa, which ends the "Sequenz" was even less complete, breaking off after the first eight measures. As for the "Sanctus," "Agnus Dei," and "Communio," there was nothing.

Mozart’s widow, Constanze, now found herself not only without a husband, but without a source of income to support her family. Wanting to collect the rest of the fee from Count Wallsegg, she concealed the Requiem’s incomplete status and sought another composer to finish it. Ultimately Franz Xaver Süssmayr completed the work in March 1792. Süssmayr later explained, “The Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei were composed entirely by me; in order to give more unity to the work I just allowed myself to repeat the 'Kyrie' fugue to the lines cum Sanctis etc.” He also reused music from the "Introitus" in the "Lux aeterna;" ending a mass with the return of earlier music in this manner was not uncommon for the era.

The manuscript, complete with a forged signature, was delivered to the Count, and Constanze presumably received the payment; in contravention of the Count’s contract, however, she kept additional copies and ultimately had the Requiem published in 1800. The piece was soon applauded as Mozart’s final masterpiece, with Süssmayr’s (often unacknowledged) contributions receiving as much praise as the parts completed by Mozart himself.

Although Constanze’s claim that Mozart completed the Requiem before his death is easily dismissed, her report that Mozart began to believe during his final illness that he was writing a Requiem for himself cannot be disproved. His gripping score, which notably draws inspiration from works of Handel and Requiems by Michael Haydn and Florian Gassmann, certainly ranks among his most emotionally intense works.

Program Notes

MOZART/SÜSSMAYR

Requiem, K.626 (1791–92)

Program Bios

In later years, as Süssmayr’s contributions became better known, they began to draw increasing criticism; rather uncharitably, scholars tended to attribute any good qualities they might have to supposedly lost sketches by Mozart and any bad qualities to Süssmayr alone. Since the 1970s, many alternative completions have been attempted, but despite this, Süssmayr’s version remains standard. Süssmayr himself wrote, “This job came to me because it was known that during Mozart’s lifetime I had often played through and sung with him the movements already composed, and that he talked to me very often about the working-out of this composition and communicated to me the ways and means of his instrumentation. I can only wish that I have succeeded well enough at least for some connoisseurs to be able to find in it, here and there, some signs of his unforgettable teaching.” —Calvin Dotsey

Itzhak Perlman, conductor

Undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Itzhak Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. Beloved for his charm and humanity as well as his talent, he is treasured by audiences throughout the world who respond not only to his remarkable artistry, but also to his irrepressible joy for making music.

Having performed with every major orchestra and at concert halls around the globe, Itzhak was granted a Presidential Medal of Freedom—the nation’s highest civilian honor—by President Obama in 2015, a Kennedy Center Honor in 2003, a National Medal of Arts by President Clinton in 2000, and

a Medal of Liberty by President Reagan in 1986. He has been honored with 16 Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Kennedy Center Honor, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Genesis Prize.

Itzhak currently serves as Artistic Partner of the Houston Symphony in a partnership that commenced in the 2020–21 Season and culminates at the end of 2023–24. He performs nine programs across three seasons that feature him in versatile appearances as conductor, soloist, recitalist, and presenter.

In the 2022–23 Season, Itzhak conducts the LA Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl and the Houston Symphony on Mozart’s Requiem, and is joined by an illustrious group of collaborators— Emanuel Ax, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and the Juilliard String Quartet— in a special Itzhak Perlman and Friends program appearing in only three locations: Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall, UMS Ann Arbor, and Carnegie Hall. He continues touring An Evening with Itzhak Perlman, which captures highlights

of his career through narrative and multi-media elements intertwined with performance, to Boston, Philadelphia, Long Island, Akron, Austin, Tallahassee, and Naples (Florida). He plays season-opening concerts for the Colorado Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, and Florida Orchestra, and recitals across the United States with longtime collaborator Rohan De Silva.

Itzhak Perlman has an exclusive series of classes with Masterclass.com, the premier online education company that enables access to the world’s most brilliant minds, including Gordon Ramsay, Wolfgang Puck, Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Dame Helen Mirren, Jodie Foster, and Serena Williams, as the company’s first classical music presenter. 

Program Bios

Felicia Moore, soprano

Noted by The Wall Street Journal for her “opulent, Wagner-scaled soprano” and acclaimed by The New York Times as the “lustrous, commanding soprano,” Felicia Moore is recognized by Opera News as “a genuine jugendliche dramatische soprano of exciting potential (and present accomplishment).” She is a powerful and innovative artist having made music in partnership with Alan Gilbert, Anne Manson, Ken-David Masur, Yannick NézetSéguin, Rafael Payare, Speranza Scappucci, Alexander Shelley, Evan Rogister, Gary Thor Wedow, Ryan Wigglesworth, and Brian Zeger, among others.

Engagements of the 2022–23 Season include a return to the Metropolitan Opera for a revival of Graham Vick’s acclaimed production of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk under the baton of KeriLynn Wilson and for Die Zauberflöte led by Nathalie Stutzmann in a new production.

In the 2021–22 Season, Felicia made her Metropolitan Opera debut as First Lady in The Magic Flute under the baton of Dame Jane Glover and covered in Elektra led by Sir Donald Runnicles. She made role debuts as Sieglinde in

Die Walküre with New Orleans Opera, as Senta in Der fliegende Holländer with Opera Maine, and in the title role of Ariadne auf Naxos with the Lakes Area Music Festival. Concert engagements included Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Rafael Payare and the San Diego Symphony, the Erie Philharmonic for Mahler’s Second Symphony and David Chan leading the APEX Ensemble for Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder.

Highlights of past seasons include the role of Susan B. Anthony in The Mother of Us All at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as a part of Project 19, the New York Philharmonic’s multi-season initiative marking the centennial of the 19 th Amendment, and Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni for Palm Beach Opera and Chamber Music Northwest. Other operatic performances include Britten’s The Turn of the Screw at Opera Columbus and the title role of Janáček’s Katya Kabanova, in a new production by Stephen Wadsworth at Juilliard.

Felicia was awarded a Fellowship by Turn The Spotlight, a foundation created to identify, nurture, and empower leaders for a more equitable future. She is a proud alumna of The Juilliard School, Mannes School of Music, and Westminster Choir College. 

Sun-Ly Pierce, mezzo-soprano

Chinese-American mezzo-soprano Sun-Ly Pierce makes role and house debuts this season at Calgary Opera as Laurene Powell in The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs led by Michael Christie, Opera Philadelphia as Emilia in Rossini’s Otello alongside tenor Lawrence Brownlee with conductor Corrado Rovaris, and Detroit Opera as Arsamene in the Tazewell Thompson production of Handel’s Xerxes. She returns to Houston Grand Opera to sing the role of Jack and cover Thirza in Dame

Ethel Smyth’s epic 1906 opera The Wreckers, Des Moines Metro Opera starring as Smeraldina in Prokofiev’s The Love for Three Oranges with director Chas Rader-Shieber, and Toledo in Zach Redler’s The Falling and The Rising. In concert, she performs Szymanowski’s Songs of the Infatuated Muezzin with The Orchestra Now at the Fisher Center, Carnegie Hall with Leon Botstein on the podium, and a pair of recitals for Lyric Fest in Philadelphia.

Last season, Sun-Ly debuted four new roles on stage at Houston

Grand Opera: Stéphano (Roméo et Juliette) directed by Tomer Zvulun, sang Sister Mathilde and covered

Program Bios

Blanche de la Force (Dialogues des Carmélites) directed by Francesca Zambello and conducted by music director Patrick Summers, Second Lady (Die Zauberflöte) in the Barrie Kosky and Suzanne Andrade production, and Mercédès (Carmen) led by Lidiya Yankovskaya. Additional appearances included her portrayal of Mozart’s Second Lady for Des Moines Metro Opera, a role debut as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni at the Aspen Music Festival with Dame Jane Glover conducting, and mezzo-soprano soloist in a concert of Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream led by Nicholas McGegan as well as Druckman’s Dark Upon the Harp, and her San Francisco Opera debut as Bao Chai in Bright Sheng’s Dream of the Red Chamber with the San Francisco Opera with conductor Darrell Ang. In competition, she was a winner of the 2019 Marilyn Horne Song Competition, a first place winner in the 2020 Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers, and third place recipient in the 2021 Dallas Opera National Vocal Competition. Sun-Ly holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and Bard College Conservatory of Music, and is an alumna of the Houston Grand Opera Studio. 

Jack Swanson, tenor

Jack Swanson, a native of Stillwater, Minnesota, is quickly becoming one of the most soughtafter young tenors in the opera world.

This season, he premieres the title role in Paola Prestini’s Edward Tulane with the Minnesota Opera and makes debuts with the Austin Opera as Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, the Utah Opera as Tonio in La Fille du Régiment (a role debut, as well), and the Atlanta Opera as the title-role in Candide. In concert, the tenor joins the Houston Symphony for Mozart’s Requiem, the Utah Symphony for Carmina burana, and the Mercury Chamber Orchestra for Handel’s Messiah. He will perform in recital with Matinee Musicale in Duluth, Minnesota. Future engagements include debuts with the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Houston Grand Opera as well as returns to the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro and the Norwegian Opera.

Last season, Jack debuted with a number of European companies, including the Teatro Regio in Torino as Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, the Opéra National de Lorraine in Nancy as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte (a role debut), and the

Opéra National du Rhin in Strasbourg as Ferrando in Così fan tutte (a role he had just debuted for his return to the Oper Frankfurt). He also sang a concert of Mozart, Bel canto, and romantic Italian songs in Beirut, Lebanon. In the summer, he returned to the Santa Fe Opera in his signature role of Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and in recital before singing the title role in Candide with the Lausitz Festival.

Prior to that, Jack returned to the Norwegian Opera for Almaviva in a new production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia and to the Oper Köln for the same role before returning to the Garsington Opera for the title role in Rossini’s Le Comte Ory. He then finished the season by making his Rossini Opera Festival debut as Florville in Il Signor Bruschino. In concert, he was heard as the tenor soloist in Rossini’s Stabat Mater in Rome with the Accademia di Santa Cecilia and Myung Whun Chung. He also appeared in solo recitals in Frankfurt and in Pesaro. 

Hadleigh Adams, baritone

New Zealand baritone Hadleigh Adams has amassed a body of work remarkable in its breadth. Committed to both the concert and opera stage, he has collaborated with some of the world’s finest artists.

Program Bios

On the concert stage, he has performed as a soloist with the London Philharmonia Orchestra under Esa-Pekka Salonen, the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Gustavo Dudamel, the San Francisco Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra under Robert Spano, the San Francisco Opera Orchestra under Nicola Luisotti, and Philharmonia Baroque under Nicholas McGegan. He has also performed with the American Bach Soloists, Seattle Symphony, Nashville Symphony, and Colorado Symphony. Renowned for his Handel, he has performed Messiah more than 120 times.

In traditional operatic repertoire, Hadleigh has performed a wide range of characters in a variety of

musical styles: Ravel under the baton of Esa-Pekka Salonen; Bernstein under Marin Alsop, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Louis Langrée; Handel under Nicholas McGegan; Puccini under Nicola Luisotti; Mozart under the stage direction of Sir Thomas Allen; Handel under the stage direction of Christopher Alden; and Puccini under the stage direction of Les Misérables director, John Caird.

His European debut was at London’s Royal National Theatre in a staged production of Bach’s St Matthew Passion, playing the role of Jesus, directed by Sir Jonathan Miller. With the San Francisco Opera alone, he has appeared in 19 main stage productions, and during the 2022 season, he made his 100 th performance with the company.

Sarah Rothenberg Artistic Director

Upcoming engagements include performances of Britten’s War Requiem; Vaughan Williams’s Sea Symphony ; Mozart’s Requiem; Orff’s Carmina burana; Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde; Schmidt’s The Book with Seven Seals; Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony; and Handel’s Messiah and Partenope with the Dallas and Houston Symphonies, San Francisco Opera, the Wellington Orchestra, the Brisbane Philharmonia, and the Choral Society of Grace Church at Carnegie Hall.

MOZART, FARRENC & Haydn

Yoonshin Song, violin and leader

Aralee Dorough, flute

Jonathan Fischer, oboe

Mark Nuccio, clarinet

William VerMeulen, horn

Rian Craypo, bassoon

Joan DerHovsepian, viola

Brinton Averil Smith, cello

Robin Kesselman, double bass

0:31 MOZART – Violin Concerto No. 1 in B-flat major, K.207

I. Allegro moderato

II. Adagio

III. Presto

0:30 FARRENC – Nonet, Opus 38

I. Adagio—Allegro

II. Andante con moto

III. Scherzo and Trio: Vivace

IV. Adagio—Allegro

INTERMISSION

0:29 HAYDN – Symphony No. 101 in D major (The Clock)

I. Adagio—Presto

II. Andante

III. Menuet and Trio: Allegretto

IV. Finale: Vivace

About the Music

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Program Insight

This weekend, the Houston Symphony showcases the talents of its own musicians with concertmaster Yoonshin Song leading the orchestra through a program united by the balance, proportions, and beauty of musical classicism. Today recognized as the greatest composers of the Classical era, Mozart and Haydn famously enjoyed a friendship based on mutual appreciation of each other’s music. Yoonshin Song takes a solo turn in Mozart’s elegant Violin Concerto No. 1, a youthful work most likely completed when the composer was just 17 years old. In contrast, Haydn’s colorful Symphony No. 101, known as The Clock since at least 1798, dates from near the end of that composer’s illustrious career, reflecting a lifetime of creativity and invention.

Although Louise Farrenc composed her Nonet in the middle of the 19 th century, stylistically she was very much influenced by the classical forms first perfected by Haydn and Mozart. Indeed, she had something of a personal connection to the latter: she counted among her friends the pianist and composer Johann Nepomuk Hummel, Mozart’s most famous student. Her genial Nonet gives many of the Houston Symphony’s principal musicians a chance to shine with melodies that are sure to remain in your ears long after the concert has ended. —Calvin

Dotsey

Program Notes

MOZART

Violin Concerto No. 1 in B-flat major, K. 207 (1773)

Thanks to a careful analysis of Mozart’s handwriting, scholars believe Mozart’s First Violin Concerto was written in April 1773, when the composer was 17 years old. Mozart and his father, Leopold, had recently returned from Milan, when the premiere of the young Mozart’s opera Lucio Silla had taken place. A reference in one of Leopold’s letters to a violin concerto Mozart had written for “Herr Kolb” has led scholars to conjecture that Mozart’s first essay in this genre was composed for this

Program Notes

MOZART

Violin Concerto No. 1 in B-flat major, K. 207 (1773)

local Salzburg violinist. Mozart probably played the piece himself as well; during a visit to Vienna later that year, he found the organ at St. Cajetan’s monastery to be of inferior quality; rather than play it, he spontaneously borrowed an instrument from the court violinist Matthäus Teyber and played a violin concerto instead—most likely this one, as he had yet to write any others.

Cast in the traditional three-movement form, this concerto displays all the melodic charm and grace of Mozart’s Salzburg period. In terms of orchestration, Mozart frequently enjoys varying the stringdominant texture by scoring the violins in a low register with the oboes doubled an octave above, producing a sweet, rich sound characteristic of his music during this time.

The first movement begins with a buoyant orchestral introduction that introduces the main themes of the movement. The soloist enters soon after, expanding on the ideas outlined by the orchestra and introducing new material as well. A sudden swerve to the dark key of F minor initiates a developmental passage, which resolves with the return of the movement’s main themes. Toward the end, the orchestra comes to a grand pause and the soloist plays a cadenza, an extended, unaccompanied passage that would have been improvised in Mozart’s day. Cadenzas offer soloists the opportunity to showcase their creativity and virtuoso technique, and Mozart ends each movement of this concerto with one.

The second movement, a sensuous "Adagio" in E-flat major, begins with one of Mozart’s long, singing melodies in the orchestral violins. The soloist, however, never plays it, instead introducing new material and then floating serenely above the opening theme when it returns in the orchestra. The finale takes the form of a fast, lively "Presto." It unfolds according to a pattern similar to that of the first movement, imbuing the concerto with a sense of balance and symmetry. With a flurry of valedictory chords, Mozart then brings the work to a harmonious conclusion. —Calvin

Dotsey

FARRENC

Nonet, Opus 38 (1849)

Louise Farrenc was born Louise Dupont, a member of an illustrious artistic family that had been patronized by French kings since the days of Louis XIV. Her brother, Auguste, would continue this family tradition by becoming an acclaimed sculptor, but Louise set out on a slightly unconventional path by pursuing music in place of the visual arts. From a young age, she displayed great talent as a pianist and composer, beginning studies with Antonín Reicha at the Paris Conservatoire at age 15.

Her studies were briefly interrupted by her marriage at 17 to Aristide Farrenc. The son of a merchant family in Marseille, Aristide had run away to Paris to pursue music. Although he enjoyed some success as a flautist, oboist, and composer, he found his true calling as a music publisher, specializing in the works of Beethoven, Hummel (a friend of the couple), and of course, his wife. Louise’s biographer, Bea Friedland, describes

Program Notes

FARRENC

Nonet, Opus 38 (1849)

their marriage thus: “A stable and mutually supportive relationship, the Farrenc union seems to have achieved a blend of communality and independence rarely seen in the nineteenth century.”

Over the course of her impressive career, Farrenc composed three symphonies and many pieces of chamber and solo piano music. In 1842, she became a professor of piano at the Paris Conservatoire, the only woman to hold a permanent post of that rank there during the 19th century. One of her great triumphs was her Nonet for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon, violin, viola, cello, and double bass, composed in 1849 and premiered the following year. The first performance, on March 19, 1850, at the Salle Erard, featured none other than the 19-year-old violin virtuoso Joseph Joachim. The piece quickly became popular, and with its classical proportions, free-flowing melodies, and deft handling of diverse instrumental colors, it is easy to see why. Together with Beethoven’s Septet and Schubert’s Octet, it stands as one of the great pieces of chamber music for a mix of strings and woodwinds. This first movement opens with a slow introduction that gives way to a taught "Allegro" in sonata form. The violin leads the ensemble, introducing a series of genial melodies; it even has a brief cadenza near the end. The second movement then presents a graceful theme followed by five variations and a coda; particularly notable is the fourth variation in the parallel minor. The third movement shows Farrenc at her most Romantic with a wild witches’ dance of a "Scherzo." The contrasting middle section begins with a singing duet for oboe and clarinet. Farrenc then fully writes out the return of the opening with delightfully varied instrumentation. Like the first movement, the finale begins with a slow introduction. A relaxed "Allegro" ensues, featuring an impressive display of contrapuntal skill in a fugal development at the center of the movement. Farrenc brilliantly weaves together the nine instruments to bring the Nonet to a satisfying conclusion. —Calvin Dotsey

HAYDN

Symphony No. 101 in D major, (The Clock) (1793–94)

Almost as soon as Prince Nicolaus Esterházy died, Johann Peter Salomon—an enterprising London-based impresario—set off to Vienna to strike a deal with the late prince’s most famous employee: Joseph Haydn. During the prince’s life, Haydn had rarely been permitted to leave his master’s side; his music, however, had become famous throughout Europe. Less interested in music than his father had been, the new Prince Esterházy granted Haydn a year’s leave to travel to London for a series of concerts in 1791–92, much to Salomon’s delight.

During that legendary visit, Haydn unveiled among other works his first six “London” Symphonies (Nos. 93 through 98) and made a sensation. As soon as Haydn’s first trip to London had ended, Salomon began planning another. For this second visit, Haydn would compose his last six symphonies, among them The Clock.

Although Haydn completed the third movement of this symphony while still in Vienna, the rest was finished after his arrival in London on February 4, 1794. After its March 3 premiere, a reviewer for London’s Morning Chronicle reflected the furor Haydn’s music provoked:

“But as usual the most delicious part of the entertainment was a new

Program Notes

HAYDN

Symphony No. 101 in D major, (The Clock) (1793–94)

grand [symphony] by HAYDN; the inexhaustible, the wonderful, the sublime HAYDN! The first two movements were encored; and the character of the whole composition was heartfelt joy.”

The symphony indeed evinces its composer’s creativity, warmth, and wit. The first movement opens with a solemn introduction, the fragmentary motifs of which presage the main ideas of the ensuing "Presto." This effervescent music is full of surprises: a grand pause after the main idea, a slip into strange, chromatic harmonies in the second, and wonderfully varied orchestration in their reprise.

The symphony’s nickname was inspired by the “ticking” accompaniment of the second movement. It opens with an introductory measure of this “ticking” before the main melody begins—a feature Haydn exploits with subtlety and humor each time the melody reappears. After introducing this genial main theme, the music suddenly takes a serious turn to a dark, intense passage. After a varied reprise of the main theme, the movement would seem to be complete—but with Haydn nothing is ever quite as it seems.

The third movement opens with a suitably grand "Menuet," which is nevertheless full of unexpected rhythms. For the contrasting middle section, we leave the bombast of the ballroom for the rustic simplicity of the countryside; but perhaps we have too much of a good thing. The country fiddles forget to change harmonies to fit the flute’s melody when it first appears, resulting in a dissonant clash. Fortunately, they get it right the second time.

Haydn saves the best for last with his ingenious "finale," whose twists and turns include a masterful, fugal treatment of its infectious main theme. Keeping listeners guessing to the final bars, the symphony indeed ends with a “heartfelt joy” rarely matched by any other composer.

—Calvin Dotsey

Program Bios

born in South Korea, where she began her musical studies at age five. Making her solo debut with the Seoul Philharmonic at age 11, she has since built a successful international performing career.

Yoonshin Song, violin and leader

Acclaimed as “a wonderfully talented violinist…whose sound and technique go well beyond her years,” violinist Yoonshin Song was

Yoonshin was appointed concertmaster of the Houston Symphony in August 2019. Previously, she held the same position with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for seven seasons. In Europe, she serves as guest concertmaster of the Budapest Festival Orchestra under Iván Fischer, and she has led the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra with numerous

top-tiered conductors and artists. Beyond her first chair duties with this orchestra, Yoonshin has performed as a soloist with many orchestras around the world, including the Budapest Festival Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Utah Symphony, the New Mexico Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, the Paul Constantinescu Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, among many others.

She has also participated as a soloist and chamber musician in

Program Bios

numerous leading music festivals, including the Marlboro, Deer Valley, Great Lakes, and Aspen Music Festivals in the United States; the Miyazaki Chamber Music Festival in Japan; and the Verbier, Lucerne, and Bayreuth Festivals in Europe. 

Aralee Dorough, flute

Aralee Dorough began her tenure with the Houston Symphony in 1985, becoming Principal Flutist in 1991. She is on faculty at the Texas Music Festival, Round Top Festival Institute, and Moores School of Music at the University of Houston. This performance completes Aralee’s personal “Mozart cycle” with the Houston Symphony. She gave the world premiere of Bright Sheng’s concerto, Flute Moon, and the U.S. premiere of a Salvador Brotons’s concerto. She has played with the Houston Symphony Chamber Players, Da Camera, The Foundation for Modern Music, Musiqa, the Round Top Festival Institute, and toured Europe and Japan.

Heard on more than 20 Houston Symphony recordings and PBS and NPR performances, Aralee has worked with many distinguished artists, including her father, jazz artist and Schoolhouse Rock composer, Bob Dorough. She graduated from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music—where she

met her husband, Houston Symphony oboist Colin Gatwood— and the Yale School of Music. 

Jonathan Fischer, oboe

Jonathan Fischer joined the Houston Symphony as Principal Oboe in 2012. He has held positions with orchestras in Cleveland, Chicago, San Francisco, Grant Park, Savannah, Santa Fe Opera, Canadian Opera Company, and the New World Symphony. He has performed as a guest principal with many of the nation’s leading orchestras, including the Boston Symphony, the Chicago Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the St. Louis Symphony, the Atlanta Symphony, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Jonathan has performed as a soloist with the Grant Park Symphony, the New World Symphony, and several times with the San Francisco Symphony. In 2013, he made his solo debut with the Houston Symphony performing the Mozart Oboe Concerto.

Jonathan has taught and performed at the Aspen Music Festival and the Oberlin Conservatory, given masterclasses across the country, and coached at the New World Symphony. He holds a degree from the Curtis Institute of Music. 

Mark Nuccio, clarinet

Critics have praised clarinetist Mark Nuccio for both his solo and chamber appearances, describing him as “the evening’s highlight,” full of “mystery and insight,” and “shaping his phrases beautifully with a rich, expressive tone.” (The New York Times)

Mark has served as principal clarinetist of the Houston Symphony since 2016. Prior to that, he was a member of the New York Philharmonic for 17 years and held positions in Pittsburgh, Denver, Savannah, and Florida. He has performed concerti multiple times with Houston and the NYP, among others, and while in New York, was a regular performer at Carnegie Hall, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the 92nd Street Y.

Time spent with students is Mark’s proudest work. He has taught as a faculty member, currently at the Frost School of Music (University of Miami), and previously at Northwestern University, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College, and Duquesne University. During summers, he has taught and performed at Brevard, Aspen, National Repertory Orchestra, and Sarasota Music Festival (2023), among others. 

Program Bios

William VerMeulen, horn

Principal Horn of the Houston Symphony since 1990 and professor of horn at Rice University, William VerMeulen has established himself as America’s preeminent horn soloist and pedagogue. He has recorded much of the standard repertoire for horn, including the complete Mozart Concerti with the Houston Symphony, and premiered numerous new works for horn, including the Concerto for Horn by Bruce Broughton, which he recently recorded with the London Symphony.

Awarded a Distinguished Teacher of Excellence Certificate by the Presidential Council, he is arguably the most successful horn teacher in America with students in most major orchestras in North America. He has performed to critical acclaim on five continents as soloist, and chamber musician at premiere chamber music festivals. Bill is also principal horn of the Sun Valley Music Festival and serves on the faculties of the Eastman School, National Orchestral Institute, New World Symphony, and Texas Music Festival.

Rian Craypo, bassoon

Principal Bassoonist Rian Craypo has been with the Houston Symphony since 2007. Born in Virginia, she moved to Texas at 10 months of age and grew up east of Austin in a small intentional community. After studying at the University of Texas at Austin with Kristin Wolfe Jensen, she attended Rice University, where she received her master’s degree under former Houston Symphony Principal Bassoon Benjamin Kamins.

Rian serves on the board of Third Space Music, which presents Houston Symphony musicians several times a year in intimate and engaging chamber settings. She is also the author of a book about bassoon reed making, published in 2017. She and her husband, Sean, have three children.

chair of the Houston Symphony since 2010 and currently serves as Acting Principal Viola. Recent chamber music and summer festival appearances include the Mainly Mozart Festival, the Grand Teton Music Festival, the Mimir Chamber Music Festival in Texas and Melbourne Australia, the Lake Lure Chamber Music Festival, the Peninsula Music Festival, the Texas Music Festival, Music in Context, the St. Cecelia Chamber Music Society, and the National Orchestral Institute.

An artist teacher of viola at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, Joan is a regular guest faculty with the New World Symphony. She has given masterclasses for renown music schools such as the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, the New England Conservatory, and The Juilliard School.

Joan was violist of the Everest Quartet, prize winners at the Banff International String Quartet Competition and the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition. She won second prize in the Primrose International Viola Competition. 

Joan DerHovsepian, viola

Violist Joan DerHovsepian has held the Associate Principal Viola

Brinton Averil Smith, cello

Cellist Brinton Averil Smith’s performances have been lauded by reviews praising virtuosic performances and musical ideals rooted in the golden age of string

Program Bios

playing. His recordings include groundbreaking revivals of concerti of Rózsa and Castelnuovo-Tedesco, while his live YouTube performances of unusual cello works and virtuosic transcriptions have received more than one million views.

Principal Cellist of the Houston Symphony since 2005, Brinton is also a faculty member of the Shepherd School of Music and the Aspen Music Festival. As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma, Lynn Harrell, Gil Shaham, James Ehnes, Emanuel Ax, Yefim Bronfman, Jeffrey Kahane, and Dawn Upshaw.

At age 10, Brinton was admitted part-time to Arizona State University where he completed a B.A. in mathematics at age 17. He received his masters and doctoral degrees from The Juilliard School, studying with Zara Nelsova and writing on the playing of Emanuel Feuermann.

www.brintonaverilsmith.com 

Corporate Spotlight

Robin Kesselman, double bass

Robin Kesselman was appointed Principal Bass of the Houston Symphony Orchestra in 2014. He has performed as guest principal bass with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and Israel Philharmonic, and travelled internationally with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic. He frequently performs as a soloist and chamber musician and presents recital programs and masterclasses at the nation’s top universities.

Robin has appeared many times as soloist with the Houston Symphony: in subscription performances of the Koussevitzky Concerto for Double Bass, Missy Mazzoli’s bass concerto Dark with Excessive Bright, and Bottesini’s Gran Duo Concertante with Gil Shaham. He has recently led the bass sections of leading music festival orchestras, including Grand Teton, Mainly Mozart, and Arizona Musicfest, while serving as faculty coach for the National Youth Orchestra–USA since 2017.

Robin holds a bachelor of music degree from the University of Southern California and an artist diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music. His primary teachers have included David Allen Moore, Harold Robinson, Edgar Meyer, Paul Ellison, Chris Hanulik, and Virginia Dixon.

Shell USA, Inc. is a longtime leadership contributor to the Houston Symphony, underwrites the Houston Symphony's Favorite Masters Series of classical subscription concerts as part of the company’s continuing commitment to the communities it serves.

Since it was founded, Shell USA, Inc. has invested more than $1 billion in charitable, cultural, and educational organizations throughout Houston and the United States. Shell’s support of culture and the arts encompasses a wide range of symphony, opera, and theater groups, as well as the visual arts and science museums.

In recognition of its broad range of award-winning support, the Houston Symphony salutes Shell USA, Inc. and applauds its support of the Symphony and other arts and culture institutions.

houston symphony chorus

Allen Hightower, Director

Janwin Overstreet-Goode

Chorus Manager

Catherine Goode

Chorus Manager

Scott Holshouser

Pianist

Tony Sessions

Librarian/Stage Manager

The Houston Symphony Chorus 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 Juraj Valčuha, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Hans Graf, Christoph Eschenbach, Robert Shaw, and Helmuth 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.

ALLEN HIGHTOWER

Dr. Allen Hightower, a seventh-generation Texan, is interim director of the Houston Symphony Chorus beginning in the 2022–23 Season. He is the director of choral studies at the University of North Texas, where he leads the master’s and doctoral programs in choral conducting and oversees a comprehensive choral program of eight ensembles. He serves as conductor of UNT’s A Cappella Choir, Grand Chorus, and the early music vocal ensemble Vox Aquilae.

As a teacher and conductor, Allen has visited 30 states, Asia, and Europe. His students hold leadership positions as choral conductors in public schools, colleges, universities, churches, and community choirs throughout the United States. Prior to joining UNT, Allen held the Weston Noble Endowed Chair in Music at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where he was conductor of the renowned Nordic Choir and artistic director of Christmas at Luther. Previously, he served as professor of music and director of choral studies at Sam Houston State University and taught at the high school level in the Houston and Odessa areas.

Outside the academic setting, Allen was Houston Masterworks Chorus and Orchestra’s artistic director, leading an annual concert series of choral/ orchestral masterworks. As a deeply committed church musician, he has served churches in Texas, California, and Minnesota. Currently, he is on the music staff of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, and is the church music vice-president of the Texas Choral Directors Association. Allen earned his undergraduate degree in music education and piano from Sam Houston State University, a master’s in choral conducting from the Eastman School of Music, a master’s in orchestral conducting from Baylor University, and his doctorate in conducting from the University of California, Los Angeles. He pursued additional studies in orchestral and choral conducting at the University of Southern California, at Westminster Choir College, and the Oregon Bach Festival. After winning first prize in the graduate division of the American Choral Directors Association’s Conducting Competition in 1997, he was assistant to Paul Salamunovich, conductor of the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Allen lives in McKinney, Texas, with his wife, Dr. Kristin Hightower, and their daughters, Caroline and Julianne.

CHORUS ROSTER

Steve Abercia

Mary Ann Addis

Ramona Rae Alms

Kelsie Beatrice Andrews

Mark Anstrom

Douglas Keith Anthis

Joe A. Anzaldua

Jennifer Robin Appleby

Farrah Olivia Au-Yeung

Kendall Aleksandra Banasiak

Joshua Lee Barber

Ellis Bardin

Franco Basili

Justin Becker

David Campbell Blassingame

Randy Boatright

Criselda A. Bocanegra

Jonathan Joseph Bordelon

Emily Boudreaux

Timothy Boyer

Jennifer Ann Breneman

Hannah Baker Brewton

Mischa Ione Brinkmeyer

Alisa Jeanette Cabrera Tobin

James Calvert

Shelby Danielle Capozzoli

Danielle Therese Charvoz

Elizabeth Chavez

William Kauper Cheadle

Nicole Marie Colby

Violaine Cornu

Sylvia Genevieve Dee

Logan Pierce DeLaFuente

Kaitlin Elizabeth DeSpain

Kevin Do

Michael Dorn

Randy Alan Eckman

Nicole R. Elliott

Ethan Michael Fasnacht

Brianna Lynn Fernandez

Amanda Reneé Fetter-Matthys

Ian Wayne Fetterley

Julia FitzGerald

Kathryn O’Rourke Fry

Joseph Frybert

Rachel Marie Gehman

Michael Glen Gilbert

Rex Gillit

Robert Lee Gomez

Daniel Gorelick

Melisa Gultan

Matthew C. Henderson

Marlea Hoover Hodgin

Chase Matthew Holub

MaryKate Hotaling

Stephen Mark James

Jill Jensen

Elise A. Kappelmann

Christopher Alan Kersten

Michael Kessler

Mark Kim

Nobuhide Kobori

David Ray Kolacny Jr.

Stephanie Isabel Kopesky

Elizabeth Kragas

Natalie Brianne Kronser

Kat Kunz

Sia Janice Kuresa

Sam Marie Lank

Brian K. Lassinger

Jeannia Marguerite Latterner

Nathan Lazenberry

Dean Leake

Benjamin Kelsey Luss

Brendan Alexander Nilan Lutes

Page Elizabeth Martinez

Ken Mathews

Scott Mermelstein

Melissa Beth Miles

Andrea Lee Mitchell

Travis Mohle

James K. Moore

Robert Nash

Benedict Tri Nguyen

Eliza Catherine Nicholson

Theresa Cille Olin

David M. Opheim

Janwin Overstreet-Goode

Bill Parker

Jennifer S. Paulson

Noah Morgan Peak

Ariella Perlman

Greg Railsback

Graeme Donald Richmond

Douglas Rodenberger

Lyndsay Nichole Rodriguez

Carolyn Rogan

Grace Elizabeth Roman

Jennifer Sarah Romig

James Kenneth Romig

Scott Roth

Emily Elizabeth Sanders

David Santiago Alberto

Tiffany Lam Sau

Angela Bongat Seaman

Tony Sessions

Dean Allen Silagan

Ashley Sorensen

Carol Strawn

Lauren Kathleen Suchy

Todd Swann

Lisa Rai Trewin

Paul Van Dorn

S. V. Villano

Sarai Villatoro

Mary Voigt

Jacquelyn Vondette

Heidi Sanders Walton

Crystal Lynn White

John Hardy Williams

Lee Estes Williams

Abigail Zuniga

David Frank Zurawski

Featured Program

CHRIS BOTTI

Steven Reineke, conductor

Chris Botti, trumpet

Lee Pearson, drums

Zach Moses, bass

Leonardo Amuedo, guitar

Julian Pollack, piano

Andy Snitzer, saxophone

Caroline Campbell, violin

Sy Smith, vocalist

John Splithoff, vocalist

Program to be announced from the stage

About the Music

Friday, April 14 Jones Hall 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 15 Jones Hall & Livestream 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 16 Jones Hall 2:30 p.m.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Ms. Nancey G. Lobb

Partner

Livestream of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by

Barbara J. Burger

Video enhancement of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by the Albert & Ethel Herzstein Foundation through a special gift celebrating the foundation’s 50 th anniversary in 2015

PROGRAM INSIGHT

• Since the release of his 2004 CD When I Fall in Love, Chris Botti has been the largest-selling American instrumental artist, selling more than four million albums in his career.

• The styles of jazz trumpeters Clifford Brown and Chet Baker can be heard in Chris’s playing, a result of him frequently listening to both of them.

• Chris was a student at the David Baker School of Jazz at Indiana University Bloomington before joining Paul Simon’s touring band.

• Chris got his big break in 1999 when Sting asked him to perform with him.

• Chris’s style is described as jazz-based, but it expands beyond the limits of any single genre.

Program Bios

music. In addition to his role as Principal POPS Conductor of the Houston Symphony, this season, he celebrates his 10 th anniversary as music director of The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. Additionally, he is principal pops conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Steven Reineke, conductor

Steven Reineke has established himself as one of North America’s leading conductors of popular

Steven is a frequent guest conductor with The Philadelphia Orchestra, and his extensive North American conducting appearances include Atlanta, Cincinnati,

Program Bios

Edmonton, San Francisco, and Sarasota.

On stage, he 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 NPR’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. In 2018, Steven led the same orchestra and hip hop legend Nas performing his seminal album, Illmatic, on PBS’s Great Performances.

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 commemorated 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 lives in New York City with his husband, Eric Gabbard.

Chris Botti, trumpet

Since the release of his 2004 critically acclaimed CD When I Fall in Love, Chris Botti has become the largest-selling American instrumental artist. His success has crossed over to audiences usually reserved for pop music, and his ongoing association with PBS has led to four #1 jazz albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum, and Grammy Awards. Most recently, his latest album Impressions won the Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental. Performing worldwide and selling more than four million albums, he has found a form of creative expression that begins in jazz and expands beyond the limits of any single genre.

Over the past three decades, Chris has recorded and performed with the best in music, including Sting, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, Josh Groban, Yo-Yo Ma, Michael Bublé, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, Andrea

Bocelli, Joshua Bell, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, and even Frank Sinatra. Hitting the road for as many as 300 days per year, the trumpeter has also performed with many of the finest symphony orchestras and at some of the world’s most prestigious venues from Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl to the Sydney Opera House and the Real Teatro di San Carlo in Italy.

Impressions, Chris’s 2012 Columbia Records and Grammywinning release, is the latest in a stellar parade of albums—including When I Fall in Love (2004), To Love Again: The Duets (2005), Italia (2007), and the CD/DVD Chris Botti in Boston (2009)— that has firmly established him as a clarion voice in the American contemporary music scene. Playing with his uniquely expressive sound and soaring musical imagination, Chris is joined on the disc by featured artists Andrea Bocelli, Vince Gill, Herbie Hancock, Mark Knopfler, and David Foster in a warm, intimate celebration of melodic balladry.

With Impressions and the albums that preceded it, Chris Botti has thoroughly established himself as one of the important, innovative figures of the contemporary music world. 

Most Iconic Residences

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A one-of-a-kind living experience from studio residences to sky-high penthouses that balance modern luxury and classic comfort.

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Leasing office: 713.777.7000

Corporate Spotlight

ROUP G R AND

Rand Group is the proud sponsor of the Houston Symphony’s Classical Series, “Rand Group Great Performers.”

As a professional services firm committed to helping clients improve overall business success, Rand Group delivers software solutions to companies seeking to transform their operations through the use of technology. Headquartered in Houston, Rand Group serves the needs of mid-sized businesses in Texas and across North America, providing Cloud, ERP, CRM, Digital Marketing, and e-commerce software, solutions, and services.

From unbiased software selection and technology implementations to full-scale infrastructure and managed support, Rand Group is a multi-platform systems integrator dedicated to delivering complete end-to-end business management solutions to streamline processes, reduce risk, and grow revenue.

Visit randgroup.com to learn more about their services.

Keeping ELITE PERFORMERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

At Houston Methodist, we’re proud partners in helping artists achieve peak performance, week in and week out. We treat artists and their unique needs while bringing the same level of specialized care to every patient we serve.

713.790.3333

houstonmethodist.org

Featured Program

MAHLER 1

Jukka-Pekka Saraste, conductor

Elina Vähälä, violin

0:31 J. KUUSISTO – Violin Concerto, Opus 28

1. Moderato—

2. Lento

3. Molto allegro

INTERMISSION

0:53 MAHLER – Symphony No. 1 in D major

I. Langsam, Schleppend—Im Anfang sehr gemächlich

II. Kräftig bewegt

III. Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen—

IV. Stürmisch bewegt

FAVORITE MASTERS

About the Music

Thursday, April 20 Jones Hall

Saturday, April 22 Jones Hall & Livestream

Sunday, April 23 Jones Hall

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Livestream of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by Barbara J. Burger

Video enhancement of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by the Albert & Ethel Herzstein Foundation through a special gift celebrating the foundation’s 50 th anniversary in 2015

The Classical Season is endowed by The Wortham Foundation, Inc., in memory of Gus S. and Lyndall F. Wortham

Program Insight

8:00 p.m.

8:00 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

This weekend, the Houston Symphony welcomes two of Finland’s most distinguished musicians back to Jones Hall: conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste and virtuoso violinist Elina Vähälä. Elina, who last appeared in Houston in April 2017 with a stirring interpretation of John Corigliano’s The Red Violin Concerto, presents a work that was composed specifically for her: the violin concerto by the late Jaakko Kuusisto, who sadly passed away last year at age 48 after a battle with brain cancer. His thrilling concerto weaves together soaring melodies with hair-raising virtuoso violin playing, creating a gripping musical experience sure to keep listeners at the edge of their red velvet seats. The program concludes with conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste leading Mahler’s titanic Symphony No. 1. Regarding this symphony, Mahler wrote to Richard Strauss, “My intention was to show a struggle in which victory is furthest from the protagonist just when he believes it closest—This is the nature of every spiritual struggle.—For there it is by no means so simple to become a hero.” Over the course of this work’s four movements, we follow Mahler’s musical protagonist from communion with nature in the first, to exploring the world in the second, to disillusionment in the third, and crisis in the finale. In the end, Mahler takes us “from the inferno to paradise,” bringing the first of his nine completed symphonies to a breathtaking conclusion. —Calvin Dotsey

Program Notes

J. KUUSISTO

Violin Concerto, Opus 28 (2011)

Jaakko Kuusisto was born the heir of a Finnish musical dynasty: both his father and grandfather had been composers. He and his brother, Pekka, made quick progress on the violin and studied at the University of Indiana, Bloomington, with Jaakko pursuing composition studies as well. As a young violinist, Jakko won first prize at the 1989 Kuopio Violin Competition and was a finalist in the 1990 International Sibelius Violin

Program Notes

J. KUUSISTO

Violin Concerto, Opus 28 (2011)

Competition and the 1997 Queen Elisabeth Competition. After the latter, conductor Osmo Vänskä invited him to serve as the concertmaster of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, a post he held until 2012.

After stepping down from his duties as concertmaster, Kuusisto turned increasingly to composing and conducting. This concerto seems to have been pivotal in this transition. As a composer who was also a violinist, Kuusisto had long contemplated writing a concerto that he could play himself; however, true inspiration only struck when another violinist, Elina Vähälä, commissioned him to write a piece for her. Kuusisto composed the work in 2011, and the premiere took place on April 12, 2012, with Vähälä as soloist and the composer leading the Lahti Symphony Orchestra.

A powerful and dramatic work, the concerto opens with a cadenza for the soloist, as if focused on an individual’s interior world. The soloist intones three notes—G, F-sharp, and E-flat—which form the basic cell from which the rest of the music evolves. The cadenza becomes increasingly intense (both emotionally and technically) as it progresses, building to the frenetic entrance of the orchestra—seemingly a return to the external world. The violin then reenters with a singing, melodic main theme. The movement is economically focused on this main idea, which assumes many guises, from defiant and heroic to tender and lyrical.

Perhaps in a nod to Mendelssohn’s famous violin concerto, Kuusisto links the first movement with the second. After a few elfin notes from piccolo, harp, and glockenspiel, a solo clarinet leads us into a delicate realm of woodwind arabesques. The soloist then reenters and develops this gossamer material until the strings change the mood with a series of pulsing, syncopated chords. This darker, more violent passage is punctuated with motifs in the trumpets—the latest transformation of the concerto’s opening. The tranquil atmosphere that began the movement then briefly returns.

Beginning with the ticking of the wood block, the finale explodes as the strings furiously take up the trumpet motif from the previous movement. The soloist then enters with lightning fast, perpetual motion-style runs. Later, the cellos introduce a mysterious, lyrical theme that further transforms the concerto’s opening idea. These ideas alternate, leading to a coda in which the music becomes even faster. At the last moment, the orchestra comes to a halt. The soloist returns to the concerto’s opening three-note cell, with one important change: the dissonant E-flat is lowered to a consonant D. With the transformation complete—or perhaps the mystery solved—the orchestra then speeds the concerto to its end.

The piece proved so successful upon its premiere that Kuusisto was inundated with requests to write concertos for other instruments, including piano, trumpet, and bassoon. In all he would complete more than 40 works before his tragic death from a brain tumor in 2022, aged just 48. Kuusisto is survived by his wife, two children, and of course, his marvelous music. —Calvin Dotsey

Program Notes

MAHLER

Symphony No. 1 in D major (1887–88, revised in 1893 and 1896)

The young Gustav Mahler was a staff-conductor workhorse in opera houses. During one season in Germany, he led 214 performances, yet still found time to compose and fall in love with a married woman. Then Mahler’s boss noticed him shirking his duties. “Trilogy of passion and whirlwind of life!” Mahler wrote a friend. “Just give me a little longer! Then you shall hear all!”

Mahler was stealing time to create his Symphony No. 1. Premiered in 1889, this cataclysmic work bewildered most everyone. Mahler drew ingredients from far outside the symphonic realm. This whirlwind of life sweeps up sounds from Mahler’s childhood, especially those of the military band in his Czech village and the folk musicians who played in his father’s tavern. Mahler quotes his own Songs of a Wayfarer portrait of a youth agonizing over lost love—a plight he knew well. The symphony begins by evoking Mahler’s lifelong fount of inspiration. “Like the sound of nature,” he instructs on the first page.

Motifs that will drive the symphony begin stirring, and a clarinet’s cuckoo-call leads into the Wayfarer theme that dominates the first movement. In the songs, the theme describes the woebegone youth taking solace in nature, and its jauntiness gets the message across here. Turbulence intrudes, but jubilant fanfares win out—for now. The lusty second movement grows from the Austrian dances that inspired generations of composers. But in the third, Mahler follows his own path. A solo double bass leads a macabre, minor-key version of the children’s song “Frère Jacques.” Raucous reminiscences of military and tavern music break in, and another Wayfarer quote does, too. The musical collision grows from one of Mahler’s childhood experiences. Upset by an argument between his parents, he fled their home and encountered a street musician playing a folk tune on a barrel organ. That clash between the fearsome and the banal haunted him permanently. No wonder the finale begins with another upheaval. But echoes of the first movement’s optimism prevail, and the symphony ends in an exultant blaze.

—Steven Brown

Program Bios

Jukka-Pekka Saraste has established himself as one of the outstanding conductors of his generation, demonstrating remarkable musical depth and integrity. Born in Heinola, Finland, he began his career as a violinist before training as a conductor with Jorma Panula at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki.

Jukka-Pekka Saraste, conductor

In April 2022, Jukka-Pekka was named as chief conductor and artistic director of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, where he

will begin his tenure in Summer 2023. From 2010 to 2019, he served as chief conductor of the WDR Sinfonieorchester in Cologne. Previously, he was music director of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra where he was subsequently appointed conductor laureate. Earlier positions include the principal conductorships of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra; Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, where he is now conductor laureate; and Toronto Symphony Orchestra. He founded

Program Bios

the Finnish Chamber Orchestra, where he remains the artistic advisor. He also is a founding member of the LEAD! Foundation, a mentorship program for young conductors and soloists. It includes the annual Fiskars Summer Festival, created as an international platform where experienced artists pass on their knowledge to the next generation of conductors.

Guest engagements have JukkaPekka to major orchestras worldwide, including the Philharmonia Orchestra, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Munich

Philharmonic, Dresden

Staatskapelle, Bavarian Radio Symphony, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Rotterdam

Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, and the leading Scandinavian orchestras. In North America, he has conducted the Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Los Angeles

Philharmonic, and New York

Philharmonic as well as Orchestre symphonique de Montréal.

His extensive discography includes the complete symphonies of Sibelius and Nielsen with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and several critically acclaimed recordings with Toronto Symphony Orchestra. His CDs with the WDR Symphony Orchestra with works by Mahler, Schönberg, Stravinsky, Brahms, Bruckner, and the complete symphonies of Beethoven, have received widespread acknowledgement.

Jukka-Pekka Saraste has received the Pro Finlandia Medal, the Sibelius Medal, the Finnish State

Prize for Music, and the insignia of Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland. He holds honorary doctorates from York University, Toronto and Sibelius Academy, Helsinki.

Elina Vähälä, violin

Born in the United States and raised in Finland, Elina Vähälä made her orchestral debut with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra at age 12 and was later chosen by Osmo Vänskä as the orchestra’s young master soloist. Her career has developed on the international stage, winning praise as “a fluent, stylish and gifted musician whose brilliant technique is matched by an abundant spirit, sensitivity and imagination.” (Chicago Tribune)

Elina appears regularly with key Finnish orchestras as well being a guest of countless high-profile orchestras across the globe from Houston to Istanbul and has toured throughout the United Kingdom, Finland, Germany, China, Korea, and South America. She enjoys a fruitful working partnership with many leading conductors and has appeared at festivals in Tampere, Clandeboye, Seoul, and Oulu, where she had been appointed co-artistic director, together with saxophonist Jukka Perko.

In 2022, Elina premiered the original 1904 version of the Sibelius Violin Concerto in North

America with the Minnesota Orchestra. She has given additional world premieres of Aulis Sallinen’s Chamber Concerto, Curtis Curtis-Smith’s Double Concerto, Jaakko Kuusisto’s Concerto, and Kalevi Aho’s Concerto No. 2, all of which were written for her, as well as the Jan Sandström’s Concerto. She gave the first Nordic performance of Corigliano’s Violin Concerto, The Red Violin, and continues to be one of the soloists of choice for this work. Befitting her Finnish roots, she is one of very few to perform the Sibelius concerto in its early version.

Elina’s affinity with the music of the 20 th and 21st centuries is evident in recent recordings: a disc devoted to the music of Aho, including his Violin Concerto No. 2, and a project with the Polish National Radio Symphony and Alexander Liebreich focusing on Szymanowski.

In 2009, Elina launched the Violin Academy; funded by the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the academy is a masterclass-based educational project for highly talented young Finnish violinists. Previously professor at the Hochschule für Musik in Karlsruhe, Germany, she has been professor at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna since 2019. She performs with a 1780 Giovanni Battista Guadagnini violin. 

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 Special Events. For more information, please contact Tim Richey, Director, Individual Giving, at tim.richey@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8531.

$150,000+

Janice Barrow*

Gary & Marian Beauchamp/ The Beauchamp Foundation

Barbara J. Burger

Janet F. Clark

Dr. Sippi & Mr. Ajay Khurana**

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As of March 31, 2023

$50,000+ $100,000+

Drs. Dennis & Susan Carlyle

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Drs. M.S. & Marie-Luise Kalsi

Cora Sue & Harry* Mach**

Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor

Edith and Robert Zinn

$25,000+

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Ann & Jonathan Ayre**

Dr. Gudrun H. Becker

Eric D. Brueggeman

Ralph Burch

Michael H. Clark & Sallie Morian

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Mr. and Mrs. Thomas L. Elsenbrook

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$15,000+

Marcie & Nick Alexos

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Dr. Angela R. Apollo

Dr. Saúl & Ursula Balagura

Anne Morgan Barrett

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Mr. Gordon J. Brodfuehrer

Terry Ann Brown

Mr. Bill Bullock

Mr. Robert Bunch and Ms. Lilia Khakimova

Jane Cizik

Roger & Debby Cutler

Dr. Alex Dell

Sidney Faust

Mr. & Mrs. Marvy A. Finger

Eugene Fong

Mr. & Mrs. Russell M. Frankel

Gary L. Hollingsworth and Kenneth J. Hyde

Catherine & Brian James

Mr. and Mrs. Parker Johnson

Cheryl Boblitt and Bill King

Mr. and Mrs. David B. Krieger

Mr. & Mrs. U. J. LeGrange

Cindy E. Levit

Joella & Steven P. Mach

Beth Madison

Mrs. Carolyn & Dr. Michael Mann

Robin Angly & Miles Smith

Edward and Janette Blackburne

Mr. Robert Boblitt Jr.

Albert & Anne Chao

Virginia A. Clark**

Aggie L. Foster & Steve Simon

Stephen & Mariglyn Glenn

Mr. and Mrs. Bashar Kalai

Barbara & Pat McCelvey**

Bobbie Nau

John and Lindy Rydman/ Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Mike Stude

Bobby & Phoebe Tudor

Margaret Alkek Williams

Ms. Elia Gabbanelli

Steve & Mary Gangelhoff

Clare Attwell Glassell

Evan B. Glick

Suzan and Julius Glickman

Mr. & Mrs. Fred L. Gorman

Claudio J. Gutiérrez

Claudia and David Hatcher

Mark & Ragna Henrichs

Mrs. James E. Hooks

Mr. and Mrs. William D. Hunt

Rebecca & Bobby Jee

Joan Kaplan

Gwen & Dan Kellogg

Dr. & Mrs. I. Ray Kirk

Ms. Nancey G. Lobb

John & Regina Mangum

** Education and Community Engagement Donor

* Deceased

Mr. & Mrs. J. Stephen Marks**

John L. Nau III

Terry Thomas

Shirley W. Toomim

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Tsuru

Hallie A. Vanderhider

Stephen & Kristine Wallace

Robert G. Weiner & Toni Blankmann

Barry & Rosalyn Margolis Family

Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis

Muffy & Mike McLanahan

Katie & Bob Orr

Oliver Wyman

Revati Puranik

Laurie A. Rachford

Donna Scott & Mitch Glassman

Alana R. Spiwak & Sam L. Stolbun

Dr. John R. Stroehlein and Miwa Sakashita

Judith Vincent

Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber

Steven & Nancy Williams

Jeanie Kilroy Wilson & Wallace S. Wilson

Mr. Jay Steinfeld & Mrs. Barbara Winthrop**

Ellen A. Yarrell**

Anonymous

Jay & Shirley* Marks

Mr. and Mrs. Jarrod Martin

Michelle & Jack Matzer

Elizabeth McIngvale PHD

Dr. Eric McLaughlin & Mr. Eliodoro Castillo

Marvin & Martha McMurrey

Tammy & Wayne Nguyen

Scott and Judy Nyquist

Dr. Susan Osterberg and Mr. Edward C. Osterberg Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan E. Parker

Mr. David Peavy and Mr. Stephen McCauley

Gloria & Joe Pryzant

Allan & Jean Quiat

Ron and Demi Rand

Ed & Janet Rinehart

Mr. Floyd W. Robinson

Mrs. Sybil F. Roos

Mr. Glen A. Rosenbaum

Kathy & Ed Segner

Margaret and Joel Shannon

Tad and Suzanne Smith

Anthony and Lori Speier

Drs. Carol & Michael Stelling

Margaret Waisman, M.D. & Steven S. Callahan, Ph.D.

Dede Weil

Vicki West

Our Donors

$10,000+

Edward H. Andrews III

Mr. & Mrs. David J. Beck

James & Dale Brannon

Cheryl & Sam* Byington

Dr. Robert N. Chanon

Coneway Family Foundation

Brad & Joan Corson

Andrew Davis & Corey Tu

Mike & Debra Dishberger

Vicky Dominguez

Connie Dyer

Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey B. Firestone

Mrs. Mary Foster-DeSimone and Mr. Don DeSimone

Ron Franklin & Janet

Gurwitch

Nancy D. Giles

Mr. & Mrs. Jerry L. Hamaker

$5,000+

Dr. and Mrs. George J. Abdo

Lilly and Thurmon Andress**

Dr. and Mrs. Jeffrey B. Aron**

Mr. Jeff Autor

Ms. Jacqueline Baly

Mrs. Bonnie Bauer

Kimberly and James Bell

Joan H. Bitar, M.D.

Anne Boss

Mrs. Vada Boyle

James and Judy Bozeman

Mr. Chester Brooke and Dr. Nancy Poindexter

Barbara A. Brooks

Lindsay Buchanan

Ms. Deborah Butler

Marilyn Caplovitz

Dr. Ye-Mon Chen and Mrs. Chaing-Lin Chen

Barbara A. Clark and Edgar A. Bering

Donna M. Collins

Evan and Carin Collins

Mr. and Mrs. Byron Cooley

Mr. and Mrs. Larry Corbin

Ms. Miquel A. Correll

Ms. Elisabeth DeWitts

Jeanette and John DiFilippo

Kathy and Frank Dilenschneider

Drs. Rosalind and Gary Dworkin

David and Carolyn Edgar

Mr. William P. Elbel and Ms. Mary J. Schroeder

The Ensell Family

Mr. Parrish N. Erwin Jr.

Paula and Louis Faillace

Ms. Ursula H. Felmet

Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Franco

Bill and Diana Freeman

Patrick and Carolyn Gaidos

Ms. Eugenia C. George

Grace Ho and Joe Goetz

Ms. Katherine Hill

Marzena & Jacek Jaminski

Dr. Charles Johnson & Tammie Johnson

Ms. Carey Kirkpatrick

Mr. & Mrs. Calvin Leeke

Marilyn G. Lummis

Mr. and Mrs. Ransom C. Lummis

Sue Ann Lurcott

Cindy Mao and Michael Ma

Dr. & Mrs. Malcolm L. Mazow

Terry & Kandee McGill

Dr. Miguel & Mrs. Valerie Miro-Quesada

Rita & Paul Morico

Ms. Leslie Nossaman

The Carl M. Padgett Family

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Pastorek

Mr. Zeljko Pavlovic

Dave & Alie Pruner

Lila Rauch

Mr. and Mrs. George A. Rizzo Jr.

Toni Oplt & Ed Schneider

Mr. & Mrs. James A. Shaffer

Laura & Mike Shannon

Dr. & Mrs. Robert B. Sloan

Houston Christian

University

Mr. & Mrs. Jim R. Smith

Mr. & Mrs. Karl Strobl

Mrs. Marguerite M. Swartz

Cecilia & Luciano

Vasconcellos

Jay & Gretchen Watkins

Mr. and Mrs. Tony Williford

Doug & Kay Wilson

Ms. Beth Wolff **

Scott and Lori Wulfe

Mr. and Mrs. Edward R. Ziegler

Nina & Michael Zilkha

Anonymous (2)

Mr. Mark Grace and Mrs. Alex Blair

Jo and Billie Jo Graves

The Greentree Fund

Mrs. Tami A. Grubb

Mr. David Grzebinski

Mary N. Hankey

Ms. Deborah Happ and Mr. Richard Rost

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Herzog

Mrs. Ann G. Hightower

Steve and Kerry Incavo

Mr. Michael Jang

Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Jankovic

Stephen Jeu and Susanna Calvo

Phil and Josephine John

Beverly Johnson

Dr. Charles Johnson & Tammie Johnson

Mr. and Mrs. John F. Joity

Debbie and Frank Jones

Dr. Rita Justice

Ms. Mandy Kao

Ms. Linda R. Katz

Mr. Mark Klitzke and Dr. Angela Chen

Dr. William & Alice Kopp

Mr. Kenneth E. Kurtzman

Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Ladin

Golda Anne Leonard

Matthew and Kristen Loden

Richard Loewenstern

Ms. Tama Lundquist

Alison and Ara Malkhassian

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Matiuk

Ms. Kathy McCraigh

John & Dorothy McDonald

Mr. and Mrs. Michael McGuire

Mr. and Mrs. William B. McNamara

Mr. and Mrs. D. Bradley McWilliams

Mr. Stephen Mendoza

Stephen & Marilyn Miles

Ginni and Richard Mithoff

Dr. and Mrs. Jack Moore

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Moynier

Aprill Nelson

Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Nelson

Bobbie Newman

Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey B. Newton

Jenni and Todd Olges

Katherine and Jonathan Palmer

Mr. and Mrs. Raul Pavon

Michael P. and Shirley Pearson

Mr. Robert J. Pilegge

Dr. and Mrs. Taj Popatia

Heather and Chris Powers

Tim and Katherine Pownell

Roland and Linda Pringle

Cris and Elisa Pye

Kathryn and Richard Rabinow

Bradley L. Radoff and Monica

Hoz De Vila

Dr. and Mrs. George H. Ransford

Jan Rhodes

Vicky and Michael Richker

Jill & Allyn Risley

Linda & Jerry Rubenstein

Dr. Douglas and Alicia Rodenberger

Harold H. Sandstead, M.D.

Garry and Margaret Schoonover

Susan and Ed Septimus

Donna and Tim Shen

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Sherman

Mr. and Mrs. Lance Smith

Mr. and Mrs. Quentin Smith

Sam and Linda Snyder

Georgiana Stanley

Mr. and Mrs. Keith Stevenson

Wesley L. Story

Mr. and Mrs. Hans Strohmer

Drs. Ishwaria and Vivek Subbiah

Stephanie and Bill Swingle

Susan L. Thompson

Nanako and Dale Tingleaf

Pamalah* and Stephen Tipps

Mr. and Mrs. David Vannauker

Mr. and Mrs. David Walstad

Nancy B. Willerson **

Ms. Barbara E. Williams

Doug Williams and Janice Robertson

Loretta and Lawrence Williams

Ms. Tara Wilson

Jerry & Gerlind Wolinksy

Woodell Family Foundation

Mrs. Lorraine Wulfe

Robert and Michele Yekovich

Erla & Harry Zuber

Anonymous (7)

Our Donors

$2,500+

Pat and John Anderson

Mr. Tom Anderson

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen J. Banks

Drs. Henry and Louise Bethea

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Bickel

George Boerger

Robert and Gwen Bray

Joe Brazzatti

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce G. Buhler

Justice Brett and Erin Busby

Kori and Chris Caddell

Ms. Greta Carlson

Mr. Steve Carroll and Ms. Rachel Dolbier

Drs. David A. Cech and Mary R. Schwartz

Darleen and Jack Christiansen

Mr. Per Staunstrup Christiansen

Mr. and Ms. Daniel Chavanelle

Dr. and Dr. Stephen Chen

Matt Chuchla

Jimmy and Lynn Coe

Richard Collins

Consurgo Sunshine

Ms. Jeanette Coon and Thomas Collins

Ms. Sandra Cooper

Mr. and Mrs. James L. Cross

Mr. and Mrs. John Dabbar

Mrs. Myriam Degreve

Mr. and Mrs. Manuel Delgado

Joseph and Rebecca

Demeter

Ms. Cynthia Diller

Mrs. Edward N. Earle

David and Carolyn Edgar

Mr. John Egbert and Ms. Kathy Beck

$1,000+

Rolaine and Morrie Abramson

Joan and Stanford Alexander

John Arnsparger & Susan Weingarten

Ms. Sheila Aron

Ms. Candida Aversenti

Ms. Joni Baird

Mr. & Mrs. David M. Balderston

Deborah Bautch

Janet & John Beall

Mr. and Mrs. Clarke Bean

Dr. & Mrs. Philip S. Bentlif

Mr. & Mrs. Frank R. Benton

Catherine Bratic & Mike Benza

Charles & Jacqueline Bertrand

Jeb & Cynthia Blackwell

Ms. Cyndi Bohannon

Mr. Russell Boone

Patricia K. Boyd

Mr. and Mrs. Sverre Brandsberg-Dahl

Aubrey & Sylvia Farb

Mrs. Christina Fontenot

Mr. and Mrs. David French

Edwin Friedrichs and Darlene Clark**

Dr. and Mrs. Robert H. Fusillo

Ms. Lucy Gebhart

David George Ph.D.

Wendy Germani

Kathy and Albrecht Goethe

Ms. Lidiya Gold

Susan and Kevin Golden

Marcos Gonzalez

Mr. and Mrs. Herb Goodman

Julianne and David Gorte

Mr. William Gray and Mrs. Clare Fontenot-Gray

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Greaser

Cortney Guebara

Eric and Angelea Halen

Mr. and Mrs. Charles R. Hall

Dr. and Mrs. Carlos R. Hamilton Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Houston Haymon

Maureen Y. Higdon**

Katherine and Archibald Govan Hill IV

Mr. and Mrs. John Homier

Mr. and Mrs. R. O. Hunton

Mr. Daniel Irion

Mady and Ken Kades

Jane and Kevin Kremer

Connie Kwan-Wong

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Langenstein

Ms. Debra Laws

Mrs. Evelyn Leightman

Mrs. Raquel Lewis

Mr. William W. Lindley

Matthew and Kristen Loden

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen A. Lubanko

Mr. and Mrs. Peter MacGregor

Mr. and Mrs. Wallis Marsh

Mr. and Mrs. Michael L. Mason

David and Heidi Massin

Mary Ann and David McKeithan

Ms. Kristen Meneilly

Larry and Lyn Miller

David Mincberg & Lainie

Gordon

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas L. Molloy

Denise Monteleone

Richard & Juliet Moynihan

Jo Ann and Marvin Mueller

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Murphy

Jessica & Erick Navas

Ms. Barbara Nussmann

Macky Osorio

Rochelle and Sheldon Oster

Nancy Parra

Kusum & K. Cody Patel

Linda Tarpley Peterson

Mr. and Mrs. Arnaud Pichon

Dr. and Mrs. James L. Pool

Dr. Vanitha Pothuri

Mrs. Dana Puddy

Clinton and Leigh Rappole

Dr. Michael and Janet

Rasmussen

Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Reimer

Mrs. Diane Roederer

Mrs. Adelina Romero

Mr. and Mrs. John Ryder

Mr. Robert T. Sakowitz

Harold H. Sandstead, M.D.

Gina and Saib Saour

Lawrence P. Schanzmeyer

Dr. Mark A. Schusterman

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Schwarzbach

Mr. and Mrs. Dilanka Seimon

Becky Shaw

Mr. and Dr. Adrian D. Shelley

Arthur E. and Ellen Shelton

Leslie Siller**

Hinda Simon

Ms. Diana Skerl

David Smith and Elizabeth A. Fagan

Richard and Mary Spies

Jeaneen and Tim Stastny

Meredith and Ralph Stone

Mr. and Ms. Kerr Taylor

Dr. and Mrs. Van W. Teeters

Juliana and Stephen Tew

Jean and Doug Thomas

Eric and Carol Timmreck

Courtney & Bill Toomey

Sal and Denise Torrisi

Dr. Brad and Mrs. Frances Urquhart

Patricia Van Allan

Dean Walker

H. Richard Walton

Nancy Ames and Danny Ward

Alton and Carolyn Warren

Ms. Katherine Warren

Dr. and Mrs. Richard T. Weiss

Dr. Robert Wilkins and Dr. Mary Ann ReynoldsWilkins

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Williams

Mr. Frank Wilson

Mr. and Mrs. Steve Yatauro

Robert and Michele Yekovich

Mrs. Linda Yelin

Anonymous (2)

Ms. Helen Harding & Dr. Patrick Briggs

Mr. Thomas N. Britton and Ms. Debra A. Ewing

Dr. Fred Buckwold

Mr. David N. Bush

Mr. Joseph L. Campbell Jr.

Mr. Theodore Carpenter and Mrs. Stephanie Harrison

Mrs. Charlene Carroll

Stephen Carroll

Margot & John Cater

Ann M. Cavanaugh

Ms. Paige Cawthon

Mr. F. Martin Caylor

Mr. and Mrs. David Centanni

Ms. Flora Choy

Drs. Anna Chen and John Chung

Mr. and Mrs. James Collins

Dr. Carmen Bonmati and Mr. Ben Conner

Ms. Sylvia Lohkamp & Mr. Tucker Caughlen

** Education and Community Engagement Donor * Deceased

James and Molly Crownover

Mr. Carl R. Cunningham

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Dalicandro

Ms. Anna M. Dean

Ms. Elena Delaunay

Mr. & Mrs. E. E. Deschner

Dr. and Mrs. George M. Dolson

Mr. and Mrs. James P. Dorn

T. Michael Dossey

Ramsay M. Elder

Mr. Stephen Elison

Annette and Knut Eriksen

Mr. & Mrs. J. Richard Espinosa

Mr. and Mrs. J. Thomas Eubank Jr.

Mr. Frederick Fargo

Ms. Olivia Farrell

Mr. Paul Fatseas

Dr. Jean A. Fefer

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Ference

Larry Finger

Mr. and Mrs. Harvey O. Fleisher

Marilyn and Theodore Flick

Jeannine and Patrick Flynn

Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Frautschi

Janet & Mickey Frost

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Gaidos

Mr. Alejandro E. Gallardo

Martin Gambling

Pepe Garcia

Mr. Colin C. Gatwood and Ms. Aralee Dorough

Thomas & Patricia Geddy

Alyson & Elliot Gershenson

Dr. Michael Gillin and Ms. Pamela Newberry

Joanne Goff

Helen B. Wils & Leonard A. Goldstein

Amy Goodpasture

Our Donors

$1,000+

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew R. Gould

Timothy & Janet Graham

Catherine Green

Joyce Z. Greenberg

Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Gregory

Mr. Mario Gudmundsson

Richard & Stella Guerra Nelson

Susan and Dick Hansen

Mr. and Mrs. Franklin J. Harberg Jr.

Sheila Heimbinder

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher D. Hekel

Dean & Beth Hennings

Susan Hodge & Mike Stocker

Dr. Holly Holmes

Ms. Heather Humphrey

Mr. C. Birk Hutchens

Ms. Mariya Idenova

Mr. Craig Ignacio

Ms. Qiana James

Mark A. Jensen

Arlene Johnson

Russell Kampe

Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Katz

Lynda and Frank Kelly

Kathryn L. Ketelsen

Mr. & Mrs. William H. Knull III

Mrs. Judy Koehl

Mr. and Mrs. Nat Krishnamurthy

Mr. and Ms. Kevin Kushner

Ms. Staci Latoison

Susan Le

Mr. Steve Lee

Dr. Kris Lehnhardt

Dr. and Mrs. Morton Leonard Jr.

Ms. Patsy Liao

Mrs. Sandra Lloyd

Mr. and Mrs. David Lodholz

Ms. Susan Logan

Tony and Judy Lutkus

April J. Lykos

Dr. Calum Maccaulay

Ms. Tina Maddox

Mr. and Mrs. Alex Marchenko

Ms. Carol McDermott

Patricia McMahon and Joseph F. McCarthy

Dr. Amy Mehollin-Ray

Anne & John* Mendelsohn

Laurie Messina

Mrs. Jean Mintz

Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Moen

Gerry Montalto

Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Montemayor

Mr. David Moyer

Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Mukoro

Mr. and Mrs. Don Murphy

Daniel & Karol Musher

Alan & Elaine Mut

Phong Patrick Nguyen

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony J. Nocella

Ms. Kathryn O'Brien

Dr. Michael A. Ozer and Ms. Patricia A. Kalmans

Mr. and Mrs. Edoardo Padeletti

Mr. and Mrs. Marc C. Paige

Ms. Leila Perrin

Mrs. Fran Fawcett Peterson

Ms. Jo Ann Peterson

Grace and Carroll Phillips

Linda Posey

Bharat Pothuri

Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Pybus Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Florante Quiocho

Mr. and Mrs. William B. Rawl

Mr. & Mrs. Dwain Reeves

Music Director Fund

Mary & Tony Reidy

Patricia Richards

Mr. Edgar Rincon

Linda & James Robin

Dr. & Mrs. Marc D. Robinson

Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Rockecharlie

Ms. Regina J. Rogers

Mrs. Adelina Romero

Drs. Alex & Lynn Rosas

Jill and Milt Rose

Dallas Rowden

Mr. Hugh Ryan

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Ryan

Mr. and Dr. Ian Sack

Ramon and Chula Sanchez

Carol and Kamal Sandarusi

Mr. and Mrs. Carl W. Sandlin

Donald and Susan Scruggs

Mr. Ellison Scudder

Ms. Heidi Seizinger

Mr. Richard Sepulveda and Ms. Angelica Garza

Mr. & Mrs. Paul Shack

Mr. Carlos Sierra

Barbara & Louis Sklar

Mr. and Mrs. David Smith

Lawrence Smith

Mr. & Mrs. William A. Smith

Ms. Yoon Smith

Mr. and Mrs. George Sneed

Mrs. Lynn Snyder

Betty and Gerry Stacy

Ms. Claudia Standiford

Richard P. Steele and Mary J. McKerall

Kimberly & David Sterling

Bill Stevens

Mrs. Christine Stevens

Strong Landscaping, LLC

Amy Sutton and Gary Chiles

Gaylene Taylor

Andrea & Trent Tellepsen

Emily H. & David K. Terry

Ms. Betsy Mims and Mr. Howard D. Thames

Mr. & Mrs. James G. Theus

Paul Strand Thomas

Suzy Till

Mr. Donald J. Tindall

Mr. Steven Torello

Scott Ulrich

Mr. and Mrs. Timothy J. Unger

Mr. and Mrs. William Van Wie

Mr. Jairo Velasquez

Mr. James Walker

Larry and Connie Wallace

Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Walt

Mr. and Ms. Larry Weis

Ms. Joann E. Welton

Dr. & Mrs. Brad Wertman

Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Wherry

Douglas and Carolynne White

Carlton Wilde

Charline & Bill Wilkins

Bridget & Brooke Williams

Ms. Dodi Willingham

Mr. and Mrs. John D. Willis

Mr. and Ms. Richard Wills

Dr. Alice Gates and Dr. Wayne Wilner

Ms. Donna H. Wilson

Mr. Jim Winget

Jennifer R. Wittman

Jerry and Gerlind Wolinksy

Ms. Susan G. Wood

Mr. Jessie Woods

Ms. Francene Young

Melinda & Alan Young

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Zabriskie Anonymous (11)

The Houston Symphony has entered a new era with the introduction of internationally acclaimed conductor, Juraj Valčuha, as its Music Director. Valčuha’s visionary leadership will continue to elevate the orchestra’s level of artistry on the Jones Hall stage, its international reputation, and its relevance to the Houston community.

The purpose of the Music Director Fund is to provide leadership support to Maestro Juraj Valčuha and his artistic endeavors as Music Director. The Symphony extends our special thanks to Board President John Rydman, along with his wife, Lindy, and Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods, for kicking off the campaign with the first gift to the fund. To join the Music Director Fund, supporters make a leadership gift of $100,000 above and beyond their annual giving.

To participate in this important effort, please contact Christine Ann Stevens, Senior Director, Development at christine.stevens@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8521.

Margaret Alkek Williams

Robin Angly & Miles Smith

Janice Barrow*

Gary and Marian Beauchamp/The Beauchamp Foundation

* Deceased

Barbara J. Burger

Albert & Anne Chao

Janet F. Clark

Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts

Dr. Sippi and Mr. Ajay Khurana

Barbara and Pat McCelvey

John & Lindy Rydman / Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Mike Stude

Young Associates Council

The Houston Symphony’s Young Associates Council (YAC) 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 LEADERSHIP

Kusum Patel, Chair

Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl, Vice Chair

YOUNG ASSOCIATE PREMIUM $2,500+

Christopher P. Armstrong and Laura Schaffer

Ann and Jonathan Ayre

Lauren and Mark Bahorich

Tim Ong and Michael Baugh

Kimberly and James Bell Jr.

Emily Bivona and Ryan Manser

Carrie and Sverre Brandsberg-Dahl#

Eric Brueggeman

Lindsay Buchanan#

Ryan Cantrell

Haydée del Calvo and Esteban Montero

Kendall and Jim Cross

Denise Davis

Valerie Palmquist Dieterich and Tracy Dieterich

Vicky Dominguez

Jamie Everett

Carolyn and Patrick Gaidos

Claudio J. Gutiérrez

YOUNG ASSOCIATE $1,500+

Amber Ali

Fiona Anklesaria

Luisa Banos and Vladi Gorelik

Amanda Beatriz

Laura and William Black

Adair and Kevin Brueggeman

Greta Carlson

David Chaluh

Lincoln Chen

Megan and John Degenstein

Chante Westmoreland Dillard and Joseph Dillard

Laurel Flores#

Kallie Gallagher

Patrick B. Garvey

Amy Goodpasture

Rebecca and Andrew Gould

Nicholas Gruy

Lori Harrington and Parashar Saikia

Ashley and John Horstman

C. Birk Hutchens

Mariya Idenova

Jonathan Jan

Anna Kaplan

Allegra Lilly and Robin Kesselman

Stephanie Kimbrell and

For more information, please contact Katie Salvatore, Development Officer, at katie.salvatore@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8544.

Laurel Flores, Communications Chair

Jeff Hiller, Membership Chair

Elaine and Jeff Hiller#

Mariana and James O. Huff III

Carey Kirkpatrick

Joel Luks

Elissa and Jarrod Martin

Kelser McMiller#

Shane Miller

Emily and Joseph MorrelPorter Hedges LLP

Stephanie Weber and Pau Muri

Aprill Nelson#

Maxine Olefsky and Justin Kenney

Liana and Andrew Schwaitzberg#

Nadhisha and Dilanka Seimon

Aerin and Quentin Smith#

Justin Stenberg#

Ishwaria and Vivek Subbiah

Kristin and Leonard Wood

Joshua Allison

Kirby and David Lodholz#

Gwen and Jay McMurrey

Miriam Meriwani

Zoe Miller

David Moyer

Trevor Myers

Lee Bar-Eli and Cliff Nash

Lauren Paine

Kusum and K. Cody Patel#

Blake Plaster

Clarice Jacobson and Brian Rosenzweig

Chicovia Scott

Carlos Sierra

Leonardo Soto

Maria Spadaro

Bryce Swinford

Elise Wagner#

Alexander Webb

Genevera Allen and Michael Weylandt

Hannah Whitney

Marquis Wincher

Owen Zhang

# Steering Committee

Corporate, Foundation & Government Partners

The Houston Symphony is proud to recognize the leadership support of our corporate, foundation, and government partners that allows the orchestra to reach new heights in musical performance, education, and community engagement, for Greater Houston and the Gulf Coast Region.

CORPORATE PARTNERS (as of March 31, 2023)

Principal Corporate Guarantor ($250,000 and above)

Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods / Spec’s Charitable Foundation**

Grand Guarantor ($150,000 and above)

ConocoPhillips**

Guarantor ($100,000 and above)

Bank of America

Boston Consulting Group*

Frost Bank

Underwriter ($50,000 and above)

Accordant Advisors*

Amerapex Baker Botts L.L.P.*

Cameron Management* Chevron** CKP Group* Engie**

Houston Public MediaNews 88.7 FM; Channel 8 PBS*

Houston Methodist* Kalsi Engineering PaperCity*

Houston Christian University Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo**

Kinder Morgan Foundation** Kirkland & Ellis The Lancaster Hotel* Occidental**

KTRK ABC-13*

Shell USA, Inc.**

PNC** Rand Group, LLC*

Sewell

Truist United Airlines* Vinson & Elkins LLP

EOG Resources

The Events Company*

H-E-B/H-E-B Tournament of Champions**

Partner ($15,000 and above)

Sponsor ($25,000 and above) City Kitchen*

Faberge

Gorman’s Uniform Service

Supporter ($10,000 and above)

Houston First Corporation*

Macy’s**

Mark Kamin & Associates

New Timmy Chan Corporation

Benefactor ($5,000 and above)

Bank of Texas

Beck Redden LLP

BHP

Frankly Organic Vodka

Patron (Gifts below $5,000)

Amazon Baker Hughes

BeDESIGN*

Christian Dior

Gulf Coast Distillers *

Marine Foods Express, Ltd. Neiman Marcus* One Market Square Garage*

Jackson & Company* Locke Lord LLP

Nordstrom** Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, L.L.P. Quantum Energy Partners

Mutiny Wine Room

Russell Reynolds Associates, Inc. University of St. Thomas*

Silver Eagle Distributors Houston, LLC

Univision Houston & Amor 06.5FM

Lockton Companies of Houston

USI Southwest

Silver Eagle Beverages*

Sire Spirits

Beth Wolff Realtors Zenfilm*

Wortham Insurance & Risk Management

KPMG US Foundation, Inc.

Mercantil ONEOK, Inc.

Quantum Bass Center*

SEI, Global Institutional Group

For information on becoming a corporate partner, please contact Timothy Dillow, Senior Director, Development at timothy.dillow@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8538.

Smith, Graham & Company Stewart Title Company

TAM International, Inc.

* Includes in-kind support

**Education and Community Engagement Support

Corporate, Foundation & Government Partners

FOUNDATIONS & GOVERNMENT AGENCIES (as of March 31, 2023)

Diamond Guarantor ($1,000,000 and above)

The Brown Foundation, Inc. Houston Symphony Endowment**

Premier Guarantor ($500,000 and above)

The Alkek and Williams Foundation

Grand Guarantor ($150,000 and above)

City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board**

The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts

Guarantor ($100,000 and above)

The Jerry C. Dearing Family Foundation

Underwriter ($50,000 and above)

Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation

Beauchamp Foundation

The Elkins Foundation

Sponsor ($25,000 and above)

The Melbern G. & Susanne M. Glasscock Foundation**

Partner ($15,000 and above)

Ruth & Ted Bauer Family Foundation**

William E. & Natoma Pyle Harvey Charitable Foundation**

The Hood-Barrow Foundation

Supporter ($10,000 and above)

Edward H. Andrews

The Carleen & Alde Fridge Foundation

Benefactor ($5,000 and above)

Leon Jaworski Foundation

Patron (Gifts below $5,000)

The Lubrizol Foundation

The Scurlock Foundation

Houston Symphony League

The Wortham Foundation, Inc.

City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance

The Cullen Foundation

The Hearst Foundation** The Humphreys Foundation MD Anderson Foundation National Endowment for the Arts

The Houston Arts Combined Endowment Fund

The Fondren Foundation Houston Symphony Chorus Endowment

LTR Lewis Cloverdale Foundation

William S. & Lora Jean Kilroy Foundation

The Vivian L. Smith Foundation**

The Schissler Foundation

The Vaughn Foundation

The C. Howard Pieper Foundation

Texas Commission on the Arts**

John P. McGovern Foundation** The Powell Foundation**

The William Stamps Farish Fund

George & Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation Petrello Family Foundation

The Pierce Runnells Foundation

Sterling-Turner Foundation Strake Foundation**

The Radoff Family Foundation

Keith & Mattie Stevenson Foundation

For information about becoming a foundation or government partner, please contact Christina Trunzo, Director, Foundation Relations, at christina.trunzo@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8530.

**Education and Community Engagement Support

Houston Symphony Endowment

The Houston Symphony Endowment is organized and operated exclusively for the benefit of the Houston Symphony Society. Your contributions to the Endowment ensure the financial sustainability of your orchestra now and for generations to come.

A named endowed fund is a wonderful way to honor a loved one or to celebrate you and your family’s passion for the Houston Symphony. Named funds may be permanently established within the Houston Symphony Endowment with a minimum contribution of $250,000. Your fund can be designated for general purposes or specific interests. One of the most impactful funds you can create is an Endowed Orchestra Chair. Opportunities to endow an Orchestral Chair begin at $1,000,000. Endowing a chair provides the Houston Symphony with funds to attract, retain, and support musicians of the highest caliber.

For more information about how you may support the Houston Symphony Endowment through a bequest or with a gift during your lifetime, please contact Hadia Mawlawi, Senior Associate, Endowment and Planned Giving, at hadia.mawlawi@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8532.

TRUSTEES

James H. Lee, President

David Krieger

ENDOWMENT FUNDS $250,000+

Janice H. and Thomas D. Barrow Chair Brinton Averil Smith, Principal Cello

The Brown Foundation Guest Pianist Fund

The Brown Foundation Miller Outdoor Theatre Fund in memory of Hanni and Stewart Orton, Legacy Society Co-Founders

Margarett and Alice Brown Fund for Education

Janet F. Clark Fund

Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair

Juraj Valčuha, Music Director

The Cullen Foundation Maestro’s Fund

The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Fund for Creative Initiatives

The Margaret and James Elkins Foundation Fund

The Virginia Lee Elverson Trust Fund

Fondren Foundation Chair

Qi Ming, Assistant Concertmaster

William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs

William Dee Hunt

Lynn Mathre

Jerome Simon

Scott Wise

The General and 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

General Maurice Hirsch Chair

Aralee Dorough, Principal Flute

Houston Symphony Chorus Fund

Joan and Marvin Kaplan Fund

Ellen E. Kelley Chair

Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster

Max Levine Chair

Yoonshin Song, Concertmaster

Mary R. Lewis Fund for Piano Performance

M.D. Anderson Foundation Fund

Mary Lynn and Steve Marks Fund

Barbara and Pat McCelvey Fund

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander K. McLanahan Endowed Chair William VerMeulen, Principal Horn

Monroe L. Mendelsohn Jr. Fund

George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Summer Concerts Fund

Bobbie Nau Chair Mark Nuccio, Principal Clarinet

C. Howard Pieper Foundation Fund

Walter W. Sapp Fund, Legacy Society Co-Founder

Fayez Sarofim Guest Violinist Fund through the Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts

The Schissler Foundation Fund

Spec’s Charitable Foundation Salute to Educators Concert Fund

The Micijah S. Stude Special Production Fund

Bobby and Phoebe Tudor Fund

Margaret Alkek Williams Chair John Mangum, Executive Director/CEO

The Wortham Foundation Classical Series Fund in memory of Gus S. and Lyndall F. Wortham

Legacy Society

The Legacy Society honors those who have included the Houston Symphony Endowment in their long-term estate plans through a bequest in a will, life-income gifts, or other deferred-giving arrangements.

For more information, please contact Hadia Mawlawi, Senior Associate, Endowment and Planned Giving, at hadia.mawlawi@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8532.

CRESCENDO CIRCLE $100,000+ (as of March 31, 2023)

Dr. and Mrs. George J. Abdo

Priscilla R. Angly

Jonathan and Ann Ayre

Myra W. Barber

Janice Barrow*

Jim Barton

James Bell

Joe Anne Berwick*

Joan H. Bitar, MD

James and S. Dale Brannon

Walter and Nancy Bratic

Joe Brazzatti

Terry Ann Brown

Mary Kathryn Campion and Stephen Liston

Drs. Dennis and Susan Carlyle

Janet F. Clark

Virginia A. Clark

Mr. William E. Colburn

Elizabeth DeWitts

Farida Abjani

Dr. Antonio Arana*

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey B. Aron

George* and Betty Bashen

Dorothy B. Black*

Kerry Levine Bollmann

Ermy Borlenghi Bonfield

Zu Broadwater

Dr. Joan K. Bruchas* and Mr. H. Philip Cowdin*

Mr. Christopher and Mrs. Erin Brunner

Eugene R. Bruns

Cheryl and Sam* Byington

Sylvia J. Carroll

Dr. Robert N. Chanon

William J. Clayton and Margaret A. Hughes

Mr. and Mrs. Byron Cooley

The Honorable* and Mrs. William Crassas

Dr. Lida S. Dahm

Leslie Barry Davidson

Susan Feickert

Ginny Garrett

Mr. and Mrs. Harry H. Gendel

Michael B. George

Mauro H. Gimenez and Connie A. Coulomb

Bill Grieves*

Mr. Robert M. Griswold

Randolph Lee Groninger

Andria N. Elkins

Jean and Jack* Ellis

The Aubrey* and Sylvia Farb Family

Helen Hudspeth Flores*

Eugene Fong

Mrs. Aggie L. Foster

Stephen and Mariglyn Glenn

Evan B. Glick

Jo A. and Billie Jo Graves

Mario Gudmundsson

Deborah Happ and Richard Rost

Marilyn and Bob Hermance

Dr. Charles and Tammie Johnson

Dr. Rita Justice

Mr. and Mrs. U. J. LeGrange

Joella and Steven P. Mach

Martha and. Alexander Matiuk

Michelle and Jack Matzer

Claudio J. Gutiérrez

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry L. Hamaker

Gloria L. Herman*

Timothy Hogan and Elaine Anthony

Dr. Gary L. Hollingsworth

Dr. Edward J. and Mrs. Patti* Hurwitz

Dr. Kenneth Hyde

Brian and Catherine James

Barbara and Raymond Kalmans

Dr. James E. and Betty W. Key

Dr. and Mrs. I. Ray Kirk

Mrs. Frances E. Leland

Samuel J. Levine

Mrs. Lucy Lewis

Sandra Magers

David Ray Malone and David J. Sloat

Mr. and Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis

Jay and Shirley* Marks

James G. Matthews

Mary Ann and David McKeithan

Dr. Tracey Samuels and Mr. Robert McNamara

Mr. and Mrs. D. Bradley McWilliams

Dr. and Mrs. Malcolm L. Mazow

Bill and Karinne McCullough

Muffy and Mike McLanahan

Dr. Georgette M. Michko

Dr. Robert M. Mihalo*

Mr. and Mrs. Marvin H. Mueller

Drs. John and Dorothy Oehler

Gloria G. Pryzant

Constance E. Roy

Donna Scott

Charles and Andrea Seay

Mr. and Mrs. James A. Shaffer

Michael J. Shawiak

Jule* and Albert* Smith

Louis* and Mary Kay Snyder

Ronald Mikita* & Rex Spikes

Catherine Jane Merchant*

Marilyn Ross Miles and Stephen Warren Miles Foundation

Sidney and Ione Moran

Janet Moynihan*

Richard and Juliet Moynihan

Gretchen Ann Myers

Patience Myers

John N. Neighbors* in memory of Jean Marie Neighbors

Mr.* and Mrs. Richard C. Nelson

Bobbie Newman

John and Leslie Niemand

Leslie Nossaman

Dave G. Nussmann*

John Onstott

Macky Osorio

Edward C. Osterberg Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Edmund and Megan Pantuliano

Christine and Red Pastorek

Peter* and Nina Peropoulos

Linda Tarpley Peterson

Sara M. Peterson

Jenny and Tadjin* Popatia

Geraldine Smith Priest

Dana Puddy

Patrick T. Quinn

Lila Rauch

Frank Shroeder Stanford in memory of Dr. Walter O. Stanford

Mike and Anita* Stude

Mr. and Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor

Elba L. Villarreal

Margaret Waisman, M.D. and Steven S. Callahan, Ph.D.

Mr. and Mrs. Fredric A. Weber

Robert G. Weiner & Toni Blankmann

Vicki West in honor of Hans Graf

Susan Gail Wood

Jo Dee Wright

Ellen A. Yarrell Anonymous (2)

Ed and Janet Rinehart

Mr. Floyd W. Robinson

Walter Ross

Dr. and Mrs. Kazuo Shimada

Lisa and Jerry Simon

Tad and Suzanne Smith

Sherry Snyder

Marie Speziale

Emily H. and David K. Terry

Stephen G. Tipps

Steve Tostengard*, in memory of Ardyce Tostengard

Jana Vander Lee

Bill and Agnete Vaughan

Dean B. Walker

Stephen and Kristine Wallace

Geoffrey Westergaard

Nancy B. Willerson

Jennifer R. Wittman

Lorraine and Ed* Wulfe

David and Tara Wuthrich

Katherine and Mark Yzaguirre

Anonymous (8)

Musician Sponsorships

Donors at the Sponsorship Circle level and above are provided the opportunity to be recognized as sponsoring a Houston Symphony Musician.

For more information, please contact Alexa Ustaszewski, Major Gifts Officer, at alexa.ustaszewski@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8521.

(As of March 31, 2023)

Dr. Angela Apollo

Scott Holshouser, Principal Keyboard

Dr. Saúl and Ursula Balagura

Charles Seo, Cello

Janice Barrow*

Sophia Silivos, First Violin

Gary and Marian Beauchamp/ The Beauchamp Foundation

Martha Chapman, Second Violin

Nancy and Walter Bratic

Christopher Neal, First Violin

Mr. Gordon J. Brodfuehrer

Maki Kubota, Cello

Mr. Robert Bunch and Ms. Lilia Khakimova

Alexander Potiomkin, Bass Clarinet and Clarinet

Ralph Burch

Robin Kesselman, Principal Double Bass

Barbara J. Burger

Andrew Pedersen, Double Bass

Mary Kathryn Campion, PhD

Rodica Gonzalez, First Violin

Drs. Dennis and Susan Carlyle

Louis-Marie Fardet, Cello

Jane Cizik

Qi Ming, Assistant Concertmaster

Janet F. Clark

MuChen Hsieh, Principal Second Violin

Michael H. Clark and Sallie Morian

Assistant Principal Viola

Virginia A. Clark

Christian Harvey, Shepherd School-Houston

Symphony Brown Foundation CommunityEmbedded Fellow

Roger and Debby Cutler

Tong Yan, First Violin

Joan and Bob Duff

Robert Johnson, Associate Principal Horn

Steve and Mary Gangelhoff

Judy Dines, Flute

Stephen and Mariglyn Glenn Christian Schubert, Clarinet

Evan B. Glick

Tong Yan, First Violin

Suzan and Julius Glickman

Thomas LeGrand, Associate Principal Clarinet and E-flat Clarinet

Mr. and Mrs. Fred L. Gorman

Christopher French, Associate Principal Cello

Mark and Ragna Henrichs

Donald Howey, Double Bass

Gary L. Hollingsworth and Kenneth J. Hyde

Robert Walp, Assistant Principal Trumpet

Drs. M.S. and Marie-Luise

Kalsi

Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster

Joan Kaplan

Mark Nuccio, Principal Clarinet

Dr. Sippi and Mr. Ajay Khurana

David Connor, Double Bass –Community-Embedded

Musician

Dr. and Mrs. I. Ray Kirk

John C. Parker, Associate Principal Trumpet

Rochelle* and Max Levit

Sergei Galperin, First Violin

Cora Sue and Harry* Mach

Joan DerHovsepian, Acting Principal Viola

Joella and Steven P. Mach

Eric Larson, Double Bass

Mrs. Carolyn and Dr. Michael Mann

Ian Mayton, Horn

Mr. and Mrs. Rodney H.

Margolis

Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster

Mr. and Mrs. J. Stephen Marks

Brian Del Signore, Principal Percussion

Mr. Jay Marks

Sergei Galperin, First Violin

Michelle and Jack Matzer

Kurt Johnson, First Violin

Barbara and Pat McCelvey

Adam Dinitz, English Horn

Muffy and Mike McLanahan

William VerMeulen, Principal Horn

Dr. Eric McLaughlin and Mr. Eliodoro Castillo

Jonathan Fischer, Principal Oboe

Martha and Marvin McMurrey

Rodica Gonzalez, First Violin

Rita and Paul Morico

Elise Wagner, Bassoon

Scott and Judy Nyquist

Sheldon Person, Viola

Dr. Susan Osterberg and Mr. Edward C. Osterberg Jr.

MiHee Chung, First Violin

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan E.

Parker

Jeffrey Butler, Cello

Gloria and Joe Pryzant

Matthew Strauss, Percussion

Allan and Jean Quiat

Richard Harris, Trumpet

Laurie A. Rachford

Timothy Dilenschneider, Associate Principal Double Bass

Ron and Demi Rand

Annie Chen, Second Violin

Ed & Janet Rinehart

Amy Semes, Associate Principal Violin

Mrs. Sybil F. Roos

Mark Hughes, Principal

Trumpet

Mr. Glen A. Rosenbaum

Aralee Dorough, Principal Flute

John and Lindy Rydman / Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Anthony Kitai, Cello

Kathy and Ed Segner

Kathryn Ladner, Flute & Piccolo

Mr. and Mrs. James A. Shaffer

Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster

Margaret and Joel Shannon

Rainel Joubert, Violin–Community-Embedded Musician

Tad and Suzanne Smith

Marina Brubaker, First Violin

Alana R. Spiwak and Sam L. Stolbun

Wei Jiang, Acting Associate Principal Viola

Mike Stude

Brinton Averil Smith, Principal Cello

Bobby and Phoebe Tudor

Bradley White, Acting Principal Trombone

Judith Vincent

Matthew Roitstein, Associate Principal Flute

Margaret Waisman, M.D. and Steven S. Callahan, Ph.D.

Mark Griffith, Percussion

Stephen and Kristine Wallace

Rian Craypo, Principal Bassoon

Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber

Position Open, Harp

Robert G. Weiner and Toni Blankman

Anastasia Ehrlich, Second Violin

Vicki West

Rodica Gonzalez, First Violin

Steven and Nancy Williams

MiHee Chung, First Violin

Jeanie Kilroy Wilson and Wallace S. Wilson

Xiao Wong, Cello

Nina and Michael Zilkha

Kurt Johnson, First Violin

DID YOU KNOW?

The Houston Symphony relies on gifts from donors like you for more than ⅔ of our annual operating budget.

Through your donation to the Annual Fund, your Houston Symphony can:

Employ 90 full-time orchestra musicians

Perform 117 orchestral concerts in Jones Hall annually featuring outstanding artistic programming, superstar guest artists, and guest conductors.

During subscription renewal season, please consider making a gift to the Annual Fund. When you are making selections for your Classical or Bank of America POPS subscription packages, know that your subscription is crucial in ensuring that ⅓ of the Symphony’s operating budget is secure. But if every subscriber and ticket buyer gave a one-time gift of $360, or a recurring monthly donation of $30, your generosity would go a long way in providing world-class performances and community engagement programs in Houston.

To donate to the Annual Fund, visit houstonsymphony.org/donate or call:

Zitlaly Jimenez, Annual Fund Manager 713.337.8559.

Serve more than 60,000 Houstonians through our free and low-cost Community Concerts—including Neighborhood Concerts and Chevron’s Fiesta Sinfónica—and our Community-Embedded Musician (CEM) activities— including hospital and dementia center visits, community-based music education programs, and high school residencies.

Engage 43,537 students and educators in the Greater Houston Area through our Student Concert Series.

THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY’S TOTAL ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET IS $33 MILLION

DO YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO VOLUNTEER?

Join the Houston Symphony League!

Formed in 1937, the Houston Symphony League is an organization dedicated to supporting the Houston Symphony and its educational enrichment of our city. For more than 80 years, the members of the League have devoted their time to raising funds for the orchestra, volunteering at Symphony Education and Community Engagement programs, and planning social events and other activities for members.

• Volunteer at various concerts and events— including the Student Concerts, Concert Greeter, and the crafts and activities at PNC Family Concerts.

• Participate in and host fundraising events such as Interview with an ICON, Magical Musical Morning, and more.

• Organize and serve on committees for the Symphony’s major special events such as the Opening Night Concert & Gala, Wine Dinner & Collector’s Auction, and the Symphony Ball—these events raise money for the Symphony’s Education and Community Engagement Initiatives.

Scan here for more information on the Houston Symphony League:

• Gain access to educational events and activities such as B# Luncheons, a book club, and informative lectures with musicians, guest artists, composers, and Symphony staff.

• And much more!

When you become a League member, you can:

1. JOINT PROTECTOR Handmade by Houston Symphony bassoonist Adam Trussell for each of the section members and fits between the wing joint and long joint to protect the instrument from rubbing in our cases. 2. BASSOON Serial number 11536 made in 1970 by Heckel, a German bassoon maker. I’ve had it for 13 years, and our entire section plays Heckel bassoons. 3. PLIERS For opening and closing reeds and always brought on stage for quick adjustments during performances. It also makes a handy paperweight when the hall is drafty. 4. TUNER

5. WATER CUP For soaking reeds.

6. REED CASE For protecting handmade reeds when they aren’t in use. 7. REED MAKING TOOLS Reed knife, mandrel, file and triangle plaque. There are many more tools we use for making reeds, but these are the ones I carry with me in my case.

8. REED TOOL POUCH Woven by Mexican artisans and purchased from a shop outside of Aspen, Colorado. 9. YOUNG BLOOD BRASS BAND STICKER My brother’s band, which is very important to me. 10. “STAY CHEESY” STICKER Because I’m a former Cheese Princess from Wisconsin! 11. PARK CITY STICKER I love skiing and collecting stickers from my favorite spots.

WHAT’S IN MY CASE WITH ELISE WAGNER

Houston Symphony

GOLD