Houston Symphony Magazine — March 2015

MARCH 2015

PROGRAM GUIDE MARCH 5, 6, 7, 8 p.14 | MARCH 12 p.16 | MARCH 14, 15 p.18 | MARCH 20, 21, 22 p.22 | MARCH 26, 28, 29 p.28

Contents March | 2015

Official Program Magazine of the Houston Symphony 615 Louisiana, Suite 102, Houston, Texas 77002 (713) 224-4240 | houstonsymphony.org For advertising contact New Leaf Publishing at (713) 523-5323 info@newleafinc.com | www.newleafinc.com | 2006 Huldy, Houston, Texas 77019

PROGRAMS

14 March 5, 6, 7, 8 16 March 12 18 March 14, 15 22 March 20, 21, 22 28 March 26, 28, 29

FEATURES

4 Letter to Patrons 10 Education and Community Engagement 12 Why Composer Cycles are Important 24 2015-16 POPS Season Preview 48 Backstage Pass—Meet the Musicians

plans to join us at the 8 Make 2015 Houston Symphony Ball on May 2, featuring Huey Lewis and The News!

cycles help audiences 12 Composer explore mind and music along with Andrés and the orchestra.

EVENTS

8 Annual Ball—Save the Date!

21 Upcoming Performances 31 Ima Hogg Competition

YOUR HOUSTON SYMPHONY

6 Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Music Director 7 Chief Conductors and Music Directors 32 Orchestra and Staff 33 Houston Symphony Chorus

OUR SUPPORTERS

4 New Century Society 7 New Music Director Fund 34 Houston Symphony Endowment 35 Chorus Endowment Donors 36 Symphony Society Board 37 Houston Symphony Donors 45 Leadership Council

you know. Music you love! See 24 Music page 24 for highlights of our recently announced 2015-16 BBVA Compass POPS Season.

On the cover Photo by Anthony Rathbun

The Houston Symphony currently records under its own label, Houston Symphony Media Productions, and for Naxos. Houston Symphony recordings also are available on the Telarc, RCA Red Seal, Virgin Classics and Koch International Classics labels.

Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada discusses Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 with audiences during a “Musically Speaking with Andréas” concert at Rice University’s Stude Concert Hall.

Don’t miss this month’s “Musically Speaking Musically Speaking with Andréas” on March 12 (see page 16).

Acknowledgements

The Official Television Partner of the Houston Symphony

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The Official Health Care Provider of the Houston Symphony

The Official Airline of the Houston Symphony

Photo by Anthony Rathbun

LETTER TO PATRONS

Photo by bruce bennett

Robert A. Peiser President

Mark C. Hanson Executive Director/CEO

Our recently announced 2015-16 season marks BBVA Compass’ seventh consecutive year as a lead supporter of the Houston Symphony POPS. In recognition of BBVA Compass’ leadership commitment to the series, the Houston Symphony POPS will be known as BBVA Compass POPS beginning next season. See page 24 for highlights of the upcoming season. We thank Houston Symphony Governing Director and BBVA Compass Chairman & CEO, and BBVA U.S. Country Manager Manolo Sanchez for his leadership and BBVA Compass’ commitment to the Houston Symphony. The series is part of the Cynthia Woods Mitchell POPS at Jones Hall.

On the classical front this month, Andrés and the orchestra embark upon an ongoing cycle of Antonín Dvorˇák symphonies, as well as the second season of a four-year concentration on the symphonies of Charles Ives. Dvorˇák’s Symphony No. 7 will be one of four Dvorˇák symphonies to be recorded and later released by the Dutch recording PENTATONE label. Symphonies No. 7 and 8 will be released in the fall of 2015. These recording projects are generously supported by The Wortham Foundation, Inc. and Bobby & Phoebe Tudor.

Also, be sure to save the date for our signature annual event, the Houston Symphony Ball. On May 2, join rockers—and multiple Grammy Award winners—Huey Lewis and The News and Grammy and Tony award nominee Michael Cavanaugh at Hilton Americas-Houston for an extravagant evening that will include a silent auction and seated dinner. The After Party will feature renowned Las Vegas celebrity DJ and instrumentalist Bobby Yang. This year’s event is chaired by Sherry and Jim Smith and Lisa and Jerry Simon. Illena and Michael Trevino chair the Silent Auction, and the After Party is chaired by Jennifer and Steve Dolman. Please turn to page 8 for details. Proceeds from the Ball benefit the Houston Symphony’s Education and Community Programming, a cornerstone of our commitment to make the orchestra one of the most relevant and accessible in the nation.

Also supporting our Education and Community Programming efforts is the Wine Dinner and Collectors Auction on March 13 featuring a sophisticated menu developed by Celebrity Chef Wolfgang Puck. The intimate dinner, this year held at the Corinthian, also features distinguished wine selections perfectly paired with culinary delights from Jackson and Company. We thank Gina and Dr. Devinder Bhatia for their efforts chairing the Wine Dinner and Collectors Auction and the rest of our sponsors and donors for supporting these events.

New Century Society for Artistic Excellence and Innovation The New Century Society for Artistic Excellence and Innovation recognizes the Houston Symphony’s most committed and loyal supporters who have pledged their leadership support over a three-year period to help secure the orchestra’s financial future.

For more information or to pledge your support, please contact Mark C. Hanson, Executive Director/CEO, at (713) 238-1411 or David Chambers, Chief Development Officer, at (713) 337-8525.

Ms. Marie Taylor Bosarge Janice H. Barrow Mr. George P. Mitchell Mrs. Kitty King Powell Bobby & Phoebe Tudor Margaret Alkek Williams The Honorable & Mrs. David H. Dewhurst Mr. & Mrs. Jim R. Smith Mike Stude Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor Robin Angly & Miles Smith Rochelle & Max Levit Cora Sue & Harry Mach Joella & Steven P. Mach Mr. & Mrs. J. Stephen Marks

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Houston Methodist Nancy & Robert Peiser Mr. & Mrs. William K. Robbins Jr./ The Robbins Foundation Laura & Michael Shannon Baker Botts L.L.P. Beauchamp Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Edward F. Blackburne Jr. Mr. & Mrs. John P. Dennis III Stephen & Mariglyn Glenn The Joan & Marvin Kaplan Foundation Barbara & Pat McCelvey John B. Onstott / Geo. H. Lewis & Sons Mr. & Mrs. James A. Shaffer Dr. & Mrs. Robert B. Sloan Jr./ Houston Baptist University Wells Fargo

CREDITS

Mark C. Hanson Executive Director/CEO Keith Nickerson Publications Editor Elaine Reeder Mayo Editorial Consultant

newleafinc.com (713) 523-5323 Janet Meyer Publisher janetmeyer@newleafinc.com Keith Gumney Art Director kgumney@newleafinc.com Jennifer Greenberg Associate Publisher jenniferg@newleafinc.com Frances Powell Account Executive Tricia Pucciarello Account Executive Jane Kremer Account Executive Carey Clark CC Catalyst Communications Marlene Walker Walker Media LLC The activities and projects of the Houston Symphony are funded in part by grants from the City of Houston, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion at The Woodlands is the Summer Home of the Houston Symphony.

Digital pre-media services by Vertis APS Houston Contents copyright Š 2015 by the Houston Symphony

LATE SEATING In consideration of audience members, the Houston Symphony makes every effort to begin concerts on time. Ushers will assist with late seating at pre-designated intervals. You may be asked to sit in a location other than your ticketed seat until the end of that portion of the concert. You will be able to move to your ticketed seat at the concert break.

CHILDREN AT CONCERTS In consideration of our patrons, we ask that children be 6 years and older to attend Houston Symphony concerts.

Children of all ages, including infants, are admitted to Family Concerts. Any child over age 1 must have a ticket for those performances.

CAMERAS, RECORDERS, CELL PHONES & PAGERS Cameras and recorders are not permitted in the hall. Patrons may not use any device to record or photograph performances. Please silence cell phones, pagers and alarm watches and refrain from texting during performances.

March 2015

ANDRÉS OROZCO-ESTRADA

photo by dave rossman

Andrés Orozco-Estrada began his tenure as the Houston Symphony’s 15th Music Director this season. He is the orchestra’s first Hispanic Music Director. Also this season, he began as chief conductor of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra. In addition, Andrés will take up the position of principal guest conductor with the London Philharmonic Orchestra in September 2015.

With a South American heritage and European training steeped in the Viennese tradition, Andrés is noted for his performances of classical and Romantic Central European symphonic repertoire. He is also passionate about innovative concert formats and performances of contemporary music, choral works and opera. In concert, Andrés radiates energy from the podium and has a special talent for sharing his admiration of music with his audience. He is fluent in Spanish, German and English.

Andrés was born in 1977 in Medellin, Colombia, and began his musical studies in violin. He first conducted at age 15 when he was asked to lead the youth orchestra of his school. At 19, he traveled to Vienna to further his study of music. He entered the Vienna Music Academy, where he studied with Uroš Lajovic, a pupil of the legendary Hans Swarowsky (a student of Felix Weingartner, Richard Strauss, Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern), and

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completed his degree with distinction, conducting the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra at the Vienna Musikverein. Currently, Andrés is the music director of the Tonkünstler Orchestra, which also performs at the Vienna Musikverein, a position he will relinquish in the summer of 2015.

Andrés made his debut with the Vienna Philharmonic in the Musikverein in 2010, replacing EsaPekka Salonen, and in 2012, he returned to replace Riccardo Muti.

Both performances received critical praise, with Andrés proclaimed a “brilliant stand-in” (Wiener Zeitung), an “eminent talent” (Die Presse), a “stand-in worth his weight in gold” (Kurier) and “an inspired master of communication” (Der Standard). As a result, Andrés has been invited to conduct the orchestra again during the 2015-16 season. Over the past two years, he has conducted many prominent European orchestras, including the Munich Philharmonic, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, City of Birmingham Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Santa Cecilia Orchestra in Rome, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Highlights of the 2014-15 season include debuts with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam and Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra.

THE NEW MUSIC DIRECTOR FUND The New Music Director Fund supports the concert activities of Andrés Orozco-Estrada in his year as Music Director Designate (201314 Centennial Season) and his first years as Music Director of the Houston Symphony (2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons). Andrés, appointed in January 2013, is a young, dynamic conductor who radiates charm and energy both on and off the podium. He is the orchestra’s first Hispanic music director. photo by julie soefer

For information on how to become involved, please contact Mark C. Hanson, Executive Director/CEO, at (713) 238-1411 or David Chambers, Chief Development Officer, at (713) 337-8525.

The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Ms. Marie Taylor Bosarge Bobby & Phoebe Tudor Margaret Alkek Williams

Janice H. Barrow Mr. Gary V. Beauchamp & Ms. Marian Wilfert Beauchamp Barbara & Pat McCelvey Nancy & Robert Peiser Mr. & Mrs. Jim R. Smith Mike Stude Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor

CHIEF CONDUCTORS AND MUSIC DIRECTORS Julien Paul Blitz (1913-16)

Sir John Barbirolli (1961-67)

Paul Bergé (1916-18)

André Previn (1967-69)

Uriel Nespoli (1931-32)

Lawrence Foster (1971-78)

Frank St. Leger (1932-35)

Sergiu Comissiona (1980-88)

Ernst Hoffmann (1936-47)

Christoph Eschenbach (1988-99)

Efrem Kurtz (1948-54) Ferenc Fricsay (1954) Leopold Stokowski (1955-61)

Hans Graf (2001-13) Andrés Orozco-Estrada (2014-)

March 2015

annual ball—save the date!

Our Annual Children’s Fashion Show and Luncheon is Always in Vogue Sunday, March 8, 2015 River Oaks Country Club 11:30am to 1:30pm Susan and Dick Hansen, Chairs Brittany and Travis Cassin, Chairs Courtney and Bill Toomey, Honorary Chairs BB&T, Presenting Sponsor Toomey family

Take part in our annual springtime family celebration as toddlers to teens take the runway at the Children’s Fashion Show and Luncheon to model stylish fashions from Neiman Marcus.

Don’t miss this festive event featuring an Instrument Petting Zoo, arts and craft activities and entertainment that are sure to delight young audiences.

Tables for 10: $5,000 (up to six models in the show), $2,500 (up to four models) and $1,500 (up to two models) Individual Tickets: $150 for adults and $75 for children (non-models)

Susan Hansen and Brittany Cassin

For more information or to purchase tables and tickets, please contact the Houston Symphony Special Events Team at (713) 238-1485 or specialevents@houstonsymphony.org.

Make Plans for the 2015 Houston Symphony Ball Houston Symphony Ball Saturday, May 2, 2015 Hilton Americas-Houston 6pm Lisa and Jerry Simon, Chairs Sherry and Jim Smith, Chairs Ileana and Michael Treviño, Auction Chairs Jennifer and Steve Dolman, After Party Chairs

Huey Lewis and The News

Make plans to join us for the annual Houston Symphony Ball. Experience an extravagant evening featuring musical performances by headliner Huey Lewis and The News and Tony and Grammy award nominee Michael Cavanaugh. The marvelous evening will also include a silent auction, seated dinner and after party featuring BPM by Bobby Yang. All proceeds benefit the Houston Symphony’s Education and Community Programming.

Help us honor several esteemed and beloved Houston Symphony family members: Ima Hogg Philanthropy Award Betty and Jesse B. Tutor Mike Stude Award for Enduring Artistic Vision Cora Sue and Harry Mach

Lisa and Jerry Simon

Raphael Fliegel Award for Visionary Leadership Nancy and Robert A. Peiser With Special Honorees, Andrés and Julia Orozco-Estrada “We are so pleased to chair the first Houston Symphony Ball of the orchestra’s second century. To build on the momentum from last year’s Centennial, the 2015 Ball will be unique, thrilling and surprising. The Symphony has never celebrated a Ball in a format like this, and we look forward to celebrating its success on May 2!” – Sherry & Jim Smith and Lisa & Jerry Simon, Symphony Ball Chairs Tables for 12: $100,000 Tables for 10: $50,000; $25,000 and $15,000 Individual Tickets: $6,250; $2,500 and $1,500 For more information or to purchase tables and tickets, please contact the Houston Symphony Special Events Team at (713) 238-1485 or specialevents@houstonsymphony.org.

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Jim and Sherry Smith

EducaTIon and Community Engagement

When was the last time you did the wave in Jones Hall? You know, like you do in the crowd at a sporting event. Never? Well, 16,000 1st through 3rd grade students recently not only did the wave in Jones Hall, they did a double wave, raising their hands above their heads first in one direction across the Hall, then immediately back in the other direction. They weren’t attending a sporting event, though. The students packed Jones Hall for one of six soldout performances in this year’s Robbins Foundation Symphony Detectives Concert series entitled, “The Science of Sound.” Led

by Associate Conductor Robert Franz, the Detective Concerts ask students to become music detectives in order to figure out how musical sounds are created, all the while incorporating STEM curriculum concepts to promote age-appropriate learning and critical thinking skills.

So while the students certainly enjoyed doing the double wave in Jones Hall, they Associate Conductor Robert Franz prepares students to do quickly learned from Robert that they had the “double wave” at a Symphony Detectives Concert demonstrated exactly how sound travels Houston Symphony Detective Concert was a great experience for through the Hall, bouncing off of the walls and ceiling in waves. my 3rd grade students to help make cross-curricular connections With the help of Symphony musicians, Robert then showed stubetween music, science and language arts. With the Teacher dents how the various instruments and sections of the orchestra Preparation Guide, I was able to prepare my students for the percan illustrate science terms such as pitch, frequency, energy and formance, which allowed them to have a stronger connection with vibration. For example, the brass section demonstrated how buzzthe music. They were so excited to hear music that was familiar ing their lips into their mouthpieces makes different sounds when to them in a live, professional setting. I can’t wait for my 4th grade amplified by the distinctive sizes and formations of brass tubes students to attend the concert in March!” in the various instruments. Each of the other instrument famiThe suggested lessons in the Teacher Preparatory Guide also lies—strings, woodwinds and percussion—also demonstrated the help support teachers’ efforts to address State of Texas curricuunique ways in which their instruments make sound. Within each lum requirements in their classrooms, whether they teach music, instrument family, students experienced first-hand that the larger science or language arts. Robert and the Symphony’s Education the instrument, the lower the sound; and the smaller the instruteam carefully developed each of the five lesson plans to draw ment, the higher the sound. upon specific skills that align with Texas Essential Knowledge and That may seem like a tremendous amount of knowledge Skills (TEKS) standards. The TEKS are the basis for the State of and skill to impart to these young students in 50 minutes! And Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness or STAAR tests. indeed, it would be, if it were not for the extensive preparatory In other words, there’s a lot of method behind the madness material developed by the Symphony’s Education and Community of the wave that kicked off this season’s Detective Concerts! We Programming team that is provided to the students’ teachers believe that such a deep level of commitment to the education several weeks in advance of the performances. The Detective of young students—not only in music, but across the breadth of Concerts in Jones Hall are actually the culmination of days of age-appropriate knowledge and skills—is incumbent upon the preparation, as the students become acquainted with the basic Houston Symphony as a leading fine arts ambassador for our science concepts and instrument families in their classrooms. community. It is a responsibility that we do not take lightly and Preparation gives the students a sense of accomplishment one that brightens our lives on the mornings that Jones Hall is when they attend the concert, where they can recognize key terms filled with awestruck, giggling kids doing the wave. and sections of the orchestra, and they may even know the answer To learn more about the Robbins Foundation Symphony Detectives to some of Robert’s questions! Emily Whaley, a music teacher Concerts, please contact Allison Conlan, Education Manager, at at McMasters Elementary in Pasadena ISD, recently attended (713) 224-1447 or allison.conlan@houstonsymphony.org.

“The Science of Sound” with her students and remarked, “The

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photo by anthony rathbun

The Robbins Foundation Symphony Detectives Concerts: Students’ Imaginations Soar While Learning the Science of Sound

EducaTIon and Community Engagement The Houston Symphony acknowledges those individuals, corporations and foundations that support our education and community engagement activities.

Each year, these activities impact the lives of more than 97,000 children and students and provide access to our world-class orchestra for more than 150,000 Houstonians free of charge.

GUARANTOR - $100,000+ Ms. Marie Taylor Bosarge The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts The Honorable David H. Dewhurst City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board Houston Endowment Houston Symphony Endowment John & Lindy Rydman / Spec’s Wines, Spirits and Finer Foods UNDERWRITER - $50,000+ Cameron International Corporation The Elkins Foundation ExxonMobil GDF SUEZ Energy North America Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo The John P. McGovern Foundation Mr. and Mrs. William K. Robbins Jr./ The Robbins Foundation Shell Oil Company

SPONSOR - $25,000+ The Boeing Company Mr. & Mrs. John P. Dennis III Sterling-Turner Foundation PARTNER - $15,000+ Anadarko Petroleum Corporation Ruth and Ted Bauer Family Foundation The Melbern G. and Susanne M. Glasscock Foundation Macy’s Wells Fargo

BENEFACTOR - $5,000+ Albert & Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation Houston Symphony League Bay Area Randalls Food Markets Strake Foundation DONOR - $1,000+ Lilly and Thurmon Andress Diane and Harry Gendel Kinder Morgan Foundation Robert W. & Pearl Wallis Knox Foundation Lillian Kaiser Lewis Foundation Cora Sue and Harry Mach Nancy and Robert Peiser Chester Pitts Foundation Tricia and Mark Rauch Texas Commission on the Arts

SUPPORTER - $10,000+ CenterPoint Energy East West Bank Enbridge Energy Company George & Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation Houston Symphony League Symphony Scouts is supported by Cora Sue and Marathon Oil Corporation Harry Mach in honor of Roger Daily’s 13 years of The Powell Foundation service as Director of the Houston Symphony’s Schlumberger, Ltd. education and community programs.

Vivian L. Smith Foundation

These programs are also supported by the following endowed funds which are part of the Houston Symphony Endowment: Margarett & Alice Brown Endowment Fund for Education Lawrence E. Carlton M.D. Endowment Fund for Youth Programs Richard P. Garmany Fund for the Houston Symphony League Concerto Competition The William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs Selma S. Neumann Fund Spec’s Charitable Foundation Salute to Educators Concert Fund Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Competition Endowed Fund

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feature

Exploring Mind and Music: Why Composer Cycles are Important In November, Andrés and the orchestra completed the first part of a three-season cycle of all nine Beethoven symphonies.

This month, we embark upon cycles of works by Antonín Dvorˇák and Charles Ives.

Why are we undertaking these composer cycles? Few would argue that individual works of these composers do not merit attention on their own. However, exploring these works in cycles allows Andrés, the orchestra and the audience to reach deeper layers of appreciation, understanding and performance of each composer’s symphonic repertoire.

As an example, consider the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra’s relationship with Symphonies No. 1, 4 and 5; Overture to the works of Johann Strauss. For decades, the orchestra has performed his works Coriolan; Overture to Egmont and featured the composer annually in its Symphonies No. 2, 3, 8 and 9 New Year’s concert. Indeed, the Vienna Symphonies No. 6 and 7 Philharmonic has become so intimately familiar with the work of Johann Strauss that classical music aficionados can hardly think of one to the exclusion of the other.

Symphony No. 8 This intense and shared familiarity is what allows everyone—composer, orchestra, Symphony No. 7 conductor and audience—to transcend Symphonies No. 6 and 9; Slavonic Dances the notes on the page and to more deeply explore nuances and the emotional experience of the music.

The collective understanding and Symphony No. 1 communication that develop as a result of Symphony No. 2 exploring works in cycles is not unlike that of a championship football team. A quarSymphony No. 3 terback, for instance, may have an intuiSymphony No. 4 tive sense for where on the field a receiver may run or how that receiver positions his body to catch a pass. A conductor likewise develops an intuitive sense for the musicians’ playing, and the musicians may also anticipate the conductor’s interpretation. The audience, then, not unlike the spectators of a great Super Bowl, become engrossed and transported to a level of involvement in the action that transcends the mere “rules of the game” or notes on the page.

Composer cycles also open a window of understanding into the musical development of composers. The view from this window will be particularly vivid as Andrés and the Symphony explore the work of Ives. One of the first American composers of international acclaim, Ives worked simultaneously as a composer and an insurance actuary. Exploring his works in a cycle provides a unique opportunity to witness the development of an innovative and whimsical musical mind.

We hope you will join Andrés and the orchestra as they begin what promises to be a fun and interesting journey into the minds and music of Ives and Dvorˇák, starting this month (March 14 and 15) with a program that features Ives’ Symphony No. 1 and Dvorˇák’s Symphony No. 7.

Composer Cycles and Houston Symphony Performance Seasons Beethoven 2014-15: 2015-16: 2016-17:

Dvorˇák

2013-14: 2014-15: 2015-16:

Ives

2014-15: 2015-16: 2016-17: 2017-18:

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march 5, 6, 7, 8, 2015

Blockbuster Film Scores Michael Krajewski, conductor Thursday, March 5, 2015 8pm

Sugar Land Baptist Church

Friday, March 6, 2015 8pm Saturday, March 7, 2015 8pm Sunday, March 8, 2015 7:30pm

Arr. R. Wendel A Hollywood Salute Arlen-H. Stothart/J. Tyzik Suite from The Wizard of Oz A. Silvestri/P. Lavender Main Title from Forrest Gump J. Horner/K. Kaska My Heart Will Go On from Titanic

Jones Hall

Arr. Tyzik The Best of Bond H. Zimmer/Lavender Symphonic Highlights from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest I

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D. Elfman/S. Bartek Theme from Batman

H. Shore/J. Whitney Suite from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Horner/V. Pesavento Suite from Avatar

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M. Giacchino/T. Berens Waltz from Up Giacchino Suite from Star Trek Into Darkness J. Williams/Lavender A Tribute to John Williams

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Blockbuster Film Scores | march 5, 6, 7, 8

biography

POPS POPS

Cynthia Woods Mitchell at Jones Hall

POPS Presenting Sponsor

These performances are generously supported in part by: Underwiter Sybil F. Roos Supporter John and Minerva Esquivel

MICHAEL KRAJEWSKI, conductor Known for his entertaining programs and clever humor, Michael Krajewski is a much sought after conductor of symphonic pops.

In addition to his positon as principal pops conductor of the Houston Symphony, he serves the same role in Jacksonville and Atlanta and is the newly appointed music director of The Philly Pops.

As a guest conductor, Mike has perCONTINUED ON PAGE 45

The Sugar Land Series is supported in part by:

Partner Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Griswold Mr. and Mrs. Robert R. Springob, Laredo Construction, Inc. Supporter John and Candace Caley

Video enhancement of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation.

Chevron is one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies with more than 64,000 people conducting business worldwide—including a workforce of more than 10,800 people right here in Houston.

Investing in the communities where we operate is a core Chevron value. Each year, Chevron contributes millions of dollars and thousands of volunteer hours to nonprofit organizations. As a global company, we consider the needs of the communities where we operate. The places where we work are the communities we call home, and we join the effort to make them better. Houston employees have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to local charities and provide more than 40,000 volunteer hours each year.

We provide high-quality energy products to our customers, value to our investors and, through our direct involvement, benefit to the Houston community. At Chevron, we call that the power of human energy. Learn more about us at www.chevron.com.

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march 12, 2015

Musically Speaking with Andrés Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor Carlos Andrés Botero, co-host Thursday, March 12, 2015 7:30pm

Stude Concert Hall

Dvorˇák Symphony No. 7 in D minor, Opus 70

I Allegro maestoso

II Poco adagio III Scherzo: Vivace IV Finale: Allegro

Andrés Orozco-Estrada’s biography appears on page 6.

The program note for Symphony No. 7 appears on page 20.

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Musically Speaking with Andrés | march 12

biography

M U S I C A L LY S P E A K I N G W I T H A N D R É S S E R I E S

These performances are generously supported in part by:

Underwriter Alice and Terry Thomas Sponsor Rand Group National Endowment for the Arts

Supporter Mach Family Audience Development Fund This concert is also supported by Donors to the New Music Director Fund.

For a full listing of supporters, please refer to page 7.

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

Recent enhancements to the Jones Hall recording suite are generously provided by Silver Circle Audio.

CARLOS ANDRÉS BOTERO, co-host Born in Medellín, Colombia, Carlos Botero received a bachelor’s degree in viola performance, with honors, from EAFIT University in Medellín, and master’s degrees from the Soto-Mesa in Madrid, Spain, and from Eastern Michigan University (EMU) in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He completed the orchestral conducting doctoral program at Michigan State University (MSU) in 2012.

Botero strives to change young musicians’ lives through music making. He serves as orchestra consultant, music education lecturer, guest conductor and string clinician for the Batuta Foundation, Guillermo Uribe Holguín Symphony Orchestra, the IMDE Youth Orchestra and the Pontifical Xavierian University in Colombia. As assistant conductor of the Youth Philharmonic Colombia, he led the group on its first international tour in Colombia and Brazil, sharing the podium with Andrés Orozco-Estrada.

Botero has conducted the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra, Medellín’s EAFIT Symphony Orchestra, the Medellín Philharmonic Orchestra, the Meeting of Pontifical Xavierian University Youth Orchestras in Bogotá, the EMU and MSU symphonic programs and numerous new music recitals. In 2008, he conducted an allSpanish choir and orchestra program with EMU Collegium Musicum, featuring 15 villancicos from the Guatemala City Cathedral Archive. Each piece was transcribed and edited from original manuscripts during a research project he directed.

An active instrumentalist and chamber musician, he is a founding member of the EAFIT Symphony Orchestra, Diez Cuerdas Duo, Siakoro String Quartet and the ContraTiempo Chamber Ensemble.

The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that funds and promotes artistic excellence, creativity and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA has awarded more than $5 billion to strengthen the creative capacity of our communities by providing all Americans with diverse opportunities for arts participation. The NEA provides grant opportunities in 18 artistic fields, including dance, design, folk and traditional arts, literature, media arts, music, opera, theater and musical theater.

The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies and the philanthropic sector. The 11th chairman of the NEA, Jane Chu, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in June 2014. Previously, Chu served since 2006 as the president and CEO of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri.

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march 14, 15, 2015

Copland and Dvorˇák Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor *Martin Fröst, clarinet Saturday, March 14, 2015 8pm Sunday, March 15, 2015 2:30pm

Jones Hall

Ives Symphony No. 1 in D minor

I Allegro (con moto)

II Adagio molto (sostenuto) III Scherzo and Trio: Vivace IV Allegro molto

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Dvorˇák Symphony No. 7 in D minor, Opus 70

I Allegro maestoso

II Poco adagio III Scherzo: Vivace IV Finale: Allegro *Houston Symphony debut

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Copland and Dvorˇ ák | march 14, 15 SYMPHONY NO. 1 IN D MINOR Charles Ives (1874-1954) In a Tweet. Ives’ early Symphony No. 1 shows that America’s madcap maverick showed a creative edge even when stressing traditional symphonic technique.

FROST BANK GOLD CLASSICS SERIES

These performances are generously supported in part by: Sponsor United Airlines Supporter Stephen and Mariglyn Glenn The live recording of Dvorˇák’s Symphony No. 7 this weekend is made possible in part by the Micajah S. Stude Special Production Fund.

The Houston Symphony’s recording and electronic media initiatives are supported by The Wortham Foundation, Inc. and Bobby and Phoebe Tudor.

These concerts are also supported by Donors to the New Music Director Fund.

For a full listing of supporters, please refer to page 7.

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

To enjoy this concert again, tune in to Houston Public Media’s broadcast series on Wednesdays at 8pm on Classical 91.7.

Recent enhancements to the Jones Hall recording suite are generously provided by Silver Circle Audio.

The Back Story. Charles Ives is renowned as America’s pioneering musical maverick. His riotous approach to instrumental texture, his layers of melodic allusions and quotations, his exuberant mixing of “high” and “low” culture and his devil-may-care originality kept his music from gaining much of a following until late in his life. Here, we meet him in the formative phase of his career. Though composed in the years surrounding the turn of the 20th century, his Symphony No. 1 was only tried out piecemeal in private readings in 1897 (in reduced orchestration) and 1910 (by a full orchestra). The complete work didn’t receive a public performance until the year before Ives’ death, was first recorded in 1966 and was not published until 1971. He began the composition as an undergraduate student project at Yale, where he managed to graduate in 1898 with a D-minus grade average. Originally, it included a different slow movement, but Ives’ conservative composition teacher Horatio Parker made him replace it with the new Adagio molto. Ives simply saved his original and recycled it in his Second Symphony a few years later.

The Instruments. 2 flutes, 2 oboes (one doubling English horn), 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion and strings What to Listen For. Ives’ scores are famously riddled with quotations from well-known hymns, patriotic songs and popular tunes. Although his First Symphony seems more intent on showing off his bona fides with more standard, vaguely Brahmsian technique, sharp ears may spot in the first movement fleeting quotations of the old-time hymns “Shining Shore” (by the flute) and “Beulah Land” (by second violin). The English horn melody of the second movement paraphrases the corresponding part of Dvorˇák’s New World Symphony, and an idea from Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony makes a guest appearance in Ives’ finale.

CLARINET CONCERTO Aaron Copland (1900-90) In a Tweet. Copland’s Clarinet Concerto, written for the superstar Benny Goodman, draws inspiration from popular sounds of both North and South America.

The Back Story. From the 1920s through the 1940s, many figures promoted a rapprochement between classical music and jazz, among them the clarinetists Woody Herman and Benny Goodman. Both approached Copland about the same time—Herman in 1946, Goodman in 1947—to commission a concerto, and Copland chose to work with the latter. The languorous first movement came to him easily; there he incorporated music he had already written for the 1945 film The Cummington Story. For the second movement, he eventually landed on a counterbalance drawing on South American popular music and North American jazz, and he connected the two halves with an extended solo cadenza. Goodman strongly suggested some alteration before he would perform it. “Seems I wrote the last page too high ‘for all normal purposes,’” wrote Copland after a read-through. “So it’ll have to come down a step.” The two recorded it together twice; their 1963 LP proved a hit, helping establish the piece in the essential clarinet repertoire.

The Instruments. Harp, piano and strings What to Listen For. Cadenzas often invite soloists to offer original ideas based on a concerto’s themes. Not so in the one that separates the two movements of this one. Copland wrote that it “is not ad lib as in cadenzas of many traditional concertos; I always felt there was enough room in interpretation even when everything is written out.” Still, he insisted, “The cadenza … provides the soloist with considerable opportunity to demonstrate his prowess, at the same time

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notes | Copland and Dvorˇ ák | march 14, 15 introducing fragments of the melodic material heard in the second movement. Some of this material represents an unconscious fusion of elements obviously related to North and South American popular music. (For example, a phrase from a currently popular Brazilian tune, heard by me in Rio, became imbedded in the secondary material in F major.)”

SYMPHONY NO. 7 IN D MINOR, OPUS 70 Antonín Dvorˇák (1841-1904) In a Tweet. Though lacking the dancing optimism of some of his scores, Dvorˇák’s Seventh Symphony impresses through its serious, often stormy character.

The Back Story. Many pages of Dvorˇák’s Seventh Symphony appear to reflect the spirit of his mentor Johannes Brahms, its particularly stormy, monumental character seeming a reaction to Brahms’ newly completed Third Symphony. Dvorˇák was already 36 years old by the time he secured a publisher (with Brahms’ help), but after that his fame grew steadily, and he gained a particular following in Great Britain. When the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra invited him to conduct some London concerts in 1884, his Sixth Symphony made such an impact that the orchestra immediately extended a commission for a new symphony he would conduct the next season. “This time, too, the English again welcomed me as heartily and as demonstratively as always heretofore,” he wrote to a friend back home in Bohemia. “The symphony was immensely successful and at the next performance will be a still greater success.”

The Instruments. 2 flutes (one doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani and strings What to Listen For. Dvorˇák was passionate about watching the comings and goings of railway trains. The opening sounds of the Seventh Symphony, he reported, came to him in the Prague railroad terminal as a train arrived delivering hundreds of Hungarian anti-monarchists to a theatre festival. That the event inspired musical thoughts of profound seriousness is clear from the darkness of the opening pages, filled with harmonic and emotional ambiguity. His publisher and some of his well-meaning friends (including Brahms) were encouraging him just then to adhere to a style that would not perturb mainstream German and Austrian audiences, who needed to be courted if a composer hoped to meet with success. Dvorˇák, however, was deeply sympathetic to the emerging movement of Czech nationalism, and seeing the Hungarian patriots helped him validate his uniquely Czech voice rather than try to bury it beneath any foreign veneer. —©, James M. Keller

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Biography MARTIN FRÖST, clarinet In May 2014, Martin Fröst received the Léonie Sonning Music Prize, one of the world’s highest musical honors. He is the first clarinettist to be given the award and joins a prestigious list of previous recipients that includes Igor Stravinsky, Daniel Barenboim and Simon Rattle.

Highlights of the 2014-15 season include this debut with the Houston Symphony, as well as with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich (conducted by Herbert Blomstedt) and Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (Neeme Järvi). Fröst also returns to the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra (Thomas Søndergård) and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (Louis Langrée), where he is artist-in-residence.

This season, Fröst is also artist-in-residence at the Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and London’s Wigmore Hall. Further ahead, he will serve in that capacity for the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and Netherlands Philharmonic orchestras.

Upcoming tours include Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig (with Riccardo Chailly), Camerata Salzburg (Langrée) and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Fröst also undertakes tours to the United States with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and to Spain with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra (Thomas Dausgaard).

Additionally, he works as a conductor with the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra and with Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, with whom he features in a three-concert Cal Performances residency in Berkeley, California. Last season, he had his U.S. conducting debut with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

Fröst has an extensive discography. His two most recent releases on BIS are an all-Mozart CD (which features the Clarinet Concerto, in which he directs the Bremen German Chamber Philharmonic, and the Kegelstatt Trio with Leif Ove Andsnes and Antoine Tamestit) and Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet (with Janine Jansen, Boris Brovtsyn, Maxim Rysanov and Torleif Thedéen).

Last seson, he debuted with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (Xian Zhang); French National Orchestra (David Zinman); National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. (Osmo Vänskä) and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.

This year marks the 10th season of Vinterfest in Mora, Sweden, of which Martin Fröst is artistic director. He is also artistic director of the International Chamber Music Festival in Stavanger, Norway.

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES April and May

U.K. Rocks: From The Beatles to Coldplay April 2, 3, 4, 2015 Michael Krajewski, conductor Storm Large, vocalist J. Robert Spencer, vocalist This “across the pond” spectacle salutes the United Kingdom. Storm Large from the group Pink Martini and J. Robert Spencer of the Midtown Men perform songs ranging from The Beatles to contemporary artists such as Coldplay and Adele. Cheer for the influence the Brits have on pop music in this newly produced program by the Houston Symphony.

Ohlsson Plays Chopin April 17, 18, 19, 2015 Robert Spano, conductor Garrick Ohlsson, piano Jennifer Higdon: Blue Cathedral Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 Jennifer Higdon: Concerto for Orchestra Garrick Ohlsson, a “titan among the titans of the piano,” performs Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1. By the end of his career, in 1849, Chopin had become history’s most prolific composer of the piano repertoire, gracefully capturing the heart and soul of the instrument. The orchestra opens and closes the program with works by Jennifer Higdon, whom The New York Times proclaims as “one of the greatest new composers.”

Marvin Manlisch photographed

by Len Prince © 2012

A Tribute to Marvin Hamlisch April 24, 25, 26, 2015 Jack Everly, conductor Marissa McGowan, vocalist As a composer, Marvin Hamlisch won virtually every major award: three Oscars, four Grammys, four Emmys, a Tony and three Golden Globes. On Broadway, he wrote the music for one of the longest-running shows, A Chorus Line. On the big screen, he had more than 40 motion picture scores. Songs like “What I Did for Love” and “Nobody Does it Better” prove that Marvin Hamlisch truly was “One” singular sensation.

Lang Lang Joins Andrés May 12, 2015 Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor Lang Lang, piano No contemporary artist has made more of an impact on the classical music world than Lang Lang. He has been nicknamed a classical music “rock star” by The Wall Street Journal and has landed a spot on Time’s list of the “100 Most Influential People in the World.” Lang Lang plays with dazzling technique and charisma, and his performances have been characterized as “sensitive” yet “deeply human.”

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Verdi’s Requiem Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor *Amber Wagner, soprano Sasha Cooke, mezzo-soprano *Francesco Demuro, tenor *Alfred Walker, bass-baritone Houston Symphony Chorus—Betsy Cook Weber, director Friday, March 20, 2015 8pm Saturday, March 21, 2015 8pm Sunday, March 22, 2015 2:30pm

Jones Hall

Verdi Requiem

I Requiem: Andante

II Dies Irae: Allegro agitato III Offertorio: Andante mosso IV Sanctus: Allegro

V Agnus Dei: Andante VI Lux aeterna: Allegro moderato VII Libera me, Domine: Moderato

Andrés Orozco-Estrada’s biography appears on page 6.

There will be no intermission. *Houston Symphony debut

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march 20, 21, 22 REQUIEM Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) In a Tweet. Verdi’s potent Requiem, memorializing the author Alessandro Manzoni, depicts glimpses of the final judgment with an operatic sense of drama.

S H E L L FAV O R I T E M A S T E R S S E R I E S

The Houston Symphony gratefully acknowledges the following supporters who have made this weekend’s performances of Verdi’s Requiem possible: Sponsor JPMorgan Chase John Neighbors in memory of Jean Marie Neighbors Mr. and Mrs. James A. Shaffer Partner Mr. and Mrs. Walter V. Boyle Steven and Nancy Williams Benefactor Dr. Milton and Gail Danziger Klein in memory of Renée and Benjamin Danziger

These concerts are also supported by Donors to the New Music Director Fund.

For a full listing of supporters, please refer to page 7.

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

To enjoy this concert again, tune in to Houston Public Media’s broadcast series on Wednesdays at 8pm on Classical 91.7.

Recent enhancements to the Jones Hall recording suite are generously provided by Silver Circle Audio.

The Back Story. Verdi’s Requiem Mass, the composer’s only large-scale sacred composition, is a towering masterpiece in strictly musical terms, but it also represents a potent confluence of historical events both musical and political. Its story begins with the death, in 1868, of the composer Gioachino Rossini, Verdi’s revered predecessor from the preceding generation. “A great name has gone from the world!” he wrote to his close friend Countess Clara Maffei. “His was the most widespread, most popular reputation of our time, and was the glory of Italy! When the other one who is still alive will no longer be with us, what will remain?” Verdi organized 13 composers to contribute movements to a corporately assembled Requiem in Rossini’s memory, assigning to himself the final movement, “Libera me,” but the project didn’t make it to its premiere, done in by political complications.

When Verdi referred in his letter to “the other one who is still alive,” we might assume he was speaking of himself; he did, after all, occupy the top rung of the hierarchy of Italian opera, much as Rossini had decades before. But reading on in the letter, we realize that “the other one” was in fact Alessandro Manzoni, a poet and novelist who also stood at the summit of Italy’s cultural scene. His novel I promessi sposi (“The Betrothed”), like Verdi’s opera, helped fuel the Risorgimento, the cultural and political movement that propelled mid-19th-century Italy from a hodgepodge of principalities, duchies and city-states into a unified nation.

That process was finally realized in 1871 with the establishment of a unified Italy.

Then, in 1873, Manzoni died. “Now it is finished,” wrote Verdi to Countess Maffei, and he resolved to compose a full Requiem Mass in Manzoni’s memory—this time on his own. Verdi was not a religious man, but he appreciated that most of his countrymen were and, as an agnostic, he did not disdain religious beliefs that were meaningful to others. He already had a head start on his Manzoni Requiem, since the “Libera CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 March 2015 23

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notes | Verdi’s Requiem | march 20, 21, 22 me” from the torpedoed “Rossini Requiem” was completed but unperformed; and since that section includes some text that also appears in two earlier sections—“Requiem aeternam” and “Dies irae”—it made perfect sense for him to “extrapolate backwards” when composing those parts, getting further (and perfectly logical) mileage out of the music he had already written. He completed his Requiem in time for it to be premiered in 1874 on the first anniversary of Manzoni’s passing. On that occasion, it was presented in a liturgical context, in the Church of San Marco in Milan, as a so-called “dry Mass” (i.e., without communion), with his settings separated by passages of chant.

Again there were challenges to be overcome. One of the complicating factors was that at that time the Roman Catholic Church in Italy did not permit women to sing in services. (In choral music, the soprano and alto parts in church choirs were still being handled by male singers, either boys or castrati.) Verdi insisted on using a mixed choir. Probably nobody else would have had the clout, but even in a showdown with the Catholic Church, Verdi was destined to be the winner. He negotiated an agreement that allowed him to use women in his choir as long as they were positioned off to the side of the performing space, where they could be heard but not seen. It was the best deal he could get, and the show went on.

Notwithstanding its ecclesiastical premiere, Verdi never considered this anything but a “concert Requiem,” and in the years since then, its appearances as part of liturgical celebrations have been rare indeed. Verdi’s Requiem, unveiled just three years after the formation of modern Italy, represents a crossroads in which one great figure of the Risorgimento memorialized another—an impressive intersection of artistic and political significance.

The Instruments. 3 flutes (3rd doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 4 bassoons, 4 horns, 4 trumpets plus 4 offstage trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum and strings What to Listen For. The Verdi opera that the Requiem most resembles musically is the work that immediately preceded it, Aida. The similarity reaches its height in the Offertorio, where the four soloists weave in lines that especially recall the opera’s Temple Scene, and the detailed interplay of voices and orchestra typifies the symphonic character his operas were increasingly taking. To audiences at the Requiem’s first four performances, in Milan in 1874, the kinship would have been all the more inescapable since the soprano and mezzo-soprano soloists were the very same singers who had created the roles of Aida and her nemesis Amneris in the opera, just two and a half years earlier. Such a passage demonstrates how, even without the friction of colliding characters, Verdi’s music packs an inherently dramatic punch. It seems as if even with the purely descriptive text of the Requiem—in Latin no less—we are in the company of operatic characters. —©, James M. Keller

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With 7,000 local employees and 218 branches in Greater Houston, JPMorgan Chase is the largest bank in Houston and the sixth largest private-sector employer in Harris County. As part of our commitment to Houston’s future and the prosperity of its people, Chase has committed $5 million to educate, train and prepare Houstonians for goodpaying jobs that are readily available in the workplace.

Corporate responsibility has always been central to how we do business, starting with operating with integrity in all we do. We are profoundly optimistic about how much can be accomplished when people come together to do extraordinary things.

JPMorgan Chase is pleased to support the Houston Symphony’s performances of Verdi’s Requiem.

Biographies AMBER WAGNER, soprano American soprano Amber Wagner is a winner of the 2007 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Grand Finals and was featured in the 2009 documentary The Audition.

She was chosen

by OPERA NEWS as one of 25 artists poised to become a major force in classical music in the coming decade.

This season includes returns to Lyric Opera of Chicago as Leonora in Verdi’s Il trovatore, a role debut, then as Elisabeth in Wagner’s Tannhäuser. She sings Verdi’s Requiem in this debut with the Houston Symphony, another with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and her return to the Nice Philharmonic Orchestra.

Wagner has performed from Melbourne to Teipei, from New York to Spokane, from Nice to Guadalajara. Highlights from past operatic seasons include her European debut with the Prague State Opera performing Brangäne in Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde and performances with Lyric Opera of Chicago as Elsa in Lohengrin; she performed the same role for her debut at the Savonlinna Opera Festival.

Wagner won prizes in the Liederkranz Foundation Vocal Competition, the Palm Beach Opera and Opera Guild Vocal Competition and the Union League Civic and Arts Foundation Competition. She received the Lynne Cooper Harvey Foundation Scholarship from the Musicians Club of Women, The Richard Tucker Career Grant, the Kirsten Flagstad Award from the George London Foundation for Singers and a Sullivan Foundation Career Grant. Amber Wagner is a native of Oregon.

biographies | Verdi’s Requiem | march 20, 21, 22 SASHA COOKE, mezzo-soprano Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke frequently sings Mahler and Berlioz, composers whose works she has sung to great acclaim on four continents.

She is sought after by the world’s leading orchestras, opera companies and chamber music ensembles for her versatile repertoire and commitment to new music.

In addition to this engagement, this season’s symphonic engagements include performances of Berlioz’ Roméo et Juliette with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester, Mahler’s Third Symphony with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Handel’s Messiah with The Philadelphia Orchestra, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the San Francisco Symphony, and Mozart’s Requiem with the Colorado Symphony and the Seattle Symphony. In recital, she appears with pianist Julius Drake at Carnegie Hall.

She also performs the world premiere of Laura Kaminsky’s As One at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, a piece commissioned for her and baritone Kelly Markgraf by American Opera Projects. She also performs Joby Talbot’s Everest with The Dallas Opera and the role of Anna in Les Troyens at San Francisco Opera. In Houston, she performs a world premiere by Pierre Jalbert with the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra.

A graduate of Rice University and The Juilliard School, Sasha Cooke also attended the Music Academy of the West, Aspen Music Festival and School, Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute, Wolf Trap, Marlboro Music Festival, The Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, and Seattle Opera and Central City Opera’s Young Artists Programs.

FRANCESCO DEMURO, tenor Francesco Demuro, who debuts with the Houston Symphony with these performances, was born in Porto Torres, Sardinia, in 1978.

He studied at the State Conservatory of Music in Sassari before studying in Cagliari as a private student with soprano Elisabetta Scanu. His U.S. debut came in 2009 when he sang La traviata at the Seattle Opera to great acclaim. That was followed by three productions at the San Francisco Opera (Rigoletto, Così fan tutte, Falstaff). He performed Lucia di Lammermoor in Hamburg and Warsaw, La traviata and Der Rosenkavalier in Dresden, L’elisir d’amore in his La Scala debut, Don Pasquale at Champs Elysées, La traviata at Opéra Bastille, L’elisir d’amore and La bohème at the Vienna State Opera, among others.

Demuro enjoyed popular and critical acclaim in Verona where he opened the summer season with La traviata, and for his debut at London’s Royal Opera House in Gianni Schicchi; both garnered repeat invitations. Recent performances include, Roméo et Juliette

in Seoul, La bohème in Frankfurt, La traviata in Cagliari, as well as the important debuts at the Metropolitan in New York (La bohème and La traviata) and at La Fenice in Venice (La traviata). Future plans include: Rigoletto at Opéra Bastille and in Madrid, La traviata in Munich, Madrid and Barcelona, Maria Stuarda at Champs Elysées in Paris and at Opéra de Monte Carlo, and Falstaff at La Scala.

ALFRED WALKER, bass-baritone In addition to this Houston Symphony debut, Alfred Walker returns to the title role of The Flying Dutchman in Caen and Luxembourg this season. He also sings the Four Villains in The Tales of Hoffmann at the Oslo Opera House, Verdi’s Requiem with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and Bluebeard’s Castle with the Metropolitan Opera.

Last season, he returned to the Wagner Geneva Festival for The Flying Dutchman, New Orleans Opera for La bohème, Seattle Opera for The Tales of Hoffmann, Minnesota Opera for Macbeth, Toronto Symphony Orchestra for Porgy and Bess and the American Symphony Orchestra for Feuersnot. He also joined the Grant Park Music Festival for Shostakovich’s The Execution of Stepan Razin and Bard Music Festival for Schubert’s Fierrabras.

The bass-baritone recently triumphed in the title role in The Flying Dutchman at Theater Basel and returned to the company for his first performances of Parsifal and Aida.

He is an equally versatile concert artist and has enjoyed engagements with the American, Atlanta and Boston Symphony Orchestras and the Los Angeles and New York Philharmonic orchestras, among others.

A graduate of Dillard University, Loyola University and the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, the New Orleans native is the recipient of awards from the George London Foundation, Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition, Houston Grand Opera Studio’s Eleanor McCollum Competition and the Sullivan Foundation career grant.

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Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 Gilbert Varga, conductor Augustin Hadelich, violin Thursday, March 26, 2015 8pm Saturday, March 28, 2015 8pm Sunday, March 29, 2015 2:30pm

Jones Hall

Mendelssohn Overture to Ein Sommernachtstraum (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Opus 21

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Bartók Violin Concerto No. 2

I Allegro non troppo—Vivace

II Theme and Variations: Andante tranquillo—Allegro scherzando—Tempo I III Rondo: Allegro molto

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I Adagio—Allegro

II Andante con moto III Menuetto and Trio: Allegretto IV Finale: Allegro

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Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 | march 26, 28, 29 OVERTURE TO EIN SOMMERNACHTSTRAUM (A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM), OPUS 21 Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) In a Tweet. Precocious Felix Mendelssohn was 17 when he depicted fanciful Shakespearean scenes in his irresistible Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture.

G R E AT P E R F O R M E R S S E R I E S

These performances are generously supported in part by: Guarantor Fayez Sarofim Guest Violinist Fund, through The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Sponsor Cameron International Corporation Mr. and Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor

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

To enjoy this concert again, tune in to Houston Public Media’s broadcast series on Wednesdays at 8pm on Classical 91.7.

Recent enhancements to the Jones Hall recording suite are generously provided by Silver Circle Audio.

The Back Story. In July 1826, 17-year-old Felix Mendelssohn jotted a note to his sister Fanny: “I have grown accustomed to composing in our garden …. Today or tomorrow I am going to dream there the A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It is, however, an enormous audacity.” It’s not surprising that an adolescent would be enamored of Shakespeare’s play about love, magic and how supernatural powers can bend the annoying rules of powerful adults.

That such an adolescent might express that enthusiasm by composing one of the most enduring masterpieces of the musical repertoire is not, however, something that could have been anticipated. He created his composition not to precede any performance of the play, but rather as a standalone concert overture that parallels such of the play’s aspects as the magical aura suggested by the opening woodwind chords, the violins’ lighter-than-air scurrying of the fairies’ dance and the braying of Bottom the donkey.

The Instruments. 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, tuba, timpani and strings What to Listen For. Mendelssohn’s friend Julius Schubring recounted how one of nature’s smaller sounds made its way into the Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream: “The weather was beautiful, and we were engaged in animated conversation, as we lay in the shade on the grass when, all of a sudden, he seized me firmly by the arm, and whispered: ‘Hush!’

He afterwards informed me that a large fly had just then gone buzzing by, and he wanted to hear the sound it produced gradually die away. When the Overture was completed, he showed me the passage in the progression, where the violoncello modulates in the chord of the seventh of the descending scale from B minor to F-sharp minor, and said: ‘There, that’s the fly that buzzed past us!’”

VIOLIN CONCERTO NO. 2 Béla Bartók (1881-1945) In a Tweet. Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2 is a challenging virtuoso work that alludes to folk melodies and even touches on modernist microtonality.

The Back Story. In 1907-08, Bartók wrote a violin concerto born of his infatuation with a young female violinist. After the love affair withered, Bartók avoided speaking of the piece and never had it published. His Second Violin Concerto was also inspired by a specific violinist: Zoltán Székely, a long-time friend who, as first violinist of the Hungarian String Quartet, became a great champion of the composer’s chamber music. When Székely extended the commission for the concerto, Bartók demurred, offering instead to write a set of variations for violin and orchestra. Székely insisted that he wanted a proper, full-scale concerto. This he finally received, although he protested against Bartók’s ending, which had the violinist stand silently as the orchestra played the final 26 measures alone. Bartók acquiesced and provided an alternative, now-standard ending in which the violin is occupied to the very end.

The composer held on to his scheme to write a set of variations, and he cast the slow movement as six variations on a haunting, folk-like melody.

The Instruments. 2 flutes (2nd doubling piccolo), 2 oboes (2nd doubling English horn), 2 clarinets (2nd doubling bass clarinet), 2 bassoons (2­ doubling contrabassoon), 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, percussion, harp, celesta and strings What to Listen For. Near the end of the first movement, just before the long, challenging cadenza, Bartók makes use of quarter-tones, pitches that fall midway between the March 2015 29

notes | Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 | march 26, 28, 29 normal 12 divisions of the chromatic scale. By the 1920s quite a few avant-gardists were producing microtonal pieces. Bartók was surely aware of such works, but his own use of them seems to have derived more from his studies of folk and traditional musics, which often employ scales using such intervals. Here they convey a slinky, possibly creepy feeling.

SYMPHONY NO. 39 IN E-FLAT MAJOR, K.543 Wolfgang Amadè Mozart (1756-91) In a Tweet. Mozart’s Symphony No. 39, one of his great final triptych, was written with amazing rapidity yet contains some of his most endearing music.

The Back Story. Mozart’s final three symphonies occupied him during the space of about nine weeks in the summer of 1788, during which he was also giving piano lessons, tending a sick wife, moving to a new apartment, entertaining friends and begging a fellow freemason for loans that might see him through a cash-flow crisis. Each of those last symphonies is a full-scale, four-movement work. Twelve movements in nine weeks means that, on average, he expended five days and a few hours on the composition of each movement. We don’t know precisely when he began writing the Symphony No. 39, but it was probably around the beginning of June, not quite a month after his opera Don Giovanni was granted a lukewarm reception at its Vienna premiere. He finished the symphony on June 26. Mozart often acted as his own impresario, and in July, he wrote a letter that mentions his hope to present two public concerts, at which he doubtless intended to premiere the new symphonies. The concerts seem not to have materialized. As a result, his deeply satisfying Symphony No. 39 was probably never performed in his lifetime.

The Instruments. flute, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani and strings What to Listen For. Often the third movement is the least memorable in a Classical symphony—a throw-away minuet that may serve only to “cleanse the palate” between the more imposing courses of the slow movement and the finale. But in Mozart’s Symphony No. 39, the third movement may be the most memorable. This minuet is unusually boisterous, a sort of peasant’s minuet. The movement’s trio section—the contrasting portion that stands at the middle, between the initial presentation of the minuet music and its repetition at the end—contains one of the composer’s most endearing dance-tunes, a lilting clarinet melody with delightful echo effects.

—©, James M. Keller

Biographies GILBERT VARGA, conductor Gilbert Varga, son of the celebrated Hungarian violinist Tibor Varga, studied under three distinctive maestros: Franco Ferrara, Sergiu Celibidache and Charles Bruck. A commanding and authoritative figure on the podium, Varga is renowned for his elegant baton technique and has held positions with and guest-conducted many of the major orchestras across the world.

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Houston Methodist is one of the largest hospital systems serving the greater Houston area and beyond. Its mission is to provide the safest high quality health care that delivers the best value to the people it serves in a spiritual environment of caring in association with internationally recognized teaching and research. Its flagship hospital, Houston Methodist Hospital, is consistently named by U.S. News & World Report as one of America’s “Best Hospitals” and is the No. 1 hospital in Texas and in Houston. In addition to Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston Methodist encompasses four regional hospitals serving the Baytown, Sugar Land, Willowbrook and Katy areas.

A new hospital in The Woodlands is under construction, and will open in 2017. Houston Methodist is proud to be the official health care provider for the Houston Symphony through its Center for Performing Arts Medicine (CPAM). With more than 100 doctors specializing in the medical needs of performing artists, CPAM is the only institutionally backed program of its kind in the country.

In North America, he regularly guest conducts the orchestras of Houston, St. Louis, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Utah and Nashville, among others. In 2014-15 he debuts with the Oregon Symphony and the Colburn Conservatory of Music orchestra. In Europe, Varga works regularly with the major orchestras of Berlin, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Cologne, Madrid, Budapest, Brussels and Glasgow. This season includes his debut with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.

In 2013, Varga was appointed principal conductor of the Taipei Symphony Orchestra, an appointment that comes at an exciting time as the city begins to build the orchestra its own concert hall.

Varga will be involved in the process.

Varga’s programs frequently feature the ballet suites, tone poems and symphonies of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Of a recent performance of Kodály’s Dances of Galánta, the Leipziger Volkszeitung commented: “The Hungarian gypsies were lascivious and witty under Varga’s baton, full of fire with ardent strings and blazing brass. The oboe, clarinet and horn gave beautiful solos, and the flutes and piccolo were so soft that the delicate pizzicato sounded almost coarse.”

In the earlier part of his conducting career, Varga concentrated on work with chamber orchestras, particularly the Tibor Varga Chamber Orchestra, before rapidly developing a reputation as a symphonic conductor. He was chief conductor of the Hofer Concert Orchestra between 1980 and 1985, and from 1985 to 1990 he was chief conductor of the Philharmonia Hungarica in Marl, conducting its debut tour to Hungary with Yehudi Menuhin. In 1991, Varga became permanent guest conductor of the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra until 1995, and from 1997 to 2000 was principal guest

2015 HOUSTON SYMPHONY IMA HOGG COMPETITION A partnership between the Houston Symphony League and the Houston Symphony.

Jennifer Gravenor, Competition Chair Finals concert: Saturday, June 6, 7pm Location: Stude Concert Hall – Shepherd School of Music (in the Alice Pratt Brown Hall), Rice University 6100 Main Street, Houston 77005 Now celebrating its 40th year, the Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Competition is the only orchestra-run, multi-instrumental competition in the country. On June 6, after a competitive selection process, four finalists will perform with the Houston Symphony, before a live audience, to determine the winner of The Grace Woodson Memorial Helen Shaffer, John Dennis, Lin Ma, Mark Hanson First Prize, a $25,000 award, generously provided by the Dennis Family. at the Houston Chronicle Concert, July 12, 2014 Named to honor the memory of Miss Ima Hogg, a Houston Symphony cofounder, this prestigious Competition provides young instrumentalists, ages 13 to 30, with a prominent performance opportunity, and the opportunity to be judged by a panel of distinguished music experts.

During the Centennial Season, the Competition attracted 98 applicants from 17 countries and 19 states. In June 2015, young artists from around the globe will compete to be featured as a soloist with the Houston Symphony and to win one of the cash prizes that range from $1,000 to $25,000.

2014 Ima Hogg Competition finalists, Reserve your seat today, and become a part of this exciting event! judges and conductor Tickets: $25—Call (713) 224-7575 or visit houstonsymphony.org.

Donate: Your generous contribution will ensure the continued success and growth of the Competition.

For more information, contact Agnieszka Rakhmatullaev at (713) 337-8522 or agnieszka.r@houstonsymphony.org.

biographies | Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 | march 26, 28, 29 of the Malmö Symphony Orchestra. From 1997 to 2008, Varga was music director of the Basque National Orchestra, leading it through 10 seasons, including tours across the U.K., Germany, Spain and South America.

Varga’s discography includes recordings with various labels, including ASV Records, Koch International and Claves Records.

His 2011 recording of concertos by Ravel and Prokofiev with Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and Anna Vinnitskaya (Naïve Records) was given five stars by BBC Music Magazine.

AUGUSTIN HADELICH, violin Augustin Hadelich has established himself as one of the most sought-after violinists of his generation. Featured on the cover of the May 2014 issue of Strings magazine, he is also becoming a familiar figure in Europe and Asia, continuing to astonish audiences with his phenomenal technique, poetic sensitivity and gorgeous tone. His remarkable consistency throughout the repertoire, from Paganini to Adès, is seldom encountered in a single artist.

His appearances span the globe. In the U.S.: in addition to the Houston Symphony, he performs with major orchestras in Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Seattle and San Francisco, among others. Internationally: the BBC Philharmonic/Manchester, BBC Symphony Orchestra/Barbican, Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra/Tokyo, Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra/Stuttgart, to name a few. This season includes debuts with the Minnesota Orchestra, Danish National Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Also active as recitalist and chamber musician, recent projects

include an artist-in-residency with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, tours with the orchestras of Toronto and San Diego and a recital debut at Wigmore Hall in London.

Hadelich’s first major orchestral recording, with Hannu Lintu and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, features the violin concertos of Jean Sibelius and Thomas Adès’ Concentric Paths. Released on the AVIE label, the disc has been nominated for a Gramophone Award and listed on NPR’s Top 10 Classical CDs of 2014. A recent recording of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto and Bartók’s Concerto No. 2 with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra under Miguel Harth-Bedoya is scheduled for release on AVIE this spring. He has recorded several recital CDs. Gold Medalist of the 2006 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, Hadelich also received the Avery Fisher Career Grant (2009), a Borletti-Buitoni Trust fellowship in the UK (2001) and Lincoln Center’s Martin E. Segal Award (2012). He received an artist diploma from The Juilliard School, where he was a student of Joel Smirnoff.

Augustin Hadelich plays the 1723 “Ex-Kiesewetter” Stradivari violin on loan from Clement and Karen Arrison through the Stradivari Society of Chicago.

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ORCHESTRA AND STAFF Mark C. Hanson, Executive Director/CEO

Andr茅s Orozco-Estrada, Music Director Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair

Michael Krajewski

Hans Graf

Principal Pops Conductor

Robert Franz

Conductor Laureate

Associate Conductor Sponsor, Ms. Marie Taylor Bosarge

FIRST VIOLIN Frank Huang, Concertmaster Max Levine Chair Eric Halen, Associate Concertmaster Ellen E. Kelley Chair Assia Dulgerska, Assistant Concertmaster** Cornelia and Meredith Long Chair Qi Ming, Assistant Concertmaster Fondren Foundation Chair Marina Brubaker Sergei Galperin MiHee Chung Rodica Gonzalez Ferenc Illenyi Si-Yang Lao** Kurt Johnson Christopher Neal Oleg Chelpanov* Anastasia Sukhopara* Eugenia Zharzhavskaya* Michelle Black*

DOUBLE BASS David Malone, Acting Principal Mark Shapiro, Acting Associate Principal Eric Larson Burke Shaw Donald Howey Michael McMurray FLUTE Aralee Dorough, Principal General Maurice Hirsch Chair Matthew Roitstein, Associate Principal Judy Dines Rebecca Powell Garfield* PICCOLO Rebecca Powell Garfield*

CLARINET Thomas LeGrand, Acting Principal Christian Schubert, Acting Associate Principal Lin Ma* Alexander Potiomkin E-FLAT CLARINET Christian Schubert

ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL MANAGER Michael Gorman

LIBRARIAN Thomas Takaro

CONTRABASSOON J. Jeff Robinson

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER Position Open

HORN William VerMeulen, Principal Robert Johnson, Associate Principal Brian Thomas Nancy Goodearl Katharine Caliendo*

STAGE TECHNICIANS Toby Blunt Zoltan Fabry Cory Grant

Flutes

STAGE MANAGER Kelly Morgan

*Contracted Substitute ** On Leave

Timpani Trombone s

Bassoons

Tub a

Oboes Basses

Ha rp

Pi a

KEYBOARD Scott Holshouser, Principal

ASSISTANT LIBRARIANS Erik Gronfor Michael McMurray

Clarinets

no

HARP Megan Conley, Principal

BASSOON Rian Craypo, Principal Eric Arbiter, Associate Principal Elise Wagner J. Jeff Robinson

sion Percus ets Trump

rns Ho

TUBA Dave Kirk, Principal

ASSISTANT ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL MANAGER Shana Bey

BASS CLARINET Alexander Potiomkin Tassie and Constantine S. Nicandros Chair

CELLO Brinton Averil Smith, Principal Janice and Thomas Barrow Chair Christopher French, Associate Principal Anthony Kitai Jeffrey Butler Kevin Dvorak Xiao Wong Myung Soon Lee James R. Denton Hellen Weberpal*

BASS TROMBONE Phillip Freeman

PERCUSSION Brian Del Signore, Principal Mark Griffith Matthew Strauss

ENGLISH HORN Adam Dinitz

VIOLA Wayne Brooks, Principal Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor Legacy Society Chair Joan DerHovsepian, Associate Principal George Pascal, Assistant Principal Wei Jiang Linda Goldstein Sheldon Person Fay Shapiro Daniel Strba Phyllis Herdliska Suzanne LeFevre*

TROMBONE Allen Barnhill, Principal Bradley White, Associate Principal Phillip Freeman

TIMPANI Ronald Holdman, Principal Brian Del Signore, Associate Principal

OBOE Jonathan Fischer, Principal Lucy Binyon Stude Chair Anne Leek, Associate Principal Colin Gatwood Adam Dinitz

SECOND VIOLIN Jennifer Owen, Principal** Sophia Silivos, Acting Principal Hitai Lee, Acting Associate Principal Kiju Joh Mihaela Frusina Ruth Zeger Martha Chapman Kevin Kelly** Tong Yan Tina Zhang Amy Teare** Maxine Kuo* Lindsey Baggett*

TRUMPET Mark Hughes, Principal George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Chair John DeWitt, Associate Principal Robert Walp, Assistant Principal

Second Violins

First Violins

Violas

Conductor

Cellos

Steinway is the official piano of the Houston Symphony and James B. Kozak serves as Piano Technician.

The Houston Symphony has two Steinway concert grand pianos. One is a gift of Mrs. Helen B. Rosenbaum in 2001. The other is a Centennial gift from the Houston Symphony Central and Bay Area Leagues in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Houston Symphony League which was celebrated during the 2012-13 season.

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Pam Blaine, Chief of Education and Community Programming Steven Brosvik, General Manager/ Chief Operations Officer David Chambers, Chief Development Officer Aurelie Desmarais, Chief of Artistic Planning Amanda Dinitz, Chief of Strategic Initiatives Rauli Garcia, Chief Financial Officer Glenn Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer Meg Philpot, Director, Human Resources Stacey Spears, Executive Assistant and Board Liaison Artistic Sarah Berggren, Chorus Manager Erik Gronfor, Assistant Librarian Michael McMurray, Assistant Librarian Lesley Sabol, Director, Popular Programming Thomas Takaro, Librarian Roxanna Tehrani, Artistic Assistant Rebecca Zabinski, Manager, Artistic Administration Development Darryl de Mello, Associate Director, Annual Fund Noureen Faizullah, Development Operations Manager Mark Folkes, Senior Director, Development Vickie Hamley, Director, Volunteer Services Sydnee E. Houlette, Development Assistant, Institutional Giving Irma Molina, Development Associate, Gifts and Records Tyler Murphy, Assistant, Special Events Laura Neiman, Manager, Special Events Patrick Quinn, Director, Planned Giving Agnieszka Rakhmatullaev, Development Officer Martin Schleuse, Development Communications Manager Sarah Slemmons, Patron Donor Relations Manager Candace Carr Strauss, Director, Corporate Relations Alexandra Yates, Director, Special Events Education/Community Partnerships Allison Conlan, Education Manager Melissa Fuller, Education & Community Programming Assistant Steve Wenig, Director, Community Partnerships Finance/Administration/IT Sally Brassow, Controller Heather Fails, Manager, Ticketing Database Philip Gulla, Director, Technology Janis Pease LaRocque, Manager, Patron Database Kay Middleton, Receptionist Maria Ross, Payroll Manager Armin (A.J.) Salge, Network Systems Engineer Brandon VanWaeyenberghe, Director, Business Analytics Chris Westerfelt, Manager, Accounts Payable and Special Projects Marketing/Communications Sara Alvarado, Graphic Designer Vanessa Astros-Young, Senior Director, Communications Jeffrey Block, Assistant Marketing Manager Calvin Dotsey, Digital Marketing Coordinator Austin Dressman, Public Relations Coordinator Jeff Gilmer, Assistant Manager, Patron Services Mandi Hunsicker-Sallee, Senior Director, Marketing and Sales Jason Landry, Senior Manager, Patron Services Melissa H. Lopez, Director, Single Tickets & Special Projects Keith Nickerson, Publications Editor Sarah Rend贸n, Patron Services Coordinator Jacqueline Shumate, Marketing Manager Jenny Zuniga, Director, Patron Services Operations Shana Bey, Assistant Orchestra Personnel Manager Michael Gorman, Orchestra Personnel Manager Kelly Morgan, Stage Manager Kathryn Wene, Operations Assistant Meredith Williams, Operations Manager

HOUSTON SYMPHONY CHORUS The Houston Symphony Chorus, the official choral unit of the Houston Symphony, consists of highly skilled and talented volunteer singers.

Over the years, singers in this historic ensemble have had the opportunity to learn and perform the world’s great choral-orchestral masterpieces under the batons of Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Michael Krajewski, Hans Graf, Robert Shaw, Roger Wagner, Mitch Miller, Peter Schrier, Helmut Rilling and Nicholas McKegan, among many others. Under the leadership of Director Emeritus Charles Hausmann, the Chorus made several European concert tours performing with orchestras in Germany, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Hungary, Austria, England, and Mexico. The Houston Symphony Chorus holds auditions by appointment and welcomes inquiries from interested singers.

Are you a fine singer? Auditions will take place in June!

For more information, please visit houstonsymphony.org/About-Us/Houston-Symphony-Chorus.

Betsy Cook Weber, Director Sarah Berggren Chorus Manager

BETSY COOK WEBER, director Dr. Betsy Cook Weber is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music and is also internationally active as a conductor, clinician, adjudicator and lecturer. In 2013, Weber became the 13th person and first woman to receive the Texas Choral Director Association’s coveted Texas Choirmaster Award. She is editor of the Betsy Cook Weber choral series with Alliance Music Publishing.

Choirs under Weber’s direction, including the Moores School Concert Chorale, have been featured at multiple state and national conventions. Internationally, Chorale has won prizes and received acclaim at prestigious competitions in Wales, France and Germany.

Weber has prepared singers for Da Camera of Houston and for early music orchestras Ars Lyrica Houston and Mercury.

She prepares singers for touring shows, including Josh Groban, NBC’s Clash of the Choirs, Telemundo’s Latin Grammy, Star Wars: In Concert and Andrea Bocelli.

Before joining the University of Houston, Weber taught vocal music, K-12, in public schools. Prior to her appointment as Houston Symphony Chorus Director, she served from 1990 to 1997 as Assistant and, later, Associate Director of the Chorus. She holds degrees from the University of North Texas, Westminster Choir College (Princeton, NJ) and the University of Houston.

Steve Abercia Wilton Adams Jennifer Agbu Bob Alban Ramona Alms Yoset Altamirano Joe Anzaldua Rich Arenschieldt Amy Aucoin Melissa Bailey Adams Greg Barra Sarah Berggren Eldo Bergman Nicholas Berkley Chelsea Berner John Bice Brandon Bingham Claude Bitner Randy Boatright John Bond Krista Borstell Bruce Boyle Robyn Branning Nancy Bratic* Mischa Brinkmeyer Amanda Bryant Patricia Bumpus Hannah Burris James Carazola Beth Casey^ Susan Casper William Cheadle Peter Christian Nancy Christopherson Sarah Clark Evelyn Clift* Nicole Colby John Colson^ Pamela Cramer Andrea Creath* Kevin Culver Lorri Curto Roger Cutler Konstantina Dimitropoulou Donn Dubois Steve Dukes Dana Dupont Christine Economides Deborah Edwin Paul Ehrsam Renae Erichsen Chris Fair Ian Fetterley David Fox Joseph Frybert Mary Gahr John Gallagher

Scott Holshouser Accompanist Michael Gilbert Marta-Marie Giles Katura Gilmore Michael Ging Robert Gomez* Heather Goodwin John Grady Hannah Gronseth Thi Ha Will Hailey Patrick Hanley Ally Hard Amanda Harris Scott Hassett Matthew Henderson Terry Henderson* Megan Henry* Linda Herron Judy Hill Eileen Holshouser Catherine Howard George Howe Donald Howie Sylvia Hysong Yukiko Iwata Francisco Izaguirre Stephen James Donna Jerz Holly Johnson Tokiko Kato Michael Kessler Berma Kinsey Nobuhide Kobori Gillian Kruse Kat Kunz Karen Lach Brian Lassinger Hojung Lee Miriam Lenon Stafford Joyce Lewis Jay Lopez Mary Lopushansky Pamela Magnuson Jacqueline Maricelli Ken Mathews* Matthew McCue Gregory McDaniel Janet Menzie William Mize Edgar Moore James Moore Kevin Newman Theresa Olin Kristi Panahi Marie Parisot Bill Parker Jennifer Paulson

Tony Sessions Librarian Ana Pena Melissa Ragsdale Darragh Greg Railsback Natalia Rawle Amy Rebenack Linda Renner Kirk Rich Douglas Rodenberger Adrian Rodriguez Carolyn Rogan* Doug Sander Johnny Sangree David Schoen* Gary Scullin Tony Sessions Crystal Sharadin Jeffrey Simmons Andrea Slack Brian Smith Karla Sosa Dewell Springer Mark Standridge Samuel Stengler Veronica Stevens Cecilia Sun Kerry Talley Suzy Thacker Carol Thornburg Charles Thornburg Alisa Tobin Lisa Trewin Paul Van Dorn David Van Wyk Jeanna Villanueva Mary Voigt Lori Wagner Jenny Warkentin Sean Warley Alyssa Weathersby Carolee Weber* Beth Weidler Eric West^ Vicki Westbrook^ Kathleen White Lee Williams Margaret Winchell Miller Kaye Windel-Garza * Chorus Council Member ^ Section Leader As of January 22, 2015

March 2015 33

Houston Symphony Endowment The Houston Symphony Endowment is a separate nonprofit organization that invests contributions to earn income for the benefit of the Houston Symphony Society.

Trustees James Lee Michael Mithoff Alexandra Pruner

Steven P. Mach, President

Jesse B. Tutor Fredric A. Weber

An endowed fund can be permanently established within the Houston Symphony Society through a direct contribution or via a planned gift such as a bequest. The fund can be designated for general purposes or specific interests. For further information, please contact Patrick Quinn, Director, Planned Giving, at (713) 337-8532 or patrick.quinn@houstonsymphony.org.

General Endowment Funds that support operational and annual activities: Accenture (Andersen Consulting) Fund AIG American General Fund Mr. & Mrs. Philip Bahr Fund Janice H. & Thomas D. Barrow Fund Mrs. Ermy Borlenghi Bonfield Fund The Charles Engelhard Foundation Fund Jane & Robert Cizik Fund Mr. Lee A. Clark Fund Cooper Industries, Inc. Fund Gene & Linda Dewhurst Fund DuPont Corporation Fund Elkins Charitable Trust Agency Fund The Margaret & James A. Elkins Foundation Fund Virginia Lee Elverson Trust Fund Charles Engelhard Foundation Fund William Stamps Farish Fund Dr. Kelli Cohen Fein & Martin J. Fein Fund Stephen & Mariglyn Glenn Fund Jo A. & Billie Jo Graves Fund George & Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation Fund Dr. Gary L. Hollingsworth & Dr. Ken Hyde Fund Houston Arts Combined Endowment Fund Drs. M.S. & Marie-Luise Kalsi Fund Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Kaplan Fund Ann Kennedy & Geoffrey Walker Fund Martha Kleymeyer Fund Rochelle & Max Levit Fund Mr. E. W. Long Jr. Fund

M.D. Anderson Foundation Fund Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis Fund Jay & Shirley Marks Fund Mr. & Mrs. J. Stephen Marks Fund/The Marks Charitable Foundation Marian & Speros Martel Foundation Fund Barbara & Pat McCelvey Fund The Menil Foundation Fund Monroe Mendelsohn Jr. Estate Sue A. Morrison & Children Fund National Endowment for the Arts Fund Stewart Orton Fund Papadopoulos Fund Nancy & Robert Peiser Fund Rockwell Fund, Inc. Fund Mr. & Mrs. Clive Runnells Fund Estate of Mr. Walter W. Sapp Fund Mr. & Mrs. Matt K. Schatzman Fund The Schissler Foundation Fund Mr. & Mrs. James A. Shaffer Fund Mr. & Mrs. William T. Slick Jr. Fund Texas Eastern Fund Dorothy Barton Thomas Fund Bobby & Phoebe Tudor Fund Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor Fund Dede & Connie Weil Fund The Wortham Foundation Fund Anonymous (5)

Designated funds to support annual performance activity: The Brown Foundation Guest Pianist Fund The Cullen Foundation Maestro’s Fund General & Mrs. Maurice Hirsch Memorial Concert Fund in memory of Theresa Meyer and Jules Hirsch, beloved parents of General Maurice Hirsch, and Rosetta Hirsch Weil and Josie Hirsch Bloch, beloved sisters of General Maurice Hirsch The Houston Symphony Chorus Endowment Fund Fayez Sarofim Guest Violinist Fund through The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts The Wortham Foundation Classical Series Fund endowed in memory of Gus S. & Lyndall F. Wortham

Capital Investments The Houston Symphony thanks the generous donors, who since 2012, have made possible infrastructure additions to further enhance the sound and quality of our orchestral performances: Beauchamp Foundation Miller Outdoor Theatre Sound Shell Ceiling and Portativ Organ

Vicky and Michael Richker Family Adolfo Sayago, Orquestas

The Fondren Foundation Miller Outdoor Theatre Sound Shell Ceiling

Sybil F. Roos Rotary Trumpets

Albert & Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation Enhancements to Jones Hall Video System

Silver Circle Audio Enhancements to Jones Hall Recording Suite

Houston Symphony League Steinway Concert Grand Piano and Instrument Petting Zoo

Beverly Johnson, Ralph Wyman and Jim Foti, and Thane & Nicole Wyman in memory of Winthrop Wyman Basset Horns and Rotary Trumpets

Ms. Nancey G. Lobb Piccolo Timpano

34

www.houstonsymphony.org

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Zabriskie Conductor’s Podium

Houston Symphony Endowment Endowed Chairs to assist the Houston Symphony attract, retain and support world class conductors, musicians and guest artists: Janice & Thomas Barrow Chair: Brinton Averil Smith, principal cello Roy & Lillie Cullen Chair: Andrés Orozco-Estrada, music director Fondren Foundation Chair: Qi Ming, assistant concertmaster General Maurice Hirsch Chair: Aralee Dorough, principal flute Ellen E. Kelley Chair: Eric Halen, associate concertmaster Max Levine Chair: Frank Huang, concertmaster Cornelia & Meredith Long Chair: Assia Dulgerska, assistant concertmaster George P. & Cynthia Woods Mitchell Chair: Mark Hughes, principal trumpet Tassie & Constantine S. Nicandros Chair: Alexander Potiomkin, bass clarinet Lucy Binyon Stude Chair: Jonathan Fischer, principal oboe Winnie Safford Wallace Chair Endowed funds to assist the Houston Symphony attract, retain and support world class conductors, musicians and guest artists: American General Fund Speros P. Martel Fund Stewart Orton Fund Dan Feigal Prosser Fund Endowed funds to support the Houston Symphony’s annual education and community engagement activities: Margarett & Alice Brown Endowment Fund for Education Lawrence E. Carlton M.D. Endowment Fund for Youth Programs Richard P. Garmany Fund for the Houston Symphony League Concerto Competition The William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs Selma S. Neumann Fund Spec’s Charitable Foundation Salute to Educators Concert Fund Endowed funds to support new commissions and innovative artistic projects: The Micajah S. Stude Special Production Fund Endowed funds to support access and expand geographic reach: The Alice & David C. Bintliff Messiah Concert fund for performances at First Methodist Church The Brown Foundation’s Miller Outdoor Theatre Fund in memory of Hanni and Stewart Orton Mach Family Audience Development Fund George P. & Cynthia Woods Mitchell Summer Concerts Fund Endowed funds to support electronic media initiatives: The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Fund for Creative Initiatives Endowed fund to support the Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Competition: Nancy Willerson Mr. & Mrs. C Clifford Wright Jr. Legacy commitments through The Brown Foundation Challenge to support artistic excellence: Janet F. Clark Gloria Goldblatt Pryzant Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor Legacy Society Chair: Wayne Brooks, principal viola Ms. Vicki West in honor of Hans Graf Anonymous (1) Leadership gifts of working capital provided as part of the Campaign for the 20th Century, Campaign for Houston Symphony and My Houston, My Symphony – Campaign for a Sound Future: Hewlett Packard Company Fund The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation Neva Watkins West Fund Gift in memory of Winifred Safford Wallace for the commission of new works

CHORUS ENDOWMENT DONORS $500 or more

As of January 1, 2014 Mr. Eldo Bergman, Family Literacy Network, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Paul Davis Steve Dukes Joyce & David Fox Robert Lee Gomez

Christina & Mark Hanson Nobuhide Kobori Alan L. McAdams & Vicki L. Colvin Dr. William McCallum Bryan & Vickie McMicken David G. Nussman Mr. & Mrs. Peter C. Peropoulos

Mr. & Mrs. Gabriel Rio Ms. Susan E. Scarrow Mr. & Mrs. Richard J. Sommer Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber Mr. & Mrs. James R. Wilhite

March 2015 35

Symphony Society Board Executive Committee

President Robert A. Peiser

Chairman of the Board Jesse B. Tutor

Executive Director/CEO Mark C. Hanson

Immediate Past President Robert B. Tudor III

Chairman Emeritus Mike S. Stude

Vice President, Artistic and Orchestra Affairs Justice Brett Busby

President Elect and Vice President, Board Governance and Secretary Steven P. Mach

Vice President, Volunteers and Special Events Mary Lynn Marks

Vice President, Community Partnerships Donna Shen

Vice President, Education Billy McCartney

Vice President, Development Jerry Simon

General Counsel Paul R. Morico

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS Adam Dinitz, Orchestra Representative Vicki West, President, Houston Symphony League Sergei Galperin, Orchestra Representative Mark Hughes, Orchestra Representative Rodney Margolis Stacey Spears, Assistant Secretary Ed Wulfe, Immediate Past Chair

Vice President, Finance Anthony Bohnert Vice President, Popular Programming Danielle Batchelor Vice President, Marketing and Communications Gloria G. Pryzant President, Endowment Steven P. Mach

At-Large Members Ms. Marie Taylor Bosarge Janet Clark Gene Dewhurst Helen Shaffer Jim R. Smith

Governing Directors Graham Baker Joanna Barrett * Janice H. Barrow Danielle Batchelor Darlene Bisso Anthony Bohnert Ms. Marie Taylor Bosarge Terry Ann Brown Ralph Burch Justice Brett Busby Donna Josey Chapman Janet Clark Michael H. Clark Audrey Cochran Ryan Colburn Scott Cutler Andrew Davis

Trustees

Samuel Abraham Philip Bahr Gary Beauchamp Devinder Bhatia, M.D. Meherwan Boyce Walter Bratic Barbara Burger Prentiss Burt Cheryl Byington John Caley Dougal Cameron Lynn Caruso * John T. Cater Evan D. Collins, M.D. MBA Cindy Deere 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. Robert M. Hermance Gene McDavid Janice H. Barrow Barry C. Burkholder Rodney H. Margolis Jeffrey B. Early

36

Viviana Denechaud Gene Dewhurst Michael Doherty Susanna Dokupil John Esquivel Kelli Cohen Fein, M.D. Tom Fitzpatrick Julia Frankel David Frankfort Ronald G. Franklin Allen Gelwick Mauro Gimenez Stephen Glenn Susan Hansen Stephanie C. Hildebrandt Gary L. Hollingsworth, M.D. Brian James

Joan Kaplan * Ulyesse LeGrange Rochelle Levit, Ph.D. * Cora Sue Mach Steven P. Mach Paul M. Mann, M.D. * Rodney Margolis Jay Marks Mary Lynn Marks David Massin Jackie Wolens Mazow Billy McCartney Barbara McCelvey * Alexander K. McLanahan Kevin O. Meyers Paul R. Morico Bobbie Newman

Robert A. Peiser David Pruner Stephen D. Pryor Gloria G. Pryzant Ron Rand John Rydman Manolo Sanchez Helen Shaffer Donna Shen Jerry Simon Jim R. Smith Miles Smith Jim Stein * Mike S. Stude William J. Toomey III * Robert B. Tudor III * Betty Tutor

* Jesse B. Tutor Judith Vincent Margaret Waisman, M.D. Fredric A. Weber Mrs. S. Conrad Weil Robert Weiner * Margaret Alkek Williams * Ed Wulfe Scott Wulfe David Wuthrich Robert A. Yekovich

Ex-Officio James Moore

Azar Delpassand Ronald DePinho, M.D. Tracy Dieterich Craig A. Fox Mary Fusillo Evan B. Glick Julie Gorte Stanley Haas Eric Haufrect, M.D. Kathleen Hayes Marianne Ivany Rita Justice Catherine Kaldis I. Ray Kirk, M.D. Carlos J. Lopez

Carolyn Mann Michael Mann, M.D. Judy Margolis John Matzer III * Gene McDavid Gary Mercer Marilyn Miles Michael Mithoff Janet Moore Tassie Nicandros Scott S. Nyquist Dana Ondrias John Onstott Edward Osterberg Jr. Chester M. Pitts II

Greg Powers, Ph.D. Richard A. Rabinow Roman F. Reed Gabriel Rio Richard Robbins, M.D. * J. Hugh Roff Jr. * Michael E. Shannon Robert Sloan, Ph.D. Jule Smith David Stanard David Tai L. Proctor (Terry) Thomas Andrew Truscott Art Vivar Vicki West

James T. Willerson, M.D. Steven J. Williams Frank Yonish

Ex-Officio Adam Dinitz Sergei Galperin Mark C. Hanson Mark Hughes Stacey Spears

Michael E. Shannon Ed Wulfe Jesse B. Tutor Robert B. Tudor III Past Presidents of the Houston Symphony League Miss Ima Hogg Mrs. John F. Grant Mrs. J. R. Parten Mrs. Andrew E. Rutter Mrs. Aubrey Leon Carter Mrs. Stuart Sherar Mrs. Julian Burrows Ms. Hazel Ledbetter Mrs. Albert P. Jones Mrs. Ben A. Calhoun Mrs. James Griffith Lawhon Mrs. Olaf La Cour Olsen Mrs. Ralph Ellis Gunn Mrs. Leon Jaworski Mrs. Garrett R. Tucker Jr. Mrs. M. T. Launius Jr. Mrs. Thompson McCleary

www.houstonsymphony.org

Mrs. Theodore W. Cooper Mrs. Allen H. Carruth Mrs. David Hannah Jr. Mary Louis Kister Ellen Elizardi Kelley 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 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 Nancy Willerson Jane Clark Nancy Littlejohn Donna Shen Susan Osterberg Kelli Cohen Fein PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE Houston Symphony League BaY AREA Fran Strong Selma Neumann Julia Wells Dagmar Meeh Priscilla Heidbreder Harriett Small Nina Spencer Elizabeth Glenn

* Life Trustee

Ebby Creden Charlotte Gaunt Norma Brady Cindy Kuenneke Helen Powell Sharon Dillard Diane McLaughlin Roberta Liston Suzanne Hicks Sue Smith Shirley Wettling Jo Anne Mills Phyllis Molnar Pat Bertelli Emyre B. Robinson Dana Puddy Angela Buell Pat Brackett Joan Wade Yvonne Herring Deanna Lamoreux Glenda Toole Carole Murphy Patience Myers

Houston Symphony Donors

The Sustainability Fund

The Houston Symphony pays special tribute to those who support our Sustainability Fund. Their extraordinary leadership investment has made it possible for the Symphony to provide the deep level of cultural service so richly deserved by the communities of Greater Houston and the Gulf Coast region. For further information about The Sustainability Fund, please contact Mark C. Hanson, Executive Director/CEO, at (713) 238-1411.

Houston Endowment The Estate of Jean R. Sides Ms. Marie Taylor Bosarge Bobby & Phoebe Tudor Mrs. Alfred C. Glassell Jr. Mrs. Kitty King Powell

Janice H. Barrow The Cullen Foundation The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts The Brown Foundation, Inc. M.D. Anderson Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Robert M. Griswold

Annual Support

The Houston Symphony gratefully acknowledges those who support our artistic, educational and community engagement programs through their generosity to our Annual Fund and our Special Events. Below is a listing of those who have so generously given within the past year. We are honored to count these donors among our closest Houston Symphony friends, and we invite you to consider becoming a member of one of our giving societies. For more information, please contact David Chambers, Chief Development Officer, at (713) 337-8525.

Ima Hogg Society, $150,000 or More

Janice H. Barrow Ms. Marie Taylor Bosarge The Honorable & Mrs. David H. Dewhurst Cora Sue & Harry Mach Mr. George P. Mitchell Kitty King Powell Sybil F. Roos John & Lindy Rydman / Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods Mike Stude Bobby & Phoebe Tudor Margaret Alkek Williams

Centennial Society, $100,000 - $149,000 Rochelle & Max Levit Joella & Steven P. Mach Beth Madison Barbara & Pat McCelvey Janice & Robert McNair Nancy & Robert Peiser Mr. & Mrs. Jim R. Smith Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor

Founder’s Society, $75,000 - $99,999 Darlene & Cappy Bisso Billy & Christie McCartney Laura & Michael Shannon

March 2015 37

Houston Symphony Donors Maestro’s Society, $50,000 - $74,999 Robin Angly & Miles Smith Mr. & Mrs. Philip A. Bahr Mr. Gary V. Beauchamp & Ms. Marian Wilfert Beauchamp Mr. & Mrs. Edward F. Blackburne Jr. Donna & Max Chapman Mrs. Alfred C. Glassell Jr.

The Estate of Miss Ima Hogg Mr. Monzer Hourani Drs. M.S. & Marie-Luise Kalsi Mr. & Mrs. J. Stephen Marks Mr. & Mrs. William K. Robbins Jr./ The Robbins Foundation Louisa Stude Sarofim

Concertmaster’s Society, $25,000 - $49,999 Eric S. Anderson & R. Dennis Anderson John Barlow Dr. & Mrs. Devinder Bhatia Todd & JoAnna Brooks Drs. Dennis & Susan Carlyle Janet F. Clark Mr. Michael H. Clark & Ms. Sallie Morian Dr. Alex Dell Mr. & Mrs. John P. Dennis III Gene & Linda Dewhurst Mr. & Mrs. Donald Faust Sr. Allen & Almira Gelwick Lockton Companies Mr. & Mrs. Melbern G. Glasscock

Stephen & Mariglyn Glenn Mr. & Mrs. Robert M. Griswold Susan & Dick Hansen Dr. Gary L. Hollingsworth & Dr. Ken Hyde The Joan & Marvin Kaplan Foundation Mr. & Mrs. U. J. LeGrange Cornelia & Meredith Long Dr. & Mrs. Michael Mann Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis Mr. & Mrs. Alexander K. McLanahan John & Bobbie Nau John Neighbors in memory of Jean Marie Neighbors John & Cynthia Onstott

Mr. & Mrs. James A. Shaffer Mr. Brian Teichman & Mr. Andrew Cordes Alice & Terry Thomas Ms. Judith Vincent

Dave & Alie Pruner Lisa & Jerry Simon Dr. & Mrs. Robert B. Sloan Jr./ Houston Baptist University Mr. & Mrs. Robert R. Springob, Laredo Construction, Inc. Nancy & David Tai Stephen & Kristine Wallace Steven & Nancy Williams Mr. & Mrs. C. Clifford Wright Jr. Anonymous (1)

Conductor’s Circle, Platinum Baton $15,000 - $24,999 Rolaine & Morrie Abramson Graham & Janet Baker Mr. & Mrs. Ken Barrow James M. Bell Mr. & Mrs. Walter V. Boyle Mr. Ralph Burch Justice Brett & Erin Busby Mr. & Mrs. James Chao Jane & Robert Cizik Mr. Richard Danforth Mrs. William Estrada Martin & Kelli Cohen Fein Angel & Craig Fox Janet Gurwitch & Ron Franklin Lila-Gene George Mr. & Mrs. Fred L. Gorman Mrs. Gloria Pepper & Dr. Bernard Katz

Ms. Nancey G. Lobb Jay & Shirley Marks Dr. & Mrs. Malcolm L. Mazow Mr. Keith McFarland Stephen & Marilyn Miles / Stephen Warren Miles & Marilyn Ross Miles Foundation Melissa & Michael Mithoff Terence Murphree Susan & Edward Osterberg Gloria & Joe Pryzant Radoff Family Foundation Ken & Carol Lee Robertson Ann & Hugh Roff William J. Rovere & Kathi F. Rovere Donna & Tim Shen The Julia & Albert Smith Foundation Ms. Kelly Somoza

James Stein / Bank of Houston Paul Strand Thomas Margaret Waisman, M.D. & Steven S. Callahan, Ph.D. Ms. Diana Wander Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber Dede & Connie Weil Robert G. Weiner & Toni Blankmann Vicki West Nancy Willerson Jeanie Kilroy Wilson & Wallace S. Wilson Mr. & Mrs. Scott Wulfe Ralph Wyman & Jim Foti Thane & Nicole Wyman Nina & Michael Zilkha

Conductor’s Circle, Gold Baton $10,000 - $14,999 Frances & Ira Anderson Lilly & Thurmon Andress Edward H. Andrews III Danielle & Josh Batchelor Mr. & Mrs. Anthony W. Bohnert Nancy & Walter Bratic Terry Ann Brown Cheryl & Sam Byington John & Candace Caley Albert & Anne Chao Mr. & Mrs. Bert Cornelison Dr. Scott Cutler Leslie Barry Davidson & W. Robins Brice David & Cindy Deere Dr. & Mrs. Ebrahim S. Delpassand, Excel Diagnostics & Nuclear Oncology Valerie Palmquist Dieterich & Tracy Dieterich Ms. Susanna Dokupil John & Minerva Esquivel Aubrey & Sylvia Farb Mr. & Mrs. Marvy A. Finger 38

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Mr. & Mrs. Russell M. Frankel Dr. & Mrs. Robert H. Fusillo Jo A. & Billie Jo Graves Christina & Mark Hanson Mr. & Mrs. James E. Hooks Beverly Johnson Dr. Rita Justice Janice & Allan King Dr. & Mrs. I. Ray Kirk Carol & Michael Linn Marilyn Lummis Dr. & Mrs. Paul M. Mann Mr. & Mrs. John N. Matzer III Betty & Gene McDavid Martha & Marvin McMurrey Mr. & Mrs. D. Bradley McWilliams Mr. Gary Mercer Catherine Jane Merchant Ginni & Richard Mithoff The Estate of C. Howard Pieper Kathryn & Richard Rabinow

Ron & Demi Rand Lila Rauch Mr. & Mrs. Thomas R. Reckling III Beth Robertson Ms. Charlotte A. Rothwell Mr. & Mrs. Clive Runnells Mr. & Mrs. Walter Scherr Mr. & Mrs. Tad Smith Alana R. Spiwak & Sam L. Stolbun David & Paula Steakley Pamalah & Stephen Tipps Birgitt van Wijk Shirley & Joel Wahlberg Janet & Tom Walker David M. Wax & Elaine Arden Cali Dr. Jim T. Willerson Cyvia & Melvyn Wolff Lorraine & Ed Wulfe Anonymous (1)

Houston Symphony Donors Conductor’s Circle, Silver Baton $7,500 - $9,999 Mr. William L. Ackerman, Kero-Jet Corporation Josie & Joe Amador Mrs. Bonnie Bauer Mr. & Mrs. David J. Beck Mr. & Mrs. Karl H. Becker Mr. & Mrs. Charles G. Black III Mr. & Mrs. John F. Bookout III Dr. & Mrs. Meherwan P. Boyce Lilia Khakimova & C. Robert Bunch David Chambers & Alex Steffler Audrey & Brandon Cochran Laurie & Ryan Colburn Roger & Debby Cutler J.R. & Aline Deming Judge & Mrs. Harold DeMoss Jr. Viviana & David Denechaud Mr. Robert Durst

Mr. Scott Ensell S. David Frankfort & Erika Bermeo Ms. Darlene Clark & Mr. Edwin C. Friedrichs Mauro H. Gimenez & Connie A. Coulomb Evan B. Glick Mr. & Mrs. Jerry L. Hamaker Mr. & Mrs. Frank Herzog Marianne & Robert Ivany, University of St. Thomas Brian James Mr. & Mrs. Jacek Jaminski April & Tom Lykos Mr. & Mrs. David Massin Bryan & Vickie McMicken Dr. & Mrs. Robert M. Mihalo Dr. Cameron Mitchell Rita & Paul Morico

Nancy Morrison Mr. & Mrs. Robert E. Nelson Bobbie Newman Scott & Judy Nyquist Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan E. Parker Roman & Sally Reed Mr. & Mrs. Gabriel Rio Mr. Glen A. Rosenbaum Linda & Jerry Rubenstein Carol & Michael Stamatedes Mr. Stephen C. Tarry Shirley Toomim Mr. & Ms. Andrew Truscott Mr. Art Vivar

Conductor’s Circle, Bronze Baton $5,000 - $7,499 Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Abraham Mrs. Nancy C. Allen Nina Andrews & David Karohl Dr. & Mrs. Jeffrey B. Aron Anne Morgan Barrett Beth & Jim Barton Mrs. Mercedes T. Bass Michelle H. Belco Mr. & Mrs. Michael E. Bowman Ruth White Brodsky Ms. Barbara Burger Dr. & Mrs. William T. Butler Dougal & Cathy Cameron Marilyn Caplovitz Rhona & Bruce Caress Mrs. Lily Carrigan Mr. & Mrs. W. T. Carter IV Mr. & Mrs. Thierry Caruso Mr. & Mrs. Donald Childress William J. Clayton & Margaret A. Hughes Mr. William E. Colburn Coneway Family Foundation Mr. Larry Corbin Mr. & Mrs. Carr P. Dishroon Jennifer & Steve Dolman Connie & Byron Dyer Mrs. Jane Egner Mr. Roger Eichhorn Mr. William Elbel & Ms. Mary J Schroeder Mr. Stephen Elison Mr. Parrish N. Erwin Jr. Maestro Christoph Eschenbach Mr. & Mrs. Tom Fitzpatrick Mr. & Mrs. Henry S. Florsheim Mr. & Mrs. Peter Fluor Eugene Fong Mr. & Mrs. Michael S. Francisco Mr. Shane T. Frank Mr. & Mrs. Harry Gendel Michael B. George Kathy & Martyn Goossen The Estate of Aileen Gordon Jennifer & Joshua Gravenor Dorothy & Bill Grieves Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Haas Kathleen & Dick Hayes Mr. & Mrs. Edd C. Hendee

Marilyn & Bob Hermance Mr. Jackson Hicks Mr. Ronald Holley & Dr. Natasha Holley Mrs. Ann B. Jennings Mr. & Mrs. John F. Joity Debbie & Frank Jones Catherine & Andrew Kaldis Mary Louis Kister Dr. Milton & Gail Danziger Klein in memory of Renée & Benjamin Danziger William & Cynthia Koch Mr. & Mrs. John P. Kotts Willy Kuehn Michael & Kelley Lang Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Leighton Ms. Lynne Lipsitz Mr. & Mrs. Stevens Mafrige Mr. & Mrs. Bruce March Mr. William McDugald Terry & Kandee McGill Mr. & Mrs. J. Douglas McMurrey Jr. Mr. & Mrs. William B. McNamara Mr. & Mrs. Harvin Moore IV Sidney & Ione Moran Sami & Jud Morrison Gerald & Barbara Moynier Richard & Juliet Moynihan Thomas Nichols, M.D. Mr. & Mrs. Charles G. Nickson David G. Nussman Rochelle & Sheldon Oster Mr. Robert J. Pilegge Tim & Katherine Pownell Jean & Allan Quiat Vicky & Michael Richker Mr. & Mrs. Claud D. Riddles Mr. & Mrs. George A. Rizzo Jr. Mr. Robert T. Sakowitz Mr. & Mrs. Manolo Sanchez Mr. & Mrs. Richard P. Schissler Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Wolfgang Schmidt Dr. Susan Gardner & Dr. Philip Scott Mr. & Mrs. Rufus S. Scott Mr. & Mrs. Mark L. Shidler Mr. & Mrs. William T. Slick Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Mark R. Smith Mr. David Stanard & Ms. Beth Freeman

Dr. John R. Stroehlein & Miwa Sakashita Mr. & Mrs. Hans Strohmer Mr. & Mrs. Antonio M. Szabo Mr. Jim Teague & Ms. Jane DiPaolo Sue Trammell Whitfield Ms. Jennifer R. Wittman Daisy S. Wong / JCorp Woodell Family Foundation Sally & Denney Wright Edith & Robert Zinn Erla & Harry Zuber Anonymous (4)

Grand Patron’s Circle $2,500 - $4,999

Gerhard & Birgit Adenacker John & Pat Anderson Dr. Angela R. Apollo Mr. & Mrs. John S. Arnoldy John Arnsparger & Susan Weingarten Mrs. John Bace Mrs. Pat Biddle & Mr. Ron Kahl Dr. Joan Hacken Bitar Mrs. Ann M. Bixby Mr. & Mrs. Murry Bowden James & Judy Bozeman Ting & John Bresnahan Divya & Chris Brown Hon. Peter H. Brown Nicole & Rueben Casarez Dr. Robert N. Chanon Mr. & Mrs. Allen Clamen Mr. & Mrs. Gerald F. Clark Mr. & Mrs. Joseph A. Cleary Jr. Dr. & Mrs. Evan D. Collins Mr. & Mrs. Byron Cooley Mike Cox Lois & David Coyle Mr. & Mrs. James W. Crownover Mr. & Mrs. Harry H. Cullen Mr. Andrew Davis & Ms. Corey Tu Mr. & Mrs. Mark P. Day Ms. Niki DeMaio Mr. & Mrs. Mark Diehl Amanda & Adam Dinitz Mr. & Mrs. Jack N. Doherty Mr. & Mrs. Michael Doherty David & Carolyn Edgar Mr. & Mrs. J. Thomas Eubank March 2015 39

Houston Symphony Donors Young Associates Council Young Associate, Premium $2,500 or more James M. Bell David Chambers & Alex Steffler Audrey & Brandon Cochran Valerie Palmquist Dieterich & Tracy Dieterich Katie Flaherty Jennifer & Joshua Gravenor Sami & Jud Morrison Juliet Moths - Louis Vuitton Melissa L. Nance Toni Oplt & Ed Schneider Emily Paull - Louis Vuitton Alexander Robart Christopher Robart & Katelyn Bracksieck Ahmed Saleh Seth Williams Young Associate $1,500 - $2,499 Lindley & Jason Arnoldy Ann & Jonathan Ayre Cristina & Tanner Bailey William & Laura Black Margaret & Brian Bravo Ting & John Bresnahan Divya & Chris Brown Pamela Brylski Mike Cox Mandy & Rafael Diaz Amanda & Adam Dinitz Jennifer & Steve Dolman Evin Ashley Erdowdu Terry Everett & Eric Cheyney Christine Falgout Island Operating Co., Inc.

Kimberly Falgout Island Operating Co., Inc. Mark Folkes & Christopher Johnston Courtney Fretz Danna & Rauli Garcia Rebecca Gentry Michael A. Gonser Alexandra & Daniel Gottschalk Claudio J. Gutierrez Mandi Hunsicker-Sallee Kathleen & James Jennings - BeautyNow Kurt Johnson & Colleen Matheu Jessica Q. Johnston Mackenzie Kemp Gerrit Leeftink Catherine & Matt Matthews Georgia Braun McBride Kristen & Steve McDaniel Cara & Tanner Moran Amanda & Justin Morton Brooke & Nathaniel Richards Amanda Russell & Matt Calhoun Paulina Sergot & Theo Shybut Jo A. Simmons Steve & Judy Sohn Mark Stadnyk Norton Rose Fulbright Erin & James Stewart Ishwaria & Vivek Subbiah Carol Tai Glenn Taylor Candace & Brian Thomas Rachael & Jason Volz A Fare Extraordinaire

The Young Associates Council is supported in part by Bank of America.

For more information, please contact Agnieszka Rakhmatullaev, Development Officer, (713) 337-8522.

Mr. & Mrs. Mike Ezzell Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan B. Fairbanks Mr. & Mrs. Richard E. Fant Mary Ann & Larry Faulkner Carolyn Grant Fay Ms. Ursula H. Felmet Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Ference Jerry E. & Nanette B. Finger Katie Flaherty Courtney Fretz Rauli & Danna Garcia Ms. Lucy Gebhart Thomas & Patricia Geddy Mr. Bert & Mrs. Joan Golding Robert Lee Gomez Mr. & Mrs. Herbert I. Goodman Maestro Hans Graf & Mrs. Graf Dr. & Mrs. Carlos R. Hamilton Jr. Dr. & Mrs. Eric J. Haufrect Ms. Michele Hebl Ms. Christine Heggeseth Mark & Ragna Henrichs Mr. & Mrs. Frank J. Hevrdejs Mr. & Mrs. Scott Hildebrandt Dr. Volker Hirsinger Mr. & Mrs. John Hrncir Mark & Marilyn Hughes Kathleen & James Jennings/ BeautyNow Mr. & Mrs. Richard P. Keeton Mr. Edward T. Lee Mr. & Mrs. H. Arthur Littell Mr. & Mrs. Carlos J. López Kimberly Lucas 40

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Mr. & Mrs. Bob Lunn Mr. & Mrs. Richard Mattix Mr. Derek Maxwell Mr. & Mrs. Michael McGuire Mr. Russell J. Miller & Mrs. Charlotte M. Meyer Julia & Chris Morton Juliet Moths, Louis Vuitton Melissa L. Nance Newman/Strug/Wadler families in honor of Ida & Irving Wadler Mr. & Mrs. Ralph S. O’Connor Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Olfers Toni Oplt & Ed Schneider Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth F. Owen Mr. & Mrs. Robert Pacini Emily Paull, Louis Vuitton Michael & Shirley Pearson Mr. & Mrs. James D. Penny Dr. Gregory & Mrs. Catherine Powers Mr. & Mrs. Stephen D. Pryor Darla & Chip Purchase Mr. & Mrs. Cris Pye Allyn & Jill Risley Alexander Robart Katelyn Bracksieck & Christopher Robart Mr. & Mrs. James L. Robertson Ms. Regina J. Rogers Drs. Alex & Lynn Rosas Ahmed Saleh Dr. & Mrs. Barry Samuels Paulina Sergot & Theo Shybut Hinda Simon

Barbara & Louis Sklar Mr. & Mrs. Alan L. Smith Mark Stadnyk, Norton Rose Fulbright Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Standish Ishwaria & Vivek Subbiah Susman Family Foundation/Ellen & Steve Susman Ms. Carolyn Tanner Dr. & Mrs. Van W. Teeters Mr. & Mrs. Gerald Thurmond Mr. & Mrs. William Toomey II Ann G. Trammell Mr. & Mrs. Tyson Voelkel Mr. & Mrs. James L. Ware General & Mrs. Jasper Welch Ms. Joann E. Welton Dr. David A. White Dr. Robert Wilkins & Dr. Mary Ann Reynolds Wilkins Seth Williams Mr. Jim P. Wise Ms. Ellen A. Yarrell Mr. & Mrs. Dan Yates Robert & Michele Yekovich Mr. & Mrs. Frank Yonish Anonymous (4)

Patron

$1,000 - $2,499

Dr. & Mrs. George J. Abdo Mrs. Suzon Adam Ms. Sofia Adrogue & Mr. Sten Gustafson Joan & Stanford Alexander Mr. & Mrs. Roy Allice Marcia & Ed Ambs Mr. & Mrs. William L. Anderson Jr. Mr. William J. Anderson Lindley & Jason Arnoldy Dr. & Mrs. Roy Aruffo Paul H. & Maida M. Asofsky Mr. Jeff Autor Ms. Mary S. Axelrad Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Axelrod Ann & Jonathan Ayre Dr. & Mrs. Jamil Azzam Cristina & Tanner Bailey Ms. Regina Balderas Mr. & Mrs. David M. Balderston Mr. & Mrs. Bill Barnett Mr. & Mrs. J. Kirby Barry II Mr. & Mrs. Paul M. Basinski Dr. & Mrs. Robert C. Bast Jr. Ms. Margaret Basu Dr. & Mrs. Arthur L. Beaudet Benchmark Engineering, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd M. Bentsen III Eldo Bergman/Family Literacy Network Mr. & Mrs. Philippe Berteaud Drs. Henry & Louise Bethea Mr. & Mrs. Chris Birdsall William & Laura Black Mr. & Mrs. James E. Blackwell Mr. Jay Blinderman Mr. & Mrs. George Boerger Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Bolam Meg Boulware & Hartley Hampton/ Boulware & Valoir Mr. & Mrs. Peter Bowden Bob Frank Boydston Mrs. Kay Brahaney Mr. & Mrs. A.J. Brass Margaret & Brian Bravo Joe Brazzatti Katherine M. Briggs Mr. Chester Brooke & Dr. Nancy Poindexter Mr. Steven Brosvik Pamela Brylski Dr. & Mrs. Fred Buckwold Mrs. Anne H. Bushman

Mr. & Mrs. Raul Caffesse Dr. Maria Calcina Mrs. Charles Callery Mr. & Mrs. Joseph L. Campbell Louise Carlson & Richard Larrabee Mrs. Mary Ann Carrico Margot & John Cater Mr. & Mrs. John M. Cavanaugh Honorable Theresa Chang & Dr. Peter Chang Mr. & Mrs. Kent Chenevert Virginia A. Clark Mr. Robert L. Clarke Dr. & Mrs. Alfred C. Coats Mr. & Mrs. Ernest D. Cockrell II Jim R. & Lynn Coe Ms. Ellen T. Cokinos Mr. Mark C. Conrad James D. Cox & Ritsuko Komaki-Cox Joe & Nancy Crabb Ms. Marsha K. Crawford Mr. & Mrs. John Crum Katie & Harry Cullen Mr. & Mrs. James D. Dannenbaum Mr. Blakke Davis Mr. & Mrs. Paul Davis Mr. & Mrs. Antoine de Gramont Caroline Deetjen Mr. & Mrs. Rene Degreve Brian & Leah Del Signore Becky & Joe Demeter Dr. Ronald DePinho & Dr. Lynda Chin Ms. Aurelie Desmarais Mr. & Mrs. Ralph DeVore Mandy & Rafael Diaz Bruce B. Dice Ms. Cynthia Diller Mike & Debra Dishberger Charles Dishman Mr. Michael Dooley Mr. & Mrs. James P. Dorn Robert J. Doyle Dr. Burdett S. & Mrs. Kathleen C.E. Dunbar Mrs. Dan L. Duncan Mrs. Deborah Dunkum Egon & Elisa Durban Drs. Rosalind & Gary Dworkin Mrs. William H. Dwyer III Mr. & Mrs. Edward N. Earle Mr. Michael Eichhorn Mr. & Mrs. Jack Ellis Hon. & Mrs. John D. Ellis Mr. & Mrs. Thomas L. Elsenbrook Evin Ashley Erdowdu Annette & Knut Eriksen Jenny & Wendell Erwin, M.D. Terry Everett & Eric Cheyney Dr. Louis & Mrs. Paula Faillace Christine Falgout Island Operating Co., Inc. Kimberly Falgout Island Operating Co., Inc. Mrs. Fran Fawcett Peterson Mrs. Ronald Fischer Mr. Dale Fitz Mr. & Mrs. Harvey Fleisher Joyce & David Fox Elizabeth & Ralph Frankowski Ms. Ann Frautschi & Mr. Christopher Frautschi Mr. Colin Gatwood & Ms. Aralee Dorough Mr. & Mrs. Neil Gaynor Mr. & Mrs. John Gee Mr. & Mrs. Joe Genitempo Mrs. Rosanne Hudson & Mr. Jim Gensheimer Rebecca Gentry Mr. & Dr. David K. Gibbs Joan M. Giese Dr. & Mrs. Jack Gill Walter Gilmore Drs. Nancy Glass & John Belmont

Houston Symphony Donors Mr. Morris Glesby Mrs. Barbara Goedecke L. Rusty Goetz Dr. John Gomez & Dr. Cora Mihu Michael A. Gonser Dr. & Mrs. Bradford S. Goodwin Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Gossett Alexandra & Daniel Gottschalk Mr. & Mrs. Tim Graham Kendall & Pauline Gray Ms. Joyce Z. Greenberg Mr. & Mrs. Charles H. Gregory Dennis Griffith & Louise Richman Mr. & Mrs. Steve K. Grimsley Melinda & Doug Groves Mr. & Mrs. Jay Guerrero Claudio Gutierrez Eric & Angelea Halen Mrs. Thalia Halen Mr. & Mrs. Don H. Haley Ms. Liz Hampton Mr. & Mrs. Paul Hanson Marion S. Hargrove Dr. & Mrs. William S. Harwell Mr. & Mrs. Roy Haun Mr. & Mrs. John Havens Mr. & Mrs. Houston Haymon Mr. & Mrs. Frank L. Heard Jr. Mr. John Heghinian & Ms. Isabelle Bedrosian John Heiny Mr. & Mrs. David J. Hemenway Mr. & Mrs. Matt Hennessy Miss Maureen Higdon Ann & Joe Hightower Dr. Suzanne M. Hite Mr. Robert Hoff Mr. Stanley Hoffberger Mr. Tim Hogan Dr. Holly Holmes & Mr. Paul Otremba Mr. & Mrs. John Homier Dr. Matthew Horsfield & Dr. Michael Kauth Mr. John Horstman Mr. & Mrs. George Hricik Mr. Frank Huang Mr. & Mrs. Robert Humphries Jay Jackson & Barbara Waugh Mr. & Mrs. Paul M. Janicke Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Jankovic Stephen Jeu & Susanna Calvo Ms. Arlene J. Johnson Mr. Eric S. Johnson & Dr. Ronada Davis Kurt Johnson & Colleen Matheu Mr. Robert E. Johnson & Ms. Ariella Perlman Mr. & Mrs. Steve Johnson Jessica Q. Johnston Ms. Sheila K. Johnstone Ms. Alisha Jones Mr. & Mrs. Carl Jones Mr. & Mrs. Steve Jones Mr. & Mrs. Thorro Jones Dr. & Mrs. Robert E. Jordon Ms. Natalia Kalitynska Mr. & Mrs. Harvey Katz Ms. Carolyn C. Keeble Lynda & Frank Kelly Louise & Sherwin Kershman Nora J. Klein, M.D. Mr. & Mrs. J.C. Kneale Jimmy & Kaelyn Koch Lucy & Victor Kormeier Deborah Kosich Mr. & Mrs. Sam Koster Mr. & Mrs. Kevin W. Kremer Mrs. Deanna Lamoreux Mr. William H. Lane Jr. Mr. Richard Lang Mr. & Mrs. Chris Laporte Ms. Joni Hartgraves Latimer Mr. David Leebron & Mrs. Y. Ping Sun Dr. & Mrs. Daniel E. Lehane Ms. Joyce Lehrfeld

Dr. & Mrs. Morton Leonard Jr. Golda Anne & Bob Leonard Mr. & Mrs. Robert Leonard Seth & Karen Lerner Velva G. & H. Fred Levine Ms. Cindy Levit Mr. & Mrs. Bob Licato Mr. William W. Lindley James C. Lindsey Mr. Jeff Lippold Dr. & Mrs. James R. Lloyd Dr. & Mrs. Kelly B. Lobley Renee & Michael Locklar Ms. Sylvia Lohkamp Robert & Gayle Longmire Mr. Paul F. Longstreth & Ms. Marilyn Maloney Mr. & Mrs. Alberto Lozano Ms. Sue Ann Lurcott Mr. & Mrs. Frederic V. Malek Mrs. Barbara Manering Mr. Michael Mankins Mr. & Mrs. Mark Matovich Catherine & Matt Matthews Mr. William L. Maynard Georgia Braun McBride Dr. William McCallum Linda & Jim McCartney Laurence McCullough & Linda Jean Quintanilla Kristen & Steve McDaniel Dr. A. McDermott & Dr. A. Glasser Ms. Judi A. McGee Mr. & Mrs. Martin McIntyre Dr. & Mrs. Jack G. McNeill Ernie & Martha McWilliams Dr. Gabriel E. Mena Mr. & Mrs. Prasad Menon Mr. Ronald A. Mikita Mr. & Mrs. Arnold M. Miller Mr. & Mrs. Robert M. Miller C. Wayne & Patricia J. Miller Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Mireles Mr. & Mrs. Robert Mitchell Mr. & Mrs. R. S. Moen Mr. & Mrs. John C. Molloy Mr. Thomas L. Molloy Mr. & Mrs. David M. Monk Cara & Tanner Moran Mr. & Mrs. William Morgan Sue A. Morrison Amanda & Justin Morton Mr. & Mrs. Keith Mosing Mr. William R. Mowlam Mr. & Mrs. Marvin Mueller Mr. & Mrs. Richard Murphy Mr. & Mrs. Joe Murray Daniel & Karol Musher Mr. & Mrs. William J. Napier Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Mo & Heli Nashef Mr. & Mrs. Geoffrey B. Newton Ms. Sheila Neylon Ms. Dorothy Nicholson Mr. Stephen Nicol Leslie & John Niemand Mr. & Mrs. Lipscomb Norvell OCTG, LLP Marie-Theres F. Odermatt Mariloli & Marvin Odum Mr. & Mrs. John Oehler Steve & Sue Olson Valerie J. Sherlock Ms. Jennifer Owen & Mr. Ed Benyon Jane & Kenneth Owen Mr. & Mrs. Robert Page Mr. Jonathan Palmer Ms. Martha Palmer Christine & Robert Pastorek Mr. & Mrs. Raul Pavon Mr. David Peavy & Mr. Stephen McCauley Peter & Nina Peropoulos Mr. & Mrs. Walter Peterson JoAnn & John Petzold

Mr. & Mrs. Bob G. Phillips Ms. Debra Phillips Mrs. Meg Philpot Mr. & Mrs. Chester M. Pitts II Ms. Linda Posey Mr. & Mrs. James Postl Kim & Ted A. Powell Mr. Thomas Power Mrs. Dana Puddy Mr. & Mrs. David Pursell Mr. Patrick Quinn Dr. & Mrs. Henry H. Rachford Jr. Ms. Ranelle Randles Clinton & Leigh Rappole Mr. & Mrs. Mark S. Rauch Mr. Cameron Ray Mr. & Mrs. Michael A. Reeves Mr. & Mrs. Allan Reich Mrs. Laura L. Jones & Dr. David W. Reininger Mr. & Mrs. Hank & Karen Rennar Mrs. Linda Rhodes Brooke & Nathaniel Richards Ed & Janet Rinehart Ms. Lillie Robertson Mr. Floyd W. Robinson Mrs. Evie Ronald Dr. & Mrs. Franklin Rose Milton & Jill Rose Mr. & Mrs. Edward Ross Mr. & Mrs. Paul A. Ross Mr. Chadwick Royston Amanda Russell & Matt Calhoun Ms. Robin Russell Kent Rutter & David Baumann John & Mary Ryder Harold H. Sandstead, M.D. Mrs. Holly Sansing Dr. & Mrs. David Sapire Mr. & Mrs. Raymond E. Sawaya Mr. & Mrs. Eric Schaeffer Mr. Lawrence Schanzmeyer Beth & Lee Schlanger Dr. & Mrs. H. Irving Schweppe Jr. Donna Scott Mr. Joe L. Scott Charles & Andrea Seay Mr. Victor E. Serrato Mr. Don W. Shackelford Marcia & Victor Shainock Arthur & Ellen Shelton Ms. Angela Sherman Jo A. Simmons Mr. Geoff Simpson Mr. Ryan T. Sims Mr. & Mrs. Steve B. Sims Mr. Brinton Averil Smith & Ms. Evelyn Chen Mr. Hilary Smith & Ms. Lijda Vellekoop Mr. & Mrs. Tom Smith Dean & Kay Snider Mr. Charles E. Soderstrom Steve & Judy Sohn Mr. & Mrs. Richard Spies Ms. Georgiana Stanley Dr. & Mrs. C. Richard Stasney Mrs. Jeaneen Stastny Joyce Steensrud Karen & Bruce Steffler Mr. & Mrs. Alan Stein Mr. & Mrs. Arthur E. Stephens Mr. & Mrs. James R. Stevens Cassie B. Stinson & Dr. R. Barry Holtz Jack & Karen Stopnicki Dr. & Mrs. David Sufian Mr. Mark Sullivan Mrs. Mary Swafford Mr. Clifford A. Swanlund Jr. Barb Swartz Mr. & Mrs. Gregory D. Sweet Ms. Jeanine Swift Mr. & Mrs. Adam Szczepanski Mr. & Mrs. Albert S. Tabor Jr. Carol Tai

Mr. Garry Tanner Glenn Taylor Candace & Brian Thomas Jean & Doug Thomas Jacob & Elizabeth Thomas Eric & Carol Timmreck Mrs. Glenda C. Toole Mr. Gerard Trione Ms. Beverly Turner McDonald Mr. Eddie Turner John G. Turner & Jerry G. Fischer Mr. & Mrs. David M. Underwood Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Timothy J. Unger Mr. & Mrs. Duane Utecht Mr. & Mrs. Paolo Valente Susan J. & Gary W. Valka Mr. & Mrs. Donn K. Van Arsdall Dr. & Mrs. Gage Van Horn Mr. & Mrs. William A. Van Wie Matthew VanBesien & Rosanne Jowitt Ms. Jana Vander Lee Rachael & Jason Volz/ A Fare Extraordinaire Dr. & Mrs. Edward C. Wade Dean B. Walker Betty & Bill Walker Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Walt Mr. H. Richard Walton Alton & Carolyn Warren Mr. & Mrs. James A. Watt Mr. Chien-Wey Wei Ms. Bryony Jane Welsh Mr. & Mrs. Eden N. Wenig Mr. & Mrs. Andrew White Mr. & Mrs. Bradley White Mrs. Deanne White James & Pamela Wilhite Charline & Bill Wilkins Gene & Sandra Williams Mr. & Mrs. Sidney B. Williams Mr. & Mrs. Neil A. Wizel Ms. Beth Wolff Dr. & Mrs. Jerry S. Wolinsky Ms. Susan Wood Mr. & Mrs. Donald E. Woodard Jr. Drs. Randall & Crystal Wright David & Tara Wuthrich Mr. & Mrs. Haresh Yalamanchili Jenny & Chris Yarrow Mrs. Mary. V. Young Mr. & Mrs. Charles Zabriskie Mr. & Mrs. Stuart Zarrow Anonymous (14)

Director $500 - $999

Mr. & Mrs. W. Kendall Adam Donalee & Noel T. Adams Mr. & Mrs. Dan Ahuero William & Nancy Akers Mr. & Mrs. Michael Alexander Mr. Robert J. Alexander & Ms. Becky A. Stemper Ms. Joan Ambrogi Dr. Hesham M. Amin & Dr. Lara Ferrario Ms. Sally S. Andrews & Mr. James Nelson Mrs. Roya Arfa Corbin & Char Aslakson Mr. & Mrs. John C. Averett Mr. Henry Bair Mr. Bobby A. Baiza Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Gabriel Baizan Dr. Saul & Ursula Balagura Trace Trahan Bannerman Mr. & Mrs. Allen Barnhill Dan Barnum & Marilyn Lewis Mr. A. Greer Barriault & Ms. Clarruth A. Seaton Mr. & Mrs. David Barringer Dr. & Mrs. David Barry Ms. Bernice L. Beckerman Ms. Roberta Benson Mr. & Mrs. Frank R. Benton Mrs. Robert L. Berge

March 2015 41

Houston Symphony Donors Mr. Benedict Bertrand Mr. & Mrs. Alan L. Bigman Mr. Philip Booth Chris & Ruth Borman Anne & Edward Bornet Mr. & Mrs. Walter E. Bozeman Ms. Margaret Bragg James & Dale Brannon Sally & Carl Brassow Maurice & Karey Bresenhan Mr. Thomas N. Britton & Ms. Debra A. Ewing Mrs. Catherine Campbell Brock & Dr. Gary Brock Mr. Kevin P. Brophy Mr. J. W. Brougher Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Brougher Sally & Laurence Brown Mr. Eric Brueggeman Mr. Kurt Brungardt Mr. & Mrs. Larry W. Buck Mrs. Karen Buckwold Ms. Vicki P. Buxton Virginia & William Camfield Mr. & Mrs. J. Scott Campbell Phil & Michele Carey Mr. Richard N. Carrell Mr. Steven E. Chancellor Mr. & Mrs. E. Thomas Chaney Ms. Irene Chang Mr. Michael Chang / Directron.com Mr. & Mrs. Alan R. Christensen Mr. & Mrs. David A. Cockrell Dr. & Mrs. Martin Cohen Donna M. Collins Mr. & Mrs. Tulio Colmenares Mr. & Mrs. Clayton A. Compton Mr. H. Talbot Cooley Mr. & Mrs. Sam Cooper Ms. Miquel A. Correll Sarah & Ben Cotting Mr. & Mrs. Hugo Coumont Mr. & Mrs. John F. Crawford Mr. & Mrs. T. N. Crook Mr. Calvin Crossley Mr. & Mrs. Timothy J. Crull Mrs. Deborah Culp Mr. Carl R. Cunningham Nigel Curtlet Dr. Lida S. Dahm Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Dauber Masden & Lupita Davis Mr. Darryl de Mello Mr. Joseph A. Dellinger Dr. & Ms. Peter Dempsey James R. Denton Ms. Joan DerHovsepian Mr. & Mrs. Paul Destephano Ms. Elisabeth DeWitts Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Dokell Leland A. Dolan Col. & Mrs. John Jay Douglass Elizabeth H. Duerr Mr. Jean-Claude Dulac & Mrs. Nathalie Dulac-Forestier Ms. Emma Dunch & Ms. Elizabeth Scott Mr. & Mrs. Bill Edgmon Mr. Paul Ehrsam Mr. Ramsay M. Elder Mr. & Mrs. Billie Ellis Ruth W. Ereli Mr. & Mrs. James Etherton Mr. & Mrs. Robert M. Eury Robert H. Fain Jr., M.D. Mr. & Mrs. Michael D. Fertitta Mr. Jonathan Fischer Mr. & Mrs. Cecil Fong Ms. Eleanor Fontenot Mr. & Mrs. David Fortner Ms. Diane L. Freeman Bill & Diana Freeman Mr. & Mrs. Gibson Gayle Jr. Ms. Margaret Wendy Germani Ms. Josephine Gilmore Nancy Glanville Jewell

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Gary & Marion Glober Mr. & Mrs. David Glodt Mrs. Cathy Goettee Mr. Irving L. Gold, M.D.P.A. Helen B. Wils & Leonard Goldstein Mr. Bert & Patricia Gordon Dr. Harvey L. Gordon Mr. Mark Gordon & Mrs. Ilona C. Pall Dr. & Mrs. David Gorenstein Ms. Adelma Graham Mr. Garrett Graham Mr. David M. Gray Jr. & Ms. Mary A. Pearce Mr. & Mrs. Steve Greenberg Mrs. Adriana Greene Mr. Gerald Greiner Dr. Teruhiko Hagiwara Mr. & Mrs. Uzi Halevy Gaye & Dennis Halpin Mr. Brett L. Hamilton Mrs. Vickie Hamley Rita & John Hannah Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Harbachick Michael D. Hardin Mr. & Mrs. Tod P. Harding Bruce Harkness & Alice Brown W. Russel Harp & Maarit K. Savola-Harp Mr. Christopher K. Harris Thomas F. & Catherine Mary Hastings Mr. Michael Heath Mr. David T. Hedges Jr. Sheila & Isaac Heimbinder Mr. & Mrs. Jared N. Heindel Dr. & Mrs. William Heird Terry L. & Karen G. Henderson Mr. & Mrs. James P. Hennessy Mr. & Mrs. David Hergert Mr. & Mrs. Robert P. Herrmann Mr. & Mrs. Donald Herron Mr. & Mrs. W. Grady Hicks Jeannette & Brodrick Hill Susan Hodge Mr. Robert Hogan Mr. Todd Holowisky Mr. Scott Holshouser Patricia P. Hubbard Eric Boerwinkle & Vicki Huff Mr. & Mrs. Dean Huffman Mr. & Mrs. Mark Hull Mandi Hunsicker-Sallee Ms. Kimberly Isaac Ms. Kathy Jackson Mr. Mark Johansson Mr. & Mrs. Randal E. Jones Mr. & Mrs. Arnold M. Kaestner Dr. Richard A. Kasschau Mr. & Mrs. Yoshi Kawashima Mr. & Mrs. Craig M. Kercho Mr. & Mrs. James L. Ketelsen Dr. & Mrs. James Killian Mr. & Mrs. Sheldon M. Kindall Dave & Laura Kirk Dr. Carolyn Kneese Mr. Curtis Knobbe Mr. & Mrs. William H. Knull III Steve Dukes & Nobuhide Kobori Dr. & Mrs. James H. Krause Suzanne A. & Dan D. Kubin Mr. & Mrs. Todd Lachenmyer Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Lack Ramille Law Mr. Bryan LeBlanc Mr. Manuel Lemelle Dr. Daniel Lemke Mr. & Mrs. Earl L. Lester Jr. Ms. Megan Light Mr. Scott Link Priscilla L. List Ms. Sylvia Lohkamp Ms. Nina K. Lynn Mr. & Mrs. Peter MacGregor Mr. Rocky Mafrige Ms. Barbara Manna Ms. Renee Margolin Mr. & Mrs. Jesse Marion

Mr. & Mrs. David Martin Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Matiuk James G. Matthews Mr. R. Scott McCay Mr. & Mrs. Scott McCool Mr. & Mrs. Michael McGinity Ms. L. Dianne McGreevy Mr. George McKee Mr. & Mrs. Theron McLaren Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence McManus Mr. & Mrs. James L. McNett Dr. & Mrs. G. Walter McReynolds Ms. Maria Carolina Mendoza Ellen Ochoa & Coe F. Miles Mr. & Mrs. Herbert G. Mills Jennifer & David Mire Ms. Marsha L. Montemayor Mr. & Mrs. James Moore Mr. & Mrs. Jim K. Moore Mr. & Mrs. James T. Murphy Mr. & Mrs. Tyler Murphy Ms. Dorothy Sharp Myers Patience Myers & Murray Herbert Ms. Jennifer Naae Mr. & Mrs. David S. Neuberger Ms. Amy Ng Ms. Khanh Nguyen Ms. Kathryn O’Brien Mr. & Mrs. Rufus W. Oliver III Mr. Roel Olson Mr. Michael Ondrias & Dr. Dana Ondrias Ms. Judith Oppenheim Drs. M. & V. Orocofsky Mr. Edgar J. Ortiz Mr. & Mrs. Enrique Ospina Ms. Dianne Padgett Mr. & Mrs. Marc C. Paige John E. (Sandy) Parkerson Prof. & Mrs. Jordan Paust Jim & Arlene Payne Mr. & Mrs. Philip Peacock Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Penn Ed & Heidi Perkins Mr. & Mrs. William Phelps Grace & Carroll Phillips Mr. James D. Pitcock Jr. Mr. Robert W. Powell Mr. Mike Prichard Mr. & Mrs. J. E. Pybus Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Manuel E. Quintana Elias & Carole Qumsieh Agnieszka & Marat Rakhmatullaev Mr. & Mrs. Paul Ramirez Dr. & Mrs. Michael Rasmussen Mr. & Mrs. William B. Rawl Mr. Frederic Rechlin Mr. & Mrs. Dwain Reeves Ms. Louisa B. Reid Margaret & Walter Rhodes Ms. Amy Richards Mr. & Mrs. Guy Ridout Ms. Ellen Rienstra J. Jeff Robinson Mr. & Mrs. Paul R. Robinson Mr. & Mrs. Charles Rockwell Douglas & Alicia Rodenberger Mr. & Mrs. Keith A. Rogers Kelly & David Rose Mr. Autry W. Ross Mr. & Mrs. Alan Rossiter Mr. & Mrs. Gregory M. Ruffing Ms. Kimberly Ruona John W. Russo Mr. & Mrs. John E. Ryall Mr. Robert Ryan Ramon & Chula Sanchez Mr. Charles King Sanders Mr. & Mrs. Carl W. Sandlin Mr. & Mrs. Ross Saunders Ms. Cynthia Scanland Ms. Susan E. Scarrow Mrs. Myrna Schaffer Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Scheliga Mr. & Mrs. Ross Schoppe Drs. Helene & Robert Schwartz

Amanda & John Seaberg Ms. Elizabeth Shack Mr. & Mrs. Paul Shack Mr. & Mrs. Richard Shell Louis H. Skidmore Jr. Mr. Eric G. Smith Mr. Jason Smith John L. Snyder Mr. & Mrs. Richard J. Sommer Mary Louise Spencer Richard P. Steele & Mary J. McKerall Mr. & Mrs. Donald K. Steinman Mr. & Mrs. Michael Stelling Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Stewart Ms. Betsy J. Strong Mr. Alan Stuckert Ms. Kathy Suave Mr. Roger Suter & Ms. Lakessia Fry Mr. John L. Sutterby Amy Sutton & Gary Chiles Mr. & Mrs. Eric Swanson Dr. Jeffrey Sweterlitsch Mr. & Mrs. Robert B. Symon Mr. Monsour Taghdisi Dr. Shahin Tavackoli Mr. Kerry Taylor Mr. & Mrs. Gary Teletzke Mr. & Mrs. David K. Terry Stephen A. Tew, M.D. Mr. & Mrs. Troy Thacker Ms. Betsy Mims & Mr. Howard D. Thames Mrs. Marjorie Therrell Mr. & Mrs. Garrett Thompson Nancy & Peter Thompson Mr. Matthew Thornton Mr. & Mrs. Dale M. Tingleaf Mr. & Mrs. Roger Townsend Mr. Roger Trandell Mr. James Trippett Dr. Robert Ulrich & Ms. June R. Russell Ms. Patricia Van Allan Mr. & Mrs. David Vannauker Mr. Zachary Vazquez Mr. & Mrs. Chief Veith Ms. Laurette Veres Pieter & Janet Vrancken Ms. Elise Wagner Milton L. Wagner Mr. William Walker Dr. & Mrs. Kenneth W. Warren Mr. Frank Watson Mr. & Mrs. K.C. Weiner Don & Linda Weinmann Dr. & Mrs. Richard T. Weiss Ms. Amy E. Whitaker Dr. & Mrs. Robert E. White Ms. Sara E. White Kay & Doug Wilson Mr. & Mrs. Thomas H. Wilson Ms. Shelley Wisner Mr. Gerhard R. Wittich Dr. Dorothy Wong Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Wootton Marvin & Terry Woskow Family Fund Mr. & Mrs. Emil Wulfe Mr. Michael Wynhoff Ms. Alexandra Yates Mrs. Traci Young Mr. & Mrs. Mark Yzaguirre Mr. & Mrs. Frederick C. Zerke Mr. Dave Zinni Ms. Susan Zollers Anonymous (18) The Houston Symphony would like to thank the 5,187 individual donors that gave up to $499 over the past year.

As of January 1, 2015 To note any errors or omissions, please call Darryl de Mello at (713) 337-8529.

Houston Symphony POPS Donors Ima Hogg Society $150,000 or More Mr. George P. Mitchell Sybil F. Roos Centennial Society $100,000 - $149,000 Mr. & Mrs. Jim R. Smith Founder’s Society $75,000 - $99,000 Darlene & Cappy Bisso Maestro’s Society $50,000 -$74,999 Mr. & Mrs. Edward F. Blackburne Jr. Mr. Brian Teichman & Mr. Andrew Cordes Ms. Judith Vincent Concertmaster’s Society $25,000 - $49,999 Allen & Almira Gelwick Lockton Companies Susan & Dick Hansen Dr. Gary L. Hollingsworth & Dr. Ken Hyde Mr. & Mrs. U. J. LeGrange Dr. & Mrs. Michael Mann John & Bobbie Nau Mr. & Mrs. C. Clifford Wright Jr. Conductor’s Circle, Platinum $15,000 - $24,999 Graham & Janet Baker Mr. & Mrs. Fred L. Gorman Mrs. Gloria Pepper & Dr. Bernard Katz Ms. Nancey G. Lobb Ken & Carol Lee Robertson Jeanie Kilroy Wilson & Wallace S. Wilson Mr. & Mrs. Scott Wulfe Conductor’s Circle, Gold $10,000 - $14,999 Danielle & Josh Batchelor John & Candace Caley Mr. & Mrs. Bert Cornelison David & Cindy Deere John & Minerva Esquivel Janice & Allan King Mr. & Mrs. John N. Matzer III Martha & Marvin McMurrey Mr. & Mrs. Walter Scherr David & Paula Steakley Shirley & Joel Wahlberg Conductor’s Circle, Silver $7,500 - $9,999 Lilia Khakimova & C. Robert Bunch Roger & Debby Cutler Mr. Scott Ensell Evan B. Glick Mr. & Mrs. Jerry L. Hamaker Marianne & Robert Ivany, University of St. Thomas Bryan & Vickie McMicken Rita & Paul Morico Mr. & Mrs. Robert E. Nelson Roman & Sally Reed Linda & Jerry Rubenstein Conductor’s Circle, Bronze $5,000 - $7,499 Beth & Jim Barton Mr. & Mrs. Michael E. Bowman Rhona & Bruce Caress Mr. & Mrs. Thierry Caruso Connie & Byron Dyer Mr. & Mrs. Peter Fluor

Mr. & Mrs. Edd C. Hendee Mr. & Mrs. John P. Kotts Michael & Kelley Lang Ms. Lynne Lipsitz Terry & Kandee McGill Mr. Robert J. Pilegge Jean & Allan Quiat Vicky & Michael Richker Mr. & Mrs. George A. Rizzo Jr. Sally & Denney Wright Grand Patron $2,500 - $4,999 Mr. & Mrs. J. Emery Anderson Robert & Gwen Bray Dr. Christopher Buehler & Ms. Jill Hutchison Mr. & Mrs. Bruce G. Buhler Mr. & Mrs. James E. Dorsett Mr. & Mrs. Mike Ezzell Jo Lynn & Gregg Falgout/ Island Operating Company, Inc. Alice R. McPherson, M.D. Dr. & Mrs. Raghu Narayan Jeff & Pat Ponthier Mr. & Mrs. Ben A. Reid Shirley & Marvin Rich Richard & Anne Robbins Rosemarie & Jeff Roth Dr. & Mr. Adrian D. Shelley Mr. & Mrs. Charles Stewart Patron $1,000 - $2,499 Mr. & Mrs. Kingsley Agbor Mrs. Sally Alcorn Suan Angelo Sue Sue & Don Aron Martha & Stanley Bair Mr. & Mrs. Stephen J. Banks Dr. & Mrs. William S. Banks III Donald & Dottie Bates Ms. Deborah S. Bautch Mr. Allen J. Becker Mr. John S. Beury Mr. & Mrs. Robert Bixler Mr. & Mrs. W. Carter Bliss Mr. & Mrs. George Boss Ellen Box Ms. Patricia K. Boyd Ms. Barbara A. Brooks Richard & Marcia Churns Mrs. Midge Colton Mr. & Mrs. William V. Conover II Mr. & Mrs. Michael F. Cook Marilyn & Tucker Coughlen Mr. & Mrs. Robert Creager Ms. Ann Currens Mr. & Mrs. David Dybell Mr. & Mrs. Richard Fanning Barbara Dokell & Larry Finger Mark Folkes & Christopher Johnston Carol & Larry Fradkin Betsy Garlinger Mr. & Mrs. James K. Garner Mr. & Mrs. John Geigel Mr. & Mrs. Angelo Giardino Julius & Suzan Glickman Ms. Shari Glover & Mr. James King Ms. Melissa Goodman Mr. & Mrs. Charles R. Hall Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Hansen Ms. Kay Hanson-Clerc Mr. & Mrs. Franklin J. Harberg Jr. Mr. & Mrs. George A. Helland Ms. Margy Keaton Rex & Marillyn King Michael & Darcy Krajewski

Mrs. Nancy Lease Gerrit Leeftink Mr. & Mrs. Barry I. Levine Kathleen & Tom Mach Mr. & Mrs. Pat Mann Mr. & Mrs. Michael L. Mason Steve & Linda Massie Mr. & Mrs. Alan May Jr. Pinet & Jim McBride Mr. & Mrs. David R. McKeithan Jr. Joy & Gary Noble Mrs. Kay Onstead Mr. Kim Parker Margaret & V. Scott Pignolet Mr. & Mrs. Gary Prentice W. R. Purifoy Judy & Bill Pursell Dr. & Mrs. Albert E. Raizner Venu & Elsie Rao Mr. & Mrs. John T. Riordan Mr. James L. Robertson Soren & Annetta Rose Brenda & Mansel Rubenstein Mr. Morris Rubin Ms. Cinda Schaffer Mr. & Mrs. James Schulz Mrs. Lynda G. Seaman Charlotte Stafford Mr. & Mrs. Nick Stratigakis Mr. & Mrs. Karl Strobl Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Symko Mr. & Mrs. Charles Trinh Ms. Jeanine M. Van Wagenen Ms. Jody Verwers Dr. & Mrs. Brad Wertman Nancy & Scott Wynant Anonymous (3)

Joe & Ann Palm Esther & Gary Polland Mr. O. M. Rogers Ms. Stacey Saunders & Mr. Jeff Smith Claudette & Tim Shaunty Mr. Michael Shawiak Mr. Jerry Siemers Mr. & Mrs. Bruce S. Smith Jerilyn Stanka Ms. Judith Starr Dr. & Mrs. Frank C. Sung Mr. & Mrs. Carl N. Tongberg Mr. & Mrs. Don Wilton Anonymous (5) The Houston Symphony would like to thank the 5,187 individual donors that gave up to $499 over the past year.

As of January 1, 2015 To note any errors or omissions, please call Darryl de Mello at (713) 337-8529.

Director $500 - $999 Mr. & Mrs. William R. Allen Mr. & Mrs. T. Michael Andrews Ms. Dorothy G. Blackwell Dr. & Mrs. R. L. Brenner Mr. Jay T. Brown Mr. & Mrs. Ray Butler Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Cantrell Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Paul D. Chapman Dr. Cecil Christensen Mr. & Mrs. Marion Collins Ms. Julie Conner Carlo & Vicki Corso Mr. Warren Dean Mr. & Mrs. George Dobbin John & Joyce Eagle Carolyn & Russell Egan Mildred & Richard Ellis Mr. John Eymann Ms. Carolyn Faulk Sandra & Steven Finkelman Jessica Ford Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Grafton Mr. & Mrs. Dale Hardy Ann & Bill Heim Ms. Hope Hernandez Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Hill Elizabeth & Bob Houston Mr. & Mrs. Joe D. Koshkin Mr. & Mrs. Wilfred M. Krenek Mr. Kent Lacy Dr. Monica Lett Mr. & Mrs. Roger Lindgren Ms. Doris M. Magee Ms. Karen E. Manyak Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth C. Margolis Mr. & Mrs. Bert Neece Mr. & Mrs. Dan Neskora March 2015 43

LEGACY SOCIETY The Legacy Society honors those who have included the Houston Symphony Endowment in their long-term estate plans through bequests, life-income gifts or other deferred-giving arrangements. Members of the Legacy Society enjoy a variety of benefits, including patron lounge access as well as an annual musical event. The Houston Symphony Endowment would like to extend its deepest thanks to the members of the Legacy Society-and with their permission, we are pleased to acknowledge them below. If you would like to learn more about ways to provide for the Houston Symphony Endowment in your estate plans, please contact Patrick Quinn, Director, Planned Giving, at (713) 337-8532 or patrick.quinn@houstonsymphony.org.

Dr. & Mrs. George J. Abdo Daniel B. Barnum Janice H. Barrow George & Betty Bashen Dr. Joan Hacken Bitar Dorothy B. Black Ermy Borlenghi Bonfield Joe Brazzatti Zu Broadwater Terry Ann Brown Joan K. Bruchas & H. Philip Cowdin Mr. Christopher & Mrs. Erin Brunner Eugene R. Bruns Drs. Dennis & Susan Carlyle Sylvia J. Carroll Dr. Robert N. Chanon Janet F. Clark William J. Clayton & Margaret A. Hughes Mr. William E. Colburn Dr. Lida S. Dahm Leslie Barry Davidson Harrison R.T. Davis Judge & Mrs. Harold DeMoss Jr. Jean & *Jack Ellis The Aubrey & Sylvia Farb Family Eugene Fong Ginny Garrett Lila-Gene George Michael B. George Mauro H. Gimenez & Connie A. Coulomb Stephen & Mariglyn Glenn Evan B. Glick Jo A. & Billie Jo Graves Randolph Lee Groninger Mr. and Mrs. Jerry L. Hamaker Mrs. Gloria Herman Marilyn & Robert M. Hermance Dr. Gary L. Hollingsworth Dr. Edward J. & Mrs. Patti Hurwitz Kenneth Hyde Brian James

Dr. Rita Justice Dr. and Mrs. Ira Kaufman, M.D. John S. W. Kellett Ann Kennedy & Geoffrey Walker Dr. & Mrs. I. Ray Kirk Mr. & Mrs. U. J. LeGrange Mrs. Frances E. Leland Dr. Mary R. Lewis Ms. Nancey G. Lobb E. W. Long Jr. Joella & Steven P. Mach Sandra Magers Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis Jay & Shirley Marks James G. Matthews Dr. and Mrs. Malcolm L. Mazow Betty & Gene McDavid Charles E. McKerley Mr. & Mrs. Alexander K. McLanahan Mr. and Mrs. D. Bradley McWilliams Catherine Jane Merchant Dr. & Mrs. Robert M. Mihalo Ron Mikita Katherine Taylor Mize Ione Moran Sidney Moran Sue A. Morrison & Children in memory of Walter J. Morrison Richard & Juliet Moynihan Gretchen Ann Myers John Neighbors in memory of Jean Marie Neighbors Bobbie Newman John & Leslie Niemand Dave G. Nussmann Edward C. Osterberg Jr. John & Cynthia Onstott Imogen “Immy� Papadopoulos Robert A. Peiser Sara M. Peterson Geraldine Smith Priest

Gloria G. Pryzant Mrs. Dana Puddy Walter Ross Mr. & Mrs. Clive Runnells Mr. Charles King Sanders Charles & Andrea Seay Mr. & Mrs. James A. Shaffer Dr. & Mrs. Kazuo Shimada Lisa & Jerry Simon Jule & Albert Smith Mr. & Mrs. Louis J. Snyder Mike & *Anita Stude Emily H. & David K. Terry Stephen G. Tipps Steve Tostengard in memory of Ardyce Tostengard Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor Dr. Carlos Vallbona & Children Jana Vander Lee Margaret Waisman, M.D. & Steven S. Callahan, Ph.D. Dean B. Walker David M. Wax & Elaine Arden Cali Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber Robert G. Weiner Vicki West, in honor of Hans Graf Geoffrey Westergaard Nancy Willerson Jennifer R. Wittman Daisy S. Wong / JCorp Jo Dee Wright Lorraine & Ed Wulfe David & Tara Wuthrich Katherine Yzaguirre, in honor of Betty & Jesse Tutor Edith & Robert Zinn Anonymous (8) As of January 1, 2015 *Deceased

IN MEMORIAM We honor the memory or those who in life included the Houston Symphony Endowment in their estate plans. Their thoughtfulness and generosity will continue to inspire and enrich lives for generations to come!

Mr. Thomas D. Barrow W. P. Beard Mrs. H. Raymond Brannon Anthony Brigandi Lawrence E. Carlton, M.D. Mrs. Albert V. Caselli Lee Allen Clark Jack Ellis Mrs. Robin A. Elverson Frank R. Eyler Dr. & Mrs. Larry L. Fedder Helen Bess Fariss Foster Christine E. George Mr. & Mrs. Keith E. Gott John Wesley Graham 44

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Mrs. Marcella Levine Harris General & Mrs. Maurice Hirsch Miss Ima Hogg Burke & Octavia Holman Dr. Blair Justice Mrs. L. F. McCollum Joan B. McKerley Doretha Melvin Monroe L. Mendelsohn Jr. Mrs. Janet Moynihan Arthur Newman Constantine S. Nicandros Hanni Orton Stewart Orton, Legacy Society co-founder

Dr. Michael Papadopoulos Miss Louise Pearl Mr. Howard Pieper Walter W. Sapp, Legacy Society co-founder J. Fred & Alma Laws Lunsford Schultz Ms. Jean R. Sides John K. & Fanny W. Stone Dorothy Barton Thomas Mrs. Harry C. Weiss Mrs. Edward Wilkerson

LEADERSHIP COUNCIL Leadership Council donors have committed $45,000 or more in support of the Annual Fund, special projects and fundraising events over a three-year period ($15,000+ annually). For more information or to pledge your support, please contact David Chambers, Chief Development Officer, at (713) 337-8525 or Mark Folkes, Senior Director, Development, at (713) 337-8521.

Graham & Janet Baker Ms. Nancey G. Lobb Mr. & Mrs. Walter V. Boyle Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis Justice Brett & Erin Busby Terence Murphree Janet F. Clark John Neighbors in memory of Jean Marie Neighbors Mr. Richard Danforth Susan & Edward Osterberg Gene & Linda Dewhurst Gloria & Joe Pryzant The Elkins Foundation Donna & Tim Shen Angel & Craig Fox Lisa & Jerry Simon Allen & Almira Gelwick – Lockton Companies Nancy & David Tai The Melbern G. & Susan M. Glasscock Foundation Stephen & Kristine Wallace Mr. & Mrs. Fred L. Gorman Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber Mr. & Mrs. U. J. LeGrange Mr. & Mrs. C. Clifford Wright Jr.

VINTAge virtuoso Every year, Spec’s Charitable Foundation invites member of the wine and liquor industry to come together for an event to benefit the Houston Symphony’s Education and Community Programming.

The event has grown from dozens of people to dozens of companies coming together to support the Symphony with representatives bringing products for all to taste and share. This year’s event was held on Thursday, December 11, 2014.

The Houston Symphony and Spec’s Charitable Foundation thank all of the donors to this event.

Platinum Republic National Distributing Company Glazers Gold Diageo Beam Suntory Freixenet USA Bacardi USA Brown Forman Pernod Ricard Silver E&J Gallo Proximo The Wine Group William Grant & Sons Zonin USA

Bronze Anheuser-Busch Silver Eagle Distributors Favorite Brands Anchor Distilling Company Banfi Vintners Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits Tito’s Handmade Vodka The Patron Spirits Company NewQuest Properties Classified Wine & Blue Ventures Kobrand Wines Palm Bay International Serendipity Wine Imports Bank of America Merrill Lynch Harco Insurance Services Truno Retail Technology Solutions

Underwriters Pernod Ricard Luxco Harco Insurance Services Alexander Valley Vineyards Zonin USA V2 Wine Group Other Robert & Phoebe Tudor Aquinas Companies, Yellow Rose Distilling & Cherie Rice

BIOgraphy continued from page 15 | Blockbuster Film Scores | march 5, 6, 7, 8 formed with the Cleveland and Philadelphia Orchestras; the Boston and Cincinnati Pops; the San Francisco, Baltimore, Detroit, Indianapolis, Seattle, Dallas, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and National Symphonies; and numerous other orchestras across the United States. In Canada, he has led Ottawa’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic, and the Edmonton, Winnipeg and KitchenerWaterloo Symphonies.

Mike is the conductor of the video Silver Screen Serenade with violinist Jenny Oaks Baker that aired worldwide on BYU Broadcasting. He has led the Houston Symphony on two holiday

albums: Glad Tidings and Christmas Festival. This season, he conducts his original Sounds of Simon & Garfunkel program all over North America featuring national touring artists AJ Swearingen and Jonathan Beedle. His other collaborative programs have included Jason Alexander, Roberta Flack, Judy Collins, Art Garfunkel, Ben Folds and many more.

With degrees from Wayne State University in Detroit and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Mike furthered his training at the Pierre Monteux Domaine School for Conductors. He lives in Orlando, Florida, with his wife, Darcy.

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CORPORATE, FOUNDATION AND GOVERNMENT PARTNERS The Houston Symphony is proud to recognize the leadership support of our corporate, foundation and government partners that allow the orchestra to reach new heights in musical performance, education and community engagement for Greater Houston and the Gulf Coast Region. For further information on becoming a corporate donor to the Houston Symphony, please contact Martin Schleuse at (713) 337-8537 or martin.schleuse@houstonsymphony.org. For more information on becoming a foundation or government partner, please contact David Chambers at (713) 337-8525 or david.chambers@houstonsymphony.org.

HOUSTON SYMPHONY BUSINESS COUNCIL Co-Chairs Ralph Burch, ConocoPhillips David Wuthrich, Cadence Bank Business Council Host Committee: Prentiss Burt, J.P. Morgan Chase Brett Busby, Texas Court of Appeals, 14th District Janet F. Clark, Marathon Oil Corporation (retired) Ryan Colburn, Regions Bank Cindy Deere, Shell Oil Company Gene Dewhurst, Falcon Seaboard Diversified Mike Doherty, Frost Bank David Frankfort, Deutsche Bank Ron Franklin, McGuireWoods, LLP Allen Gelwick, Lockton Companies, LLC Mauro Gimenez, Russell Reynolds Associates Kathleen Hayes, Merrill Lynch

Steven P. Mach, Mach Industrial Group, LP Michael Mann, Mann Eye Institute Paul Mann, Mann Eye Institute David Massin, Wells Fargo Billy McCartney, Flat Rock Development, LLC Paul Morico, Baker Botts L.L.P. Dana Ondrias, Mann Eye Institute Ed Osterberg, Mayer Brown, LLP Robert A. Peiser, Parkton Group Greg Powers, Halliburton David Pruner, Wood Mackenzie Ltd. Stephen Pryor, ExxonMobil Chemical Co. Ron Rand, Rand Group, LLC

John Rydman, Spec’s Wines, Spirits and Finer Foods Manolo Sanchez, BBVA Compass Jerry Simon, Northern Trust L. Proctor Thomas, Baker Botts L.L.P. (retired) William J. Toomey, BB&T Bobby Tudor, Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Company Jesse B. Tutor, Accenture (retired) Margaret Waisman, Affiliated Dermatologists of Houston Fredric Weber, Norton Rose Fulbright Beth Wolff, Beth Wolff Realtors Ed Wulfe, Wulfe & Co. Frank Yonish, Bank of Texas

Corporate partners As of October 1, 2014

Grand Guarantor, $150,000 and above BBVA Compass * Houston First Corporation * KTRK ABC-13 * Oliver Wyman * Spec’s Charitable Foundation/ Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods Guarantor, $100,000 and above Chevron ConocoPhillips * Houston Methodist * Houston Public Media – Classical 91.7 FM; News 88.7 FM; Channel 8 PBS Palmetto Partners Ltd./The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation * PaperCity * Telemundo * United Airlines Underwriter, $50,000 and above * Baker Botts L.L.P. * BB&T Cameron International Corporation * Cameron Management * The Events Company ExxonMobil Frost Bank GDF SUEZ Energy North America * Geo. H. Lewis & Sons Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo * Jackson and Company Kalsi Engineering Medistar Corporation * Rand Group, LLC Shell Oil Company

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Sponsor, $25,000 and above Andrews Kurth LLP Bank of America The Boeing Company * Bright Star Chubb Group of Insurance Companies Enterprise Product Partners L.P. * Gittings Houston Baptist University * Houston Chronicle JPMorgan Chase KPMG LLP Mann Eye Institute and Laser Center Marathon Oil Corporation McGuireWoods, LLP * Neiman Marcus Northern Trust Norton Rose Fulbright Regions Bank * Silver Circle Audio SPIR STAR, Ltd. Vinson & Elkins LLP Wells Fargo

Supporter, $10,000 and above * Abrahams Oriental Rugs * Agua Hispanic Marketing CenterPoint Energy * Crown Castle International Corp.

Emerson Enbridge Energy Company Excel Diagnostics & Nuclear Oncology Center Nordstrom Schlumberger, Ltd. Star Furniture * Zenfilm

Partner, $15,000 and above Anadarko Petroleum Corporation Bank of Texas * City Kitchen East West Bank Ernst & Young LLP Gorman’s Uniform Service Halliburton Independent Bank Laredo Construction, Inc. Locke Lord LLP Lockton Companies of Houston Macy’s Marine Foods Express, LTD. USI Insurance Services LLC

Patron, Gifts below $5,000 Adolph Locklar, Intellectual Property Law Firm Beth Wolff Realtors Boulware & Valoir Intertek La Esperanza Oil & Gas, LLC / La Esperanza Christian Foundation Marsh & McLennan SEI, Global Institutional Group Smith, Graham & Company Stewart Title Company TAM International, Inc.

Benefactor, $5,000 and above Barclay’s Wealth and Investment Management Beck Redden LLP Goldman Sachs Louis Vuitton Plains All American Randalls Food Markets Russell Reynolds Associates, Inc. Spectra Energy University of St. Thomas Wortham Insurance and Risk Management

* Includes in-kind support

CORPORATE, FOUNDATION AND GOVERNMENT PARTNERS CORPORATE MATCHING GIFTS As of October 1, 2014 Aetna Aon Apache Corporation Bank of America BBVA Compass Boeing

BP Foundation Caterpillar Chevron Chubb Group Coca-Cola ConocoPhillips Eli Lilly and Company

ExxonMobil Freeport - McMoRan Oil & Gas General Electric General Mills Goldman, Sachs & Company Halliburton Hewlett-Packard

Houston Endowment IBM ING Financial Services Corporation KBR Merrill Lynch NAACO Industries, Inc.

Neiman Marcus Northern Trust Occidental Petroleum Phillips 66 Shell Oil Company Spectra Energy Williams Companies, Inc.

IN KIND DONORS As of October 1, 2014 A Fare Extraordinaire Alexander’s Fine Portrait Design Alpha-Lee Enterprises, Inc. Aspire Executive Coaching, LLC Bergner & Johnson Bering’s BKD, LLP Boat Ranch Classical 91.7 FM Cognetic Culinaire Carl R. Cunningham DLG Research & Marketing Solutions

Elaine Turner Designs Elegant Events by Michael Elsie Smith Design The Events Company Festari Foster Quan LLP Gucci Hilton Americas – Houston Hotel Granduca Hotel Icon Houston Astros Houston Grand Opera Houston Texans Intercontinental Hotel Houston JOHANNUS Organs of Texas

John L. Wortham & Son, L.P. John Wright/Textprint JW Marriott Houston Downtown Kuhl-Linscomb The Lancaster Hotel Limb Design Martha Turner Properties Meera Buck & Associates Michael’s Cookie Jar Minuteman Press – Post Oak Momentum Jaguar Music & Arts New Leaf Publishing, Inc. Nos Caves Vin Pro/Sound

Rice University Richard Brown Orchestra Saint Arnold’s Brewery Saks Fifth Avenue Shecky’s Media, Inc. Singapore Airlines Staging Solutions Stewart Title The Events Company Tony’s Tootsies Valobra Jewelry & Antiques Versace Village Greenery Yahama

FOUNDATIONS AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES As of October 1, 2014

Diamond Guarantor, $1,000,000 and above Houston Symphony Endowment Houston Symphony League The Wortham Foundation, Inc. Premier Guarantor, $500,000 and above The Brown Foundation, Inc. City of Houston and Theater District Improvement, Inc. The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Principal Guarantor, $250,000 and above Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation/ The Alkek and Williams Foundation City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board The Cullen Foundation Grand Guarantor, $150,000 and above M. D. Anderson Foundation Guarantor, $100,000 and above Houston Endowment The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation/Palmetto Partners Ltd.

Underwriter, $50,000 and above The Elkins Foundation The Fondren Foundation The Humphreys Foundation The John P. McGovern Foundation The Robbins Foundation

Supporter, $10,000 and above The Carleen & Alde Fridge Foundation Petrello Family Foundation The Powell Foundation The Vivian L. Smith Foundation Anonymous

Sponsor, $25,000 and above Beauchamp Foundation Ray C. Fish Foundation Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation National Endowment for the Arts Sterling-Turner Foundation

Benefactor, $5,000 and above LTR Lewis Cloverdale Foundation William E. and Natoma Pyle Harvey Charitable Foundation William S. and Lora Jean Kilroy Foundation The Schissler Foundation The Scurlock Foundation Keith and Mattie Stevenson Foundation

Partner, $15,000 and above Ruth and Ted Bauer Family Foundation The Cockrell Foundation The Melbern G. and Susanne M. Glasscock Foundation Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation The Hood-Barrow Foundation Houston Symphony Chorus Endowment Houston Symphony League Bay Area Radoff Family Foundation Strake Foundation Texas Commission on the Arts The Vaughn Foundation

Patron, Gifts below $5,000 Diamond Family Foundation First Junior Woman’s Club of Houston The Helmle-Shaw Foundation Huffington Foundation Leon Jaworski Foundation Kinder Morgan Foundation Robert W. & Pearl Wallis Knox Foundation The Lillian Kaiser Lewis Foundation The Lubrizol Foundation The Oshman Foundation Chester Pitts Foundation State Employee Charitable Campaign

March 2015 47

BACKSTAGE PASS

Eric Arbiter, bassoon Beginnings: I was born in Yonkers, New York.

Education: I earned my BME from Oberlin Conservatory of Music in 1972 and my MM from Cleveland Institute of Music in 1974. photo by anthony rathbun

With the Houston Symphony: I joined the Symphony in September 1974.

Eric Arbiter is not only an exceptional musician, but he is also the creative mastermind and photographer behind the Houston Symphony musician portrait wall on the Mezzanine level of Jones Hall.

The idea for the portrait wall: The portrait wall grew out of an idea that began about 15 years ago. Just prior to that time, the orchestra had a set of portraits done. When that initial series was finished, the musicians were disappointed with the results. Due to organizational and time constraints, the portraits resembled driver’s license photographs more than real portraits. That’s when M.O.T.H.S. (Musicians of the Houston Symphony, now Interplay/ MOTHS) decided we would produce our own portraits.

Creative goals: I’ve been a photographer since college and have continued to study the art. I was always interested in the great classic photographers. One of the most compelling things about their images is that they are memorable. I wanted the musicians’ portraits to also have that quality by creating a strong visual impression—a kind of still life with musician and instrument.

Most importantly, though, I wanted to convey a sense of each musician’s unique personality. And I knew that would require a substantial amount of time.

I set aside at least an hour with each musician. I invited the musician in for a visit before the work began. We had a cup of tea or coffee and talked about the way we’d do the session. I always had music playing and incense burning to make the environment relaxing. Sometimes I’d show the musician a few of the finished images from a colleague’s session so they could see the general “flavor” of what we were doing—the lighting, the naturalness of the results, etc.

Luckily, my artistic goals matched one of M.O.T.H.S.’ guiding principles: to present the musicians of the Houston Symphony as real live people, and to make a personal connection between the musicians and our audience. Our feeling has always been if we could forge that connection, the audience would have a palpable connection with the whole organization. If our audiences get to have some sense of knowing who the musicians are, this gives both a sense of connection with the musicians themselves and also real humanity to the music we play. That goes both ways, too: When we have some sense of who our audience is, we have more connection with them as well. I think the music benefits from the musicians and audience members having some sense of the other.

About the portrait sittings: Well, this was the most interesting and fun aspect of the project for me. In order to make a successful portrait, the sitter has to feel safe and trust the photographer. The camera doesn’t lie. This is one reason I wanted to do the project— because I have known most of the musicians for a long time.

The hard part was to get the musicians to schedule a sitting!

We are all busy. The project commenced in summer 2007. In September 2013, when we were getting ready for the orchestra’s centennial, I had done only about half of the musicians’ portraits. It was at that point that one of the musicians, Christine Pastorek, volunteered to set up appointments and get the rest of the musicians in for their sessions. With Chris’ help we finished the second half of the orchestra in about six months! I couldn’t have done it without her organizational skills!

The process as a whole was very interesting. Each one was, in a way, unique—just as each musician is unique. I kept the studio the same: one background, one main strobe flash unit with a softbox and a reflector. I never knew when during the hour we’d hit our collective stride. Sometimes there would be a string of strong shots at the beginning or it might take a while to find a good working relationship. Or sometimes I couldn’t get my own vision clear enough or the sitter’s comfort level right until near the end of the sessions.

Sometimes I got the best shots when I told the sitter I thought we were done!

The great thing about working in digital is that when I put together a particularly good image I could show it to the musician immediately. I encouraged the musicians to move around freely, to play or not to play; I’d work from both sides studying the light and how it illuminated their faces. Typically, I would make about 500 images of each colleague during the hour. I tried not to “pose” the shots, and I never asked a musician to smile. If you want to get a terrible, false-looking smile, that’s a sure way to do it.

To read more about Eric’s work on the Musician Portrait project, please visit houstonsymphonyblog.org.

Eric Arbiter is sponsored by The Julia & Albert Smith Foundation.

Proud sponsor of Backstage Pass and publisher of Houston Symphony Magazine www.newleafinc.com 48

www.houstonsymphony.org