Houston Symphony Chorus

As the creator of more than 100 orchestral arrangements for the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Steven’s work has been performed worldwide, and can be heard on numerous Cincinnati Pops Orchestra recordings on the Telarc label. His symphonic works Celebration Fanfare, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Casey at the Bat are performed frequently in North America, including performances by the New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic. His Sun Valley Festival Fanfare commemorated the Sun Valley Summer Symphony’s pavilion, and his Festival Te Deum and Swan’s Island Sojourn were debuted by the Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops Orchestras. His numerous wind ensemble compositions are published by the C.L. Barnhouse Company and are performed by concert bands worldwide. A native of Ohio, Steven is a graduate of Miami University of Ohio, where he earned bachelor of music degrees with honors in both trumpet performance and music composition. He lives in New York City with his husband, Eric Gabbard.

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Betsy Cook Weber

Director

Brian Miller, Chorus Manager Scott Holshouser, Pianist Tony Sessions, Librarian/Stage Manager

HOUSTON SYMPHONY CHORUS

The Houston Symphony Chorus, under the direction of Betsy Cook Weber since 2014, is the official choral unit of the Houston Symphony and consists of highly skilled and talented volunteer singers. Over the years, members of this historic ensemble have learned and performed the world’s great choralorchestral masterworks under the batons of Andrés OrozcoEstrada, Hans Graf, Christoph Eschenbach, Robert Shaw, and Helmut Rilling, among many others. In addition, the Chorus enjoys participating in the Houston Symphony’s popular programming under the batons of conductors such as Steven Reineke and Michael Krajewski. Recently, the ensemble sang the closing subscription concerts with the Prague Symphony Orchestra in the Czech Republic. Singers are selected for specific programs for which they have indicated interest. A singer might choose to perform in all 45 concerts, as was the case in a recent season, or might elect to participate in a single series. The Houston Symphony Chorus holds auditions by appointment and welcomes inquiries from interested singers.

BETSY COOK WEBER, DIRECTOR

Dr. Betsy Cook Weber was appointed director of the Houston Symphony Chorus in 2014. Under her leadership, the Chorus has performed more than 200 concerts with repertoire as varied as Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem and Video Games Live. She has collaborated with some of the world’s best conductors, including Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Steven Reineke, Michael Krajewski, Jane Glover, Christoph Eschenbach, and Nicholas McGegan. She has led the HSC and HS Chamber Singers on two European tours to the Czech Republic in 2017 and to Poland and Germany in 2019, including a performance at the world-renowned Bachfest in Leipzig. Betsy also serves as a Madison Endowed Professor of Music and director of choral studies at the University of Houston Moores School of Music. There, she teaches a full load of coursework, oversees the large and varied choral area at the Moores School, and is internationally active as a conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and lecturer. In addition to appearances throughout the United States, she looks forward to engagements in the United Kingdom, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Sweden, Czechia, Hungary, and Germany in the coming year.

The University of Houston Moores School Concert Chorale, which she directs, has established a reputation as one of the world’s finest collegiate choirs and has been a featured choir at multiple state (2002, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2017) and national conventions (ACDA 2007, 2017, NCCO 2017). Internationally, Chorale has received acclaim at six prestigious competitions in Wales, France, Germany, Hungary, and Italy, winning or placing in every category in which it was entered. In 2015, Musica mundi, in its ranking of the top 1,000 choirs in the world, placed UH Concert Chorale #1 in its age category and #3 among all choirs worldwide. In 2013, Betsy became the 13th person and first woman to receive the Texas Choral Director Association’s coveted Texas Choirmaster Award. She holds degrees from the University of North Texas, Westminster Choir College (Princeton, NJ), and the University of Houston.

Music Director Designate Juraj Valčuha Conducts Beethoven 9

Mary Ann Addis Jennifer Agbu Bob Alban Ramona Alms Joe Anzaldua Jennifer Appleby Mansi Baxi Justin Becker Dave Blassingame Randy Boatright Cris Bocanegra Jonathan Bordelon Janene Bostwick Emily Boudreaux Timothy Boyer Nancy Bratic Jennifer Breneman Mischa Brinkmeyer James Bue Jamie Calvert Cassie Campbell Tatiana Chavanelle Bill Cheadle Nikki Colby Bill Cowan Michael Dorn Randy Eckman Paul Ehrsam Chris Fair Brianna Fernandez Amanda FetterMatthys Ian Fetterley Julia FitzGerald Jim Friedhofer Katie Fry Joseph Frybert Rachel Gehman Mike Gilbert Rex Gillit Robert Gomez Hannah Gronseth Sandra Haggray Will Hailey Julia Hall Jennifer Harris Scott Hassett Matthew Henderson Megan Henry MaryKate Hotaling Catherine Howard George Howe Sylvia Hysong Steve James Rodney Jones Chris Kersten Michael Kessler Mark Kim Nobu Kobori David Kolacny Elizabeth Kragas Karen Lach Yoka Larasati Brian Lassinger Ben Luss Jarrod Martin Ken Mathews Nathan McCarty Scott Mermelstein Melissa Miles Travis Mohle Daniel Monroy Jim Moore Robert Nash Benedict Nguyen Christine Oakes Theresa Olin David Opheim Janwin OverstreetGoode Bill Parker Jennifer Paulson Ariella Perlman Melanie Piche Miller Chantel Potvin Lauren Price Greg Railsback Linda Renner Graeme Richmond Doug Rodenberger Carolyn Rogan Grace Roman Jim Roman James Romig Jennifer Romig Scott Roth Katherine Sadler Emily Sanders Paloma Santamaría Alex Schaaf Angela Seaman Tony Sessions Lauren Smith Ashley Sorensen Dewell Springer Mark Standridge Carol Strawn Todd Swann Carlin Truong Paul Van Dorn Abby Veliz Sarai Villatoro Mary Voigt Heidi Walton Jenny Warkentin Jo Beth Wasicek Kat White Lance Wilcox Lee Williams

CHORUS ROSTER