InTune | March 2023

InTUNE

Dvořák Violin Concerto & Sibelius 1

Brahms Piano Concerto 1 & Dvořák 8

Let’s Misbehave: The Songs of Cole Porter

welcome to the houston symphony

Dear Music Lovers,

We have quite a March in store for you at the Houston Symphony. Our Principal POPS Conductor Steven Reineke returns, we welcome two outstanding guest conductors, and we’re out and about in the community, with more than 100 activities planned for our musicians between now and the end of our season in May.

We kick things off with one of the most distinguished conductors before the public today, Osmo Vänskä, who recently concluded a triumphant 19-year tenure as music director of the Minnesota Orchestra. He’ll lead music by fellow Finn Lotta Wennäkowski, Dvořák (the tuneful Violin Concerto, with soloist Tai Murray), and Sibelius (March 3–5). Then we’re joined by the newly appointed music director of the Baltimore Symphony, Jonathon Heyward. He’ll make his Houston Symphony debut with works by Carlos Simon, Brahms (the colossal First Piano Concerto, with the incomparable Stephen Hough at the keyboard), and more Dvořák—the Eighth Symphony, which the orchestra recorded so successfully for Pentatone in recent years (March 10–12).

We finish our concerts this month with Steven Reineke and audience favorite Tony DeSare. They’ll pay tribute to the inimitable invention of Cole Porter with Let’s Misbehave, an evening of favorites from his songbook. Tony was last with us two years ago

for our Big Band New Year celebration, and I for one can’t wait to hear him again with our orchestra (March 17–19).

When we’re not on stage at Jones Hall, we’re out in the community. You can read about the invaluable contributions of our African American and Hispanic Leadership Councils (page 15) and our residency at Carver High School (page 14) in this month’s InTune. I also want to share that we just wrapped up our biggest year yet of Student Concerts since the pandemic, performing for more than 43,500 young people in 20 concerts here at Jones Hall, at Houston Christian University, and at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands.

We couldn’t do any of this without you. Your attendance, and your donations, make our concerts and our community engagement and education work possible. Thank you for being with us, and enjoy the performance!

All my best,

Executive Director/CEO

Margaret Alkek Williams Chair

your symphony experience

JONES HALL

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

CONCERT DISRUPTION

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

FOOD & DRINK POLICY

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

LOST & FOUND

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

ETIQUETTE

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

CHILDREN

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

LATE SEATING

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

TICKETS

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

Juraj valČuha

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

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

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

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

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

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

Music Director Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair

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

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

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

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

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

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

jurajvalcuha.com

ORCHESTRA ROSTER

Juraj Valčuha

Music Director

Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair

FIRST VIOLIN

Yoonshin Song, Concertmaster

Max Levine Chair

Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster

Ellen E. Kelley Chair

Qi Ming, Assistant Concertmaster

Fondren Foundation Chair

Marina Brubaker

Tong Yan

MiHee Chung

Sophia Silivos

Rodica Gonzalez

Ferenc Illenyi

Si-Yang Lao

Kurt Johnson*

Christopher Neal

Sergei Galperin

Julia Schilz+

SECOND VIOLIN

MuChen Hsieh, Principal

Amy Semes, Associate Principal

Annie Kuan-Yu Chen

Mihaela Frusina

Jing Zheng

Martha Chapman*

Tianjie Lu*

Anastasia Ehrlich

Tina Zhang

Boson Mo

Teresa Wang+

Samuel Park+

VIOLA

Joan DerHovsepian, Acting Principal

Wei Jiang, Acting Associate Principal

Sheldon Person

Fay Shapiro

Phyllis Herdliska

Keoni Bolding

Samuel Pedersen

Meredith Harris+

Suzanne LeFevre+

CELLO

Brinton Averil Smith, Principal

Janice and Thomas Barrow Chair

Christopher French

Associate Principal

Anthony Kitai

Louis-Marie Fardet

Jeffrey Butler

Maki Kubota

Xiao Wong

Charles Seo

Jeremy Kreutz

COMMUNITY-EMBEDDED

MUSICIANS

David Connor, double bass

Rainel Joubert, violin

ASSOCIATE LIBRARIAN

Luke Bryson

ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN

Hae-a Lee

Steven Reineke, Principal POPS Conductor

Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Conductor Laureate

Yue Bao, Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation

Assistant Conductor

Allen Hightower, Director

Houston Symphony Chorus

DOUBLE BASS

Robin Kesselman, Principal

Timothy Dilenschneider, Associate Principal

Mark Shapiro

Eric Larson

Andrew Pedersen

Burke Shaw

Donald Howey

FLUTE

Aralee Dorough, Principal General Maurice Hirsch Chair

Matthew Roitstein*

Associate Principal

Judy Dines Acting Associate Principal

Mark Teplitsky+

Kathryn Ladner

PICCOLO

Kathryn Ladner

OBOE

Jonathan Fischer, Principal Lucy Binyon Stude Chair

Anne Leek, Associate Principal

Colin Gatwood

Adam Dinitz

ENGLISH HORN

Adam Dinitz

CLARINET

Mark Nuccio, Principal

Bobbie Nau Chair

Thomas LeGrand, Associate Principal

Christian Schubert

Alexander Potiomkin

E-FLAT CLARINET

Thomas LeGrand

BASS CLARINET

Alexander Potiomkin

Tassie and Constantine

S. Nicandros Chair

BASSOON

Rian Craypo, Principal

Isaac Schultz, Associate Principal

Elise Wagner

Adam Trussell

CONTRABASSOON

Adam Trussell

HORN

William VerMeulen, Principal

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander K. McLanahan

Endowed Chair

Robert Johnson, Associate Principal

Brian Thomas

Ian Mayton

Jesse Clevenger+

David Raschella+

TRUMPET

Mark Hughes, Principal

George P. and Cynthia Woods

Mitchell Chair

John Parker, Associate Principal

Robert Walp, Assistant Principal

Richard Harris

TROMBONE

Bradley White, Acting Principal

Ryan Rongone+

Phillip Freeman

BASS TROMBONE

Phillip Freeman

TUBA

Dave Kirk, Principal

TIMPANI

Leonardo Soto, Principal

Matthew Strauss, Associate Principal

PERCUSSION

Brian Del Signore, Principal

Mark Griffith

Matthew Strauss

HARP (Vacant)

KEYBOARD

Scott Holshouser, Principal

LIBRARIAN

Jeanne Case, Principal

*on leave + contracted substitute

STAGE PERSONNEL

Stefan Stout, Stage Manager

José Rios, Assistant Stage Manager

Nicholas DiFonzo and Justin Herriford, Stage Technicians

Giancarlo Minotti, Recording Assistant

SOCIETY BOARD OF TRUSTEES

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

John Rydman President

Janet F. Clark Chair

Jonathan Ayre Chair, Finance

Brad W. Corson Chair, Governance & Leadership

Manuel Delgado Chair, Marketing & Communications

Evan B. Glick Chair, Popular Programming

Lidiya Gold Chair, Development

Sippi Khurana Chair, Education

GOVERNING DIRECTORS

Jonathan Ayre

Marcia Backus

Gary Beauchamp

Tony Bradfield

Eric Brueggeman

Bill Bullock

Barbara J. Burger

Janet F. Clark

Lidiya Gold

Claudio J. Gutiérrez

William D. Hunt

Rick Jaramillo

Sippi Khurana, M.D.

Barbara J. Burger President-Elect

Mike S. Stude Chairman Emeritus

Mary Lynn Marks Chair, Volunteers & Special Events

Robert Orr Chair, Strategic Planning

Ed Schneider Chair, Community Partnerships

Miles O. Smith Chair, Artistic & Orchestra Affairs

Jesse B. Tutor Chair, Audit

Steven P. Mach ^ Immediate Past Chairman

Carey Kirkpatrick

Kenny Kurtzman

Isabel Stude Lummis

Cora Sue Mach**

Rodney Margolis**

Jay Marks**

Mary Lynn Marks

Elissa Martin

Barbara McCelvey

Paul R. Morico

Robert Orr

Chris Powers

John Rydman**

Paul Morico General Counsel

Barbara McCelvey Secretary

John Mangum^ Executive Director/CEO

Margaret Alkek Williams Chair

Bobby Tudor^ At-Large Member

Cheryl Byington^ President, Houston Symphony League

James H. Lee^ President, Houston Symphony Endowment

Juraj Valčuha^ Music Director, Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair

Joan DerHovsepian^ Musician Representative

Mark Hughes^ Musician Representative

Adam Trussell^ Musician Representative

Mark Nuccio^ Musician Representative

Katie Salvatore^ Assistant Secretary

Miles O. Smith

Anthony Speier

William J. Toomey II

Bobby Tudor**

Betty Tutor**

Jesse B. Tutor**

Judith Vincent

Gretchen Watkins

Robert Weiner

Margaret Alkek Williams**

EX-OFFICIO

Cheryl Byington

Brad W. Corson

Manuel Delgado

Joan DerHovsepian

Evan B. Glick

Mark Hughes

James H. Lee

Steven P. Mach

John Mangum

Mark Nuccio

Katie Salvatore

Ed Schneider

Adam Trussell

Juraj Valčuha

TRUSTEES

David J. Beck

James M. Bell Jr.

Devinder Bhatia, M.D.

Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl

Lindsay Buchanan

Nancy Shelton Bratic

Terry Ann Brown**

Ralph Burch

Dougal Cameron

John T. Cater**

Robert Chanon

Michael H. Clark

Virginia Clark

Evan D. Collins, M.D., MBA

Brad W. Corson

Andrew Davis, Ph.D.

Denise Davis

Manuel Delgado

Tracy Dieterich

Bob Duff

Joan Duff

Connie Dyer

Jeffrey B. Firestone

Eugene A. Fong

Aggie L. Foster

Julia Anderson Frankel

Ronald G. Franklin

Carolyn Gaidos

Evan B. Glick

Gary L. Hollingsworth

Stephen Incavo, M.D.

Brian James

I. Ray Kirk, M.D.

David Krieger

Andrew Go Lee, M.D.

Ulyesse J. LeGrange**

Matthew Loden

Steven P. Mach

Michael Mann, M.D.

Jack Matzer

PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY SOCIETY

Mrs. Edwin B. Parker

Miss Ima Hogg

Mrs. H. M. Garwood

Joseph A. Mullen, M.D.

Joseph S. Smith

Walter H. Walne

H. R. Cullen

Gen. Maurice Hirsch

Charles F. Jones

Fayez Sarofim

John T. Cater

Richard G. Merrill

Ellen Elizardi Kelley

John D. Platt

E.C. Vandagrift Jr.

J. Hugh Roff Jr.

PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY LEAGUE

Miss Ima Hogg

Mrs. John F. Grant

Mrs. J. R. Parten

Mrs. Andrew E. Rutter

Mrs. Aubrey Leno Carter

Mrs. Stuart Sherar

Mrs. Julian Barrows

Ms. Hazel Ledbetter

Mrs. Albert P. Jones

Mrs. Ben A. Calhoun

Mrs. James Griffith Lawhon

Mrs. Olaf LaCour Olsen

Mrs. Ralph Ellis Gunn

Mrs. Leon Jaworski

Mrs. Garrett R. Tucker Jr.

Mrs. M. T. Launius Jr.

Mrs. Thompson McCleary

Mrs. Theodore W. Cooper

Mrs. Allen W. Carruth

Mrs. David Hannah Jr.

Mary Louis Kister

Mrs. Edward W. Kelley Jr.

Mrs. John W. Herndon

Mrs. Charles Franzen

Mrs. Harold R. DeMoss Jr.

Mrs. Edward H. Soderstrom

Mrs. Lilly Kucera Andress

Ms. Marilou Bonner

Mrs. W. Harold Sellers

Mrs. Harry H. Gendel

Mrs. Robert M. Eury

Mrs. E. C. Vandagrift Jr.

Mrs. J. Stephen Marks

Terry Ann Brown

FOUNDATION FOR JONES HALL REPRESENTATIVES

Jackie Wolens Mazow

Alexander K. McLanahan**

Marilyn Miles

Shane A. Miller

Aprill Nelson

Tammy Tran Nguyen

Leslie Nossaman

Scott Nyquist

Edward Osterberg Jr.

Zeljko Pavlovic

David Pruner

Gloria G. Pryzant

Miwa Sakashita

Ed Schneider

Helen Shaffer**

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

Jim R. Smith

Quentin Smith

Mike S. Stude **

Ishwaria Subbiah, M.D.

Shirley W. Toomim

Margaret Waisman, M.D.

Fredric A. Weber

Mrs. S. Conrad Weil

Vicki West

Steven J. Williams

David J. Wuthrich

Ellen A. Yarrell

Robert Yekovich

EX-OFFICIO

John Steven Cisneros, Ed.D.

Kusum Patel

Frank F. Wilson IV

Jessie Woods

**Lifetime Trustee

Robert M. Hermance

Gene McDavid

Janice H. Barrow

Barry C. Burkholder

Rodney H. Margolis

Jeffrey B. Early

Michael E. Shannon

Ed Wulfe

Nancy Strohmer

Mary Ann McKeithan

Ann Cavanaugh

Mrs. James A. Shaffer

Lucy H. Lewis

Catherine McNamara

Shirley McGregor Pearson

Paula Jarrett

Cora Sue Mach

Kathi Rovere

Norma Jean Brown

Barbara McCelvey

Lori Sorcic Jansen

Nancy B. Willerson

Jane Clark

Nancy Littlejohn

Donna Shen

Jesse B. Tutor

Robert B. Tudor III

Robert A. Peiser

Steven P. Mach

Janet F. Clark

Dr. Susan Snider Osterberg

Dr. Kelli Cohen Fein

Vicki West

Mrs. Jesse Tutor

Darlene Clark

Beth Wolff

Maureen Higdon

Fran Fawcett Peterson

Leslie Siller

Dougal A. Cameron

Janet F. Clark

Barbara McCelvey

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

SENIOR MANAGEMENT GROUP

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

Elizabeth S. Condic, Chief Financial Officer

Vicky Dominguez, Chief Operating Officer

Nancy Giles, Chief Development Officer

Gwen Watkins, Chief Marketing and External Relations Officer

DEVELOPMENT

Lauren Buchanan, Development Communications Manager

Timothy Dillow, Senior Director, Development

Amanda T. Dinitz, Senior Major Gifts Officer

Zitlaly Jimenez, Annual Fund Manager

Hadia Mawlawi, Senior Associate, Endowment and Planned Giving

Meghan Miller, Special Events Associate

Emilie Moellmer, Development Associate, Gifts & Records

Tim Richey, Director, Individual Giving

Katie Salvatore, Development Officer

Ika Soemampauw, Senior Development Associate, Administration

Christine Ann Stevens, Senior Director, Development

Lena Streetman, Research Analyst

Stacey Swift, Director, Special Events

Sarah Thompson, Institutional Giving Associate

Christina Trunzo, Director, Foundation Relations

Alexa Ustaszewski, Major Gifts Officer

FINANCE | ADMINISTRATION | IT | HR

Henry Cantu, Finance Accountant

Kimberly Cegielski, Staff Accountant

Tiffany Gentry, Junior System Administrator

Richard Jackson, Database Administrator

Joel James, Director of Human Resources

Tanya Lovetro, Director of Budgeting and Financial Reporting

Morgana Rickard, Controller

Gabriela Rivera, Senior Accountant

Pam Romo, Office Manager/HR Coordinator

Lee Whatley, Senior Director, IT and Analytics

MARKETING | EXTERNAL RELATIONS

Education and Community Engagement

Pam Blaine, Chief of Education and Community Engagement

Allison Conlan, Director, Community Engagement

Jennifer Lanham, Student Concerts Coordinator Marketing and Communications

Mark Bailes, Marketing Revenue Manager

Olivia Cantrell, Marketing and External Relations Coordinator

Heather Fails, Manager, Ticketing Database

Kathryn Judd, Director, Marketing

Yoo-Ell Lee, Junior Graphic Designer

Fiona Legesse-Sinha, Graphic Design Manager

Ciara Macaulay, Creative Director

Bianca Montanez, Content Marketing Coordinator

Eric Skelly, Senior Director, Communications Patron Services

Freddie Piegsa, Patron Experience Coordinator

Jenny Zuniga, Director, Patron Services

OPERATIONS | ARTISTIC

Stephanie Alla, Associate Director of Artistic Planning

Lila Atchison, Assistant Orchestra Personnel Manager

Becky Brown, Director, Operations

Luke Bryson, Associate Librarian

Catherine Goode, Chorus Manager

Janwin Overstreet-Goode, Chorus Manager

Michael Gorman, Orchestra Personnel Manager

Lauren Moore, Associate Director of Digital Concert Production

José Rios, Assistant Stage Manager

Brad Sayles, Senior Recording Engineer

Claudia Schmitz, Artist Liaison and Assistant to the Music Director

Stefan Stout, Stage Manager

Meredith Williams, Associate Director, Operations

Rebecca Zabinski, Director, Artistic Planning

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MAKING MUSIC EDUCATION ACCESSIBLE:

Houston Symphony’s Carver High School Residency Program

The Houston Symphony Residency at Carver High School is an intensive six-week residency, featuring weekly Community-Embedded Musician (CEM) workshops for orchestra students. This initiative, which began as a virtual offering in 2021 during the pandemic, is designed to help strengthen the growing orchestra program at Carver High School, which is located within the Acres Homes neighborhood—one of the areas identified in the Mayor’s Complete Communities initiative. On January 10, workshops between the students and Houston Symphony CommunityEmbedded Musician and double bass, David Connor, began.

Houston Symphony’s residency at Carver High School has been a hugely successful and enriching experience for the orchestra students. The program consists of six 90-minute workshops where David works with students in small groups and as a full ensemble. One of the most exciting aspects of the residency has been the opportunity for the students to work with and learn from a professional musician. These workshops cover a variety of topics, from phrasing and rehearsal etiquette to instrument techniques and performance strategies, and help students hone their skills, build their self-confidence, and achieve their full potential as musicians. In addition to working with a Houston Symphony CEM at their school, the students also have the opportunity to attend a Symphony performance at Jones Hall. The performance serves as a source of inspiration and motivation for them as they continue to develop their own musical talents.

The impact of the Houston Symphony residency at Carver High School has been significant, with many orchestra students expressing a newfound appreciation and excitement for classical music. “Working with Dave and his colleagues at the Symphony offers our students a rare glimpse into the ‘real’ world of classical music,” says Carver High School orchestra director, Grace Lewis. “A beloved school activity is transformed into a career opportunity and lifelong pursuit thanks to Dave’s inspiring instruction and to the Symphony rehearsals and concerts we have been so fortunate to attend.” Overall, the Houston Symphony’s residency at Carver High School has been an invaluable experience for everyone involved.

The Carver High School Residency is a part of the Houston Symphony’s Education and Community Engagement initiatives. To donate to this program, and many other music education programs the Symphony offers, visit houstonsymphony.com/donate. Your support makes it possible for us to share the gift of music with more than 46,000 students in the Houston area. —Lauren Buchanan

symphony LEADERSHIP COUNCILS

The Symphony is dedicated to diversity and inclusion, and one of the many ways we demonstrate this commitment is through our African American and Hispanic Leadership Councils. These Councils are composed of business, education, and community leaders who work to change Houston’s awareness and understanding of the Symphony and ensure the organization is representative of the diverse community it serves. The African American and Hispanic Leadership Councils also help support education and community partnerships and performances that increase the Symphony’s visibility in their respective communities. They encourage individuals and families to attend concerts and engage with Symphony programming, improving the diversity of our audiences.

The African American Leadership Council, led by Chair Juan Crawford, has presented the Music Literacy Workshop series and supported the presentation of free summer concerts at local schools and churches, such as Kashmere High School and Community of Faith. The African American Leadership Council aims to maintain the Symphony’s relevance in the African American community and increase their participation in the Symphony’s programming. “By increasing participation, we help ensure that the Symphony serves our community with meaningful music and programs that improve their quality of life,”

says Juan. “We see ourselves as the hands and feet of the Houston Symphony’s interaction with ‘our’ community. One of our key goals is to make performances accessible for members of our community who would otherwise never visit the Symphony.”

The Hispanic Leadership Council, led by Chair John Steven Cisneros, Ed.D, has organized numerous Symphony performances at cultural festivals such as the Annual Magnolia Park Día de los Muertos celebration in October, where Councilmembers hosted an information booth and distributed information about the Symphony while CEMs performed for festival guests. They also support our annual Chevron Fiesta Sinfónica concert—a free concert in Jones Hall that highlights music from Latin American and Hispanic composers. “We currently have plans to replicate information booths and concerts in additional Hispanic themed festivals,” says John on the Council’s upcoming goals. “We also want to increase the Council’s membership with Houston residents that share a passion for the Symphony, the Hispanic community, and are interested in being ambassadors, advocates, and champions for the Symphony.”

Both the African American Leadership Council and the Hispanic Leadership Council play a vital role in the Symphony’s efforts to create a more inclusive organization. To learn more about the Leadership Councils and their initiatives visit houstonsymphony.org/leadership-councils.

—Lauren Buchanan

Scan here to learn more about the Houston Symphony’s commitment to the community:

Rainel Joubert speaking

Sinfónica, the annual free concert.

DVOŘÁK VIOLIN CONCERTO & SIBELIUS 1

Osmo Vänskä, conductor

Tai Murray, violin

0:05 L. WENNÄKOSKI – Flounce

0:32 DVOŘÁK – Violin Concerto in A minor, Opus 53

I. Allegro, ma non troppo—

II. Adagio, ma non troppo

III. Finale: Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo

0:38 SIBELIUS – Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Opus 39

I. Andante, ma non troppo—Allegro energico

II. Andante, ma non troppo lento—Molto tranquillo

III. Scherzo: Allegro

IV. Finale (quasi una fantasia): Andante— Allegro molto

About the Music

Friday, March 3

Saturday, March 4

Sunday, March 5

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Fayez Sarofim Guest

Violinist Fund

Underwriter

Livestream of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by Barbara

J. Burger

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

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

Program Insight

In the late 19th century, the classical music world was dominated by Austrians and Germans. Works by Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Wagner, Brahms, and other German-speaking composers formed the core of the international repertoire. Both Dvořák and Sibelius were trailblazers, establishing distinctive symphonic traditions in Czechia and Finland respectively. Their works enriched the orchestral repertoire with new sounds and innovations, as evidenced by the music on this program, and their example of drawing inspiration from the musical traditions of their native countries became a model composers across the world would follow.

Following in the footsteps of Sibelius, Lotta Wennäkowsi is a leading contemporary Finnish composer whose playful Flounce opens the program. Her countryman Osmo Vänskä brings his Grammy Awardwinning interpretation of Sibelius’s First Symphony to Jones Hall and joins acclaimed soloist and Yale School of Music professor Tai Murray for Dvořák’s thrilling Violin Concerto. —Calvin Dotsey

Program Notes

L. WENNÄKOSKI

Flounce

Sometimes it is the title that starts to guide the musical ideas of a work in the making. This was more or less the case with the short orchestral piece Flounce, written in spring 2017. I was fascinated by the different meanings of the English word flounce—both the verb and the noun. The piece is thus largely characterized by brisk gestures “non troppo serioso,” but it also has passages of lace-like ornamenting in a more lightweight and lyrical mood. The same kind of duality is present in the way I’m aiming to combine an often-energetic pulse with (sometimes nonconventional) timbral ideas and a feeling of space in the orchestration. Flounce was commissioned by BBC Radio 3. It was a great source of inspiration to know it would be first performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sakari Oramo at the Royal Albert Hall, as part of the BBC Proms 2017. —Lotta Wennäkoski

DVOŘÁK

Violin Concerto in A minor, Opus 53

Late in 1878, Antonín Dvořák became something of an overnight star with the publication of his first set of Slavonic Dances. These tuneful, popular works quickly swept through the ballrooms and parlors of Europe, making the Czech composer famous and his new publisher, Fritz Simrock, rich. Simrock was eager to continue this success, and in January 1879 he suggested Dvořák compose “a concerto, suitably original, rich in cantilena and for good violinists.”

Pleased by the sudden demand for a major new work, Dvořák completed a draft of the concerto the following summer. Wanting to be sure of the concerto’s success, Dvořák then asked the respected violinist Joseph Joachim to review it. Joachim had played a similar role in shepherding the violin concertos of Max Bruch and Johannes Brahms to widespread acclaim, advising the composers on the finer points of violin technique. Joachim had responded favorably to some of Dvořák’s recent chamber music, so the composer hoped the famous violinist might even premiere the new concerto himself.

Unfortunately, this was not to be. When the two musicians met in April 1880, Joachim demanded that Dvořák rewrite the concerto. Over the next month, Dvořák apparently complied; although the original version does not survive, Dvořák wrote to Simrock that “The whole concerto has now taken on a different form. I retained the themes, also adding some new ones. But the overall conception of the work is different. Harmony, instrumentation, rhythm, the entire development is new.”

Despite Dvořák’s revisions, Joachim would never play the piece, which finally received its premiere in October 1883 at the hands of the renowned Czech violinist František Ondříček, who introduced it to enthusiastic audiences throughout Europe.

We will never know exactly why Joachim rejected this marvelous concerto, written in the heroic, passionate style of the Romantic era,

Program Notes

DVOŘÁK

Violin Concerto in A minor, Opus 53

albeit with Dvořák’s characteristic Bohemian accent and melodic gifts. It may be because Dvořák took Simrock’s request for a “suitably original” concerto to heart. Even in its revised form, the concerto is one of Dvořák’s most inventive and experimental compositions. Joachim, a skilled but conservative composer himself, may have objected to Dvořák’s departures from tradition, particularly with regard to the openended structure of the first movement.

In place of the traditional sonata-form pattern, with its emphasis on resolving tension in a firm, unambiguous conclusion, Dvořák cycles through different thematic groups, which continually develop throughout the first movement. The dramatic, minor-key ideas that open it alternate with warmer major key ones, building to a dark, minor-key climax. In place of the full recapitulation of the movement’s main ideas, an exquisite transition melts seamlessly into the next movement.

The second movement employs a dialectical logic similar to that of the first: after beginning with a long, heartfelt song without words, a more intense, minor-key idea appears. The tension between these ideas plays out over the course of the movement, ultimately finding tranquility.

The spirited finale follows a more conventional rondo pattern, in which the spritely opening melody alternates with a series of contrasting episodes. As is traditional for a concerto finale, dance rhythms abound, and Dvořák delights in surprising the ear with harmonic twists and turns. Full of virtuosic flights for the soloist, the finale brings the work to a joyous conclusion. —Calvin Dotsey

SIBELIUS

Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Opus 39

By the late 1890s, Sibelius had established himself as Finland’s leading composer with works inspired by Finnish folklore and history. In doing so, Sibelius simultaneously participated in a widespread artistic fascination with myths and legends and Finnish politics. Then a mostly autonomous province within the Russian Empire, Finland faced increasing threats of Russian domination at the turn of the century. Culturally, Sibelius’s internationally acclaimed and distinctively Finnish oeuvre helped increase support for the cause of Finnish autonomy.

There was one prestigious genre, however, that Sibelius had thus far avoided: the symphony, by this time regarded as an august and storied musical form. A successful symphony from Sibelius’s pen at this time would have increased not only his own reputation but that of Finland; however, unlike Sibelius’s earlier works, which painted pictures or told stories, a symphony was, according to the strictest interpretations, a form of absolute music; it could not rely on literary explanations to communicate with audiences. The music would have to speak for itself. In 1898, Sibelius at last decided to tackle the symphonic challenge, completing his First Symphony in 1899 and revising it in 1900. Despite Sibelius’s vehement denial of any literary source of inspiration, many commentators have found interpreting the symphony difficult to resist, so evocative is the music Sibelius wrote. In the words of James Hepokoski,

Program Notes

SIBELIUS

Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Opus 39

Program Bios

the symphony’s “clear allusion to, then deformation of, the standard per aspera ad astra symphonic plot [...] invites speculation;” specifically, many have heard in the music a mythic tragedy featuring a hero undone by some fatal love. The symphony is not only redolent of the wild sound world Sibelius used to evoke the legends of the Kalevala, but also clearly takes inspiration from Tchaikovsky, whose last three symphonies are latent with similar narrative suggestions.

Not unlike Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, Sibelius’s First opens with an introduction featuring a solo clarinet. This haunting melody acts as a Tchaikovskian “motto theme,” which recurs in the finale. Sibelius then presents a vigorous, heroic idea that dynamically hovers between G major and E minor. A lighter, twittering transition leads to a darkly lyrical, contrasting theme. The two main themes become entangled in a developmental passage that climaxes with a soaring return of the heroic G major/E minor material.

The second movement begins with a sighing melody in the remote, dreamy key of E-flat; its yearning, however, is not fulfilled with a Tchaikovskian climax. Instead, this main theme alternates with episodes that become increasingly stormy. The boisterous third movement opens with a timpani solo—one of many orchestral touches that Sibelius’s contemporaries would have heard as wild and uncouth, evocative of Finnish landscapes and lore. In a contrasting middle section, the atmosphere of romantic yearning returns.

The finale begins with a fateful reprise of the clarinet melody that began the first movement, now powerfully reorchestrated for strings. Fast, turbulent music then leads to a long, passionate melody. When this lyrical theme makes its final appearance near the symphony’s end, Sibelius introduces it with an upward rush of strings similar to that which begins the reprise of the love theme from Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet ; the theme’s ultimate fulfillment, however, fails to materialize as the music turns from the radiant key of B major to the darkness of E minor, bringing the symphony to a gripping conclusion. —Calvin

Dotsey

Osmo Vänskä, conductor

Conductor laureate of the Minnesota Orchestra, where he held the music directorship for 19 years, and music director of Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, 2020–2023, Osmo Vänskä is recognized for his compelling interpretations of repertoire of all ages and an

energetic presence on the podium. His democratic and inclusive style of work has been key in forging long-standing relationships with many orchestras worldwide.

This season, Osmo returns to the symphony and philharmonic orchestras of Bamberg, Chicago, Los Angeles, Helsinki, Israel, Houston, Montreal, and

Program Bios

Pittsburgh, among others. Past guest conducting invitations include renowned international ensembles, such as the Cleveland, Philadelphia, and San Francisco symphony orchestras in North America; Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, Iceland Symphony, Berlin’s Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester and Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester as well as the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He is regularly invited to guest conduct in Asia, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony and Shanghai Symphony, and China, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, and Taiwan philharmonic orchestras.

A distinguished recording artist for the BIS label, Osmo is currently recording all of Mahler’s symphonies with the Minnesota Orchestra. The Fifth Symphony received a Grammy nomination in 2017 for Best Orchestral Performance. He and Minnesota have also recorded the complete symphonies of Beethoven and Sibelius to critical acclaim, winning a Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance in 2014 as well as several other nominations. In 2021, they were voted Gramophone’s Orchestra of the Year. 

Tai Murray, violin

Described as “superb” by The New York Times, violinist Tai Murray has established herself as a musical voice of a generation. “Technically flawless… vivacious and scintillating… It is without doubt that Murray’s style of playing is more mature than that of many seasoned players…” (Muso Magazine).

Appreciated for her elegance and effortless ability, Tai creates a special bond with listeners through her personal phrasing and subtle sweetness. Her programming reveals musical intelligence. Her sound, sophisticated bowing, and choice of vibrato, remind us of her musical background and influences, principally Yuval Yaron (a student of Gingold and Heifetz) and Franco Gulli. Tai is a 2004 Avery Fisher Career Grant winner and a BBC New Generation Artist (2008–2010). As a chamber musician, she was a member of Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Society II (2004–2006).

She has performed as guest soloist on the main stages worldwide, performing with leading ensembles, such as the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Symphony Orchestra, and all of the BBC

Symphony Orchestras. She is also a dedicated advocate of contemporary works (written for the violin). Among others, she performed the world premiere of Malcolm Hayes’s violin concerto at the BBC Proms, in the Royal Albert Hall.

As a recitalist, Tai has visited many of the world’s music capitals, having appeared in Berlin, Chicago, Hamburg, London, Madrid, New York’s Carnegie Hall, Paris, and Washington D.C., among many others.

Her critically acclaimed debut recording for Harmonia Mundi of Ysaÿe’s six sonatas for solo violin was released in 2012. Her second recording, with works by American composers of the 20 th century, was released by the Berlin-based label EaSonus, and her third disc with the Bernstein Serenade on the French label Mirare.

Tai plays a violin by Tomaso Balestrieri Fecit Mantua ca. 1765, on generous loan from a private collection.

She is an adjunct assistant professor of violin at the Yale School of Music, where she teaches applied violin and coaches chamber music. She earned artist diplomas from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music and The Juilliard School. 

Featured Program

BRAHMS PIANO CONCERTO 1 & DVOŘÁK 8

*Jonathon Heyward, conductor Stephen Hough, piano

0:05 C. SIMON – Fate Now Conquers

0:44 BRAHMS – Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Opus 15

I. Maestoso

II. Adagio

III. Rondo: Allegro non troppo

INTERMISSION

0:34 DVOŘÁK – Symphony No. 8 in G major, Opus 88

I. Allegro con brio

II. Adagio

III. Allegretto grazioso —Molto vivace

IV. Allegro, ma non troppo

*Houston Symphony debut

About the Music

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Program Insight

This weekend’s program celebrates a famous musical friendship: that of Johannes Brahms and Antonín Dvořák. The two composers first came into contact in 1875, when the already well-established Brahms served as a judge on a committee that awarded state grants to up-and-coming composers, of which Dvořák caught his notice. Two years later, Brahms was so impressed by Dvořák’s Moravian Duets that he encouraged his publisher, Simrock, to print them. The Moravian Duets proved Dvořák’s first popular success, and the two composers became fast friends. Kindred spirits, both were inclined toward the classical forms employed by Beethoven such as symphonies and concertos, as the works featured on this program attest. Beethoven continues to influence composers to this day, including Carlos Simon, whose music makes a welcome return to Jones Hall. Composed in 2020, Simon’s Fate Now Conquers takes inspiration from the entrancing second movement of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony. —Calvin Dotsey

Program Notes

C. SIMON

Fate Now Conquers

This piece was inspired by a journal entry from Ludwig van Beethoven’s notebook, written in 1815:

“Iliad. The Twenty-Second Book

But Fate now conquers; I am hers; and yet not she shall share In my renown; that life is left to every noble spirit And that some great deed shall beget that all lives shall inherit.”

Using the beautifully fluid harmonic structure of the second movement of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, I have composed musical gestures that are representative of the unpredictable ways of fate. Jolting stabs, coupled with an agitated groove with every persona. Frenzied arpeggios

Program Notes

C. SIMON

Fate Now Conquers

in the strings that morph into an ambiguous cloud of free-flowing running passages depict the uncertainty of life that hovers over us.

We know that Beethoven strived to overcome many obstacles in his life and documented his aspirations to prevail, despite his ailments. Whatever the specific reason for including this particularly profound passage from The Iliad, in the end, it seems that Beethoven relinquished [himself] to fate. Fate now conquers. —Carlos Simon

BRAHMS

Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Opus 15

Long plagued by mental illness, on February 27, 1854, the celebrated composer Robert Schumann attempted to end his own life by jumping from a bridge into the river Rhine. Fishermen soon rescued him, but when he emerged from the river, he was taken, by his own request, to the asylum where he spent the remaining two years of his life.

As soon as news reached him, Johannes Brahms raced to Düsseldorf to assist Robert’s wife ,Clara, a brilliant concert pianist then pregnant with her seventh child. Brahms had arrived at the Schumann’s home five months earlier. After hearing the young, unknown composer’s music, Robert and Clara instantly recognized his genius and welcomed him into their home. In a widely read musical publication, Robert declared Brahms the true heir of Beethoven, making him famous overnight. Within days of Schumann’s breakdown, Brahms began composing what would become his Piano Concerto No. 1. Ultimately, this ambitious work would take Brahms four years to complete. The first movement begins with what Brahms’s friends confirmed was his immediate musical response to Schumann’s fateful plunge. A low D thunders from the depths of the orchestra, and the strings enter with a jagged idea in the wrong key—B flat major. This conflict between D minor and B flat major creates a powerful tension that underpins the movement. After this tumultuous introduction, the piano enters and soon takes up this stormy material; this time, however, it leads to a new, hymn-like melody. This tranquility is shattered by the return of the opening music, which serves as the basis for extensive development.

As Brahms was composing the second movement, he wrote to Clara that he was “painting a tender portrait of you, which is to be the Adagio.” Upon hearing it, Clara remarked that “the whole piece has something churchly about it; it could be an Eleison.” Indeed, the opening shows the influence of the renaissance choral music Brahms was then studying. Unbeknownst to Clara, beneath the opening string melody Brahms had secretly written “Benedictus, qui venit, in nomine Domini!” into his manuscript, as if the music were meant to be sung. In 1854, Brahms had written to Clara that “I think of you as going to the concert hall like a high priestess to the altar.” Surely this music is an expression of the same sentiment.

After the opening “Benedictus” melody, the soloist enters with a more personal, subjective meditation, as if the orchestra is a choir singing while the soloist is an individual lost in thought. A delicate piano passage leads to a searching dialogue between the soloist and orchestra.

Program Notes

BRAHMS

Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Opus 15

Having written the first two movements, Brahms was at a loss when faced with the finale. Ever the student of music history, he modeled his finale on that of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Brahms’s finale follows the structure of Beethoven’s, but is filled with his own original ideas. The soloist begins with a furious, Bachian melody, which alternates with contrasting episodes. In the end, the concerto finds peace with a hopeful coda in D major. —Calvin

Dotsey

DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 8 in G major, Opus 88

Antonín Dvořák’s career boomed when he was in his 40s, and his success enabled him to buy property in the Czech countryside. He had a farm building converted into a house as his summer retreat. It contained one room set up as a studio, and Dvořák tucked himself away in the summer of 1889 to compose his Symphony No. 8. His rural surroundings may have helped inspire the symphony’s freshness and lyricism. For instance, sunny flute solos whose free-as-a-bird feel almost amount to tone-painting. Regardless of any extra-musical urges, Dvořák wanted to break free of music’s “usual, universally applied and recognized forms,” he said. His Symphony No. 8 bears out his words, especially in its first movement. Even though the Symphony’s overall key is G major, it begins in G minor, as cellos, clarinets, and French horns intone a pensive, yearning melody. Unlike many symphonies’ opening gambits, this isn’t the first movement’s main theme; rather, it stands apart. A jaunty flute solo moves the music to G major, and the orchestra forgets the cello melody for a while as cheeriness takes hold. The orchestra cuts loose lustily, and after it transforms the flute’s solo into a jubilant proclamation, the strings bring a few moments of coziness. A buoyant woodwind tune perks the music up again, and another woodwind melody leads to a new burst of excitement. But when that dies down, the melancholy cello theme returns. When the flute replies this time, it can’t banish the shadows. The music grows restless, and a storm breaks out, driven in part by a fierce transformation of the flute’s tune. The climax comes as the trumpets cry out the cello theme above churning, fortissimo strings. After that catharsis, the winds help bring back warmth and vigor, and the movement sweeps to an exuberant close.

The Adagio begins meditatively, as the strings’ quiet introduction gives way to a gentle duet for clarinets. Then the music breaks out of its shell. The winds launch into a soaring melody that exudes sweetness, and the solo violin supplies a gleaming reply. The orchestra adds a ringing affirmation, but soon, turbulence intrudes. The soaring tune reappears, and serenity reigns. The mellow, flowing third movement hints at a waltz’s lilt, and an interlude complements that with one of Dvořák’s most delicious melodies.

A trumpet fanfare opens the finale, a set of variations on a glowing, optimistic theme introduced by the cellos. Excitement quickly takes hold. A glittering flute solo adds its sunshine, and the music overflows with gusto. After the strings serve notice that the theme embraces eloquence, too, the excitement returns. —Steven Brown

Program Bios

Mozart Music Festivals, and with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. In 2021, he made his Wolf Trap debut conducting the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C., and this was followed by further debuts with the Atlanta, Detroit, and San Diego Symphony Orchestras.

Jonathon Heyward, conductor

Jonathon Heyward is forging a career as one of the most exciting conductors on the international scene. He is music director designate of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (beginning in the 2023–24 Season), and chief conductor of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie.

Jonathon’s recent UK guest conducting highlights include debuts and re-invitations with the London Symphony, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Symphony, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain at the BBC Proms. In continental Europe, recent debuts include the Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León, Basel Symphony, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, Brussels Philharmonic, SymfonieOrkest Vlaanderen, Antwerp Symphony, Philharmonie Zuidnederland, and Kristiansand Symphony. This season, Jonathon debuts with the Musikkollegium Winterthur, Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine, Lahti Symphony, MDRSinfonieorchester, and the National Symphony Orchestra in Dublin, Ireland. Most recently in the United States, Jonathon debuted at Grant Park and Mostly

Jonathon made his Royal Opera House debut with Hannah Kendall’s Knife of Dawn, having also conducted Kurt Weill’s Lost in the Stars with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, as well as the world premiere of Giorgio Battistelli’s Wake in a production for the Birmingham Opera Company.

Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Jonathon began cello lessons at age 10 and started conducting while at school. He studied at the Boston Conservatory of Music, where he became assistant conductor of the opera department and the Boston Opera Collaborative. He received postgraduate lessons from Sian Edwards at London’s Royal Academy of Music. Before leaving the Academy, he was appointed assistant conductor of the Hallé Orchestra, where he was mentored by Sir Mark Elder and became music director of the Hallé Youth Orchestra.

Jonathon’s commitment to education and community outreach work deepened during his three years with the Hallé and has flourished since he started as chief conductor of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie. He is equally committed to including new music within his imaginative concert programs. 

Named by The Economist as one of Twenty Living Polymaths, Sir Stephen Hough combines a distinguished career and a longstanding international following as a pianist, composer, and writer. The first classical pianist to be awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the New Year Honors 2014 and was awarded a Knighthood for Services to Music in the Queen’s Birthday Honors 2022.

In the 2022–23 Season, Stephen performs more than 90 concerts in five continents with return engagements across Europe and the United States. He is a regular guest at leading music festivals and performs recitals across the globe.

Stephen’s extensive discography of more than 60 CDs on the Hyperion label has garnered international awards, including the Diapason d’Or de l’Année, several Grammy nominations, and eight Gramophone Awards, including Record of the Year and the Gold Disc. His recording of Mompou’s Musica callada will be released in 2023.

As a composer, Stephen has written for orchestra, choir, chamber ensemble, and solo

Stephen Hough, piano

Program Bios

piano. Recent commissions include work for the 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, a piece that was performed by all 30 competitors, and his String Quartet No. 1 “Les Six Recontres” commissioned by the Takacs Quartet. His music is published by Josef Weinberger LTD.

Stephen’s memoir Enough: Scenes from Childhood, will be published by Faber & Faber this spring. It follows his collection of essays Rough Ideas: Reflections on Music and More, which won a 2020 Royal Philharmonic Society Award and was named one of the Financial Times’ Book of the Year 2019. His first novel, The Final Retreat, was published in 2018.

Corporate Spotlight

He wrote more than 600 articles for his blog in The Telegraph, which became one of the most influential forums for cultural discussion.

Stephen lives in London and is an honorary member of the Royal Philharmonic Society, a visiting professor at the Royal Academy of Music and at Oxford University’s Lady Margaret Hall, holds the International Chair of Piano Studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, and serves on the faculty of The Juilliard School in New York. 

The Kinder Morgan Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Kinder Morgan, Inc., one of the largest energy infrastructure companies in North America. The Kinder Morgan Foundation provides grants and financial support to a variety of charitable organizations, with a focus on education and the arts for traditionally underserved students in grades K-12. Since 2008, the Kinder Morgan Foundation has supported the Houston Symphony’s Student Concert Series, which provides educational concerts for upper elementary and middle school students in the Houston area. These concerts are designed to introduce young people to classical music, teach them about the orchestra, and inspire them to play an instrument or continue their involvement in music.

The Kinder Morgan Foundation’s support has helped to make the Student Concert Series possible and allows the Houston Symphony to reach even more students with our Education and Community Engagement initiatives, including minority students, students from underserved communities, and economically disadvantaged students. The Houston Symphony thanks the Kinder Morgan Foundation for its continued support!

Visit kindermorgan.com/About-Us/Kinder-Morgan-Foundation to learn more about the Kinder Morgan Foundation.

Founded in 1920 and headquartered in Houston, Occidental Petroleum is one of the largest U.S. oil and gas exploration and production companies, with more than 33,000 employees and contractors globally, including approximately 12,000 here

works

enhance the communities where it operates by investing time and resources in programs that educate and invigorate those around them. Occidental’s employees are the backbone of these efforts; their ideas, enthusiasm, and energy help to strengthen communities and make the neighborhoods where the company operates even better places to live.

Occidental Petroleum is a generous supporter of the Houston Symphony and its industryleading High School Residency program.

Featured Program

LET’S MISBEHAVE: THE SONGS OF COLE PORTER

Steven Reineke, conductor

Tony DeSare, piano and vocalist

Bria Skonberg, trumpet and vocalist

John Manzari, tap dance and vocalist

Program to be announced from the stage

About the Music

Friday, March 17

Saturday, March 18

Sunday, March 19

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Hall & Livestream 8:00 p.m.

PROGRAM INSIGHT

• Cole Porter, active in the 1920s and ’30s, wrote for both Broadway and Hollywood. Some of his more well-known shows are “Anything Goes,” “Kiss Me Kate,” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.”

• As an undergrad at Yale University, Porter wrote the fight song “Bulldog” as well as other compositions for school productions, making up some of the 800 songs he composed in his lifetime.

• Tony DeSare has performed at various venues from jazz clubs to Carnegie Hall and is primarily known for his “fresh take on old school class.”

• Bria Skonberg has appeared as a featured artist at hundreds of festivals and stages worldwide, including New Orleans Jazz & Heritage, Kobe, Monterrey, Breda, Newport, and Montreal Jazz Festivals.

• John Manzari is an Ovation Award, and Helen Hayes Awardnominated dancer, singer, actor, choreographer, and teacher. His impressive resume includes 15 productions on and off Broadway, television, one-man-show concerts, and documentaries.

Program Bios

between news segments. In 2018, Steven led the same orchestra and hip hop legend Nas performing his seminal album, Illmatic, on PBS’s Great Performances.

Steven Reineke, conductor

Steven Reineke has established himself as one of North America’s leading conductors of popular music. In addition to his role as Principal POPS Conductor of the Houston Symphony, this season, he celebrates his 10 th anniversary as music director of The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. Additionally, he is principal pops conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

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

On stage, he has created programs and collaborated with a range of leading artists from the worlds of hip hop, Broadway, television, and rock, including Common, Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Sutton Foster, Megan Hilty, Cheyenne Jackson, Wayne Brady, Peter Frampton, and Ben Folds, among others. In 2017, he was featured on NPR’s All Things Considered leading the National Symphony Orchestra, in a first for the show’s 45-year history, performing live music excerpts

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. 

Tony DeSare, piano and vocalist

Named a Rising Star Male Vocalist in Downbeat magazine, Tony DeSare has lived up to this distinction by winning critical and popular acclaim for his concert performances throughout North America and abroad. From jazz clubs to Carnegie Hall to Las Vegas, headlining with Don Rickles and major symphony orchestras, Tony has brought his fresh take on old school class around the globe. Tony has four top ten Billboard jazz albums under his belt and has been featured on the CBS Early Show, NPR, A Prairie Home Companion, and the Today Show ; and his music has been posted by social media celebrity juggernaut, George Takei. Tony has also collaborated with YouTube icons Postmodern Jukebox. His Lush Life recording debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Traditional Jazz Chart, and he released Song Diaries Vol. 2 in early 2022, now streaming on all platforms.

An accomplished award-winning composer, Tony not only won first place in the USA Songwriting Contest, but has written the theme song for the motion picture, My Date with Drew, and several

Program Bios

broadcast commercials. He has composed the full soundtracks for the Hallmark Channel’s Love Always, Santa and Lifetime’s new A Welcome Home Christmas. In addition to these concerts, Tony’s appearances this season include the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and The Florida Orchestra.

He releases new recordings and videos of standards and new originals regularly on his YouTube channel, iTunes, and Spotify. Follow Tony on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and subscribe on YouTube to stay connected.

Tony DeSare is a Yamaha Artist. 

blending jazz, blues, and beyond with storytelling and adventurous concoctions of classic and new. Her debut LP on Sony Masterworks won a Canadian JUNO award and made the Top Five on Billboard jazz charts. Heard on more than 25 albums, she recently released her sixth studio solo album, Nothing Never Happens, consisting of mostly original compositions. Her music has garnered more than 13 million streams for 85,000 social media followers. A six-time Downbeat Rising Star, she received the Jazz at Lincoln Center Swing Award, Best Vocal and Best Trumpet (Hot House Jazz Magazine), and Outstanding Jazz Artist at the Bistro Awards.

capped off this exciting period, with Bria featured at the Paralympics opening ceremony. Upon moving to New York in 2010, Bria jammed with friends in Washington Square Park; an hour into playing, worldrenowned trumpeter Wynton Marsalis stopped to listen. He gave her a thumbs up, and she never looked back. 

Bria Skonberg, trumpet and vocalist

Triple threat trumpeter, vocalist, and songwriter Bria Skonberg, who was born in British Columbia, Canada, and now lives in New York City, has been a featured bandleader and guest artist at hundreds of festivals and stages worldwide. Described as “one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation”

(Wall Street Journal ), she has created a signature sound of fiery trumpet playing and smoky vocals

She has served on faculty at the Teagarden Jazz Camp (2008–present), Geri Allen Jazz Camp (2020–21), and Centrum Jazz Camp; performs outreach on behalf of Jazz at Lincoln Center; has developed educational activities for the Louis Armstrong House Museum; and co-directs the New York Hot Jazz Camp she co-founded in 2015. She is an active member of the International Trumpet Guild, Women in Jazz Organization, Jazz Education Network, and a Bach Conn-Selmer artist.

Bria studied jazz and performance at Capilano University in Vancouver while balancing a full road schedule with two bands. After graduating, she traveled extensively, performing in China, Japan, and Europe as a featured artist. When she wasn’t traveling, she was honing her chops with Dal Richards, Vancouver’s King of Swing. Playing at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver

John Manzari, tap dance and vocalist

John Manzari is an Ovation Award and Helen Hayes Awardnominated performer, teacher, and choreographer. A multifaceted artist, he is best known for tap dancing. Stage performances include Ayodele Casel’s Chasing Magic, NY Pops Up, 42nd Street, Maurice Hines: Tappin’ Thru Life, The Wiz is 40, and Sophisticated Ladies. On television, he has been featured on The View, PBS’s special Michael Feinstein at the Rainbow Room, The Jerry Lewis Telethon, and the season seven finale of So You Think You Can Dance. John can be seen in the documentary about his mentor, Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back, and the short film, Slip

Our Donors

Annual Support

The Houston Symphony gratefully acknowledges those who support our artistic, educational, and community engagement programs through their generosity to our Annual Fund and Special Events. For more information, please contact Tim Richey, Director, Individual Giving, at tim.richey@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8531.

As of February 28, 2023

Drs. Dennis & Susan Carlyle

Joan & Bob Duff **

Drs. M.S. & Marie-Luise Kalsi

Cora Sue & Harry* Mach**

Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor

Edith and Robert Zinn

$25,000+

Farida Abjani

Dr. Angela R. Apollo

Ann & Jonathan Ayre**

Dr. Gudrun H. Becker

Eric D. Brueggeman

Ralph Burch

Michael H. Clark & Sallie Morian

Valerie Palmquist Dieterich & Tracy Dieterich

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas L. Elsenbrook

Ms. Carolyn Faulk

$15,000+

Marcie & Nick Alexos

Nina K. Andrews

Dr. Saúl & Ursula Balagura

Anne Morgan Barrett

Nancy & Walter Bratic

Mr. Gordon J. Brodfuehrer

Terry Ann Brown

Mr. Robert Bunch and Ms. Lilia Khakimova

Jane Cizik

Roger & Debby Cutler

Dr. Alex Dell

Mr. & Mrs. Marvy A. Finger

Eugene Fong

Ms. Elia Gabbanelli

Steve & Mary Gangelhoff

Nanette B. Finger*

Gary L. Hollingsworth and Kenneth J. Hyde

Catherine & Brian James

Mr. and Mrs. Parker Johnson

Cheryl Boblitt and Bill King

Mr. and Mrs. David B. Krieger

Mr. & Mrs. U. J. LeGrange

Cindy E. Levit

Joella & Steven P. Mach

Beth Madison

Mrs. Carolyn & Dr. Michael Mann

Clare Attwell Glassell

Evan B. Glick

Suzan and Julius Glickman

Mr. & Mrs. Fred L. Gorman

Claudio J. Gutiérrez

Claudia and David Hatcher

Mark & Ragna Henrichs

Mrs. James E. Hooks

Rebecca & Bobby Jee

Joan Kaplan

Gwen & Dan Kellogg

Dr. & Mrs. I. Ray Kirk

Ms. Nancey G. Lobb

John & Regina Mangum

Jay & Shirley* Marks

Mr. and Mrs. Jarrod Martin

** Education and Community Engagement Donor

* Deceased

Janice Barrow*

Gary & Marian Beauchamp/ The Beauchamp Foundation

Barbara J. Burger

Janet F. Clark

$150,000+ $50,000+ $100,000+

Dr. Sippi & Mr. Ajay Khurana**

Rochelle* & Max Levit

Barbara & Pat McCelvey**

Bobbie Nau

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

Mike Stude

Bobby & Phoebe Tudor

Margaret Alkek Williams

Edward and Janette Blackburne

Mr. Robert Boblitt Jr.

Robin Angly & Miles Smith

Albert & Anne Chao

Virginia A. Clark**

Aggie L. Foster & Steve Simon

Stephen & Mariglyn Glenn

Mr. and Mrs. Bashar Kalai

Barry & Rosalyn Margolis Family

Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis

Muffy & Mike McLanahan

Katie & Bob Orr

Oliver Wyman

Laurie A. Rachford

Donna Scott & Mitch Glassman

Alana R. Spiwak & Sam L. Stolbun

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Tsuru

John L. Nau III

Mr. & Mrs. J. Stephen Marks**

Terry Thomas

Hallie A. Vanderhider

Shirley W. Toomim

Stephen & Kristine Wallace

Robert G. Weiner & Toni Blankmann

Dr. John R. Stroehlein and Miwa Sakashita

Judith Vincent

Steven & Nancy Williams

Jeanie Kilroy Wilson & Wallace S. Wilson

Mr. Jay Steinfeld & Mrs. Barbara Winthrop**

Ellen A. Yarrell**

Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber

Anonymous

Michelle & Jack Matzer

Elizabeth McIngvale PHD

Dr. Eric McLaughlin & Mr. Eliodoro Castillo

Marvin & Martha McMurrey

Tammy & Wayne Nguyen

Scott and Judy Nyquist

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

Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan E. Parker

Mr. David Peavy and Mr. Stephen McCauley

Gloria & Joe Pryzant

Allan & Jean Quiat

Ron and Demi Rand

Ed & Janet Rinehart

Mr. Floyd W. Robinson

Mrs. Sybil F. Roos

Mr. Glen A. Rosenbaum

Kathy & Ed Segner

Margaret and Joel Shannon

Tad and Suzanne Smith

Anthony and Lori Speier

Drs. Carol & Michael Stelling

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

Dede Weil

Vicki West

Our Donors

$10,000+

Edward H. Andrews III

Mr. & Mrs. David J. Beck

Mr. Bill Bullock

James & Dale Brannon

Cheryl & Sam* Byington

Dr. Robert N. Chanon

Coneway Family Foundation

Brad & Joan Corson

Andrew Davis & Corey Tu

Mike & Debra Dishberger

Vicky Dominguez

Connie Dyer

Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey B. Firestone

Mrs. Mary Foster-DeSimone and Mr. Don DeSimone

Ron Franklin & Janet

Gurwitch

Mr. & Mrs. Russell M. Frankel

$5,000+

Dr. and Mrs. George J. Abdo

Lilly and Thurmon Andress**

Dr. and Mrs. Jeffrey B. Aron**

Mr. Jeff Autor

Ms. Jacqueline Baly

Mrs. Bonnie Bauer

Kimberly and James Bell

Joan H. Bitar, M.D.

Anne Boss

Mrs. Vada Boyle

James and Judy Bozeman

Mr. Chester Brooke and Dr. Nancy Poindexter

Barbara A. Brooks

Lindsay Buchanan

Ms. Deborah Butler

Marilyn Caplovitz

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

Barbara A. Clark and Edgar A. Bering

Donna M. Collins

Evan and Carin Collins

Mr. and Mrs. Byron Cooley

Mr. and Mrs. Larry Corbin

Ms. Miquel A. Correll

Mr. and Mrs. Denis A. DeBakey

Ms. Elisabeth DeWitts

Kathy and Frank Dilenschneider

Drs. Rosalind and Gary Dworkin

David and Carolyn Edgar

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

The Ensell Family

Mr. Parrish N. Erwin Jr.

Paula and Louis Faillace

Ms. Ursula H. Felmet

Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Franco

Mr. and Mrs. Walter Finger

Bill and Diana Freeman

Patrick and Carolyn Gaidos

Nancy D. Giles

Mr. & Mrs. Jerry L. Hamaker

Marzena & Jacek Jaminski

Dr. Charles Johnson & Tammie Johnson

Ms. Carey Kirkpatrick

Mr. & Mrs. Calvin Leeke

Marilyn G. Lummis

Mr. and Mrs. Ransom C. Lummis

Sue Ann Lurcott

Cindy Mao and Michael Ma

Dr. Miguel & Mrs. Valerie Miro-Quesada

Dr. & Mrs. Malcolm L. Mazow

Terry & Kandee McGill

Rita & Paul Morico

Ms. Leslie Nossaman

The Carl M. Padgett Family

Sandra Paige, Veritas Title Partners

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Pastorek

Mr. Zeljko Pavlovic

Dave & Alie Pruner

Lila Rauch

Mr. and Mrs. George A. Rizzo Jr.

Toni Oplt & Ed Schneider

Mr. & Mrs. James A. Shaffer

Laura & Mike Shannon

Dr. & Mrs. Robert B. Sloan Houston Christian University

Mr. & Mrs. Jim R. Smith

Mr. & Mrs. Karl Strobl

Mr. William W. Stubbs

Mrs. Marguerite M. Swartz

Cecilia & Luciano

Vasconcellos

Mr. and Mrs. Tony Williford

Jay & Gretchen Watkins

Doug & Kay Wilson

Ms. Beth Wolff **

Scott and Lori Wulfe

Nina & Michael Zilkha

Anonymous (2)

Mr. Mark Grace and Mrs. Alex Blair

Ms. Eugenia C. George

Joseph E. Goetz & Mrs. Grace Ho

Jo and Billie Jo Graves

The Greentree Fund

Mrs. Tami A. Grubb

Mary N. Hankey

Ms. Deborah Happ and Mr. Richard Rost

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Herzog

Mrs. Ann G. Hightower

Mr. and Mrs. William D. Hunt

Steve and Kerry Incavo

Mr. Michael Jang

Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Jankovic

Stephen Jeu and Susanna Calvo

Phil and Josephine John

Beverly Johnson

Mr. and Mrs. John F. Joity

Debbie and Frank Jones

Dr. Rita Justice

Ms. Linda R. Katz

Mr. Mark Klitzke and Dr. Angela Chen

Dr. William & Alice Kopp

Mr. Kenneth E. Kurtzman

Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Ladin

Golda Anne Leonard

Ms. Nancey G. Lobb

Richard Loewenstern

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Matiuk

Ms. Kathy McCraigh

John & Dorothy McDonald

Mr. and Mrs. Michael McGuire

Alison and Ara Malkhassian

Mr. and Mrs. William B. McNamara

Mr. and Mrs. D. Bradley McWilliams

Mr. Stephen Mendoza

Stephen & Marilyn Miles

Ginni and Richard Mithoff

Dr. and Mrs. Jack Moore

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Moynier

Aprill Nelson

Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Nelson

Bobbie Newman

Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey B. Newton

Jenni and Todd Olges

Katherine and Jonathan Palmer

Mr. and Mrs. Raul Pavon

Michael P. and Shirley Pearson

Mr. Robert J. Pilegge

Dr. and Mrs. Taj Popatia

Heather and Chris Powers

Tim and Katherine Pownell

Roland and Linda Pringle

Cris and Elisa Pye

Kathryn and Richard Rabinow

Bradley L. Radoff and Monica Hoz De Vila

Dr. and Mrs. George H. Ransford

Jan Rhodes

Vicky and Michael Richker

Jill & Allyn Risley

Linda & Jerry Rubenstein

Dr. Douglas and Alicia Rodenberger

Harold H. Sandstead, M.D.

Mr. Tony W. Schlicht

Garry and Margaret Schoonover

Dr. Mark A. Schusterman

Susan and Ed Septimus

Donna and Tim Shen

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Sherman

Mr. and Mrs. Quentin Smith

Sam and Linda Snyder

Georgiana Stanley

Mr. and Mrs. Keith Stevenson

Wesley L. Story

Mr. and Mrs. Hans Strohmer

Drs. Ishwaria and Vivek Subbiah

Stephanie and Bill Swingle

Susan L. Thompson

Eric and Carol Timmreck

Nanako and Dale Tingleaf

Pamalah* and Stephen Tipps

James F. Trippett

Mr. and Mrs. David Vannauker

Mr. and Mrs. David Walstad

General and Mrs. Jasper Welch

Nancy B. Willerson **

Ms. Barbara E. Williams

Doug Williams and Janice Robertson

Loretta and Lawrence Williams

Ms. Tara Wilson

Woodell Family Foundation

Mrs. Lorraine Wulfe

Robert and Michele Yekovich

Mr. and Mrs. Edward R. Ziegler

Erla & Harry Zuber

Anonymous (7)

Our Donors

$2,500+

Pat and John Anderson

Mr. Tom Anderson

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen J. Banks

Drs. Henry and Louise Bethea

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Bickel

George Boerger

Robert and Gwen Bray

Joe Brazzatti

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce G. Buhler

Justice Brett and Erin Busby

Kori and Chris Caddell

Ms. Greta Carlson

Mr. Steve Carroll and Ms. Rachel Dolbier

Mr. and Mrs. Brady F. Carruth

Drs. David A. Cech and Mary R. Schwartz

Darleen and Jack Christiansen

Matt Chuchla

Jimmy and Lynn Coe

Richard Collins

Consurgo Sunshine

Ms. Jeanette Coon and Thomas Collins

Ms. Sandra Cooper

Mr. and Mrs. James L. Cross

Mr. and Mrs. John Dabbar

Mrs. Myriam Degreve

Mr. and Mrs. Manuel Delgado

Joseph and Rebecca Demeter

Jeanette and John DiFilippo

Ms. Cynthia Diller

Mrs. Edward N. Earle

Mrs. Julie Earley

David and Carolyn Edgar

Mr. John Egbert and Ms. Kathy Beck

Aubrey & Sylvia Farb

Mrs. Christina Fontenot

Edwin Friedrichs and Darlene Clark**

Dr. and Mrs. Robert H. Fusillo

Ms. Lucy Gebhart

Wendy Germani

Alyson and Elliot Gershenson

Kathy and Albrecht Goethe

Ms. Lidiya Gold

Susan and Kevin Golden

Marcos Gonzalez

Mr. and Mrs. Herb Goodman

Julianne and David Gorte

Mr. William Gray and Mrs. Clare Fontenot-Gray

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Greaser

Mr. Mario Gudmundsson

Eric and Angelea Halen

Mr. and Mrs. Charles R. Hall

Dr. and Mrs. Carlos R. Hamilton Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Houston Haymon

Maureen Y. Higdon**

Katherine and Archibald

Govan Hill IV

Mr. Stanley Hoffberger

Mr. and Mrs. John Homier

Mr. Daniel Irion

Laura and Rick C. Jaramillo

Mady and Ken Kades

Jane and Kevin Kremer

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Langenstein

Mr. William W. Lindley

Matthew and Kristen Loden

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen A. Lubanko

Music Director Fund

Mr. and Mrs. Peter MacGregor

Mr. and Mrs. Wallis Marsh

Mr. and Mrs. Michael L. Mason

David and Heidi Massin

Mary Ann and David McKeithan

Ms. Kristen Meneilly

Larry and Lyn Miller

Mrs. Suzanne Miller

David Mincberg & Lainie Gordon

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas L. Molloy

Denise Monteleone

Jo Ann and Marvin Mueller

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Murphy

Jessica & Erick Navas

Ms. Barbara Nussmann

Macky Osorio

Rochelle and Sheldon Oster

Mr. Joe Pacetti-De'Medici

Nancy Parra

Kusum & K. Cody Patel

Linda Tarpley Peterson

Mr. and Mrs. Arnaud Pichon

Dr. and Mrs. James L. Pool

Dr. Vanitha Pothuri

Mrs. Dana Puddy

Clinton and Leigh Rappole

Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Reimer

Mrs. Adelina Romero

Mr. and Mrs. John Ryder

Mr. Robert T. Sakowitz

Harold H. Sandstead, M.D.

Gina and Saib Saour

Lawrence P. Schanzmeyer

Dr. Mark A. Schusterman

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Schwarzbach

Mr. and Mrs. Dilanka Seimon

Becky Shaw

Mr. and Dr. Adrian D. Shelley

Arthur E. and Ellen Shelton

Leslie Siller**

Hinda Simon

Ms. Diana Skerl

Mr. and Mrs. Cooper Smith

David Smith and Elizabeth A. Fagan

Mr. Michael Smith

Richard and Mary Spies

Jeaneen and Tim Stastny

Meredith and Ralph Stone

Mr. and Ms. Kerr Taylor

Juliana and Stephen Tew

Jean and Doug Thomas

Courtney & Bill Toomey

Sal and Denise Torrisi

Dr. Brad and Mrs. Frances Urquhart

Patricia Van Allan

Dean Walker

H. Richard Walton

Nancy Ames and Danny Ward

Alton and Carolyn Warren

Ms. Katherine Warren

Dr. and Mrs. Richard T. Weiss

Dr. Robert Wilkins and Dr. Mary Ann ReynoldsWilkins

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Williams

Mr. Frank Wilson

Jerry and Gerlind Wolinksy

Mrs. Linda Yelin

Anonymous (2)

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

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

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

Margaret Alkek Williams

Robin Angly & Miles Smith

Janice Barrow*

Gary and Marian Beauchamp/The Beauchamp Foundation

Barbara J. Burger

Albert & Anne Chao

Janet F. Clark

Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts

Dr. Sippi and Mr. Ajay Khurana

Barbara and Pat McCelvey

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

Mike Stude

Young Associates Council

The Houston Symphony’s Young Associates Council (YAC) is a philanthropic membership group for young professionals, music aficionados, and performing arts supporters interested in exploring symphonic music within Houston’s flourishing artistic landscape. YAC members are afforded exclusive opportunities to participate in musically focused events that take place not only in Jones Hall, but also in the city’s most sought-after venues, private homes, and friendly neighborhood hangouts. From behind-the-scenes interactions with the musicians of the Houston Symphony to jaw-dropping private performances by world-class virtuosos, the Houston Symphony’s Young Associates Council offers incomparable insight and accessibility to the music and musicians that are shaping the next era of orchestral music.

YOUNG ASSOCIATE LEADERSHIP

Kusum Patel, Chair

Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl, Vice Chair

YOUNG ASSOCIATE PREMIUM $2,500+

Christopher P. Armstrong and Laura Schaffer

Ann and Jonathan Ayre

Lauren and Mark Bahorich

Tim Ong and Michael Baugh

Kimberly and James Bell Jr.

Emily Bivona and Ryan Manser

Carrie and Sverre Brandsberg-Dahl#

Eric Brueggeman

Lindsay Buchanan#

Ryan Cantrell

Haydée del Calvo and Esteban Montero

Kendall and Jim Cross

Denise Davis

Valerie Palmquist Dieterich and Tracy Dieterich

Vicky Dominguez

Jamie Everett

Carolyn and Patrick Gaidos

Claudio J. Gutiérrez

YOUNG ASSOCIATE $1,500+

Amber Ali

Luisa Banos and Vladi Gorelik

Amanda Beatriz

Laura and William Black

Adair and Kevin Brueggeman

Greta Carlson

David Chaluh

Lincoln Chen

Megan and John Degenstein

Chante Westmoreland Dillard and Joseph Dillard

Laurel Flores#

Kallie Gallagher

Patrick B. Garvey

Amy Goodpasture

Rebecca and Andrew Gould

Nicholas Gruy

Ashley and John Horstman

C. Birk Hutchens

Mariya Idenova

Jonathan Jan

Anna Kaplan

Allegra Lilly and Robin Kesselman

Stephanie Kimbrell and Joshua Allison

Laurel Flores, Communications Chair

Jeff Hiller, Membership Chair

Elaine and Jeff Hiller#

Mariana and James O. Huff III

Carey Kirkpatrick

Joel Luks

Elissa and Jarrod Martin

Kelser McMiller#

Shane Miller

Emily and Joseph MorrelPorter Hedges LLP

Stephanie Weber and Pau Muri

Serene Lee

Kirby and David Lodholz#

Gwen and Jay McMurrey

Miriam Meriwani

Zoe Miller

David Moyer

Trevor Myers

Lee Bar-Eli and Cliff Nash

Lauren Paine

Kusum and K. Cody Patel#

Blake Plaster

Clarice Jacobson and Brian Rosenzweig

Aprill Nelson#

Maxine Olefsky and Justin Kenney

Toni Oplt and Ed Schneider

Liana and Andrew Schwaitzberg#

Nadhisha and Dilanka Seimon

Aerin and Quentin Smith#

Justin Stenberg#

Ishwaria and Vivek Subbiah

Chicovia Scott

Carlos Sierra

Leonardo Soto

Maria Spadaro

Bryce Swinford

Elise Wagner#

Alexander Webb

Genevera Allen and Michael Weylandt

Hannah Whitney

Marquis Wincher

Kristin and Leonard Wood

Owen Zhang

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

Corporate, Foundation & Government Partners

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

CORPORATE PARTNERS (as of February 28, 2023)

Principal Corporate Guarantor ($250,000 and above)

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

Grand Guarantor ($150,000 and above)

ConocoPhillips**

Guarantor ($100,000 and above)

Bank of America

Boston Consulting Group*

Frost Bank

Underwriter ($50,000 and above)

Accordant Advisors*

Baker Botts L.L.P.*

Cameron Management*

Chevron**

CKP Group*

Engie**

Houston Christian University

Houston Public MediaNews 88.7 FM; Channel 8 PBS*

Houston Methodist* Kalsi Engineering PaperCity*

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo**

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

KTRK ABC-13*

Shell USA, Inc.**

Rand Group, LLC*

Sewell

Truist

United Airlines* Vinson & Elkins LLP

EOG Resources

The Events Company*

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

Partner ($15,000 and above)

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

Faberge

Gorman’s Uniform Service

Supporter ($10,000 and above)

Houston First Corporation*

Macy’s**

Mark Kamin & Associates

New Timmy Chan Corporation

Benefactor ($5,000 and above)

Bank of Texas

Beck Redden LLP

BHP

Frankly Organic Vodka

Patron (Gifts below $5,000)

Amazon Baker Hughes

BeDESIGN*

Christian Dior

Gulf Coast Distillers *

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

Jackson & Company* Locke Lord LLP

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

Mutiny Wine Room Russell Reynolds Associates, Inc. University of St. Thomas*

KPMG US Foundation, Inc.

Mercantil ONEOK, Inc.

Quantum Bass Center*

SEI, Global Institutional Group

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

Silver Eagle Distributors Houston, LLC

Univision Houston & Amor 06.5FM

Lockton Companies of Houston

USI Southwest

Silver Eagle Beverages*

Sire Spirits

Beth Wolff Realtors

Zenfilm*

Wortham Insurance & Risk Management

Smith, Graham & Company

Stewart Title Company

TAM International, Inc.

* Includes in-kind support

**Education and Community Engagement Support

Corporate, Foundation & Government Partners

FOUNDATIONS & GOVERNMENT AGENCIES (as of February 28, 2023)

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

The Brown Foundation, Inc. Houston Symphony Endowment**

Premier Guarantor ($500,000 and above)

The Alkek and Williams Foundation

Grand Guarantor ($150,000 and above)

City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board**

The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts

Guarantor ($100,000 and above)

The Jerry C. Dearing Family Foundation

Underwriter ($50,000 and above)

Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation

Beauchamp Foundation

The Elkins Foundation

Sponsor ($25,000 and above)

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

Partner ($15,000 and above)

Ruth & Ted Bauer Family Foundation**

William E. & Natoma Pyle Harvey Charitable Foundation**

The Hood-Barrow Foundation

Supporter ($10,000 and above)

Edward H. Andrews

The Carleen & Alde Fridge Foundation

Benefactor ($5,000 and above)

Leon Jaworski Foundation

Patron (Gifts below $5,000)

The Lubrizol Foundation

The Scurlock Foundation

Houston Symphony League

The Wortham Foundation, Inc.

City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance

The Cullen Foundation

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

The Houston Arts Combined Endowment Fund

The Fondren Foundation Houston Symphony Chorus Endowment

LTR Lewis Cloverdale Foundation

William S. & Lora Jean Kilroy Foundation

The Vivian L. Smith Foundation**

The Schissler Foundation

The Vaughn Foundation

The C. Howard Pieper Foundation

Texas Commission on the Arts**

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

The William Stamps Farish Fund

George & Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation Petrello Family Foundation

The Pierce Runnells Foundation

Sterling-Turner Foundation Strake Foundation**

The Radoff Family Foundation

Keith & Mattie Stevenson Foundation

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

**Education and Community Engagement Support

Houston Symphony Endowment

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

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

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

TRUSTEES

James H. Lee, President

David Krieger

ENDOWMENT FUNDS $250,000+

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

The Brown Foundation Guest Pianist Fund

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

Margarett and Alice Brown Fund for Education

Janet F. Clark Fund

Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair

Juraj Valčuha, Music Director

The Cullen Foundation Maestro’s Fund

The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Fund for Creative Initiatives

The Margaret and James Elkins Foundation Fund

The Virginia Lee Elverson Trust Fund

Fondren Foundation Chair

Qi Ming, Assistant Concertmaster

William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs

Lynn Mathre

Scott Wise

The General and Mrs. Maurice Hirsch Memorial Concert Fund in memory of Theresa Meyer and Jules Hirsch, beloved parents of General Maurice Hirsch, and Rosetta Hirsch Weil and Josie Hirsch

Bloch, beloved sisters of General Maurice Hirsch

General Maurice Hirsch Chair

Aralee Dorough, Principal Flute

Houston Symphony Chorus Fund

Joan and Marvin Kaplan Fund

Ellen E. Kelley Chair

Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster

Max Levine Chair

Yoonshin Song, Concertmaster

Mary R. Lewis Fund for Piano Performance

M.D. Anderson Foundation Fund

Mary Lynn and Steve Marks Fund

Barbara and Pat McCelvey Fund

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander K. McLanahan Endowed Chair

William VerMeulen, Principal Horn

Monroe L. Mendelsohn Jr. Fund

George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Summer Concerts Fund

Bobbie Nau Chair

Mark Nuccio, Principal Clarinet

C. Howard Pieper Foundation Fund

Walter W. Sapp Fund, Legacy Society Co-Founder

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

The Schissler Foundation Fund

Spec’s Charitable Foundation Salute to Educators Concert Fund

The Micijah S. Stude Special Production Fund

Bobby and Phoebe Tudor Fund

Margaret Alkek Williams Chair

John Mangum, Executive Director/CEO

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

William Dee Hunt

Jerome Simon

Legacy Society

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

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

CRESCENDO CIRCLE $100,000+ (as of February 28, 2023)

Dr. and Mrs. George J. Abdo

Priscilla R. Angly

Jonathan and Ann Ayre

Myra W. Barber

Janice Barrow*

Jim Barton

James Bell

Joe Anne Berwick*

Joan H. Bitar, MD

James and S. Dale Brannon

Walter and Nancy Bratic

Joe Brazzatti

Terry Ann Brown

Mary Kathryn Campion and Stephen Liston

Drs. Dennis and Susan Carlyle

Janet F. Clark

Virginia A. Clark

Mr. William E. Colburn

Elizabeth DeWitts

Farida Abjani

Dr. Antonio Arana*

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey B. Aron

George* and Betty Bashen

Dorothy B. Black*

Kerry Levine Bollmann

Ermy Borlenghi Bonfield

Zu Broadwater

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

Mr. Christopher and Mrs. Erin Brunner

Eugene R. Bruns

Cheryl and Sam* Byington

Sylvia J. Carroll

Dr. Robert N. Chanon

William J. Clayton and Margaret A. Hughes

Mr. and Mrs. Byron Cooley

The Honorable* and Mrs. William Crassas

Dr. Lida S. Dahm

Leslie Barry Davidson

Susan Feickert

Ginny Garrett

Mr. and Mrs. Harry H. Gendel

Michael B. George

Mauro H. Gimenez and Connie A. Coulomb

Bill Grieves*

Mr. Robert M. Griswold

Randolph Lee Groninger

Andria N. Elkins

Jean and Jack* Ellis

The Aubrey* and Sylvia Farb Family

Helen Hudspeth Flores*

Eugene Fong

Mrs. Aggie L. Foster

Stephen and Mariglyn Glenn

Evan B. Glick

Jo A. and Billie Jo Graves

Mario Gudmundsson

Deborah Happ and Richard Rost

Marilyn and Bob Hermance

Dr. Charles and Tammie Johnson

Dr. Rita Justice

Mr. and Mrs. U. J. LeGrange

Joella and Steven P. Mach

Martha and. Alexander Matiuk

Michelle and Jack Matzer

Claudio J. Gutiérrez

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry L. Hamaker

Gloria L. Herman*

Timothy Hogan and Elaine Anthony

Dr. Gary L. Hollingsworth

Dr. Edward J. and Mrs. Patti* Hurwitz

Dr. Kenneth Hyde

Brian and Catherine James

Barbara and Raymond Kalmans

Dr. James E. and Betty W. Key

Dr. and Mrs. I. Ray Kirk

Mrs. Frances E. Leland

Samuel J. Levine

Mrs. Lucy Lewis

Sandra Magers

David Ray Malone and David J. Sloat

Mr. and Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis

Jay and Shirley* Marks

James G. Matthews

Mary Ann and David McKeithan

Dr. Tracey Samuels and Mr. Robert McNamara

Mr. and Mrs. D. Bradley McWilliams

Dr. and Mrs. Malcolm L. Mazow

Bill and Karinne McCullough

Muffy and Mike McLanahan

Dr. Georgette M. Michko

Dr. Robert M. Mihalo*

Mr. and Mrs. Marvin H. Mueller

Drs. John and Dorothy Oehler

Gloria G. Pryzant

Constance E. Roy

Donna Scott

Charles and Andrea Seay

Mr. and Mrs. James A. Shaffer

Michael J. Shawiak

Jule* and Albert* Smith

Louis* and Mary Kay Snyder

Ronald Mikita* & Rex Spikes

Catherine Jane Merchant*

Marilyn Ross Miles and Stephen Warren Miles Foundation

Sidney and Ione Moran

Janet Moynihan*

Richard and Juliet Moynihan

Gretchen Ann Myers

Patience Myers

John N. Neighbors* in memory of Jean Marie Neighbors

Mr.* and Mrs. Richard C. Nelson

Bobbie Newman

John and Leslie Niemand

Leslie Nossaman

Dave G. Nussmann*

John Onstott

Macky Osorio

Edward C. Osterberg Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Edmund and Megan Pantuliano

Imogen “Immy”

Papadopoulos

Christine and Red Pastorek

Peter* and Nina Peropoulos

Linda Tarpley Peterson

Sara M. Peterson

Jenny and Tadjin Popatia

Geraldine Smith Priest

Dana Puddy

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

Mike and Anita* Stude

Mr. and Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor

Elba L. Villarreal

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

Mr. and Mrs. Fredric A. Weber

Robert G. Weiner & Toni Blankmann

Vicki West in honor of Hans Graf

Susan Gail Wood

Jo Dee Wright

Ellen A. Yarrell Anonymous (2)

Patrick T. Quinn

Lila Rauch

Ed and Janet Rinehart

Mr. Floyd W. Robinson

Walter Ross

Dr. and Mrs. Kazuo Shimada

Lisa and Jerry Simon

Tad and Suzanne Smith

Sherry Snyder

Marie Speziale

Emily H. and David K. Terry

Stephen G. Tipps

Steve Tostengard*, in memory of Ardyce Tostengard

Jana Vander Lee

Bill and Agnete Vaughan

Dean B. Walker

Stephen and Kristine Wallace

Geoffrey Westergaard

Nancy B. Willerson

Jennifer R. Wittman

Lorraine and Ed* Wulfe

David and Tara Wuthrich

Katherine and Mark Yzaguirre

Anonymous (8)

Musician Sponsorships

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

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

(As of February 28, 2023)

Dr. Angela Apollo

Scott Holshouser, Principal Keyboard

Dr. Saúl and Ursula Balagura

Charles Seo, Cello

Janice Barrow*

Sophia Silivos, First Violin

Gary and Marian Beauchamp/ The Beauchamp Foundation

Martha Chapman, Second Violin

Nancy and Walter Bratic

Christopher Neal, First Violin

Mr. Gordon J. Brodfuehrer

Maki Kubota, Cello

Mr. Robert Bunch and Ms. Lilia Khakimova

Alexander Potiomkin, Bass Clarinet and Clarinet

Ralph Burch

Robin Kesselman, Principal Double Bass

Barbara J. Burger

Andrew Pedersen, Double Bass

Mary Kathryn Campion, PhD

Rodica Gonzalez, First Violin

Drs. Dennis and Susan Carlyle

Louis-Marie Fardet, Cello

Jane Cizik

Qi Ming, Assistant Concertmaster

Janet F. Clark

MuChen Hsieh, Principal Second Violin

Michael H. Clark and Sallie Morian

Assistant Principal Viola

Virginia A. Clark

Christian Harvey, Shepherd School-Houston

Symphony Brown Foundation CommunityEmbedded Fellow

Roger and Debby Cutler

Tong Yan, First Violin

Joan and Bob Duff

Robert Johnson, Associate Principal Horn

Steve and Mary Gangelhoff

Judy Dines, Flute

Stephen and Mariglyn Glenn Christian Schubert, Clarinet

Evan B. Glick

Tong Yan, First Violin

Suzan and Julius Glickman

Thomas LeGrand, Associate Principal Clarinet and E-flat Clarinet

Mr. and Mrs. Fred L. Gorman

Christopher French, Associate Principal Cello

Mark and Ragna Henrichs

Donald Howey, Double Bass

Gary L. Hollingsworth and Kenneth J. Hyde

Robert Walp, Assistant Principal Trumpet

Drs. M.S. and Marie-Luise

Kalsi

Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster

Joan Kaplan

Mark Nuccio, Principal Clarinet

Dr. Sippi and Mr. Ajay Khurana

David Connor, Double Bass –Community-Embedded

Musician

Dr. and Mrs. I. Ray Kirk

John C. Parker, Associate Principal Trumpet

Rochelle* and Max Levit

Sergei Galperin, First Violin

Cora Sue and Harry* Mach

Joan DerHovsepian, Acting Principal Viola

Joella and Steven P. Mach

Eric Larson, Double Bass

Mrs. Carolyn and Dr. Michael Mann

Ian Mayton, Horn

Mr. and Mrs. Rodney H.

Margolis

Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster

Mr. and Mrs. J. Stephen Marks

Brian Del Signore, Principal Percussion

Mr. Jay Marks

Sergei Galperin, First Violin

Michelle and Jack Matzer

Kurt Johnson, First Violin

Barbara and Pat McCelvey

Adam Dinitz, English Horn

Muffy and Mike McLanahan

William VerMeulen, Principal Horn

Dr. Eric McLaughlin and Mr. Eliodoro Castillo

Jonathan Fischer, Principal Oboe

Martha and Marvin McMurrey

Rodica Gonzalez, First Violin

Rita and Paul Morico

Elise Wagner, Bassoon

Scott and Judy Nyquist

Sheldon Person, Viola

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

MiHee Chung, First Violin

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan E.

Parker

Jeffrey Butler, Cello

Gloria and Joe Pryzant

Matthew Strauss, Percussion

Allan and Jean Quiat

Richard Harris, Trumpet

Laurie A. Rachford

Timothy Dilenschneider, Associate Principal Double Bass

Ron and Demi Rand

Annie Chen, Second Violin

Ed & Janet Rinehart

Amy Semes, Associate Principal Violin

Mrs. Sybil F. Roos

Mark Hughes, Principal

Trumpet

Mr. Glen A. Rosenbaum

Aralee Dorough, Principal Flute

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

Anthony Kitai, Cello

Kathy and Ed Segner

Kathryn Ladner, Flute & Piccolo

Mr. and Mrs. James A. Shaffer

Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster

Margaret and Joel Shannon

Rainel Joubert, Violin–Community-Embedded Musician

Tad and Suzanne Smith

Marina Brubaker, First Violin

Alana R. Spiwak and Sam L. Stolbun

Wei Jiang, Acting Associate Principal Viola

Mike Stude

Brinton Averil Smith, Principal Cello

Bobby and Phoebe Tudor

Bradley White, Acting Principal Trombone

Judith Vincent

Matthew Roitstein, Associate Principal Flute

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

Mark Griffith, Percussion

Stephen and Kristine Wallace

Rian Craypo, Principal Bassoon

Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber

Position Open, Harp

Robert G. Weiner and Toni Blankman

Anastasia Ehrlich, Second Violin

Vicki West

Rodica Gonzalez, First Violin

Steven and Nancy Williams

MiHee Chung, First Violin

Jeanie Kilroy Wilson and Wallace S. Wilson

Xiao Wong, Cello

Nina and Michael Zilkha

Kurt Johnson, First Violin

HOUSTON SYMPHONY BALL:

THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD

The 2023 Houston Symphony Ball, The Golden Age of Hollywood, returned to The Post Oak Hotel on January 28 for a night of glitz and glamour. Chaired by Brigitte Kalai, Farida Abjani, Cheryl Boblitt, and Bill King, the Ball raised more than $1.1 million for the Symphony’s Education and Community Engagement initiatives. The Amerapex Corporation and Bashar & Brigitte Kalai were the Ball’s Presenting Sponsors.

Upon arriving, guests were greeted by a Hollywood red carpet in the lobby leading to the ballroom and dance floor. The black-tie event welcomed more than 400 revelers who perused a silent auction of unique and extravagant items and experiences. In total, the auction, skillfully chaired by Betty Tutor, raised more than $170,000.

The ballroom was decked out in a glamourous tribute to 1930s and ’40s old Hollywood by The Events Company. Guests enjoyed a gourmet multi-course dinner by the hotel’s own Executive Chef Jean-Luc Royere, accompanied by wine pairings meticulously selected by Lindy & John Rydman and Lisa Rydman Lindsey of Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods. After dinner, guests moved to the dance floor and danced the night away to the musical stylings of Justin and the SwingBeats.

The 2023 Ball honorees were Mary Lynn Marks (Stewart Orton Golden Baton Award of Extraordinary Volunteer Service), Hallie Vanderhider (Houston Symphony Philanthropy Award), and Revati Puranik (Houston Symphony Community Honoree). They were honored for their support of the Symphony, philanthropic contributions to the arts, and impact on the Houston community, respectively.

Bill King, Cheryl Boblitt, Brigitte Kalai, Farida Abjani, and John Mangum

Margaret Alkek Williams and John Mangum

Lindy & John Rydman

2023 Houston Symphony Ball at The Post Oak Hotel

Jesse & Betty Tutor

A selection of the silent auction items at the 2023 Houston Symphony Ball

DID YOU KNOW?

The Houston Symphony relies on gifts from donors like you for more than 2/3 of our annual operating budget.

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

Employ 84 full-time orchestra musicians

Perform 113 orchestral concerts in Jones Hall annually featuring outstanding artistic programming, superstar guest artists, and guest conductors.

During subscription renewal season, please consider making a gift to the Annual Fund. When you are making selections for your Classical or Bank of America POPS subscription packages, know that your subscription is crucial in ensuring that 1/3 of the Symphony’s operating budget is secure. But if every subscriber and ticket buyer gave a one-time gift of $360, or a recurring monthly donation of $30, your generosity would go a long way in providing world-class performances and community engagement programs in Houston.

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

Zitlaly Jimenez, Annual Fund Manager 713.337.8559.

Serve more than 50,000 Houstonians through our free and low-cost Community Concerts—including Neighborhood Concerts and Chevron’s Fiesta Sinfónica—and our Community-Embedded Musician (CEM) activities— including hospital and dementia center visits, community-based music education programs, and high school residencies.

Engage

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

Ticket and Subscription Sales

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

In 2022, over $301 million in grants were distributed to over 5,900 nonprofit organizations, making Greater Houston Community Foundation the largest grant maker in the region. This would not be possible without our donors’ collective impact, generosity, and commitment.

On behalf of Greater Houston Community Foundation, we invite you to join us in making a difference in our community.

Everyone’s “why” is different. And we want to hear all about

because the answer gets to the heart of everything that’s important in life. Asking why can lead you to your ultimate purpose, the reason for working so hard, for protecting what’s valuable, and for passing on what you’ve achieved. We’ll work with you on the how. You just tell us, what’s your why?

Kathryn’s Crossword

Kathryn Ladner joined the Houston Symphony on flute and piccolo in 2016. She holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the Shepherd School at Rice University and previously played in the Nashville Symphony. Originally from Seattle, Washington, Kathryn grew up solving crosswords with her father and began constructing her own puzzles in 2018. Her first published puzzle appeared in The New York Times on December 17, 2020, and is still available in its archives—classical music fans will enjoy it!

Kathy and Ed Segner serve as Musician Sponsors to Kathryn Ladner

ACROSS

1. First name for 38-across’s 25-down

6. Civilization that created instruments such as the antaras (panpipes) and pomatinyas (little drums)

10. Coup d’____

14. Bring together

15. Novice, slangily

16. Prefix for legal or normal

17. Delay

18. Restrain, as impulses

19. Half the box of a classic movie theater candy

20. In a key, musically speaking

21. Famous painter who was also a Singer?

23. It comes between “Fa” and”La”

24. It’s a stylized H for 38-Across

25. Tempo that’s neither too fast nor too slow

26. Setting for the first performance of Handel’s Water Music

“Swinging ___ Star”

31. Mozart’s “L’___ del Cairo” (unfinished comic opera featuring a mechanical goose)

32. First three notes of a certain minor scale

33. “Pop ____ the Weasel”

35. Items on a phone menu or a dinner menu

38. Organization with a special message for it’s patrons

43. Iconic singer ____ James

44. Explosive Sicilian

1. Fair

2. “Do ____ others...”

3. First name for a first bassoonist

4. Hit song for 43-across

5. Jiggly dessert

6. Symphony ___ (title for a work of Stravinsky or Bizet)

7. Like the American spelling of “color” or “honor” (as opposed to the British)

8. Cane _____ (Italian mastiff breed)

9. Legendary conductor Claudio

10. Inscription on a building or statue

11. “_____ seat”

12. “These _____ the droids you’re looking for”

13. sul _____ (instruction to play with the bow over the fingerboard, producing a soft thin sound)

45. ___ mosso (more quickly)

46. One of two in Oedipus Rex

48. Notes between dos and mis

49. It’s 90 degrees from norte

50. Musical form favored by Vivaldi, who wrote about 500

54. Govt. ID no.

56. “Is there _______ in the house?!”

57. Nickname for Mahler’s first symphony

61. Moreno who was in “West Side Story” twice, 60 years apart

62. “Ode to Joy” for one

65. Ancient Greek marketplace

66. Music for two

67. Partner of “Circumstance”

68. Spread

69. “____ Excited” (Pointer Sisters hit)

70. Work

71. Slapdash

22. Summary of previous material

24. It’s a stylized H for

25. Title for 1-across

26. Part of Scrooge’s exclamation

27. The duck in “Peter and the Wolf”

28. ____ above the rest

30. Zilch

34. One of 3 Scots words in a popular holiday song

36. Concert series led by Steven Reineke

37. Sulky state

38. Across

39. What a dot over or under a note means

40. Musical term meaning “don’t play”

41. Bach’s ____ in B minor takes about 2 hours to perform in total

42. Assistant conductor ___ Bao

47. Allegro ma non ______ (not too fast)

49. ______ Variations (popular Elgar work)

50. Rapper _____ B

51. Loathing

52. They’re on staff

53. Soldier

55. Hide away

58. Some digits

59. “I smell ____...”

60. ____ a one

63. Big bird

64. U.K. legislators

Scan