InTune | January 2023

InTUNE

The Music of Elton John and Billy Joel

Riots and Scandals Festival: Bartók Miraculous Mandarin + Rachmaninoff Third Piano Concerto

Riots and Scandals Festival: Stravinsky Rite of Spring + Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto

Your Houston Symphony

Welcome to the Houston Symphony

Your Symphony Experience

Juraj Valčuha, Music Director Orchestra Roster Society Board of Trustees Administrative Staff Music & Wellness Riots & Scandals

2022 Magical Musical Morning Musician Sponsorships Meet the Musician: Sam Pederson

Programs

The Music of Elton John and Billy Joel Riots and Scandals Festival: Bartók Miraculous Mandarin + Rachmaninoff Third Piano Concerto Stravinsky Rite of Spring + Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto

Our Supporters

Houston Symphony Donors Music Director Fund Young Associates Council Corporate, Foundation & Gov. Partners Houston Symphony Endowment Legacy Society Musician Sponsorships

welcome to the houston symphony

when faced with the ballet’s overwhelming impact. These two weeks feature two stellar pianists as well, in pinnacles of the repertoire—Yefim Bronfman in Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto, and Khatia Buniatishvili, making her Houston Symphony debut in Tchaikovsky’s beloved First Piano Concerto. Works by Hannah Kendall and Silvestre Revueltas round out what promises to be two unforgettable programs, conducted by our Music Director, an exciting reflection of his artistic vision.

Dear Music Lovers,

It’s a new year at the Houston Symphony, and we’re excited about what we have coming up for the second half of our 2022–23 Season. We ring in the new year with another great tribute to a pair of living musical legends—Elton John and Billy Joel. Featuring the seemingly boundless talents of Michael Cavanaugh, who was chosen by Joel himself for the musical Movin’ Out, this tribute is another of the innovative programs created by our Principal POPS Conductor Steven Reineke.

The month continues with the first of two festivals curated by Music Director Juraj Valčuha, Riots and Scandals. The first program features Béla Bartók’s gripping ballet score, The Miraculous Mandarin. Its story, set in a red-light district, combines the seedy and the supernatural to explore the sharp edges of modernity. Mandarin never made it past its first performance, shut down by then-mayor of Cologne Konrad Adenauer on “moral grounds.” The festival culminates in performances of The Rite of Spring, Stravinsky’s groundbreaking ballet score, the work that ushered in modern music. The premiere was greeted by a now-legendary riot, but the power of the work, with its cubist choreography and tale of ritual sacrifice, quieted the audience, who were defenseless

We finish the month not at Jones Hall, but at Houston Christian University, where we continue our run of student concerts, this time for middle school students from around greater Houston. It’s a good reminder that more than half of the people we serve each season experience the Symphony through our free and low-cost Education and Community Engagement initiatives. These take the full orchestra and ensembles drawn from it out into settings all over our city, so that everyone can share in the joy of music. Two-thirds of our revenue comes from charitable giving. When you support the Symphony, you make this critical work possible, and for that, we thank you.

Thank you so much for being with us, and enjoy the concert!

John Mangum 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

Music Director Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair

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.

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

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

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 Julia Schilz+ Teresa Wang+

VIOLA

Joan DerHovsepian, Acting Principal Wei Jiang, Acting Associate Principal Sheldon Person Fay Shapiro Phyllis Herdliska Keoni Bolding Samuel Pedersen Meredith Harris+ Suzanne LeFevre+

CELLO

Brinton Averil Smith, Principal Janice and Thomas Barrow Chair

Christopher French Associate Principal Anthony Kitai Louis-Marie Fardet

Jeffrey Butler Maki Kubota

Xiao Wong Charles Seo Jeremy Kreutz

COMMUNITY-EMBEDDED MUSICIANS

David Connor, double bass Rainel Joubert, violin

ASSOCIATE LIBRARIAN

Luke Bryson

ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN Hae-a Lee

Steven Reineke, Principal POPS Conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Conductor Laureate Yue Bao, Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation Assistant Conductor

Allen Hightower, Director Houston Symphony Chorus

DOUBLE BASS

Robin Kesselman, Principal Timothy Dilenschneider, Associate Principal Mark Shapiro Eric Larson

Andrew Pedersen Burke Shaw

Donald Howey

FLUTE

Aralee Dorough, Principal General Maurice Hirsch Chair

Matthew Roitstein* Associate Principal Judy Dines

Acting Associate Principal Mark Teplitsky+ Kathryn Ladner

PICCOLO Kathryn Ladner

OBOE

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

ENGLISH HORN Adam Dinitz

CLARINET

Mark Nuccio, Principal Bobbie Nau Chair Thomas LeGrand, Associate Principal Christian Schubert Alexander Potiomkin

E-FLAT CLARINET Thomas LeGrand

BASS CLARINET

Alexander Potiomkin Tassie and Constantine S. Nicandros Chair

BASSOON

Rian Craypo, Principal Isaac Schultz, Associate Principal Elise Wagner Adam Trussell

STAGE PERSONNEL

Stefan Stout, Stage Manager

José Rios, Assistant Stage Manager Nicholas DiFonzo and Justin Herriford, Stage Technicians Giancarlo Minotti, Recording Assistant

CONTRABASSOON

Adam Trussell

HORN

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

Robert Johnson, Associate Principal Brian Thomas Ian Mayton Jesse Clevenger+

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

Juraj Valčuha

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

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

Paul Morico General Counsel Barbara McCelvey Secretary

Bobby Tudor^ At-Large Member

Cheryl Byington^ President, Houston Symphony League

James H. Lee III^ President, Houston Symphony Endowment

Juraj Valčuha^ Music Director, Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair

Joan DerHovsepian^ Musician Representative

John Mangum^ Executive Director/CEO Margaret Alkek Williams Chair

Mark Hughes^ Musician Representative

Adam Trussell^ Musician Representative

Mark Nuccio^ Musician Representative

Katie Salvatore^ Assistant Secretary

^Ex-Officio

GOVERNING DIRECTORS

Jonathan Ayre

Marcia Backus

Gary Beauchamp

Tony Bradfield

Eric Brueggeman

Bill Bullock

Barbara J. Burger

Janet F. Clark

Lidiya Gold

William D. Hunt

Rick Jaramillo

Sippi Khurana, M.D. Carey Kirkpatrick

Kenny Kurtzman

Isabel Stude Lummis

Cora Sue Mach**

Rodney Margolis** Jay Marks**

Mary Lynn Marks

Elissa Martin

Barbara McCelvey

Paul R. Morico Robert Orr

Chris Powers

John Rydman** Miles O. Smith

Anthony Speier William J. Toomey II Bobby Tudor** Betty Tutor** Jesse B. Tutor** Judith Vincent Gretchen Watkins Robert Weiner Margaret Alkek Williams**

EX-OFFICIO

Cheryl Byington

Brad W. Corson

Manuel Delgado

Joan DerHovsepian Evan B. Glick

Mark Hughes

James H. Lee III Steven P. Mach

John Mangum

Mark Nuccio

Katie Salvatore Ed Schneider

Adam Trussell

Juraj Valčuha

TRUSTEES

David J. Beck

James M. Bell Jr.

Devinder Bhatia, M.D.

Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl

Nancy Shelton Bratic

Terry Ann Brown**

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

Jackie Wolens Mazow

PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY

Mrs. Edwin B. Parker

Miss Ima Hogg

Mrs. H. M. Garwood

Joseph A. Mullen, M.D.

Joseph S. Smith Walter H. Walne

H. R. Cullen Gen. Maurice Hirsch

Charles F. Jones

Fayez Sarofim

John T. Cater

Richard G. Merrill

Ellen Elizardi Kelley

John D. Platt

E.C. Vandagrift Jr. J. Hugh Roff Jr.

SOCIETY

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

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

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

Dougal A. Cameron Janet F. Clark Barbara McCelvey

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

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, Director, Corporate Relations and Development Operations

Amanda T. Dinitz, 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

Samantha S. Olinsky, Major Gifts Officer

Tim Richey, Director, Individual Giving

Katie Salvatore, Development Officer and Board Liaison

Ika Soemampauw, Senior Development Associate, Administration

Christine Ann Stevens, Director, Major Gifts

Lena Streetman, Research Analyst

Stacey Swift, Director, Special Events

Sarah Thompson, Institutional Giving Associate

Christina Trunzo, Director, Foundation Relations

Alexa Ustaszewski, Development Ticket Concierge

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 AND 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

John B. Pollard II, Assistant Manager, Patron Services

Jenny Zuniga, Director, Patron Services

OPERATIONS | ARTISTIC

Stephanie Alla, Associate Director of Artistic Planning

Lila Atchison, Assistant Orchestra Personnel Manager

Becky Brown, Director, Operations

Luke Bryson, Associate Librarian

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

Carlin Truong, Chorus Manager

Meredith Williams, Associate Director, Operations

Rebecca Zabinski, Director, Artistic Planning

MUSIC WELLNESS &

The steady beat of a heart monitor, the whirr of an oxygen machine, the hushed voices of physicians and nurses as they consult with patients—these are the typical sounds you hear at hospitals. However, at certain Texas Medical Center hospitals in Houston, you can hear the sweet sounds of music emanating from patients’ rooms and throughout the hallways. Research has shown that music can relieve physical pain and alleviate stress and anxiety levels in patients with chronic illnesses. That is why the Houston Symphony partners with the Periwinkle Arts in Medicine Program at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Center, and Houston Methodist to enrich patients’ lives through music. Our Music and Wellness partnerships are designed to complement health care throughout the illness trajectory and increase the quality of life for patients, families, and caregivers.

Throughout the year, our Community-Embedded Musicians (CEMs) visit Texas Children’s Hospital and MD Anderson’s Children’s Cancer Center bi-weekly to interact with patients at their bedsides and in group sessions alongside board-certified music therapists. “It’s really moving and touching for me to do bedside visits,” says CEM Rainel Joubert. “You get into a room and a kid feels exhausted from medicine, and they don’t want to hear music. But then as you start playing, you can see how their face changes totally. The environment in the room changes—not only for them, but for their families. It’s always something that I look forward to doing.”

Last season, the Houston Symphony began a partnership with CarePartners Dementia Day Centers to provide monthly interactive concerts for dementia patients. This season, the Symphony is excited to expand our work with dementia patients through our new partnership with Amazing Place. Concerts include music from genres and eras conducive to eliciting memories and audience participation and reducing agitation in patients. A recent concert took place at CarePartners, where 40 participants also played music-based games and had the opportunity to request songs. We know that music can lift moods and reduce stress, but studies have also shown that music can improve cognitive function. “When we get into dementia centers, there are patients that don’t remember certain things, but as soon as we play something they lived through back in the day, something just clicks,” CEM Rainel remarks on the healing power music has on patients. “That [feels like] magic happening in real time. There’s something in the brain that just sparks up.”

Our bedside visits and concerts are a part of the Houston Symphony’s Education and Community Engagement initiatives. If you’d like to support our efforts to enrich countless lives through music and further expand our Music and Wellness partnerships, visit houstonsymphony.org/donate or contact giving@houstonsymphony.org.

Community-Embedded Musician Rainel Joubert wrapping up a bedside visit at Texas Children’s Hospital.

Community-Embedded Musicians and Community-Embedded Fellows perform for patients at Amazing Place Dementia Day Center.

—Lauren Buchanan

Program

THE MUSIC OF ELTON JOHN AND BILLY JOEL

Steven Reineke, conductor Michael Cavanaugh, piano and vocals

Featured POPS SERIES INTUNE January 2023

About the Music

Friday, January 6 Jones Hall

8:00 p.m. Saturday, January 7 Jones Hall 8:00 p.m. Sunday, January 8 Jones Hall 2:30 p.m.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Margaret Alkek Williams Grand Guarantor 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

PROGRAM INSIGHT

• Selling more than 33 million copies, Elton John holds the record for the highest-selling single of all time with “Candle in the Wind” in 1997.

• Elton John was knighted Sir Elton Hercules John in 1998 by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to music and charity.

• Elton John’s other passion, which runs a close second to music, is sports, specifically European football.

• Billy Joel was named one of the 100 greatest songwriters of all time by Rolling Stone

• The lifetime record of most performances at Madison Square Garden in New York is held by Billy Joel.

• Since signing his first solo recording contract in 1972, Billy Joel has had 33 Top 40 Hits, 23 Grammy nominations, and six Grammy Awards.

Program Bios

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 Reineke, conductor

Program Bios

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 between news segments. In 2018, Steven led the same orchestra and hip hop legend Nas performing his seminal album, Illmatic, on PBS’s Great Performances. As the creator of more than 100 orchestral arrangements for the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Steven’s work has been performed worldwide, and can be heard on numerous Cincinnati Pops Orchestra recordings on the Telarc label. His symphonic works Celebration Fanfare, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Casey at the Bat are performed frequently in North America, including performances by the New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic. His Sun Valley Festival Fanfare commemorated the Sun Valley Summer Symphony’s pavilion, and his Festival Te Deum and Swan’s Island Sojourn were debuted by the Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops Orchestras.

His numerous wind ensemble compositions are published by the C.L. Barnhouse Company and are performed by concert bands worldwide.

A native of Ohio, Steven is a graduate of Miami University of Ohio, where he earned Bachelor of Music degrees with honors in both trumpet performance and music composition. He lives in New York City with his husband, Eric Gabbard. 

In 1999, Michael received an offer that would unknowingly change his life: an opportunity to play Las Vegas at the famed New York, New York Hotel and Casino. There, Billy Joel spotted Michael and joined him on stage one fateful night in 2001. It only took two songs before Billy was convinced he had found his new Piano Man. Michael moved to New York City to work alongside Joel and Twyla Tharp to shape Broadway’s Movin’ Out. In the lead role, he received both Tony and Grammy nominations.

With the close of Movin’ Out, Michael began touring worldwide in his own right, creating a show that reinterprets the modern pop/rock songbook: The Music of Elton John and Billy Joel. He soon became one of the hottest artists in the private events market, and continues to perform worldwide.

Michael Cavanaugh, piano and vocals

Michael Cavanaugh is the voice of the American Rock & Roll Songbook, made famous for his piano/lead vocals in the Broadway musical Movin’ Out. Handpicked by Billy Joel, Cavanaugh evokes a style rivaling the Piano Man. He appeared in the show for three years with more than 1,200 performances, receiving multiple accolades.

Michael began playing at age seven. Encouraged by family and friends, and inspired by his hero Billy Joel, Michael formed his first band at age ten and began playing local functions. His first full-time gig was an extended engagement in Orlando, Florida, at a piano bar called Blazing Pianos.

It wasn’t long before symphony orchestras discovered Michael’s talents and audience appeal. He accepted his first orchestral booking, Michael Cavanaugh—The Songs of Billy Joel and More, in 2008. Other programs followed: The Songs of Elton John and More; Singers and Songwriters: The Music of Paul Simon, Neil Diamond and James Taylor; and Rockin’ Christmas with the Pops. He continues to tour all four productions.

In 2008, he signed with Warner/ ADA to distribute his first CD, In Color. The Way I Hear It, his second album released in 2017, debuted at #17 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. Michael has reached the POLLSTAR Live75, the country’s top 75 active touring acts. 

Classical Music that Rocked the World RIOTS & SCANDALS

This season, Music Director Juraj Valčuha will lead the orchestra and special guests in two unforgettable festivals taking place over four weekends in the spring: Riots & Scandals: Classical Music that Rocked the World (January 13–15, 2023, and January 20–22, 2023) and Songs of Earth (February 10–12, 2023, and February 17–19, 2023). The first festival, Riots & Scandals, takes place this month and features two programs, each highlighting a famous work that was controversial at the time of its premiere. The works highlighted in this festival come from the second decade of the 20 th century—a time that saw many technological advancements, the First World War, and revolutions.

During this time of cultural, social, and political upheaval, modernist artists and composers were challenging accepted norms to create innovative works that shocked their contemporaries.

The opening weekend of Riots & Scandals (January 13–15, 2023) focuses on the explosive musical score of Bartók’s The Miraculous Mandarin. Although it premiered in 1926, Bartók began composing the score in 1918 with the goal of creating a scandalous piece that would shock conventional-minded critics. His plan worked—the one-act pantomime ballet was so incendiary that the Mayor of Cologne banned it after only one performance on moral grounds. The ballet’s themes of sensuality and violence combined with Bartók’s moody and volatile musical score caused an uproar in the theater. Today, audiences are more accepting of Bartók’s ingenious music, and it is regarded as a modern masterpiece.

Hannah Kendall’s The Spark Catchers, the contemporary work featured on the first weekend’s program, didn’t cause riots at its premiere, but it was inspired by another revolutionary historical event. The work takes its name from a poem by Lemn Sissay about the 1888 Matchgirls’ Strike in East London, an event where 1,400 women and girls who worked at the Bryant and May factory went on strike for improved wages and treatment. Finally, one of today’s most acclaimed and admired pianists, Yefim Bronfman, returns to perform a piece with the orchestra that is legendary for causing riotous applause. Bronfman takes on the staggering virtuosity of Rachmaninoff’s

Hungarian composer, Béla Bartók, pictured in 1927.

Piano Concerto No. 3, a piece so demanding that it is often described as the “Mt. Everest” of concertos.

On the second weekend of the Riots & Scandals festival (January 20–22, 2023), the orchestra performs Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, a work whose pounding rhythms, propulsive energy, and sonic energy make for an electrifying experience unlike anything else. “The work of a madman … sheer cacophony!” That is how composer Giacomo Puccini described Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring shortly after the Ballet Russes’s premiere on May 29, 1913, in Paris’s Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. The percussive nature of the music and the ballet’s story, featuring primitive pagans and human sacrifice, was scandalous to many in the audience.

And yet, a century after the ballet was met with derisive laughter and outrage, Stravinsky’s score, with its unprecedented harmonies, rhythms, and orchestrations, is regarded as one of the most important musical works of the 20 th century. Also on the program, GeorgianFrench pianist Khatia Buniatishvili makes her Houston Symphony debut, joining Valčuha and the orchestra for Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1—a beautiful concerto that displays the brilliance of Russian romanticism. The program also features Sensemayá by Silvestre Revueltas—who is widely considered one of the most significant figures of 20 thcentury Mexican music. An artistic product of post-revolutionary Mexico, Sensemayá was inspired by a poem of the same name by Nicolás Guillén, who drew on the music and dance of his own Afro-Cuban ancestors to vividly evoke their sacred traditions. Revueltas combined these influences with the orchestral innovations of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, creating music with a thrilling new sound.

Much like the works highlighted in the festival, Riots & Scandals: Classical Music that Rocked the World is sure to provoke, inspire, and challenge audiences. We hope you enjoy the first of these two dynamic festivals taking place this spring!

Ballet Russes Dancers in the 1913 production of The Rite of Spring

An excerpt from a review of the 1913 premiere of The Rite of Spring

—Lauren Buchanan and Calvin Dotsey

About the Music

Friday, January 13 Jones Hall 8:00 p.m. Saturday, January 14 Jones Hall & Livestream 8:00 p.m. Sunday, January 15 Jones Hall 2:30 p.m.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Margaret Alkek Williams Spotlight Series

Rodney and Judy Margolis Sponsor

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

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

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

Program Notes

H. KENDALL The Spark Catchers

Lemn Sissay’s incredibly evocative poem, The Spark Catchers, is the inspiration behind this work. I was drawn to its wonderful dynamism, vibrancy, and drive. Specific words and phrases from the text have established the structure of the work and informed the contrasting musical characteristics created within the piece’s main components. The opening “Sparks and Strikes” section immediately creates vigor and liveliness, with the piccolo and violins setting up a swelling rhythmic drive, interjected by strong strikes from the rest of the ensemble. This momentum continues into “The Molten Madness,” maintaining the initial kinetic energy, whilst also producing a darker and brooding atmosphere introduced in the bass lines. A broad and soaring melodic line in the horns and first violins overlays the material, moving into a majestic episode led by the full string section, accentuated by valiant calls in the woodwind, brass, and percussion, culminating in a sudden pause. A lighter variation of the opening rhythmic material in the clarinets, harp, and strings follows, creating a feeling of suspense. The texture builds through a jazzy figure led by the brass, leading to powerful and surging interplay between the flutes, oboes, and violins.

The lighter, clearer, and crystalline “Beneath the Stars/In the Silver Sheen” section follows. Quiet and still, it is distinguished by its gleaming delicacy through long interweaving lines, high pitch range, and thin textures. An illuminating strike, underpinned by the glockenspiel and harp, signifies the climax of this section. Subsequently, the opening zest comes back again through dance-like material which culminates in “The Matchgirls March” with its forceful and punchy chords.

The Spark Catchers ends with a coda-like section, which carries over the power of the “March,” whilst also incorporating variations on musical motives from “Sparks and Strikes” and “The Molten Madness,” finally concluding on a sparkling flourish.

—H. Kendall

Program Notes

RACHMANINOFF

Piano Concerto No.3 in D Minor, Opus 30

Sergei Rachmaninoff had a love-hate relationship with performing. He was one of the most commanding pianists of his day, and concert fees provided welcome support for his family. But he resented the time touring robbed from his creative work. So, a New York impresario needed several years of negotiations to sign up the reluctant virtuoso for his first United States tour. Yet the prospect remained so foreboding that Rachmaninoff almost welcomed the news, a few months before time to leave home, that the organizer had died. Rachmaninoff hoped that would scuttle the trip. But the impresario’s widow held the plans together, and Rachmaninoff made his U.S. debut in Massachusetts on November 4, 1909.

Joining the New York Symphony later that month, the 36-year-old premiered a work he had created for the tour: his blockbuster Piano Concerto No. 3. The concerto remains one of the keyboard’s ultimate challenges. Its 40 action-packed minutes demand a pianist who can stir up whirlwinds, turn a phrase with a poet’s subtlety, fire off volleys of chords, bathe lyricism in glowing tones, and project all of that over a sonorous orchestra.

The concerto’s opening hardly suggests that a titanic experience is in store. The piano spins out a quiet, sinuous melody, with only the orchestra’s murmur to suggest restlessness underneath. As soon as the orchestra takes it over, the tune grows more animated, and the piano’s filigree swirls around it. The intensity ratchets up until a flourish from the keyboard caps it off. Then the soloist introduces a sweeter, cozier melody. It, too, quickly gains fire, and the movement climaxes when the pianist trumpets the opening theme amid the uproar of an extended, thunderous solo.

The second movement brings lyricism, but it’s passionate, darkhued lyricism that resists settling down. At one point, the music breaks into a fleet, eerie waltz; another flare-up propels the pianist into the galloping finale. Melody rides atop the energy at times, and a few moments of reflectiveness break in. But then the piano springs back into action, and even a final surge of grandeur from the orchestra can only briefly rein in the soloist before the final sprint. —Steven Brown

BARTÓK

If there is a watershed in Béla Bartók’s stylistic development, its mark is to be found in the violent pantomime tale of a Chinese mandarin—a high government official or bureaucrat—coaxed into a brothel where he is robbed, suffocated, stabbed, and hung by three thugs, but refuses to die until he has embraced the woman who lured him there.

Bartók encountered the libretto by Melchior Lengyel in a literary magazine in 1917 and was fascinated by this tale of an urban love-death. In the final turbulent days of World War I, he sketched out a scenario and completed a piano sketch of the music by May 1919, during a time of political upheaval and human displacement in his native Hungary. But the work lay unperformed for the next seven years, partly because of his delay in orchestrating the piano version.

On November 27, 1926, the pantomime finally achieved a single performance at the Cologne Opera House, on a double-bill with Bartók’s opera, Bluebeard’s Castle. However, audience reaction was so violent that further performances were banned by the city’s mayor, Konrad Adenauer. The pantomime was successfully produced in Prague the following year, but was never performed in Budapest during Bartók’s lifetime.

Modern productions have included former Houston Ballet artistic director Ben Stevenson’s realistic staging in 1985. The work begins with an agitated portrayal of three thugs ordering the woman out into the street to attract customers. Her siren dancing is represented by elaborate clarinet solos, as she lures two penniless victims in quick succession a ridiculous old rake and a student—both of whom are quickly thrown back out by the thugs.

When the mandarin enters after the third clarinet solo, the orchestra becomes convulsed in expressing the woman’s conflicting emotions. She is under orders to entice him further, but is repelled by his fixed stare. She dances a seductive waltz, and he responds by chasing after her during a relentless Bartókian fugue. The final portion of the music is broken into shorter sections representing alternating attempts to kill the mandarin. When his desire is finally satisfied, the brutal energy of the musical score suddenly evaporates in a quiet ending.

—Carl R. Cunningham

The Miraculous Mandarin, Opus 19

Program Bios

Juraj Valčuha, conductor

See p. 6 for his bio

recital series. His commanding technique, power, and exceptional lyrical gifts are consistently acknowledged by the press and audiences alike.

Yefim Bronfman, piano

Internationally recognized as one of today’s most acclaimed and admired pianists, Yefim Bronfman stands among a handful of artists regularly sought by festivals, orchestras, conductors, and

Following summer festival appearances in Verbier and Salzburg and on tour with mezzosoprano Magdalena Kožená, the 2022–23 Season begins with the opening week of the Chicago Symphony followed by return visits to the New York Philharmonic and orchestras in Houston, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New World, Pacific, Madison, New Jersey, Toronto, and Montreal. In Europe, he will tour with Rotterdam Philharmonic and can also be heard with the Berlin Philharmonic, Bayerischer Rundfunk (Munich), Bamberg, Dresden Staatskapelle, Maggio Fiorentino, and Zurich Opera orchestras.

Born in Tashkent in the Soviet Union, Yefim Bronfman immigrated to Israel with his family in 1973, where he studied with pianist Arie Vardi, head of the Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University. In the United States, he studied at The Juilliard School, Marlboro School of Music, and the Curtis Institute of Music, under Rudolf Firkusny, Leon Fleisher, and Rudolf Serkin. A recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Prize, one of the highest honors given to American instrumentalists, in 2010 he was further honored as the recipient of the Jean Gimbel Lane prize in piano performance from Northwestern University. In 2015, he received an honorary doctorate from the Manhattan School of Music.

Corporate Spotlight

As a celebrated member of Houston’s performing arts community for more than 100 years, the Houston Symphony is proud to partner with another local institution that has been giving back to the city for more than a century: Vinson & Elkins LLP, an international law firm with approximately 700 lawyers in 12 offices worldwide.

Vinson & Elkins’s lawyers and business professionals truly believe in the value of giving back to the communities they serve and are especially proud of their long tradition of supporting the arts here where the firm was founded. Visit velaw.com for more information about the firm.

The Houston Symphony thanks Vinson & Elkins for the firm’s continued support.

houston symphony chorus

Allen Hightower, Director

Janwin Overstreet-Goode Chorus Manager

Carlin Truong

Chorus Manager, Chorus Preparation

Scott Holshouser

Pianist

Tony Sessions

Librarian/Stage Manager

The Houston Symphony Chorus is the official choral unit of the Houston Symphony and consists of highly skilled and talented volunteer singers. Over the years, members of this historic ensemble have learned and performed the world’s great choral-orchestral masterworks under the batons of Juraj Valčuha, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Hans Graf, Christoph Eschenbach, Robert Shaw, and Helmuth Rilling, among many others.

In addition, the Chorus enjoys participating in the Houston Symphony’s popular programming under the batons of conductors such as Steven Reineke and Michael Krajewski. Recently, the ensemble sang the closing subscription concerts with the Prague Symphony Orchestra in the Czech Republic.

Singers are selected for specific programs for which they have indicated interest. A singer might choose to perform in all 45 concerts, as was the case in a recent season, or might elect to participate in a single series. The Houston Symphony Chorus holds auditions by appointment and welcomes inquiries from interested singers.

ALLEN HIGHTOWER

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

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

Outside the academic setting, Allen was Houston Masterworks Chorus and Orchestra’s artistic director, leading an annual concert series of choral/ orchestral masterworks. As a deeply committed church musician, he has served churches in Texas, California, and Minnesota. Currently, he is on the music staff of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, and is the church music vice-president of the Texas Choral Directors Association.

Allen earned his undergraduate degree in music education and piano from Sam Houston State University, a master’s in choral conducting from the Eastman School of Music, a master’s in orchestral conducting from Baylor University, and his doctorate in conducting from the University of California, Los Angeles. He pursued additional studies in orchestral and choral conducting at the University of Southern California, at Westminster Choir College, and the Oregon Bach Festival. After winning first prize in the graduate division of the American Choral Directors Association’s Conducting Competition in 1997, he was assistant to Paul Salamunovich, conductor of the Los Angeles Master Chorale.

Allen lives in McKinney, Texas, with his wife, Dr. Kristin Hightower, and their daughters, Caroline and Julianne.

JANWIN OVERSTREET-GOODE

Janwin Overstreet-Goode is a secondary choral music consultant, clinician, and adjudicator, following 36 years as a high school choral director. She is also the coordinator of student teaching and certification for the University of Houston Moores School of Music and artistic director of Casulana, the Women’s Choir of Houston. Choirs under her direction twice performed for Texas Music Educators Association conventions: Sam Rayburn HS Chorale Women in 2001 and Friendswood HS Campus Singers in 2008.

Janwin was honored by the Houston Symphony and Fidelity FutureStage as the 2008 Outstanding Music Educator in the field of choral music. She served as vocal division vice-president, president-elect, president and immediate past president of the Texas Music Educators Association, 2011–2016, and was secretary-treasurer of the Texas Choral Directors Association, 2007–2009. She was recently recognized by TCDA with the Choral Excellence Award (2022). Janwin was twice recognized for Best Musical Direction by the Houston-area Tommy Tune Awards; and she was the conductor/clinician for the 2006 Kentucky All-State SSAA Choir.

She is a collaborator on two choral sight-reading method books: SMART – Sight-reading Made Accessible, Readable, Teachable and SMART –Modulations and Altered Tones. She has served the Houston Symphony Chorus as a rehearsal conductor since 2015. Most recently, Janwin prepared the Chorus for the 2021 performance of Handel’s Messiah. She is co-chorus manager for the 2022–23 Season.

CHORUS ROSTER

Christin Michelle Abbott

Bob Alban

Ramona R. Alms

Mark Anstrom

Keith Anthis

Kendall Aleksandra Banasiak

David Campbell Blassingame

Criselda Bocanegra

Emily Boudreaux

Jennifer Breneman

Mischa Ione Brinkmeyer

Shelby Capozzoli

Violaine Cornu

Randy Alan Eckman

Ethan Michael Fasnacht

Kathryn O’Rourke Fry

Rachel Marie Gehman

John-Alan Gourdine

Melisa Gultan

George E. Howe

Stephen M. James

Nobuhide Kobori

Stephanie Isabel Kopesky

Elizabeth Kragas

Benjamin Luss

Brendan Lutes

Renesha McNeal

James K Moore

Theresa Olin

Greg Railsback

Douglas Rodenberger

Carolyn Rogan

James Romig

Jennifer Romig

Scott Roth

Angela Bongat Seaman

Tony Sessions

Allen Silagan

Carol Strawn Marin Trautman Paul Van Dorn

Phillip David Velarde Crystal Lynn White David Frank Zurawski

About the Music

Friday, January 20

Jones Hall 8:00 p.m. Saturday, January 21

Jones Hall & Livestream 8:00 p.m. Sunday, January 22 Jones Hall 2:30 p.m.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Margaret Alkek Williams Spotlight Series Sponsor

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

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

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

Program Notes

REVUELTAS Sensemayá

Poetry is often said to fall somewhere between music and language, so it is no surprise that many composers have been inspired by poetry throughout history. Silvestre Revueltas’s Sensemayá is a particularly fascinating example. This orchestral work was inspired by the eponymous poem of Nicholás Guillén (1902–1989), who sought to decolonize Cuban culture with poetry inspired by his own AfroCuban ancestry. Throughout the Spanish-speaking world, his 1934 “Sensemayá: A Chant for Killing a Snake” has become one of his most famous creations. On the surface, this brief lyric would appear to be the text for a song meant to accompany a sacred dance from one of the spiritual traditions practiced by Afro-Cubans, such as Santería. Although the origin of the title is uncertain, it may be a portmanteau of “sensa,” meaning “providence,” and “Yamaya” or “Yemanya,” the name of the queen of the earth and sea in some Afro-Cuban sacred traditions. The poem describes the ritual sacrifice of a snake (one must note that in traditional snake dances, no animals were actually harmed—the dance was symbolic). Although it is easy to read the poem as a colorful evocation of local customs, commentators have typically interpreted the snake as symbolizing imperialism, a reading supported by Sensemayá’s initial publication alongside some of Guillén’s more overtly political poems. In this context, the poem becomes a call for liberation—a meaning that Silvestre Revueltas, very much a product of the cultural flowering of post-Revolutionary Mexico, likely would have found in it as well.

In a sense, when Revueltas sat down to compose his own Sensemayá in 1938 (creating first a version for chamber orchestra and then the version for full orchestra most often performed today), all he really had to do was imagine the music already implied by Guillén’s verses, which resound with the rhythms of Afro-Cuban son music. Throughout the poem runs the refrain “Mayombe-bombe-mayombé” (the term “Mayombe” may refer to a region of the Congo river basin in Africa or a specific Afro-Cuban religious community, and “bombe” can refer to

Program Notes

REVUELTAS

Sensemayá

a type of Afro-Caribbean dance or a type of drum which originated in Ghana). When idiomatically pronounced as “m’yombe bombe mayombe,” this chant creates the dancing, 7/8 meter (1-2-1-2-1-2-3) that begins the piece. Indeed, the refrain can be sung to the bassoon motif introduced shortly after the opening; it also fits the motif that appears at the first entrance of the strings (an instrument family often used by composers to evoke a chorus).

In addition to Guillén’s poem and Afro-Caribbean music, another inescapable influence on Revueltas’s Sensemayá is Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. Although Stravinsky’s 1913 ballet was inspired by prehistoric Russia, many Mexican composers found his musical techniques—the layered ostinatos, fragments of folk music, shifting meters, unconventional orchestrations, stark juxtapositions of blocks of sound, and rough-hewn, dissonant harmonies—ideally suited to adapting indigenous musics to an orchestral context as they strove to create a uniquely Mexican (or in the case of Sensemayá, pan-American) style of classical music. For instance, the tuba solo near the beginning of Sensemayá is undoubtedly Revueltas’s answer to the famous bassoon solo that opens The Rite. As Sensemayá unfolds, its rhythms become increasingly unstable, building to a raucous, thrilling conclusion.

—Calvin Dotsey

TCHAIKOVSKY

Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Opus 23

Today, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 is one of the most popular pieces of its kind, but it initially met with a rocky start. In November 1874, Tchaikovsky wrote to his brother, Anatoly, “I am now immersed in the composition of a piano concerto. I definitely want Rubinstein to play it at his concert; it’s going with much difficulty...”

Aged 34, he was at this time working as a professor at the still new Moscow Conservatory; the Rubinstein he mentioned was Nikolai Rubinstein, the head of the Conservatory. Tchaikovsky completed the concerto the following month, and he played it for Rubinstein and some friends on Christmas Eve. “I played the first movement,” Tchaikovsky recalled. “Not a word, not an observation! […] Rubinstein was preparing his thunder.” After Tchaikovsky finished, Rubinstein declared that the concerto “was worthless […] that there are only two or three pages worth preserving […]” Undaunted, Tchaikovsky refused to change “a single note.” Instead, he sent the concerto to the eminent pianist and conductor Hans von Bülow, who declared “this true gem shall earn you the gratitude of all pianists.”

Bülow gave the world premiere in Boston the following October, and it was wildly applauded by the American audience. A few years later, Rubinstein came around and performed it himself. Tchaikovsky was “very, very pleased” by this change of heart. Later, Tchaikovsky made a few relatively minor revisions to the concerto; the version we know today was prepared during the winter of 1888–89 in collaboration with the pianist Alexander Siloti.

Program Notes

TCHAIKOVSKY

Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Opus 23

The emotional first movement begins with one of Tchaikovsky’s most famous melodies; this passionate introductory theme, however, never returns. Instead, the music slows, and we are introduced to three main themes: the first, introduced by the piano, is a nervous Ukrainian folksong Tchaikovsky once heard sung by a blind beggar; the second is a melancholy theme that first appears in the clarinets; a gentle, more hopeful third theme is introduced by strings. The ensuing intense development seamlessly transforms into a reprise of the main themes. After the melancholy second theme, the soloist has a pivotal cadenza—an extended, unaccompanied solo passage. The movement ends with the optimistic return of the gentle third theme, which builds to a thrilling conclusion.

The slow second movement begins with a delicate melody for solo flute. Altering one note, the piano takes up the theme and is later joined by two solo cellos (or one, at the conductor’s discretion). The tempo picks up for a fast, contrasting middle section. Tchaikovsky’s brother, Modest, wrote that the strings’ melody is taken from a popular French song, “Il faut s’amuser, danser et rire” (“One must have fun, dance, and laugh”). The slow first theme returns, appearing in the piano then the oboe. The third movement begins with a lively melody based on another Ukrainian folksong. A singing, contrasting theme appears soon after in the violins. With some variations and interpolations, the two themes alternate. After a grand crescendo and virtuoso octaves for the soloist, the lyrical second theme returns for the last time, now played by the entire orchestra. The music then races to its end. —Calvin Dotsey

STRAVINSKY

Le sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring)

After the failed revolution of 1905, a cloud of doom hovered over the Russian Empire. With freedom of speech curtailed, many artists looked to the prehistoric past for inspiration, feeling modern civilization had somehow gone astray. The poet Alexander Blok, for instance, wrote longingly of primeval man and nature: “He lived with her in intimate union, feeling the soul of this being, with her constant mysterious treacheries and her vivid colors, as closest of all to his own.” For Blok and others, the artist’s mission was to revivify a stultified culture by reconnecting with the primal past.

Amid this heady Zeitgeist, Stravinsky was struck with inspiration: “One day, when I was finishing the last pages of L’Oiseau de feu [The Firebird] in St. Petersburg, I had a fleeting vision [...] I saw in imagination a solemn pagan rite: sage elders, seated in a circle, watched a young girl dance herself to death. They were sacrificing her to propitiate the god of spring.” After The Firebird’s success during the Ballets Russes’s 1910 Paris season, Stravinsky sought out the artist and archeologist Nicholas Roerich, the foremost authority on prehistoric Russia. Together, they devised a scenario based on Roerich’s knowledge of ancient Slavic rituals. After setting the project aside to compose Petrushka and other works, Stravinsky completed The Rite in 1912.

Program Notes

STRAVINSKY

Le sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring)

Stravinsky recalled, “I was guided by no system...I had only my ear to help me.” The score unleashed shocking dissonances and strange, new sounds from an enormous orchestra. Even more astonishing is its rhythmic complexity; on many pages the meter is in constant flux. The music’s construction, too, was original; in place of seamless transitions and organic development, Stravinsky’s score juxtaposes blocks of music to create extreme contrasts. For all its assaults on convention, however, the score is based on several singable melodies, some derived from folk songs associated with ancient Slavic festivals. Though many are struck by its violent passages, the music also contains delicate moments of great beauty.

With the score finished, sets and costumes were designed by Roerich, and choreography was provided by Vaslav Nijinsky, the Ballets Russes’s star male dancer, who matched Stravinsky’s revolutionary music with equally radical choreography. The premiere took place on May 29, 1913, at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris. After only a few minutes, a riot broke out as the work’s critics began to boo while its champions responded in kind. Stravinsky was distraught; he had sincerely expected another popular success.

The riot may have been partly manufactured by the Ballets Russes’s impresario, Sergei Diaghilev, who distributed free tickets to young bohemians, strategically seating them among the high society ladies and gentlemen who had come to see Les Sylphides, a traditional ballet to music of Chopin. After the premiere, Diaghilev reportedly said, “Exactly what I wanted.” Indeed, a legend was born; ironically, this ballet inspired by ancient history quickly became a symbol of modernity at its most sophisticated. Despite continued controversy, subsequent performances were generally well received, and the music quickly became a concert hall staple. A thrilling test for any orchestra, The Rite’s untamed wildness fascinates listeners to this day. —Calvin Dotsey

Program Bios

Juraj Valčuha, conductor

See p. 6 for his bio

concert at age six. She has always had a special relationship with her instrument, considering pianos around the world as friends from whom she must bring out the best, respecting the oddities of their characters and sampling the charms of their personalities.

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Khatia Buniatishvili, piano

French-Georgian pianist Khatia Buniatishvili is one of the most prominent classical artists of today. Khatia has been blessed with impressive ability. She discovered the piano at age three thanks to her mother, who would leave a new musical score on her piano each day for Khatia to devour. She performed her first

Corporate Spotlight

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In keeping with her belief that humanity is at the center of all art, Khatia places humans at the heart of her philanthropic commitments. In 2021–22, her collaboration with Cartier has been far-reaching. She has performed and met Cartier audiences during concerts at the Palazzo Farnese, the French Embassy in Rome, at Palazzo Cicogna in Milan, in the desert in Dubai for the opening of the Women’s Pavilion (Universal Exposition), and at Raum Art Center in Seoul.

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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 December 31, 2022

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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

$150,000+

Janice Barrow*

Barbara J. Burger Janet F. Clark

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

$25,000+

Farida Abjani 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 Nanette B. Finger*

$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

Dr. Evan D. Collins

Roger & Debby Cutler

Dr. Alex Dell

Mr. & Mrs. Marvy A. Finger

Ms. Elia Gabbanelli

Steve & Mary Gangelhoff

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

$50,000+

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

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

Clare Attwell Glassell

Evan B. Glick

Mr. & Mrs. Fred L. Gorman

Claudio J. Gutierrez

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 Michelle & Jack Matzer

Barry & Rosalyn Margolis Family Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis Muffy & Mike McLanahan Katie & Bob Orr Oliver Wyman Laurie A. Rachford Alana R. Spiwak & Sam L. Stolbun Mr. and Mrs. Frank Tsuru 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

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

Donna Scott & Mitch Glassman

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

** Education and Community Engagement Donor * Deceased

Our Donors

Edward H. Andrews III

Dr. Angela R. Apollo

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

Eugene Fong Mrs. Mary Foster-DeSimone and Mr. Don DeSimone

$10,000+ $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

Ms. Deborah Butler

Marilyn Caplovitz

Dr. Ye-Mon Chen and Mrs. Chaing-Lin Chen Darleen and Jack Christiansen

Barbara A. Clark and Edgar A. Bering

Donna M. 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

Mr. Mark Grace and Mrs. Alex Blair

Ron Franklin & Janet Gurwitch

Mr. & Mrs. Russell M. Frankel

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)

Ms. Eugenia C. George

Suzan and Julius Glickman Joseph E. Goetz & Mrs. Grace Ho Jo and Billie Jo Graves

The Greentree Fund Mrs. Tami A. Grubb Mary N. Hankey 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 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)

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 Matt Chuchla Jimmy and Lynn Coe

Richard Collins

Consurgo Sunshine Ms. Jeanette Coon and Thomas Collins

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

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. Ms. Deborah Happ and Mr. Richard Rost 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 Mr. and Mrs. Stephen A. Lubanko Mr. and Mrs. Peter MacGregor

Music Director Fund

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 in his inaugural year 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 are asked to 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* Barbara J. Burger

** Education and Community Engagement Donor * Deceased

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.

Kusum Patel, Chair

Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl, Vice Chair

Laurel Flores, Communications Chair Jeff Hiller, Membership Chair

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

Ryan Cantrell

Haydée del Calvo and Esteban Montero Kendall and Jim Cross

Denise Davis

Valerie Palmquist Dieterich and Tracy Dieterich Vicky Dominguez

Jamie Everett Claudio J. Gutiérrez Elaine and Jeff Hiller#

Mariana and James O. Huff III Carey Kirkpatrick

Joel Luks

Elissa and Jarrod Martin Kelser McMiller#

Shane Miller

Emily and Joseph MorrelPorter Hedges LLP Stephanie Weber and Pau Muri Aprill Nelson#

Toni Oplt and Ed Schneider

Liana and Andrew Schwaitzberg# Nadhisha and Dilanka Seimon

Aerin and Quentin Smith# Justin Stenberg# Ishwaria and Vivek Subbiah

Amber Ali

Luisa Banos and Vladi Gorelik

Amanda Beatriz

Laura and William Black

Adair and Kevin Brueggeman

Lindsay Buchanan#

Greta Carlson

David Chaluh

Lincoln Chen

Megan and John Degenstein

Chante Westmoreland Dillard and Joseph Dillard

Laurel Flores#

Carolyn and Patrick Gaidos

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

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

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 & Board Liaison, 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 December 31, 2022)

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

Sponsor ($25,000 and above)

EOG Resources

The Events Company* H-E-B/H-E-B Tournament of Champions**

Partner ($15,000 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 *

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**

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

KTRK ABC-13*

Shell USA, Inc.** Tenenbaum Jewelers*

Rand Group, LLC* Sewell Truist United Airlines* Vinson & Elkins LLP

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*

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.

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

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)

William S. & Lora Jean Kilroy Foundation

The Vivian L. Smith Foundation**

Partner ($15,000 and above)

Ruth & Ted Bauer Family Foundation***

The Melbern G. & Susanne M. Glasscock 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

of December 31, 2022)

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

The William Stamps Farish Fund

William E. & Natoma Pyle Harvey Charitable Foundation**

The Hood-Barrow Foundation The Schissler Foundation The Vaughn Foundation

George & Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation Petrello Family Foundation

The C. Howard Pieper Foundation

Texas Commission on the Arts**

The Radoff Family 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.

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

The Pierce Runnells Foundation Sterling-Turner Foundation Strake Foundation**

Keith & Mattie Stevenson Foundation

**Education and Community Engagement Support

Houston Symphony Endowment

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

Create your named endowed fund or endow a musican chair through a planned gift such as a bequest. Your gift will not only help strengthen the financial sustainability of the orchestra, but also create a way for your family and friends to celebrate your commitment to the Houston Symphony by the fund in your honor.

For more information, please contact Christine Ann Stevens, Director of Major Gifts, at christine.stevens@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8521.

TRUSTEES

James H. Lee III, President David Krieger

ENDOWMENT FUNDS $250,000+

Janice H. and Thomas D. Barrow Chair

Brinton Averil Smith, Principal Cello

The Brown Foundation Guest Pianist Fund

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

Margarett and Alice Brown Fund for Education

Janet F. Clark Fund

Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair

Juraj Valčuha, Music Director

The Cullen Foundation Maestro’s Fund

The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Fund for Creative Initiatives

The Margaret and James Elkins Foundation Fund

The Virginia Lee Elverson Trust Fund

Fondren Foundation Chair Qi Ming, Assistant Concertmaster

William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs

William Dee Hunt Lynn Mathre

Jerome Simon Scott Wise

The General and Mrs. Maurice Hirsch

Memorial Concert Fund in memory of Theresa Meyer and Jules Hirsch, beloved parents of General Maurice Hirsch, and Rosetta Hirsch Weil and Josie Hirsch Bloch, beloved sisters of General Maurice Hirsch

General Maurice Hirsch Chair Aralee Dorough, Principal Flute

Houston Symphony Chorus Fund

Joan and Marvin Kaplan Fund

Ellen E. Kelley Chair Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster

Max Levine Chair Yoonshin Song, Concertmaster

Mary R. Lewis Fund for Piano Performance

M.D. Anderson Foundation Fund

Mary Lynn and Steve Marks Fund Barbara and Pat McCelvey Fund

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander K. McLanahan Endowed Chair

William VerMeulen, Principal Horn

Monroe L. Mendelsohn Jr. Fund

George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Summer Concerts Fund

Bobbie Nau Chair Mark Nuccio, Principal Clarinet

C. Howard Pieper Foundation Fund

Walter W. Sapp Fund, Legacy Society Co-Founder

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

The Schissler Foundation Fund

Spec’s Charitable Foundation Salute to Educators Concert Fund

The Micijah S. Stude Special Production Fund

Bobby and Phoebe Tudor Fund

Margaret Alkek Williams Chair John Mangum, Executive Director/CEO

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

Legacy Society

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

For more information, please contact Christine Ann Stevens, Director of Major Gifts, at christine.stevens@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8521.

CRESCENDO CIRCLE $100,000+ (as of December 31, 2022)

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. Gutierrez 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

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)

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 Darla Powell Phillips Jenny and Tadjin Popatia Geraldine Smith Priest

Dana Puddy

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 Edith and Robert Zinn

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 Samantha S. Olinsky, Major Gifts Officer, at samantha.olinsky@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8534.

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

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

2022 MAGICAL MUSICAL MORNING

On December 4, the River Oaks Country Club ballroom was transformed into a Winter Wonderland for the Houston Symphony’s annual Magical Musical Morning. The festive gathering, chaired by Valerie and Tracy Dieterich, featured family-friendly activities, a delicious brunch, and a special musical performance!

Little ones and their families donned their Sunday-best and took part in fun holiday crafts such as making their own snow globes and ornaments. The 230 guests also enjoyed getting their faces painted by airbrush artists, taking family photos in a photo booth, and having brunch with the big man himself—Santa Claus. Children also had the opportunity to test out playing instruments at the popular Instrument Petting Zoo! The event culminated in a rousing performance of festive favorites by Houston Symphony musicians!

The wintry dreamland was made possible by the wonderful Houston Symphony League members who volunteered their time and talents to decorate the venue and facilitate all the festive activities, ensuring the event was a success. The event raised $58,000 dollars for the Houston Symphony’s Education and Community Engagement initiatives.

Magical Musical Morning Chairs Valerie & Tracy Dieterich and their two daughters, Reagan and Madison, pose with Santa.

Photos by Jacob Powers

Houston Symphony League volunteers Jessica Brown, Gayle Eury, and Janet Aigner

Houston Symphony musician Robert Johnson (Associate Principal Horn) and his sons enjoy the Instrument Petting Zoo

Musician Sponsorship

Every musician has a story—years of dedication to perfecting their craft, their passion for music, and their experiences working to bring amazing performances to audiences. The Houston Symphony’s orchestra consists of 90 artistically gifted musicians, all with their own unique perspectives and stories. As music-lovers, one of the best ways patrons can connect to the musicians who bring wonderful works of music to life is through Musician Sponsorships.

Houston Symphony donors at the Sponsorship Level and above have the opportunity to support their favorite orchestra musicians and form a personal relationship though interactions with them at Musician Sponsorship events. Through Musician Sponsorships and musician chair endowments, the Houston Symphony attracts and retains the world’s finest talent to our 90-member full-time orchestra. The support of our donors demonstrates to prospective musicians, current musicians, and patrons, that our musicians are well-supported, and that the institution is financially sound. This program is especially important during the 2022–23 Season as we audition several open orchestra positions. We have seen a positive response to our efforts with a high number of applicants turning up for both our permanent and substitute position auditions.

In addition to supporting the artistic excellence of our orchestra, donors who support musicians also receive special benefits such as premier reserved donor seating, Green Room access, and complimentary valet parking for all concerts. They also receive an invitation for two to the annual Musician Sponsorship Luncheon followed by a private orchestra rehearsal—the perfect opportunity for donors and musicians to connect over their unique stories and their bond as members of the Houston Symphony family.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a sponsor for every musician in the orchestra? If you’d like to learn more about musician sponsorships, please contact Samantha S. Olinsky, Major Gifts Officer, at samantha.olinsky@ houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8534.

Rita Morico, Elise Wagner (Bassoon), and Paul Morico

Gary Beauchamp, Martha R. Chapman (Second Violin), and Marian Beauchamp

Guests enjoying the 2018 Musician Sponsorship Luncheon at Jones Hall

Scan here to learn more about other ways you can support the Houston Symphony

Frost Bank and the Houston Symphony—two institutions that have served Texans for more than a century—are happy to partner on the Frost Bank Gold Classics Series for the 2022-23 Season. From Verdi’s Requiem in September to Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 in May, Frost is proud to bring outstanding music to Houston this year.

Frost has helped generations of Texans achieve their financial goals for more than 154 years. Renowned for award-winning customer service, Frost has received the highest ranking in customer satisfaction in Texas in the J.D. Power U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study for 12 consecutive years and is ranked among the top banks in the nation based on customer scores in the American Banker/Reputation Institute Survey. Frost is honored to support communities across the state, and we look forward to helping customers for years to come. Visit frostbank.com to learn more about Frost Bank and the services we provide.

Meet the musician: SAM PEDERSEN

Hi everyone!

Viola

Hometown: Batavia, Illinois

I joined the Houston Symphony this past April, and I am absolutely thrilled to be part of this wonderful viola section and world-class orchestra!

Prior to joining, I was a member of the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, and I hold degrees from Rice and DePaul Universities.

How long have you been playing your instrument, and what do you love the most about it?

I started playing the viola in 5th grade with our public school system. Though I began playing the violin at age five, learning the viola was originally a challenge from my violin teacher at the time. I continued to take lessons on both instruments until high school, and it was then I realized my love for not only the dark, rich tone of the viola, but for the role it plays in ensembles. I really connected with the collaborative nature of the instrument and how it serves as a bridge between both upper and lower voices.

What concert are you looking forward to performing the most this season?

I’m really looking forward to performing Tchaikovsky’s 6th Symphony in May with Maestro Valčuha on the podium! It is such a powerful work with a full spectrum of emotions. I can’t wait to see what this orchestra brings to the table!

What is your favorite piece of music?

It’s impossible for me to choose just one, but I would have to say the two viola sonatas by Johannes Brahms are at the top of my list!

Every time I open that music, it allows me to discover new aspects of my playing, and I always strive for the next level of expression.

Outside of classical music, what genre of music is your favorite?

While I lived in Chicago, I really enjoyed listening to blues music at local venues. Keeping that with me in Houston, classic Chicago blues is always in the daily music shuffle playing music by great artists such as Muddy Waters and Junior Wells.

Enjoying some hiking in Yellowstone National Park while attending the Grand Teton Music Festival last summer

Performing with Leon Fleisher as part of his 90th birthday celebration at the Tanglewood Music Festival

“As a lifelong musician and arts advocate myself, I applaud Houston Symphony’s positive impact on our diverse community. As your REALTOR® , I commit to listening to your needs first in order to successfully navigate the home buying and selling process with the backing of the renowned Sotheby’s brand. I look forward to helping you discover the joy of living in Houston by providing first-hand knowledge about Houston’s vibrant neighborhoods, schools, and culture.” ~ Karel Butz

Jones Hall – 615 Louisiana Street houstonsymphony.org