InTune — The Houston Symphony Magazine — January 2020

THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY MAGAZINE

JANUARY 2020

SINATRA AND BEYOND 12

PAGANINI + PINES OF ROME 16

TCHAIKOVSKY’S PATHÉTIQUE 22

BEETHOVEN 7 28 January 30, February 1 & 2

January 3, 4 & 5

January 9, 11 & 12

January 17, 18 & 19

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InTUNE | J A N U A R Y

2020

Programs

Sinatra and Beyond

January 3, 4 & 5 �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 12 Paganini + Pines of Rome

January 9, 11 & 12 ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 16 Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique

January 17, 18 & 19 ������������������������������������������������������������������������������22 Beethoven 7

January 30, February 1 & 2 ��������������������������������������������������������������28

Features

Letter to Patrons ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������2 A Letter from Steven Reineke ����������������������������������������������������������������� 10 Houston Symphony Wine Dinner ���������������������������������������������������������11 Meet Robert Schumann ������������������������������������������������������������������������������27 Backstage Pass with Robin Kesselman �������������������������������������������� 44

Your Houston Symphony

Your Symphony Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Music Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Orchestra Roster ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������6 Society Board of Trustees ������������������������������������������������������������������������������7 Staff Listing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Upcoming Broadcasts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Our Supporters

Houston Symphony Donors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Young Associates Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Corporate, Foundation, and Government Partners ��������������������38 Houston Symphony Endowment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Legacy Society and In Memoriam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Education and Community Engagement Donors . . . . . . . . 42 Musician Sponsorships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Learn about Principal Double Bass Robin Kesselman.

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InTUNE is published by the Houston Symphony.

615 Louisiana, Suite 102, Houston, TX 77002 713.224.4240 | houstonsymphony.org All rights reserved.

InTune is produced by the Houston Symphony’s Marketing and Communications department.

Calvin Dotsey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Publications Editor Melanie O’Neill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Publications Production & Design Elaine Reeder Mayo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editorial Consultant Shweiki Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printing Ventures Marketing Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advertising The Houston Symphony is a non-profit organization that relies on the support of our generous donors. Presenting nearly

170 concerts annually with an ensemble of 88 full-time professional musicians, the Symphony is Houston’s largest performing arts organization. We enrich the lives of hundreds of thousands through more than 1,000 annual community-based performances and inspiring classroom visits. Your support enables us to continue creating innovative and commanding musical experiences.

The activities and projects of the Houston Symphony are funded in part by grants from the City of Houston, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

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

Cameras, Recorders, Cell Phones & Pagers

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

All content © 2020. Contents cannot be reproduced in any manner, whole or in part, without written permission from the Houston Symphony or InTune Magazine.

LETTER TO PATRONS JANUARY 2020

2019 was a great year for the Houston Symphony, one which saw us share our music with more than 400,000 people, both here in Jones Hall and throughout the Greater Houston community. I am especially proud of the magnificent level of artistry our musicians bring to everything they do. It felt like every concert last year offered a new artistic high point, incredible moments you could only experience by being with us, here, in the flesh. I know we’ll continue the streak in 2020, and I’m glad you’re here for the first concerts of the new year.

We ring in the new year with Sinatra and Beyond, a swinging POPS program with the amazing singer and pianist Tony DeSare celebrating the legendary crooner. Then we’re off to Italy with violinist Augustin Hadelich, who’ll play Paganini’s jaw-dropping Violin Concerto No. 1 as part of Paganini + “Pines of Rome.” Tchaikovsky’s “Pathétique” features soulful Russian music led by conductor John Storgårds, who also joins Symphony musicians for our second Chamber Music Series concert. The month concludes with Beethoven 7, a thrilling program featuring pianist Kirill Gerstein, a favorite with Houston audiences, in not one, but two virtuoso works

by Liszt.

In February, Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada and the Symphony present a major festival exploring the works of Robert Schumann. Featuring world-renowned guest pianist Benjamin Grosvenor and cellist Alisa Weilerstein, this festival will reveal the passion, tragedy, and enduring beauty of Schumann’s life and works. Learn more about this quintessential Romantic genius on page 27.

Until then, please enjoy this performance, and thank you for being with us. We hope this is the beginning of a very happy— and musical—2020 for you.

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HOUSTON symphony JONES HALL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 615 Louisiana St. Suite 102 Houston, TX 77002

PATRON SERVICES

713.224.7575 Mon–Sat | 12 p.m.– 6 p.m. patronservices@houstonsymphony.org

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ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES 713.238.1420 Mon–Fri | 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

YOUR SYMPHONY EXPERIENCE JONES HALL

ETIQUETTE

Sixty-six foot ceilings, scarlet carpet, teakwood, and travertine marble greet visitors to Jones Hall, the home of the Houston Symphony. Opened in 1966, Jones Hall has a uniquely designed movable ceiling that enables the auditorium to shrink or expand from approximately 2,150 to 2,900 seats.

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! Brief applause between movements after an exceptional performance is always appreciated.

PRELUDE PRE-CONCERT CONVERSATIONS Led by Musical Ambassador Carlos Andrés Botero, Prelude Pre-Concert Conversations are held 45 minutes in advance of each Classical Series performance and provide interesting insights into composers and their works.

DEVICES Please silence all electronic devices before the performance. Photography and audio/video recordings of these performances are strictly prohibited.

FOOD & DRINK POLICY Encore Café offers a selection of food and drink options before performances and during intermission; we also have several bars located throughout the concert hall where you may purchase beer, wine, and mixed drinks. However, food or drinks are prohibited in the auditorium for Classical Series performances. Drinks (in plastic containers) are allowed for POPS concerts and some Symphony Specials.

LOST AND FOUND For lost and found inquiries, please contact Front of House Manager Sarah Rendón during the performance.

She also can be reached at sarah.rendon@houstonsymphony.org.

You also may contact Houston First after the performances at 832.487.7050.

CONNECT WITH US |

CHILDREN Children ages 6 and up are welcome to all Classical, POPS, and Symphony Special concerts. Children of all ages are welcome at BBVA 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 front of house manager will instruct you on when late seating is allowed.

TICKETS Subscribers to six or more Classical or POPS concerts, as well as BBVA 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.

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InTUNE — January 2020 | 3

OROZCO-ESTRADA MUSIC DIRECTOR

ROY AND LILLIE CULLEN CHAIR Energy, elegance, and spirit—these are the qualities that distinguish Andrés Orozco-Estrada as a musician. Since the 2014–15 season, he has been music director of the Houston Symphony and principal conductor of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra. Beginning in the 2020–21 season, he will be chief conductor of the Vienna Symphony.

Andrés conducts many of the world's leading orchestras, including the Vienna Philharmonic, the Staatskapelle Dresden, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, the Orchestre National de France, and American orchestras in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Chicago. He has also directed successful concerts and opera performances at the Glyndebourne and Salzburg festivals.

Highlights of the 2019–20 season include performances with the Vienna Philharmonic at the BBC Proms and the Lucerne Festival, as well as tours to China, South Korea, and Japan. In the spring, Andrés conducts his debut concert with the New York Philharmonic and returns as a guest to the rostrum of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. In May 2020, the Dutch National Opera Amsterdam premieres a new production of Carmen under his direction. With the Houston Symphony, he presents a new two-week Schumann Festival in February featuring the composer’s symphonies, concertos, choral works, and chamber music. The same month, he conducts three concerts at the Wiener Musikverein, leading the Vienna Symphony as principal conductor designate.

Andrés is particularly committed to new concert formats in which spoken commentary and visual elements complement the music as he rediscovers known repertoire together with the audience—be it a Spotlight concert with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra or a Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra family concert.

His CD releases at Pentatone have attracted critical praise. His Dvořák cycle with the Houston Symphony was praised by Pizzicato as a “vital Dvořák with warm colors.” With the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, recordings of Stravinsky's Firebird and The Rite of Spring were hailed as “beguiling” by Gramophone, and the same publication recently described him as “a fine Straussian” in a review of their recent recording of the Alpine Symphony from his Richard Strauss cycle.

In addition, his interpretations of all the Brahms and Mendelssohn symphonies are available on recordings.

Born in Medellín, Colombia, Andrés began his musical education with the violin. He received his first conducting lessons at 15 and began study in Vienna in 1997, where he was accepted at the prestigious University of Music and Performing Arts in the conducting class of Uroš Lajovic, a student of the legendary Hans Swarowsky. Andrés has since lived in Vienna.

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ROSTER

ORCHESTRA Andrés Orozco-Estrada 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 Hitai Lee Mihaela Frusina Annie Kuan-Yu Chen Jing Zheng Martha Chapman Tianjie Lu Anastasia Sukhopara Tina Zhang Boson Mo+ Amy Semes+ Katrina Bobbs Savitski*

HORN William VerMeulen, Principal Mr. and Mrs. Alexander K. McLanahan Endowed Chair Robert Johnson, Associate Principal Jesse Clevenger*, Assistant Principal Brian Thomas Nancy Goodearl Ian Mayton

FLUTE Aralee Dorough, Principal General Maurice Hirsch Chair Matthew Roitstein, Associate Principal Judy Dines Kathryn Ladner

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

PICCOLO Kathryn Ladner

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

ENGLISH HORN Adam Dinitz

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 Annamarie Reader*

6 | Houston Symphony

DOUBLE BASS Robin Kesselman, Principal Timothy Dilenschneider, Associate Principal Mark Shapiro Eric Larson Andrew Pedersen Burke Shaw Donald Howey Michael McMurray

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

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

Community-Embedded Musicians David Connor, double bass Rainel Joubert, violin Patricia Quintero Garcia, violin Alexa Sangbin Thomson, viola

Steven Reineke Principal POPS Conductor Robert Franz Associate Conductor Betsy Cook Weber Director, Houston Symphony Chorus Yue Bao Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation Conducting Fellow

CLARINET Mark Nuccio, Principal 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 Issac Schultz*, Associate Principal Elise Wagner Adam Trussell

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 Megan Conley, Principal** KEYBOARD Scott Holshouser, Principal + Rotating Chairs *Contracted Substitute ** On Leave

CONTRABASSOON Adam Trussell

Orchestra Personnel Manager Michael Gorman

Librarian Thomas Takaro

Stage Manager Stefan Stout

Assistant Orchestra Personnel Manager Position Vacant

Assistant Librarians Aspen McArthur Michael McMurray

Assistant Stage Manager José Rios

Stage Technicians Nick DiFonzo Justin Herriford Armando Rodriguez

TRUSTEES

2019–20 SEASON

SOCIETY BOARD of

PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY SOCIETY

Executive Committee Janet F. Clark President John Rydman President-Elect Steven P. Mach Chairman Immediate Past President

Paul Morico General Counsel Mike S. Stude Chairman Emeritus

Barbara McCelvey Secretary John Mangum^ Executive Director/CEO

Evan B. Glick Chair, Popular Programming Barbara J. Burger Chair, Finance Miles O. Smith Chair, Artistic & Orchestra Affairs Brad W. Corson Chair, Governance & Leadership Viviana Denechaud Chair, Development Tracy Dieterich Chair, Community Partnerships Bobby Tudor At Large Immediate Past Chair

Mary Lynn Marks Chair, Volunteers & Special Events Billy McCartney Chair, Education William J. Toomey II President, Houston Symphony Endowment Robert Orr Chair, Strategic Planning Manolo Sánchez Chair, Marketing & Communications Jesse B. Tutor Chair, Audit

Maureen Higdon^ President, Houston Symphony League Andrés Orozco-Estrada^ Music Director Adam Dinitz^ Musician Representative Mark Hughes^ Musician Representative Mark Nuccio^ Musician Representative Christine Kelly-Weaver^ Assistant Secretary ^Ex-Officio *In Memoriam

GOVERNING DIRECTORS Farida Abjani Michael W. Adler Marcia Backus Janice Barrow ** Gary Beauchamp Bill Bullock Barbara J. Burger Janet F. Clark Brad W. Corson Viviana Denechaud Michael Doherty Terry Cheyney Sippi Khurana, M.D.

TRUSTEES

Jonathan Ayre David J. Beck James M. Bell Jr. Devinder Bhatia, M.D. Nancy Shelton Bratic Terry Ann Brown** Eric Brueggeman Ralph Burch Justice Brett Busby Dougal Cameron John T. Cater** Michael H. Clark Virginia Clark Evan D. Collins, M.D., MBA Andrew Davis, Ph.D. Tracy Dieterich Bob Duff Joan Duff Kelli Cohen Fein, M.D. Jeffrey B. Firestone Eugene A. Fong

Rochelle Levit, Ph.D. Cora Sue Mach ** Steven P. Mach Paul M. Mann, M.D. Rodney Margolis** Jay Marks ** Mary Lynn Marks Billy McCartney Barbara McCelvey Alexander K. McLanahan ** Paul R. Morico Robert Orr John Rydman**

Kafi Slaughter Ex-Officio Miles O. Smith Tracy Dieterich Anthony Speier Evan B. Glick Mike S. Stude ** Maureen Higdon William J. Toomey II Nina McGlashan Bobby Tudor ** Gloria G. Pryzant Betty Tutor ** Manolo Sánchez Jesse B. Tutor ** Andrés Orozco-Estrada Judith Vincent John Mangum Margaret Alkek Williams ** Mark Nuccio Scott Wulfe Adam Dinitz David Wuthrich Mark Hughes Christine Kelly-Weaver

Aggie L. Foster Julia Anderson Frankel Ron Franklin Betsy Garlinger Evan B. Glick Susan A. Hansen Gary L. Hollingsworth Stephen Incavo, M.D. Brian James Tammie Johnson I. Ray Kirk, M.D. David Krieger Ulyesse J. LeGrange** Carlos J. López Michael Mann, M.D. Jack Matzer Jackie Wolens Mazow Gary Mercer Marilyn Miles Shane A. Miller Janet Moore

Leslie Nossaman Scott Nyquist Edward Osterberg Jr. Gloria G. Pryzant David Pruner Tadd Pullin Floyd Robinson Miwa Sakashita Manolo Sánchez Ed Schneider Christian Schwartz Helen Shaffer ** Michael E. Shannon** Robert B. Sloan, D.D. Theol.

Jim R. Smith Tad Smith Ishwaria Subbiah, M.D. L. Proctor (Terry) Thomas III Shirley W. Toomim Margaret Waisman, M.D.

Fredric A. Weber Mrs. S. Conrad Weil Robert Weiner Vicki West Steven J. Williams Frank Wilson Ellen A. Yarrell Robert Yekovich Frank Yonish Ex-Officio Ann Ayre Jessie Woods David Flores **Lifetime Trustee

Mrs. Edwin B. Parker Miss Ima Hogg Mrs. H. M. Garwood Joseph A. Mullen, M.D. Joseph S. Smith Walter H. Walne H. R. Cullen Gen. Maurice Hirsch Charles F. Jones Fayez Sarofim John T. Cater Richard G. Merrill Ellen Elizardi Kelley John D. Platt

E.C. Vandagrift Jr. J. Hugh Roff Jr. Robert M. Hermance Gene McDavid Janice H. Barrow Barry C. Burkholder Rodney H. Margolis Jeffrey B. Early Michael E. Shannon Ed Wulfe Jesse B. Tutor Robert B. Tudor III Robert A. Peiser Steven P. Mach

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 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 Dr. Susan Snider Osterberg Dr. Kelli Cohen Fein Vicki West Mrs. Jesse Tutor Darlene Clark Beth Wolff

PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY LEAGUE BAY AREA Fran Strong Selma Neumann Julia Wells Dagmar Meeh Priscilla Heidbreder Harriett Small Nina Spencer Elizabeth Glenn Ebby Creden Charlotte Gaunt Norma Brady Cindy Kuenneke Helen Powell Sharon Dillard Diane McLaughlin Roberta Liston Suzanne Hicks Sue Smith

Shirley Wettling Jo Anne Mills Phyllis Molnar Pat Bertelli Emyre B. Robinson Dana Puddy Angela Buell Pat Brackett Joan Wade Yvonne Herring Deanna Lamoreux Glenda Toole Carole Murphy Patience Myers James Moore Mary Voigt Martha McWilliams

FRIENDS OF JONES HALL REPRESENTATIVES Ronald G. Franklin

Steven P. Mach

Barbara McCelvey

Robert Orr InTUNE — January 2020 | 7

STAFF

ADMINISTRATIVE

The Houston Symphony Administrative Staff is made up of 69 full-time and part-time professionals who work diligently behind the scenes to ensure all operations within the organization are run effectively and efficiently.

This inspiring team is dedicated to bringing the great music of the Houston Symphony to our community.

SENIOR MANAGEMENT GROUP John Mangum, Executive Director/CEO,

Margaret Alkek Williams Chair Pam Blaine, Chief of Education and Community Engagement Elizabeth S. Condic, Chief Financial Officer Vicky Dominguez, Chief Operating Officer Nancy Giles, Chief Development Officer Gwen Watkins, Chief Marketing Officer Christine Kelly-Weaver, Executive Assistant/Board Liaison DEVELOPMENT Molly Simpson, Senior Director, Development Julie Busch, Manager, League Relations and Fundraising Megan Carrigan, Development Associate, Gifts and Records J. Steven Covington, Director, Endowment and Planned Giving Timothy Dillow, Director, Corporate Relations Amanda T. Dinitz, Major Gifts Officer Samuel García, Development Associate Amber Jones, Manager, Donor Stewardship Megan McIlwain, Development Associate, Institutional Giving Tyler Murphy, Development Officer, Major Giving Groups Shane L. Platt, Development Associate, Individual Giving Martin Schleuse, Senior Manager, Development Communications Jennifer Staples, Manager, Special Events Christine Ann Stevens, Director, Individual Giving Lena Streetman, Research Analyst Christina Trunzo, Director, Foundation Relations EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Allison Conlan, Director, Education Anna Dean, Education and Community Engagement Coordinator Emily Nelson, Associate Director,

Education and Community Engagement Ana Rodriguez, Education and Community Engagement Manager FINANCE | ADMINISTRATION | IT | HR Brittany Basden, Support Engineer Robert Boyd, Budget Manager Henry Cantu, Accountant II Kimberly Cegielski, Staff Accountant Joel James, Senior HR Manager Jessica Jelinek, Database Manager Tanya Lovetro, Director, Finance Morgana Rickard, Controller Gabriela Rivera, Senior Accountant Anthony Stringer, Director, IT Ariela Ventura, Office Manager/HR Coordinator Lee Whatley, Senior Director, IT and Analytics 8 | Houston Symphony

MARKETING | COMMUNICATIONS | PATRON SERVICES Jose Arriaga, Patron Services Representative Mark Bailes, Marketing Coordinator Shelby Banda, Patron Services Representative Joshua Chavira, Patron Services Representative Calvin Dotsey, Communications Specialist Heather Fails, Manager, Ticketing Database BreeAngela Hamilton, Digital Marketing Coordinator Kerry Ingram, Director, Digital Marketing Edgar Ivan-Morales, Patron Services Representative Kathryn Judd, Director, Marketing Melanie O’Neill, Creative Specialist John B. Pollard II, Assistant Manager, Patron Services Sarah Rendón, Front of House Manager Mireya Reyna, Publicist Vanessa Rivera, Digital Marketing Manager Ashley Rodriguez, Patron Services Senior Representative Eric Skelly, Senior Director, Communications Melissa Taylor, Graphic Designer Jenny Zuniga, Director, Patron Services OPERATIONS | ARTISTIC Carlos Andrés Botero, Musical Ambassador Becky Brown, Director, Operations Stephanie Calascione, Artistic Operations Assistant Anna Diemer, Chorus Manager Jessica Fertinel, Assistant to the Music Director Michael Gorman, Orchestra Personnel Manager Aspen McArthur, Assistant Librarian Michael McMurray, Assistant Librarian Lesley Sabol, Director, Popular Programming Brad Sayles, Recording Engineer Thomas Takaro, Librarian Meredith Williams, Associate Director, Operations Rebecca Zabinski, Director, Artistic Planning

Tune in to Houston Public Media News 88.7 FM Sunday nights at 8 p.m. to hear great performances from past Houston Symphony concerts. You can also listen Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. online through Houston Public Media's digital Classical station.

JANUARY 2020 BROADCAST SCHEDULE ALL BROADCASTS AIR AT 8 P.M.

January 5 | News 88.7 January 8 | Classical

January 12 | News 88.7 January 15 | Classical

January 19 | News 88.7 January 22 | Classical

January 26 | News 88.7 January 29 | Classical

RECORDED: April 20, 22–23, 2017

RECORDED: January 18–20, 2008

RECORDED: October 3–5, 2004

RECORDED: March 24–26, 2017

Vasily Petrenko, conductor Elina Vähälä, violin Verdi: Overture to Un Giorno di Regno (King for a Day) Corigliano: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (The Red Violin) Respighi: Fontane di Roma (Fountains of Rome) Respighi: Pini di Roma (Pines of Rome)

Hans Graf, conductor Brinton Averil Smith, cello Beethoven: Overture to Fidelio, Opus 72c Elgar: Cello Concerto in E minor, Opus 85 R. Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie, Opus 64

Hans Graf, conductor Zemlinksy: Die Seejungfrau (The Mermaid) Mendelssohn: Ouverture zum Märchen von der schöne Melusine (Overture to the Fairy Tale of the Fair Melusine), Opus 32 Debussy: La Mer (The Sea)

Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 in F major, Opus 68 (Pastoral) Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A major, Opus 92

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InTUNE — January 2020 | 9

DEAR HOUSTON SYMPHONY FAMILY MEMBER, Happy new year! On behalf of everyone at the Houston Symphony who works throughout the year to make possible the work of one of America’s great orchestras, I wish you a 2020 filled with friends, laughter, and music.

As principal POPS conductor, I’m honored to work with your Houston Symphony and the many incredible guest musicians who join us.

For example, we kick off the new decade with Houston favorite Tony DeSare for Sinatra and Beyond on January 3–5. Nobody recreates the heyday of Ol’ Blue Eyes like Tony, so you are in for a treat.

We will also pay tribute to Nat King Cole on February 28–March 1 and Aretha Franklin on April 17–19. Then, I am thrilled to reunite with the amazing Houston Symphony Chorus, under the direction of Betsy Cook Weber, to cap off the season with The Best of John Williams—“Star Wars” and More! Later in January, look out for announcements of the concerts we will offer in the 2020–21 Season!

As a non-profit organization, the Symphony relies on the generosity of its donors. If you are supporting the POPS Series already, thank you so much! If you are not, I encourage you to contact Director of Individual Giving Christine Stevens at christine.stevens@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8531. You may also visit houstonsymphony.org/donate to make a gift.

Thanks for letting us inspire and entertain you. I cannot wait to see you at Jones Hall this year!

Warm regards,

Steven Reineke Principal POPS Conductor

10 | Houston Symphony

HOUSTON SYMPHONY Making Lives Better Through Print

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FEATURED PROGRAM

SINATRA AND BEYOND Friday Saturday Sunday

January 3 January 4 January 5

8:00 p.m.

8:00 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

Jones Hall

Steven Reineke, conductor Tony DeSare, vocalist and piano Ed Decker, guitar Dylan Shamat, bass Michael Klopp, drums

TONIGHT’S PROGRAM WILL BE ANNOUNCED FROM THE STAGE. THERE WILL BE ONE INTERMISSION.

12 | Houston Symphony

Sinatra and Beyond | Program Biographies

Program BIOGRAPHIES These performances are generously supported in part by: Underwriter Margaret Alkek Williams

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

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

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

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

InTUNE — January 2020 | 13

Program BIOGRAPHIES , continued

VINCENT SOYEZ

Tony DeSare | vocalist and piano Tony DeSare performs with infectious joy, wry playfulness, and robust musicality. Named a Rising Star Male Vocalist in DownBeat magazine, he has lived up to this distinction by winning critical and popular acclaim for his concert performances throughout North America and abroad. From jazz clubs to Carnegie Hall to Las Vegas, headlining with Don Rickles and major symphony orchestras, Tony has brought his fresh take on old-school class around the globe. He has four Billboard Top Ten jazz albums under his belt; he has been featured on NPR, A Prairie Home Companion, CBS’s The Early Show, and NBC’s Today; and his music has been posted by social media celebrity juggernaut, George Takei. Tony has also collaborated with YouTube icons Postmodern Jukebox.

His most recent release, Lush Life, debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Traditional Jazz Chart.

Notwithstanding his critically acclaimed turns as a singer/pianist, Tony is also an accomplished, awardwinning composer. He not only won first place in the USA Songwriting Competition, but has written the theme song for the motion picture, My Date with Drew, composed the full soundtracks for Hallmark’s Love Always, Santa and Lifetime's Nanny Nightmare, and several broadcast commercials. His sound is romantic, swinging, and sensual, but what sets Tony apart is his ability to write original material that sounds fresh and contemporary, while paying homage to the Great American Songbook. His compositions include a wide-range of romantic, funny, and soulful sounds that can be found on his top-selling recordings.

In addition to these concerts, upcoming appearances include the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, The New York Pops, Seattle Symphony, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, Omaha Symphony, and the Gold Coast Jazz Society.

Tony releases new recordings, videos of standards, and new originals every few weeks on his YouTube channel, iTunes, and Spotify. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe on YouTube to stay connected.

Tony DeSare is a Yamaha Artist.

14 | Houston Symphony

POUR A GLASS share the love!

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The Houston Symphony’s principal corporate sponsor is a landmark Houston institution, Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods. Through the Spec’s Charitable Foundation, the company supports the Symphony in a variety of ways—through the annual Wine Dinner and Collector’s Auction, the Salute to Educators Concert, and the company’s own fundraising event, Vintage Virtuoso, which benefits the Houston Symphony.

In total, Spec's has contributed more than $3 million to the Symphony since 1996.

With 168 stores throughout Texas and more than 3,400 employees, Spec’s is a true family business, run by President John Rydman and his wife, Lindy. Their daughter, Lisa, works with Spec's through her company, Phoenix Marketing.

Spec’s is known for its personal touch in many areas: selecting products for its shelves, cultivating a sense of family among its employees, providing guidance and personal service to its customers, and giving back to the communities it serves.

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FEATURED PROGRAM

PAGANINI + PINES OF ROME Thursday Saturday Sunday

January 9 January 11 January 12

8:00 p.m.

8:00 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

Jones Hall

*Jader Bignamini, conductor Augustin Hadelich, violin *Houston Symphony debut

Rossini Paganini

Overture to Guillaume Tell (William Tell)

ca. 12

Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major, Opus 6

I Allegro maestoso II Adagio

III Rondo: Allegro spiritoso

ca. 33

I N T E R M I S S I O N

Respighi

Fontane di Roma (Fountains of Rome) ca. 15

I La fontana di Valle Giulia all’alba (The fountain of the Valle Giulia at dawn): Andante mosso—

II La fontana del Tritone al mattino (The Triton Fountain in early morning): Vivo—

III La fontana di Trevi al meriggio (The Trevi Fountain at midday): Allegro moderato—

IV La fontana di Villa Medici al tramonto (The fountain of the Villa Medici at sunset): Andante

Respighi

Pini di Roma (Pines of Rome) ca. 26

I I pini di Villa Borghese (The Pines of the Villa Borghese): Allegretto vivace—

II Pini presso una catacomba (Pines near a catacomb): Lento—

III I pini del Gianicolo (The Pines of the Janiculum): Lento—

IV I pini della via Appia (The Pines of the Appian Way): Tempo di Marcia

16 | Houston Symphony

Did you know?

• The first movement of a concerto traditionally ends with a cadenza, an extended passage for the soloist alone.

In Paganini’s day, the soloist would improvise the cadenza on the spot.

Thus, Paganini never notated any music for the cadenza in his Violin Concerto No. 1, though many have since been written for the concerto.

For these performances, Augustin Hadelich will play a cadenza of his own composition.

Paganini + Pines of Rome | Program Biographies

SHELL FAVORITE MASTERS

Program BIOGRAPHIES

These performances are generously supported in part by:

Jader Bignamini | conductor

Principal Corporate Guarantor

A special Salute to Educators Concert on Sunday is made possible by the Spec's Charitable Foundation Underwriter

Supporter Karl H. & Dr. Gudrun H. Becker Yoonshin Song’s inaugural season is sponsored by Gary & Marian Beauchamp and the Beauchamp Foundation.

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

The Houston Symphony dedicates these performances to the memory of Robert Cizik with gratitude for his long-standing and generous support.

Jader Bignamini is resident conductor of the Orchestra Sinfonica la Verdi, following his 2010 appointment as assistant conductor by Riccardo Chailly.

Highlights of the 2019–20 season include debuts here and with the Toronto and Dallas Symphony Orchestras, Minnesota Orchestra, Canadian Opera Company conducting Aida, and Bayerische Staatsoper conducting La traviata. He makes return engagements with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Stadttheater Klagenfurt conducting Eugene Onegin. He tours with soprano Anna Netrebko and tenor Yusif Eyvazov.

Jader’s 2018–19 season included debuts at the Vienna State Opera and Dutch National Opera (Madama Butterfly) and a debut with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra; he returns to Oper Frankfurt (La forza del destino), Santa Fe Opera (La bohème), and the Slovenian and Freiburg Philharmonic Orchestras. He also conducts La traviata in Tokyo directed by Sofia Coppola.

Recent engagements include Madama Butterfly at the Metropolitan Opera, Manon Lescaut at the Bolshoi, Turandot at the Teatro Filarmónica, Il trovatore at Rome’s Teatro dell’Opera, the opening concert of the Orchestra Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna conducting Carmina Burana; La bohème at the Municipal de São Paulo and La Fenice; L’elisir d’amore in Ancona; Tosca at the Comunale di Bologna; La forza del destino at the Verdi Festival in Parma; La bohème, Cavalleria rusticana, and El amor brujo at Teatro Filarmonico di Verona; Aida at Rome’s Teatro dell’Opera; Madama Butterfly at La Fenice; engagements with Maggio Musicale in Florence, the Festival della Valle d’Itria in Martina Franca, and the MITO Festival conducting Berlioz’s Messe solennelle. In 2013, he assisted Chailly on concerts of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony in Milan. He made his concert debut at La Scala in 2015.

Jader was born in Crema and studied at the Piacenza Music Conservatory.

InTUNE — January 2020 | 17

Program BIOGRAPHIES , continued

Augustin Hadelich | violin

SUXIAO YANG

Augustin Hadelich, one of the great violinists of our time, is often referred to by colleagues as a “musician's musician.” He was named Musical America’s 2018 Instrumentalist of the Year.

He appears with more than 25 North American orchestras in the 2019–20 season, including the symphony orchestras of Houston, Boston, Cleveland, New York, Montréal, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Oregon, Seattle, Toronto, and others. International highlights of the season include performances with London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra in Hamburg, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic, to name a few. He is a frequent guest artist with major orchestras in the Far East, South America, Mexico, New Zealand, and Australia.

Augustin won a 2016 Grammy Award for his recording of Dutilleux’s Violin Concerto, L’Arbre des songes, with the Seattle Symphony under Ludovic Morlot (Seattle Symphony MEDIA). Recently signed to Warner Classics, his first release on the label—Paganini’s 24 Caprices—was released in 2018.

His second Warner Classics recording, the Brahms Concerto (with his own cadenza) and the Ligeti Concerto (with cadenza composed by Thomas Adès) followed in 2019. Among other recent discs are live recordings of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto and Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole with the London Philharmonic Orchestra on the LPO label.

The son of German parents, Augustin was born in Italy and is now an American citizen. He holds an Artist Diploma from The Juilliard School, where he was a student of Joel Smirnoff.

After winning the Gold Medal at the 2006 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, concerto and recital appearances on many of the world’s top stages quickly followed, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Chicago’s Symphony Hall, the Kennedy Center, Wigmore Hall, and the Concertgebouw.

Other distinctions include an Avery Fisher Career Grant (2009); a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship in the UK (2011); the inaugural Warner Music Prize (2015); and an honorary doctorate from the UK’s University of Exeter (2017).

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

Visit augustin-hadelich.com to learn more.

18 | Houston Symphony

Program NOTES Overture to Guillaume Tell (William Tell) Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868)

Though Rossini’s William Tell Overture is most often associated with the likes of the Lone Ranger, it originally served as the opening to an opera inspired by the legend of William Tell, a Swiss archer who helped his countrymen fight the Austrian tyrant Gesler. The story became quite popular in France after the revolution of 1789, and even after the restoration of the monarchy, Tell continued to be a popular subject for theatrical works. As fashion would have it, Paris was flooded with William Tell revivals and remakes in the late 1820s; Rossini’s was without doubt the best of them.

From its premiere in August 1829, the opera proved a brilliant success, and though Rossini was no revolutionary, it acquired a prophetic aura after another revolution broke out the following year. Unusually, the overture is divided into four distinct sections, each with a different source of poetic inspiration. It begins with an expressive passage for cello choir, which has been compared to sunrise over an Alpine landscape. The following section is a vivid depiction of the storm that accompanies the opera’s denouement, when Tell kills Gesler and the Swiss capture the Austrian fortress.

Next, the sun comes out as the English horn plays a ranz des vaches, a type of traditional Swiss melody with strong pastoral associations. The famous finale evokes a cavalry charge with its bugle call and galloping horse-hoof rhythms, a stirring call-to-arms for the Swiss patriots.

The Instruments: flute, piccolo, 2 oboes (1 doubling English horn), 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, percussion, and strings

Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major, Opus 6

Niccolò Paganini (1782–1840)

Dating Paganini’s works is complicated by the fact that during his life, he sought to keep the techniques of his fantastic virtuosity secret by withholding his compositions from publication. This concerto likely dates from the mid-to-late 1810s, when Paganini was establishing himself as Italy’s leading violinist. His music was unlike anything anyone had heard before—so difficult, so extravagant that no one else could play it.

In his later years, when Paganini toured internationally, his Romantic Northern European critics would hear something demonic in his extraordinary abilities. His Italian compatriots, however, were more likely to compare him to classical figures such as Orpheus or Virgil.

Indeed, throughout his First Violin Concerto, the soloist assumes the role of a mythic hero, overcoming seemingly impossible technical challenges just as Hercules executes

Paganini + Pines of Rome | Program Notes

his labors with superhuman strength. The piece also has a decidedly theatrical, operatic character. As with his contemporary Rossini, Paganini’s style is best described as bel canto, Italian for “beautiful singing”; an opera singer’s runs and trills are easily replaced by the violin’s virtuoso passages.

The first movement’s orchestral introduction would not be out of place in a comic opera. Bombastic chords resound, as if introducing some important idea, but a true melody fails to appear. Only after a blustery transitional passage (which makes liberal use of cymbals) do the woodwinds at last introduce a real tune. The transitional material then leads back to where the concerto started.

This time, however, the “missing” element appears: the soloist. The solo violin reinterprets and expands on the ideas the orchestra presented with virtuoso embellishments.

After an orchestral interlude, the music darkens when the soloist reenters, and exciting passages lead to a reprise of the lyrical main theme. Near the end of the movement, the orchestra builds to a dramatic pause, and we hear a cadenza—an extended passage for the soloist alone.

When Paganini performed this concerto, he would have improvised the cadenza. Many violinists have since written cadenzas for this concerto; Augustin Hadelich will perform one of his own composition.

The slow second movement begins with a brief orchestral introduction, after which the soloist enters with a melancholy theme. Pizzicato strings imitate the sound of a guitar (another instrument at which Paganini excelled), suggesting a lover’s serenade. After a brighter passage (which Paganini marks “dolce,” or “sweetly”), the movement ends with fragments of the main melody, now marked “con passione”—“with passion.”

The finale returns to the world of comedy with a dancing tune that alternates with a series of contrasting, carnivalesque episodes, including one featuring doublestopped harmonics. Harmonics are beautiful, flute-like tones produced by barely touching the violin’s strings in exactly the right places; Paganini calls for the soloist to play them on multiple strings at once—a technique he invented.

A compendium of Paganini’s virtuoso tricks, the movement makes a spirited finale.

was lonely and remote at that time, one could always hear the murmuring of a fountain,” Respighi recalled. On one occasion, one of the young women whispered to him, “Listen—how it sings!”

“That was the first of The Fountains of Rome,” Respighi asserted. Though this initial inspiration came in 1913, most of the work on the piece was done in 1915–16. In March 1917, the first performance met with a cool reception; dispirited, Respighi put the score away in a drawer. He only took it out when Toscanini, the internationally acclaimed conductor, requested a new work to conduct, and no other pieces were ready. At Toscanini’s February 1918 performance, the Fountains of Rome became Respighi’s greatest success yet, making him famous the world over.

In the published score, Respighi provided his own illustrative notes for the piece: “The first part of the poem, inspired by the fountain of Valle Giulia, depicts a pastoral landscape: droves of cattle pass and disappear in the fresh damp mists of a roman dawn.” Imitating a shepherd’s shawm, the oboe introduces a bucolic theme that is passed among the woodwinds, until the oboe doubled by a solo cello play a warmer, contrasting theme.

A brief reprise of the first theme then leads to the next section.

“A sudden loud and insistent blast of horns above the whole orchestra introduces the second part ‘The Triton Fountain.’

It is like a joyous call, summoning troops of naiads and tritons, who come running up, pursuing each other and mingling in a frenzied dance between the jets of water.

“Next there appears a solemn theme [in the trumpets and trombones] borne on the undulations of the orchestra.

It is the fountain of Trevi at mid-day.” The orchestra conjures images of crashing waves, creating a vast seascape: “The solemn theme, passing from the wood to the brass instruments, assumes a triumphal character. Trumpets peal: across the radiant surface of the water there passes Neptune’s chariot drawn by sea-horses, and followed by a train of sirens and tritons. The procession then vanishes while faint trumpet blasts resound in the distance.

Ottorino Respighi (1879–1936)

“The fourth part ‘The Villa Medici Fountain’ is announced by a sad theme [in the flute and English horn] which rises above a subdued warbling. It is the nostalgic hour of sunset.” Delicate harps and celesta accompany the scene: “The air is full of the sound of tolling bells, birds twittering, leaves rustling.”

A violin solo leads to a passage that illustrates the “birds twittering” and “leaves rustling” with evocative woodwind and string solos. The flutes and piccolo depict drops of water above a reprise of the “sad theme” in the violins. “Then all dies peacefully into the silence of the night.”

Soon after moving to Rome in 1913, Respighi made the acquaintance of two Latvian students who were sisters.

They lived in the Valle Giulia, a low-lying area just northwest of the Borghese Gardens. “Near their little house, which

The Instruments: 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, 2 harps, celesta, piano, organ, and strings

The Instruments: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, bassoon, contrabassoon, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, percussion, and strings

Fontane di Roma (Fountains of Rome)

InTUNE — January 2020 | 19

Program NOTES , continued

Pini di Roma (Pines of Rome) Ottorino Respighi (1879–1936)

Though Respighi completed Pines of Rome during the summer of 1924, in an interview he explained that the piece had been “conceived, started, and restarted over several years.” The initial inspiration likely came in 1920 when Elsa, his wife, introduced him to children’s songs she remembered from playing in the Borghese Gardens as a little girl. Snippets of these melodies found their way into the opening movement, Bass which depicts children “at play in the pine groves of Villa Borghese,” according to the composer’s own note. “[T]hey dance round in circles, they play soldiers, marching and fighting, they are wrought up by their own cries like swallows at evening, they come and go in swarms.

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“Suddenly the scene changes,” Respighi writes. “We see the shades of the pine-trees fringing the entrance to a catacomb.

From the depth rises the sound of mournful psalmsinging, floating through the air like a solemn hymn, and gradually and mysteriously dispersing.” Muted horns introduce melodic fragments that lead to a trumpet solo, marked “sweetly and expressively, as distant as possible.” A chanting figure then arises in the strings, gradually crescendoing to a powerful return of the trumpet melody in the trombones.

The next section begins with a gentle arabesque from the piano. “A quiver runs through the air: the pine-trees of the Janiculum stand distinctly outlined in the clear light of a full moon. A nightingale is singing.” Across the Tiber from the ancient city, the Janiculum is a hill that provides one of the best views of Rome. Traditionally, this part of the piece has been interpreted as a love scene. A solo clarinet begins a long melody marked “come in sogno”—“as if in a dream.”

The scene ends with an innovative touch: a recording of a nightingale singing, evoking sunrise.

Respighi continues: “Misty dawn on the Appian Way: solitary pine-trees guarding the magic landscape […]” Begun in 312 BCE, the Appian Way was one of the Roman Republic’s most important roads; ending at the Forum, it extended through the southern half of the Italian peninsula. “[T]he muffled, ceaseless rhythm of unending footsteps” emerges as a spectral march from the depths of the orchestra.

Slowly, ghosts of Rome’s past come to life in a powerful crescendo: “The poet has a fantastic vision of bygone glories: trumpets sound and, in the brilliance of the newly-risen sun, a consular army bursts forth towards the Sacred Way mounting in triumph to the Capitol.” —Calvin Dotsey The Instruments: 3 flutes (1 doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, celesta, (doubling organ), piano, nightingale recording, and strings 4 trumpets and 2 trombones (offstage) 20 | Houston Symphony

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In addition to being the official health care provider for the Houston Symphony, Houston Methodist offers unique benefits to artists through its Center for Performing Arts Medicine (CPAM). As the only center of its kind in the country, CPAM is composed of a specialized group of more than 100 elite physicians collaboratively working to address the specific demands placed on performing artists.

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FEATURED PROGRAM

TCHAIKOVSKY’S PATHÉTIQUE Friday Saturday Sunday

January 17 January 18 January 19

8:00 p.m.

8:00 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

Jones Hall

John Storgårds, conductor Vadim Gluzman, violin

O. Tarkiainen Shostakovich

*Midnight Sun Variations Violin Concerto No. 2, Opus 129

I Moderato II Adagio— III Adagio—Allegro

ca. 12 ca. 30

I N T E R M I S S I O N

Tchaikovsky

Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Opus 74 (Pathétique)

I Adagio—Allegro non troppo—Andante

II Allegro con grazia

III Allegro molto vivace

IV Finale: Adagio lamentoso

*U.S. première

22 | Houston Symphony

ca. 45

Did you know?

• Outi Tarkiainen was born in the small town of Rovaniemi, Finland, which lies just south of the Arctic Circle, and she recently relocated to Ivalo, located north of the 68th parallel.

“I have a fundamental longing for the northernmost regions within me,” she says.

Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique | Program Biographies

Program BIOGRAPHIES FROST BANK GOLD CLASSICS

These performances are generously supported in part by: Guarantor C. Howard Pieper Foundation Supporter Karl H. & Dr. Gudrun H. Becker Yoonshin Song’s inaugural season is sponsored by Gary & Marian Beauchamp and the Beauchamp Foundation.

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

John Storgårds | conductor Chief guest conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and principal guest conductor of Ottawa’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, John Storgårds has a dual career as a conductor and violin virtuoso. As artistic director of the Lapland Chamber Orchestra for more than 25 years, John earned global critical acclaim for the ensemble’s adventurous performances and awardwinning recordings.

Internationally, John appears with Europe’s leading orchestras, including the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra where he was chief conductor (2008–15).

Further afield, he is a regular guest with the Sydney, Melbourne, and NHK Symphony Orchestras. He made his North American debut with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra during the 2005–06 season and has since appeared with the continent’s top orchestras.

This season’s highlights in Europe include a return with the BBC Philharmonic, followed by a major European tour, and returns with the Oslo Philharmonic, Bamberg Symphony, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra in Vienna and on tour in Asia.

Park at One Market Square Garage, the recommended parking partner of the Houston Symphony. The new garage—located at 800 Preston Street with entrances on Milam, Prairie, and GARAGE ParkOneMarketSquare.com Travis—is just a block from Jones Hall. At the epicenter of downtown, One Market Square is convenient for the entire Theater District as well as CBD office towers and Historic District restaurants; it is easily accessible from I-45, I-10, US-59, Memorial Drive, and Allen Parkway.

In partnership with the Houston Symphony, One Market Square Garage elevates your concertgoing experience from prelude to coda. In addition to 24/7 on-site staffing, One Market Square Garage offers a 20 percent discount for Symphony patrons. Bring your parking ticket with you to use the validator kiosk in the Jones Hall lobby before or after the concert or during intermission.

John’s repertoire includes all the symphonies by Sibelius, Nielsen, Bruckner, Brahms, Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, and Schumann as well as works by today’s leading composers, including world premieres of works by Kaija Saariaho, Brett Dean, Per Nørgård, and Pēteris Vasks.

In the opera house, he led the world premiere production of Sebastian Fagerlund’s Höstsonaten (Autumn Sonata) at the Finnish National Opera; it was a finalist at the 2018 International Opera Awards.

His wide-ranging and award-winning discography includes the complete symphonies of Sibelius (2014) and Nielsen (2015) with the BBC Philharmonic (Chandos). His most recent recordings are works

by American avant-garde composer George Antheil with the BBC Philharmonic and an acclaimed recording (Bis) of Mahler’s Symphony No. 10 with the Lapland Chamber Orchestra. Additional recordings include discs of works by Nørgård, Korngold, Aho, and Rautavaara, the latter receiving a Grammy nomination and a Gramophone Award in 2012.

John studied violin with Chaim Taub and became the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra’s concertmaster under Esa-Pekka Salonen before studying conducting with Jorma Panula and Eri Klas at the Sibelius Academy. He received the Finnish State Prize for Music (2002) and the Pro Finlandia Prize (2012).

InTUNE — January 2020 | 23

Program BIOGRAPHIES , continued

Vadim Gluzman | violin Universally recognized among today’s top performing artists, Vadim Gluzman brings to life the glorious violin tradition of the 19th and 20th centuries. His performances of a wide repertoire are heard around the world through live broadcasts and a striking catalogue of award-winning recordings exclusively for the BIS label.

The Israeli violinist regularly appears with major orchestras throughout the world. He collaborates with leading conductors, including Riccardo Chailly, Christoph von Dohnányi, Tugan Sokhiev, Sir Andrew Davis, Neeme Järvi, Michael Tilson Thomas, Semyon Bychkov, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Paavo Järvi, and Hannu Lintu. Festival appearances include performances at Lockenhaus, Ravinia, Tanglewood, Verbier, and Chicago’s North Shore Chamber Music Festival, founded by Vadim and his wife and recital partner, pianist Angela Yoffe.

Highlights of his 2019–20 season include performances with Orchestre de Paris under Tugan Sokhiev and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra in Carnegie Hall, concerts with the Houston Symphony, BBC Philharmonic, Detroit and Lucerne Symphony Orchestras, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Dresden Philharmonic, Staatskapelle Weimar, and Orchestre National de Lyon. He will lead the Moscow Virtuosi chamber orchestra and the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra in Columbus, Ohio, where he serves as creative partner and principal guest artist.

This season, Vadim gives the world premieres of a new violin concerto by Erkki-Sven Tüür with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony under Andris Poga; Joshua Roman’s Double Concerto with the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, conducted

by David Danzmayr; Moritz Eggert’s Mir mit Dir at the Kronberg Academy Festival; as well as the UK premiere of Sofia Gubaidulina’s Triple Concerto with BBC Philharmonic under Omer Meir Wellber. He has given live and recorded premieres of other works by Gubaidulina, as well as Giya Kancheli, Elena Firsova, Pēteris Vasks, Michael Daugherty, and most recently, Lera Auerbach.

Accolades for his extensive discography include the Diapason d’Or, Gramophone’s Editor’s Choice, Classica magazine’s Choc de Classica award, and Disc of the Month by The Strad, BBC Music Magazine, Classic FM, and others.

Distinguished artist-in-residence at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Vadim performs on the legendary 1690 “exLeopold Auer” Stradivari on extended loan to him through the generosity of the Stradivari Society of Chicago.

24 | Houston Symphony

Program NOTES Midnight Sun Variations Outi Tarkiainen (1985)

A native of Finland, Outi Tarkiainen first came to prominence as a composer through the European jazz scene before becoming one of the classical world’s most exciting new voices. Commissioned by the BBC Philharmonic and the National Arts Centre Orchestra (of Ottowa, Canada), Midnight Sun Variations premiered at the BBC Proms in August with conductor John Storgårds, to whom the piece is dedicated. These performances are the work’s first in the United States.

In a preface to the score, Tarkiainen describes the piece as “a set of variations on the light when the sun never sets in the arctic summer night. For the northern sky above the Arctic Circle in summer reflects a rich spectrum of infinitely-nuanced hues that, as autumn draws near, become veiled in shadow until darkness slowly descends and the sun ceases to rise above the horizon. My son was born on the night when the summer’s last warm day gave way to a dawn shrouded in autumnal mist. Midnight Sun Variations is also about giving birth to new life, when the woman and the child within her part, restoring her former self as the light fades into winter.”

The Instruments: 3 flutes (1 doubling piccolo), 3 oboes (1 doubling English horn), 3 clarinets (1 doubling bass clarinet), 3 bassoons (1 doubling contrabassoon), 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, piano (doubling celesta), and strings

Violin Concerto No. 2, Opus 129

Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich (1906–1975) Shostakovich’s Second Violin Concerto is a late work dating from the spring of 1967. Years of tobacco, alcohol, and state terror had taken a toll on the Soviet composer; he had suffered his first heart attack the year before.

Shostakovich’s ill health was accompanied by composer’s block and self-doubt, but he at last broke his silence with a set of songs on poems by Alexander Blok in February 1967.

The concerto followed soon after. Like Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto, this work was written for the great violinist David Oistrakh. Interestingly, the first horn frequently acts as a second, shadow soloist, playing melodic material at significant moments. Throughout, the work has a reflective tone and an almost classical restraint that belie the powerful emotions beneath its surface.

The first movement is based on two contrasting themes, which are both contrapuntal in nature: each one is a conversation of sorts between two concurrent melodic ideas.

The first theme is a dialogue between the low strings and the soloist’s ruminative melody; after an intense transition,

Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique | Program Notes

the second emerges as an uneasy, staccato theme high in the woodwinds that alternates with the soloist’s commentary.

After an emotional development, the orchestra stops, and the isolated violin plays a cadenza, an extended, unaccompanied passage for the soloist. This cadenza doubles as the reprise of the first theme as the soloist gives voice to both of its ideas simultaneously. The orchestra reenters, and after the return of the second theme, the movement fades away.

The slow second movement begins with an unadorned melody for violin. After the flute introduces a complimentary idea, the austere opening theme returns in the cellos and basses, initiating a crescendo that arrives at a contrasting middle section, an unguarded outpouring of emotion from the violin. This interlude ends with a tense, cadenza-like passage for the violin and timpani. After the orchestra reenters, a varied reprise of the opening section follows. At the end of the movement, the main melody returns as a horn solo, which now crescendos to a warm, glowing conclusion.

The finale begins immediately with an argument between the soloist and aggressive, muted horns. The violin sidesteps this confrontation with the main theme of the movement, a nervous fiddle-tune punctuated by grotesque shouts from high and low woodwinds. This dancing main theme alternates with contrasting episodes, including a virtuoso cadenza for the soloist. The movement rushes to its end, decisively silenced by the timpani.

The Instruments: flute, piccolo, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, timpani, percussion, and strings

Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Opus 74 (Pathétique) Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893)

Tchaikovsky spent the winter of 1892–93 concertizing in Western Europe. Travelling alone, away from his family and friends, he fell prey to an intense depressive episode. As he wrote to a friend, “I am going through a kind of moral crisis from which I will emerge either victorious—that is, I will gain new strength and a fresh desire to fill notepaper with my scribblings—or vanquished—that is, I will go into retirement and start to live out my days quietly.” After returning to Russia, in February Tchaikovsky wrote to his favorite nephew, Bob Davydov: “During my journey I had the idea for another symphony, this time with a programme, but such a programme that will remain an enigma to everyone—let them guess […] The programme itself will be suffused with subjectivity, and not infrequently during my travels, while composing it in my head, I wept a great deal. […] The form of this symphony will have much that is new, and amongst other things, the finale

will not be a noisy allegro, but on the contrary, a long drawnout adagio.”

Working quickly, Tchaikovsky completed a draft in March and orchestrated the score over the summer. Composing the symphony seems to have helped him overcome his dark emotions and regain confidence; in another letter he declared “[…] I absolutely consider it to be the best, and in particular, the most sincere of all my creations. I love it as I have never loved any of my other musical offspring.”

The symphony begins with a slow, tenebrous introduction: a bassoon emerges above a descending chromatic bassline—a traditional symbol of lamentation. The bassoon solo soon transforms into a faster, nervous theme for violins. After violent fanfares in the trumpets, the music fades to a melody for muted strings marked “teneramente, molto cantabile, con espansione” (“tenderly, very singing, expansively”). A delicate interlude for woodwinds leads to a passionate reprise of the melody, which fades to an impossibly quiet pppppp.

Suddenly, the orchestra erupts. The nervous first theme is developed in a fugue marked “feroce” (“ferocious”) until the trumpets intervene with powerful descending scales. Above the perpetual motion of the strings, the brass quietly intone a Russian Orthodox hymn for the dead. The music swells and ebbs until only a Morse code-like pulse remains. Fragments of the nervous first theme appear above it, building to a vehement reprise, but this theme’s return is swept away by the music’s inexorable momentum. After a searing climax based on simple, descending scales, the second theme returns. The movement fades with a tranquil variant of the opening motif above the pizzicato strings’ descending scales.

The cellos open the second movement with a melody reminiscent of Tchaikovsky’s ballet music; unusually, however, there are five beats per measure. In a more ominous central episode, the strings play a sighing melody based on a descending scale marked “con dolcezza e flebile” (“faintly and with sweetness”). After a reprise of the main theme, echoes of the sighing middle section return as the movement ends.

In the third movement, fragmentary melodies emerge from the continuous background of chattering strings. After a series of forceful descending scales, hints of a march appear in the brass as if from a distance. At last, the march arrives in the clarinets and horns. The movement’s other ideas then cycle back, ending with the march fortississimo.

Marked “Adagio lamentoso” (“slow, lamenting”), the finale’s opening melody is the culmination of the many descending scales that pervade the symphony. Tchaikovsky created a unique, labored sound by dividing the melody between the first and second violins, who play each note in alternation.

A bassoon solo leads to the beginning of a long crescendo InTUNE — January 2020 | 25

Program NOTES , continued

marked “con devozione” (“with devotion”). This yearning music rises to a violent climax, and the music falls away. The main theme then returns, building to an anguished passage that ends with the tamtam. The symphony ends by slowly fading to silence.

By Tchaikovsky’s own account, the piece was coolly received when he conducted the St. Petersburg premiere in October 1893; he wrote that “Something strange is happening with this symphony! It’s not that it displeased, but it has caused some bewilderment.” The following week, Tchaikovsky contracted cholera (an epidemic was ongoing in the city), and within days he succumbed to the disease. In the wake of the composer’s sudden death, the symphony’s second performance made an overwhelming impression; with its tragic arc, it now seemed prophetic, as if Tchaikovsky had written his own requiem.

demonstrated in his 1996 book, Tchaikovsky’s Last Days.

The persistence of conspiracy theories—which maintained currency for a century—are in the end a testament to the work’s unsurpassed expressive power. Usually, composers’ lives influence the interpretation of their music; in this case, Tchaikovsky’s music influenced the interpretation of his life.

—Calvin Dotsey The Instruments: 3 flutes (1 doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, and strings

Immediately, rumors began to spread that Tchaikovsky had taken his own life. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth, as scholar Alexander Poznansky convincingly

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26 | Houston Symphony

ROBERT SCHUMANN In February 2020, the Houston Symphony and Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada present the Schumann Festival: Angels and Demons. This 2019–20 Season signature event invites audiences to experience Robert Schumann’s music and discover his fascinating story. Here are four things to know about this musical genius before the Festival begins.

01 | A ROMANTIC WITH A CAPITAL R Schumann is often deemed the “quintessential Romantic.” His ardent passions, poetic feeling, and heart-on-sleeve style perfectly embody the ideals of the age. His music often evokes strong emotions and vivid images, from the bloom of spring to the majestic Rhine River.

02 | ONE HALF OF A POWER COUPLE In 1840, Schumann married pianist Clara Wieck after the two of them won a lawsuit against her father, who vehemently opposed the relationship. In addition to being one of the greatest concert pianists in history, Clara was a gifted composer; her Three Romances for Violin and Piano is featured on the Festival’s chamber music concert on Valentine’s Day. She was a lifelong muse for her husband, who encoded her name in his works in the form of a five-note “Clara motif”: a C and two As—the letters in her name that translate directly to musical notes.

03 | THE MUSICAL POET The son of a bookseller and publisher, at a young age Schumann developed a keen interest in literature that remained a lifelong passion. With his love of music and poetry, Schumann became a master of song. In the year of his marriage alone, he wrote more than 130 of them, many of which are love songs. You can hear these romantic fusions of poetry and music in a concert featuring the Houston Symphony Chorus and Houston Grand Opera Studio tenor Richard Trey Smagur on February 13.

04 | AN INSPIRING LEGACY Throughout his life, Schumann struggled with his inner world. Some doctors today have suggested a diagnosis of bipolar disorder to account for alternating periods of manic energy and extreme, debilitating depression.

Schumann’s symptoms eventually progressed to include auditory hallucinations and visions of angels and demons. After attempted self-harm in 1854, Schumann entered an asylum at his own request, remaining there until his death two years later. Schumann’s decline is all the more poignant when considered alongside the character of his music: life-affirming and noble, exalting life’s beauty and color. In this sense, Schumann exemplifies his self-proclaimed mantra: “to send light into the darkness of men’s hearts—such is the duty of the artist.”—Katy Judd Visit houstonsymphony.org/schumann for tickets and more information.

InTUNE — January 2020 | 27

FEATURED PROGRAM

BEETHOVEN 7 Thursday Saturday Sunday

January 30 February 1 February 2

8:00 p.m.

8:00 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

Jones Hall

Dima Slobodeniouk, conductor Kirill Gerstein, piano

Liszt

Listz/ Busoni-Gerstein

Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major

I Allegro maestoso

II Quasi adagio--Allegretto vivace—

III Allegro marziale animato

ca. 21

Totentanz for Piano and Orchestra

ca. 17

I N T E R M I S S I O N

J. Widmann

Con brio

ca. 12

Beethoven

Symphony No. 7 in A major, Opus 92

I Poco sostenuto—Vivace II Allegretto

III Presto—Assai meno presto—Presto

IV Allegro con brio

ca. 36

28 | Houston Symphony

Did you know?

• The earliest sketches for the famous Allegretto in Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony show that he originally intended it to serve as the second movement of his String Quartet No. 9 in C major.

Beethoven 7 | Program Biographies

Program BIOGRAPHIES

RAND G ROUP

GREAT PERFORMERS SERIES

These performances are generously supported in part by:

Dima Slobodeniouk | conductor

Supporter May Wang/Mark Kamin & Associates

Yoonshin Song’s inaugural season is sponsored by Gary & Marian Beauchamp and the Beauchamp Foundation.

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

MARCO BORGGREVE

Dr. & Mrs. Robert B. Sloan/ Houston Baptist University

Lauded for his deeply informed and intelligent artistic leadership, Dima Slobodeniouk has held the position of music director of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia since 2013, which he combines with his position as principal conductor of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra and artistic director of the Sibelius Festival. He links his native Russian roots with the cultural influence of his later homeland, Finland, for his powerful musical heritage.

Last season, he debuted with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. He works with orchestras in Houston, Chicago, Baltimore, and Sydney as well as the Berlin Philharmonic, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, London Symphony Orchestra, and Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Last summer, Dima returned to the Tanglewood Music Festival, with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Yefim Bronfman, before giving his debut in the orchestra’s main series. Further highlights include debuts with the NHK Symphony Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, and the Cleveland Orchestra. In addition to this weekend’s concerts, he returns to the London Philharmonic Orchestra with Kirill Gerstein. He opened the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia’s 2019–20 season with Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms before touring. With the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, he celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Sibelius Festival.

He regularly works with Joshua Bell, Khatia Buniatishvili, Håkan Hardenberger, Johannes Moser, Truls Mørk, Baiba Skride, Yuja Wang, and Frank Peter Zimmermann.

Dima’s discography includes recordings of works by Stravinsky with Ilya Gringolts and Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia (BIS) and works by Kalevi Aho with Lahti Symphony Orchestra (BIS). He has recorded pieces by Lotta Wennäkoski with Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra (Ondine) and Sebastian Fagerlund with Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra (BIS).

Moscow-born Dima Slobodeniouk studied violin at Moscow Central Music School under Zinaida Gilels and Jevgenia Chugajev, at the Middle Finland Conservatory as well as the Sibelius Academy under Olga Parhomenko. His conducting studies continued with Atso Almila, Leif Segerstam, Jorma Panula, Ilya Musin, and Esa-Pekka Salonen.

Continuing his work in education, Dima began a conducting initiative with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, providing an opportunity for students to work on the podium with a professional orchestra.

InTUNE — January 2020 | 29

Program BIOGRAPHIES , continued

Kirill Gerstein | piano Pianist Kirill Gerstein’s curiosity and versatility have led to a wide range of repertoire and styles.

From Bach to Adès, his playing is distinguished by its clarity of expression, discerning intelligence, and virtuosity. His energetic and imaginative musical personality has rapidly taken him to the top of his profession.

Born in the former Soviet Union, Kirill is an American citizen based in Berlin. His career is similarly international, with solo and concerto engagements taking him across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. An important focus of last season was the world première of Thomas Adès’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra and composed especially for him. This season, he and the composer continue to present the concerto with major orchestras.

In addition to many return engagements this season, Kirill launches a two-year cycle of Rachmaninoff ’s complete works for piano and orchestra with the Minnesota Orchestra. He marks Beethoven’s 250th anniversary in Chicago, Grand Rapids, and San Antonio. His recital programs feature folkinfluenced works, and he collaborates with the Hagen Quartet.

His recordings for myrios classics range from Busoni to Gershwin, from Tchaikovsky to Mussorgsky. His Liszt’s Transcendental Études was chosen by The New Yorker as one of 2016’s most notable recordings. For his next recording, he performs all three Tchaikovsky Piano Concertos with Semyon Bychkov and the Czech Philharmonic on The Tchaikovsky Project boxed set (Decca) As a child, Kirill studied both classical and jazz piano. He moved to the United States where, at age 14, he was the youngest student to attend Boston’s Berklee College of Music.

Shifting his focus to the classical repertoire, he studied with Solomon Mikowsky in New York, Dmitri Bashkirov in Madrid, and Ferenc Rados in Budapest. His prestigious accolades include First Prize at the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition and a Gilmore Young Artist Award.

In 2010, he was awarded both an Avery Fisher Career Grant and the Gilmore Artist Award.

Kirill has taught at the Stuttgart Hochschule Musik and, in 2018, began teaching at the Kronberg Academy’s Sir András Schiff Performance Program for Young Artists.

30 | Houston Symphony

Program NOTES Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major Franz Liszt (1811–1886)

The first sketches for Liszt’s First Piano Concerto date from 1832, the year he discovered the violinist Paganini.

Inspired by Paganini’s unprecedented virtuoso technique, Liszt abandoned his public career as a pianist and began practicing: “I spend 4 to 5 hours practicing exercises (thirds, sixths, octaves, tremolos, repeated notes, cadenzas, etc. etc.),” he wrote. “Ah! provided I don’t go mad you will find an artist in me!” When he emerged the following year, he had transformed himself into the greatest virtuoso of the 19th century.

His concerto, however, took longer to germinate. After completing one version in 1835, Liszt rewrote it in 1839 and revised it until 1855, when the concerto at last reached its definitive form after 23 years. One might blame Liszt’s perfectionism for this protracted genesis, but he may also have put off unveiling the concerto out of fear that its innovative features would meet with public and critical incomprehension. Indeed, Hans von Bülow—one of the great early interpreters of the concerto—reportedly sang the words “Das versteht ihr alle nicht, haha!” (“You do not understand any of this, haha!”) to the opening. Indeed, the work has a highly innovative structure for its time: its four movements flow continuously from one into the other, and the finale recapitulates ideas from the previous movements.

Another, perhaps deeper innovation is the harmonically unstable opening; it is as if the concerto has started in the middle rather than at the beginning—a highly Romantic effect. Assuming the role of a Byronic hero, the soloist continually breaks free from the orchestra’s main motto, launching into quasi-improvisatory flights of fancy.

After an espressivo duet between the piano and clarinet, a crescendo leads to the return of the main motto, which then fades away.

A pause precedes the start of the slow second movement, when a new idea emerges in the low strings. As if confessing something, the piano hesitantly transforms this new idea into a singing melody. The orchestra attempts to join it, but the soloist interrupts with conflicted music in the style of operatic recitative, halfway between singing and speaking. A new melody then appears in the flute, floating above the soloist’s trills like a delightful vision.

The third movement begins with what Liszt described as a “mocking little motif” in the triangle. Incidentally, this triangle solo provoked much critical derision—the prominent use of any percussion instrument other than the timpani was construed as outré modernism. The triangle, however, perfectly introduces the diabolical scherzo that follows—a cousin of Mendelssohn’s fairy music.

Beethoven 7 | Program Notes

During a piano solo, the opening motto returns, and an orchestral crescendo leads to the dramatic finale. After a reprise of the opening of the concerto, the “vision” theme from the slow movement returns. A vigorous Allegro marziale ensues, in which the “confession” theme from the slow movement is transformed into a march, complete with cymbals. Themes from the previous movements follow, like the threads of a story coming together, and the concerto ends with the triumphant return of the main motto.

The Instruments: 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, percussion, and strings

Totentanz for Piano and Orchestra Franz Liszt (1811–1886)

In German, Totentanz literally means “Dance of Death”; the term refers to a long tradition in the visual arts. In composing a musical Totentanz, Liszt seems to have been inspired specifically by Hans Holbein the Younger’s iconic series of woodcuts in which Death, personified as a skeleton, comes for all of Holbein’s Renaissance-era contemporaries, from the greatest of the great to the lowliest of the low.

Additional inspiration came in 1838, when Liszt visited the Camposanto in Pisa and was awed by The Triumph of Death, a monumental fresco that contains several scenes.

On the left, a noble hunting party encounters a grim vision: three coffins containing bodies in varying states of decay (a reminder of death and the necessity of spiritual salvation).

On the right, finely dressed young people listen to music in a garden, enjoying life’s ephemeral pleasures. In the center is the last judgment: angels and demons fight over the naked bodies of the resurrected, and the angel of death swoops down on the living. In a letter, Liszt noted that gazing at the fresco reminded him of Mozart’s Requiem.

Like his First Piano Concerto, Liszt’s Totentanz had a long and complex genesis. In 1839, he seems to have planned two solo piano pieces—The Comedy of Death (inspired by Holbein) and The Triumph of Death (inspired by the fresco)— but he abandoned this idea. Ten years later, he sketched Totentanz, combining the two sources of inspiration. The opening corresponds to Holbein with variations on the Dies irae, a traditional plainchant describing the horrors of Judgment Day. After a cadenza (an extended solo for the piano), a second section—variations based on the opening of Mozart’s Requiem—corresponds to the Camposanto fresco.

This version of Totentanz also had a third section derived from an abandoned work for piano and orchestra: De profundis. The piece was based on a plainchant setting of the eponymous Psalm 130, the melody of which appears near the end of this version of Totentanz. Given the psalm’s message

of mercy and redemption, the De profundis passage seemed to offer hope at the end of this dance of death. Liszt, however, excised it in his final revision of 1864. After the deaths of two of his children and the frustration of his plans to marry his longtime mistress, the Princess Sayn-Wittgenstein, Liszt went through a period of bitter depression that likely influenced his decision.

In 1869, the Russian critic Vladimir Stasov visited Liszt and recorded the following curious exchange: “In vain I implored him to play something from his Totentanz [and other pieces.]

But he was adamant and replied to all my pleas: ‘All these works are from that period! No, I don’t play them anymore.’”

Aside from the known artistic and musical allusions, Liszt also refused to give a more detailed explanation of the meaning of Totentanz. According to Stasov, “he said only that it was one of those works whose content must not be made public.”

Our soloist, Kirill Gerstein, has elected to reinstate the De profundis section within the final version of the piece, restoring Liszt’s original plan while respecting revisions of the other sections.

The Instruments: 3 flutes (1 doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, and strings

Con brio

Jörg Widmann (b. 1973) “Con brio” is Italian for “with spirit”: the phrase was one of Beethoven’s favorite performance indications and serves as the title for this Beethoven-inspired piece by contemporary German composer Jörg Widmann. Having commissioned the work, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra gave the premiere of Con brio in 2008 as the opening for a program featuring Beethoven’s Seventh and Eighth Symphonies.

The late Mariss Jansons, the orchestra’s chief conductor, had encouraged Widmann to compose a piece that would be linked to these famous classics, and Widmann responded with a characteristically post-modern, contemporary take on Beethoven’s musical style. Though there are no exact melodic quotations in Con brio, the piece is filled with gestures, rhythms, and melodic fragments that allude to Beethoven.

The work is scored for the same forces as the two Beethoven symphonies, but the instruments make many unconventional sounds with a wide array of extended techniques.

The Instruments: 2 flutes (2 doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, and strings

InTUNE — January 2020 | 31

Program NOTES , continued

Symphony No. 7 in A major, Opus 92 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)

Begun in the autumn of 1811, Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony was completed by the following summer and premiered to great public acclaim in December 1813; it has enjoyed remarkable popularity ever since. Among the most high-spirited of Beethoven’s works, the symphony is notable for the prominent role rhythm plays throughout: characteristic rhythmic motifs pervade each movement. In this regard, Beethoven’s pupil Carl Czerny suggested the composer was inspired by the metrical patterns of Classical poetry. Alternatively, Wagner declared this symphony “the apotheosis of the dance.” Commentators have also noted its often-rustic character; perhaps Beethoven was influenced by his concurrent project of arranging Scottish, Irish, and Welsh folksongs at the behest of Edinburgh-based publisher George Thomson.

The first movement begins with a portentous introduction: after a series of opening chords, powerful rising scales alternate with a lyrical melody introduced by the oboe. The introduction fades away on a repeated note, which soon articulates the jiglike rhythm that dominates the rest of the movement. Creating a pastoral atmosphere, the flute introduces a dancing main theme. Listen for the grand pauses Beethoven uses to mark important turning points in the music.

Perhaps the most enthralling of all Beethoven’s symphonic movements, the following Allegretto has always made a profound impression. Three years after the Symphony’s premiere, one critic wrote that it “speaks inwardly even to those who have no training in music; by means of its naïveté and a certain secret magic it irresistibly overcomes them […]” After a mysterious introductory chord in the woodwinds, the lower strings intone the incantatory rhythm that continues throughout. As more instruments enter, this idea grows in power, until the woodwinds introduce a more lyrical, contrasting theme. These two ideas alternate, reaching a climax and fading away.

In the third movement, a playful opening section alternates with a slower, songlike theme that may have been based on an Austrian pilgrim’s hymn.

The festive finale has a direct connection with Beethoven’s aforementioned folksong project; at the end of his arrangement of the Irish folksong “Save me from the grave and wise,” Beethoven appended a short coda which bears a striking resemblance to the main theme of this movement. Interestingly, the song’s final verse contains the lines “Hence with wisdom, dull and drear,/And welcome folly and adventure:/Cease my song—a sound I hear/ The planxty [a dance tune] comes—the dancers enter.” Perhaps the finale is this merry dance. —Calvin Dotsey The Instruments: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, and strings 32 | Houston Symphony

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THANK

Our DONORS ANNUAL SUPPORT

The Houston Symphony gratefully acknowledges those who support our artistic, educational, and community engagement programs through their generosity to our Annual Fund and our Special Events.

For more information, please contact: Nancy Giles, Chief Development Officer, 713.337.8525 Molly Simpson, Senior Director, Development, 713.337.8526

$1,000,000 or more The Robert Cizik Family

$500,000 or more Janice Barrow

Janet F. Clark

$250,000–$499,999 Mr. John N. Neighbors

Mike Stude

$150,000–$249,999 Barbara J. Burger Rochelle & Max Levit

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

Bobby & Phoebe Tudor Margaret Alkek Williams

$100,000–$149,999 Clare Attwell Glassell Gary & Marian Beauchamp/

The Beauchamp Foundation

Barbara & Pat McCelvey

Tony Bradfield & Kevin Black Drs. M.S. & Marie-Luise Kalsi Cora Sue & Harry Mach

Anonymous (1)

$75,000–$99,999 $50,000–$74,999

Robin Angly & Miles Smith Drs. Dennis & Susan Carlyle Joella & Steven P. Mach Mr. & Mrs. J. Stephen Marks Muffy & Mike McLanahan Katie & Bob Orr/Oliver Wyman

Dave & Alie Pruner Mr. & Mrs. William K. Robbins Jr./

The Robbins Foundation Mr. Jay Steinfeld &

Mrs. Barbara Winthrop Alice & Terry Thomas

Shirley W. Toomim Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor

$25,000–$49,999 Nancy & Walter Bratic Eric Brueggeman Ralph Burch Donna & Max Chapman Virginia A. Clark Valerie Palmquist Dieterich & Tracy Dieterich Joan & Bob Duff Eugene Fong Ron Franklin & Janet Gurwitch 34 | Houston Symphony

Stephen & Mariglyn Glenn Gary L. Hollingsworth & Kenneth J. Hyde Catherine & Brian James Dr. Sippi & Mr. Ajay Khurana Mrs. Carolyn & Dr. Michael Mann Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis Mrs. Sybil F. Roos Laura & Mike Shannon Alana R. Spiwak & Sam L. Stolbun

Dr. John R. Stroehlein & Miwa Sakashita Ms. Judith Vincent Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber Steven & Nancy Williams Ms. Ellen A. Yarrell Mr. & Mrs. Edward R. Ziegler continued 

$15,000–$24,999 Ms. Marida Abjani Frances & Ira Anderson Anne Morgan Barrett Kimberly & James M. Bell Mr. & Mrs. Walter V. Boyle Mr. Gordon J. Brodfuehrer Terry Ann Brown Justice Brett & Erin Busby Michel H. Clark & Sallie Morian Mr. Jimmy Erwin Terry Everett & Eric Cheyney

Viviana & David Denechaud Mr. & Mrs. Marvy A. Finger Mrs. Aggie L. Foster Mr. & Mrs. Melbern G. Glasscock Evan B. Glick Mr. & Mrs. Fred L. Gorman Susan & Dick Hansen Katherine Hill Rebecca & Bobby Jee Dr. & Mrs. I. Ray Kirk Mr. & Mrs. U.J. LeGrange

Mr. & Mrs. Stephen A. Lubanko Cindy Mao & Michael Ma John & Regina Mangum Michelle & Jack Matzer Marvin & Martha McMurrey Bobbie Nau Gloria & Joe Pryzant Ron & Demi Rand Ken* & Carol Lee Robertson Hugh* & Ann Roff Susan D. & Fayez Sarofim

Meagan & Christian Schwartz Tad & Suzanne Smith Drs. Carol & Michael Stelling Flor & Arturo Vivar Dede & Connie Weil Robert G. Weiner & Toni Blankmann Vicki West Mr. & Mrs. C. Clifford Wright Jr. Lorraine & Ed* Wulfe Scott & Lori Wulfe

$10,000–$14,999 Edward H. Andrews III Nina Andrews & David Karohl Dr. Angela R. Apollo Ann & Jonathan Ayre John Barlow Judy & David Beck Karl H.* & Dr. Gudrun H. Becker Anne & George* Boss Mr. & Mrs. Michael E. Bowman James & Dale Brannon Mary Kathryn Campion, PhD Albert & Anne Chao Mr. & Mrs. Bernard F. Clark Jr. Dr. Evan D. Collins Coneway Family Foundation Consurgo Sunshine Brad & Joan Corson Roger & Debby Cutler Leslie Barry Davidson & W. Robbins Brice J.R. & Aline Deming

Vicky Dominguez Mr. David Elliott Olivia Estrada Ms. Carolyn Faulk Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey B. Firestone Mr. & Mrs. Russell M. Frankel Maureen Y. Higdon Mrs. James E. Hooks Marzena & Jacek Jaminski Dr. Charles Johnson & Tammie Johnson Joan & Marvin Kaplan Lilia D. Khakimova & C. Robert Bunch Mr. & Mrs. Calvin Leeke Mrs. Hazel Leighton in memory of Gordon Leighton Marilyn G. Lummis Mr. & Dr. Quyen Frederick Lyons Jay & Shirley* Marks Dr. & Mrs. Malcolm L. Mazow

Dr. Eric McLaughlin & Eliodoro Castillo Mr. Gary Mercer Stephen & Mairlyn Miles Bobbie Newman Ms. Leslie Nossaman Scott & Judy Nyquist Dr. Susan Osterberg & Mr. Edward C. Osterberg Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan E. Parker Kusum & K. Cody Patel Nancy & Robert* Peiser Jean & Allan Quiat Bradley L. Radoff & Monica Hoz De Vila Lila Rauch Linda & Jerry Rubenstein Mr. & Mrs. Manolo Sánchez Mr. & Mrs. Walter Scherr Toni Oplt & Ed Schneider Mr. & Mrs. Rufus S. Scott

Mr. & Mrs. James A. Shaffer Mr. & Mrs. Joel I. Shannon Michael J. Shawiak Dr. & Mrs. Robert B. Sloan/ Houston Baptist University Mr. & Mrs. Jim R. Smith Mr. & Mrs. Robert R. Springbob, Laredo Construction, Inc. Drs. Ishwaria & Vivek Subbiah Susan & Andrew Truscott Mr. & Mrs. De la Rey Venter Margaret Waisman, M.D. & Steven S. Callahan, Ph.D. Stephen & Kristine Wallace Mr. & Ms. Don Whitaker Mr. & Mrs. Tony Williford Doug & Kay Wilson Nina & Michael Zilkha Anonymous (3)

$7,500–$9,999 Dr. & Mrs. Jeffrey B. Aron Mr. & Mrs. Byron Cooley Andrew Davis & Corey Tu The Ensell Family Aubrey & Sylvia Farb Jo A. & Billie Jo Graves Mr. & Mrs. Jerry L. Hamaker

Gwen & Dan Kellogg Ms. Nancey G. Lobb Billy & Christie McCartney William D. & Karinne McCullough Terry & Kandee McGill Dr. Robert M. Mihalo Rita & Paul Morico

Mr. & Mrs. Robert E. Nelson Tim Ong & Michael Baugh Mrs. Gloria Pepper & Dr. Bernard Katz Susan & King Pouw Kathryn & Richard Rabinow Ed & Janet Rinehart

Jill & Allyn Risley Mr. Floyd W. Robinson Mr. Glen A. Rosenbaum Donna & Tim Shen Mr. & Mrs. Karl Strobl Nancy B. Willerson

$5,000–$7,499 Lilly & Thurmon Andress Mr. & Mrs. Philip A. Bahr Dr. Saul & Ursula Balagura Eric & Shanna Bass Mr. & Mrs. David A. Boudreau Marilyn Caplovitz Ann M. Cavanaugh Dr. Robert N. Chanon Barbara A. Clark Donna M. Collins Mr. & Mrs. Samuel B. Condic Mr. & Mrs. Larry Corbin Lois & David Coyle Kathy & Frank Dilenschneider Mary Louise & Stephen Dujka Connie & Byron Dyer Mr. William P. Elbel & Ms. Mary J. Schroeder Jenny & Wendell Erwin, M.D. Mr. Parrish N. Erwin Jr. Ms. Ursula H. Felmet Jerry E.* & Nanette B. Finger Mrs. Mary Foster DeSimone & Mr. Don Desimone Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Franco Mr. Shane T. Frank Bill & Diana Freeman Wm. David George, Ph.D.

Ms. Eugenia C. George Michael B. George Nancy D. Giles Mr. & Mrs. Eric Gongre The Greentree Fund Bill Grieves Dr. & Mrs. Carols R. Hamilton Jr. Mary N. Hankey James & Renee Hennessy Mark & Ragna Henrichs Mr. & Mrs. Frank Herzog Ann & Joe* Hightower Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Jankovic Stephen Jeu & Susanna Calvo Josephine & Phil John Beverly Johnson Mr. & Mrs. John F. Joity Debbie & Frank Jones Dr. Rita Justice Mary Louis Kister Mr. William L. Kopp Golda Anne & Robert Leonard Ms. Sylvia Lohkamp & Mr. Tucker Voughlen Sue Ann Lurcott Evi & Steve Marnoy Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Matiuk Mr. & Mrs. Michael McGuire

Mr. & Mrs. William B. McNamara Alice R. McPherson & M.D. Shane A. Miller Pamela K. Moore & Eva Geer Mr. & Mrs. Gerald Moynier Richard & Juliet Moynihan Rochelle & Sheldon Oster The Carl M. Padgett Family Katherine & Jonathan Palmer Mr. & Mrs. Robert Pastorek Mr. & Mrs. Raul Pavon Michael P. & Shirley Pearson Mr. David Peavy & Mr. Stephen McCauley Mr. Robert J. Pilegge Tim & Katherine Pownell Roland & Linda Pringle Mrs. Dana Puddy Darla & Chip Purchase Edlyn & David Pursell Laurie A. Rachford Vicky & Michael Richker Mr. & Mrs. George A. Rizzo Jr. Carole & Barry Samuels Gina & Saib Saour Mrs. Richard P. Schissler Jr. Donna Soctt & Mitch Glassman Mr. & Mrs. Steven Sherman

Dr. & Mrs. John Slater Mr. & Mrs. William T. Click Jr. Mr. David Stanard & Ms. Beth Freeman Mr. & Mrs. Joe G. Swartz Stephanie & Bill Swingle Paul Thomas & Jussi Thomas Susan L. Thompson Eric & Carol Timmreck Nanako & Dale Tingleaf Pamalah & Stephen Tipps Ms. Maria Cecilia Vasconcellos Ms. Joann E. Welton Ms. Barbara E. Williams Ms. Beth Wolff Cyvia & Melvyn* Wolff Woodell Family Foundation Sally & Denney Wright Robert & Michele Yekovich Edith & Robert Zinn Erla & Harry Zuber Anonymous (3)

InTUNE — January 2020 | 35

$2,500–$4,999 Dr. & Mrs. George J. Abdo Mr. & Mrs. Michael Adler Mr. & Mrs. Roy Allic Ms. Adrienne Amin Pat & John Anderson Mr. Jeff Autor Ms. Marcia Backus Mr. & Mrs. Stephen J. Banks Mrs. Bonnie Bauer Dr. & Mrs. Philip S. Bentlif Drs. Henry & Louise Bethea George & Florence Boerger Mr. & Mrs. John F. Bookout III Mr. & Mrs. Doug Bosch James & Judy Bozeman Robert & Gwen Bray Mr. Chester Brook & Dr. Nancy Poindexter Ms. Barbara A. Brooks The Honorable Peter Hoyt Brown* Mr. & Mrs. Bruce G. Buhler Mr. Bill Bullock Anne H. Bushman Ms. Deborah Butler Cheryl & Sam Byington Tatiana Chavanelle Rhoda & Allen Clamen Mr. & Mrs. William V. Conover II Ms. Jeanette Coon & Thomas Collins Ms. Miguel A. Correll Mr. & Mrs. Steven Dalicandro Mr. & Mrs. Rene Degreve Joseph & Rebecca Demeter Jeanette & John DiFilippo Carmen & Kiki Dikmen Ms. Cynthia Diller Mike & Debra Dishberger Mr. & Mrs. Michael Doherty Bob & Mary Doyle

Drs. Rosalind & Gary Dworkin Mrs. Edard N. Earle David & Carolyn Edgar Mr. Roger Elswick Mr. & Mrs. J. Thomas Eubank Jr. Paula & Louis Fallice Christine Falgout/ Island Operating Company Jo Lynn & Gregg Falgout/ Island Operating Company Mrs. Ronald Fischer James H. & Beverly W. Fish Patrick & Jeannine Flynn Edwin Friedrichs & Darlene Clark Dr. & Mrs. Robert H. Fusillo Mr. & Mrs. Steven Gangelhoff Mr. & Mrs. Neil Gaynor Thomas & Patricia Geddy Ms. Margaret W. Germani Joan M. Giese Julius & Suzan Glickman Mr. & Mrs. Herb Goodman Julianne & David Gorte Alexandra & Daniel Gottschalk Claudio Gutierrez Eric & Angelea Halen Mr. & Mrs. Charles R. Hall Mr. & Mrs. Hunter Harper Marilyn & Bob Hermance Richard & Arianda Hicks Jeff & Elaine Hiller Susan Hodge & Mike Stocker Mr. & Mrs. Robert Humphries Mr. & Mrs. R.O. Hunton Steve & Kerry Incavo Arlene J. Johnson Stacy & Jason Johnson William & Cynthia Koch Jane & Kevin Kremer Mr. & Mrs. David B. Krieger

Mr. David Lee Mr. William W. Lindley Mr. Jeff H. Lippold Mr. & Ms. Brian Mann Mr. & Mrs. Michael L. Mason David & Heidi Massin Ms. B. Lynn Mathre & Mr. Steward O’Dell Ms. Kathy McCraigh Ernie & Martha McWilliams Mr. Larry Miller Mrs. Suzanne Miller Ginni & Richard Mithoff Mr. & Mrs. Thomas L. Molloy Elizabeth K. Moore Janet Moore Ione & Sidney Moran Mary Beth Mosley Mr. John L. Nau III Mr. & Mrs. Geoffrey B. Newton Mrs. Kay Onstead John & Kathy Orton Capt. & Mrs. Kim Parker Mr. Tadd Pullin Clinton & Leigh Rappole Mrs. Janet Rhodes Mr. & Mrs. John T. Riordan Dr. & Mrs. Richard Robbins Doug Williams & Janice Robertsen Dr. Douglas & Alicia Rodenberger Ms. Regina J. Rogers Mrs. Evie Ronald* Drs. Alejandro & Lynn Rosas Mr. Reuben Rosof Rosemarie & Jeff Roth Mr. Morris Rubin Mr. & Mrs. Bryan Ruez Mr. & Mrs. John Ryder Ahmed Saleh Laura Moore & Don Sanders

Lawrence P. Schanzmeyer Mr. & Mrs. Dylan Seff Susan & Ed Septimus Mr. Don W. Shackelford Becky Shaw Arthur E. & Ellen Shelton Ms. Leslie Siller Hinda Simon Lisa & Jerry Simon Molly Simpson & Patrice Abivin Mr. Hilary Smith & Ms. Lijda Vellekoop Richard & Mary Spies Georgiana Stanley Richard P. Steele & Mary J. McKerall Mr. & Mrs. James R. Stevens Jr. Mr. Clifford A. Swanlund Jr. Drs. James & Elizabeth Tang Georgeta Teodorescu & Bob Simpson Jean & Doug Thomas Paul Thomas & Jussi Thomas Ms. Laura Turley Mr. & Mrs. Timothy J. Unger Mr. & Mrs. David Vannauker Dean Walker H. Richard Walton Alton & Carolyn Warren Jay & Gretchen Watkins Dr. & Mrs. Richard T. Weiss Doug Williams & Janice Robertson Gene & Sanrda Williams Jennifer R. Wittman Jerry S. & Gerlind Wolinsky Mr. & Mrs. Frank Yonish Anonymous (4)

$2,499–$1,000 Mr. & Mrs. Kingsley Agbor Mr. Tom Anderson Michael Arlen Susan Weingarten & John Arnsparger Jerry Axelrod Mr. & Mrs. Gabriel Baizan Robert & Helen Balhoff Dr. & Mrs. William S. Banks III Ms. Deborah S. Bautch Mr. & Mrs. Clarke Bean Dr. & Mrs. Arthur L. Beaudet Mr. & Mrs. Frank R. Benton Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd M. Bentsen III Dr. Joan Hacken Bitar Mr. Paul Bitner Mrs. Ann M. Bixby Drs. Laura & William Black Pamela & Chad Blaine Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Bolam Mr. & Mrs. Sverre Brandsberg-Dahl Joe Brazzatti Ms. Helene Harding & Dr. Patrick Briggs Mr. Wayne A. Brooks Divya & Chris Brown Sally & Laurence Brown Ms. Megan E. Brown Vicki Buxton Mr. & Mrs. Raul Caffesse Mr. & Mrs. Terry Carius

36 | Houston Symphony

Stephen Carroll Ms. Rachel Dolbier & Mr. Steve Carroll Nicole & Rueben Cásarez Margot & John Cater Mr. F. Martin Caylor Mrs. Carol A. Chaney Mr. Chaing-Lin Chen Dr. Anna Chen & Dr. John Chung Kathleen & Robert L. Clarke William J. Clayton & Margaret A. Hughes Jimmy & Lynn Coe George W. Connelly Mr. & Mrs. Michael F. Cook James & Molly Crownover Nigel & Margaret Curlet Ms. Jacquelyn Harrison & Mr. Thomas Damgaard Mr. Garreth DeVoe, Esq Ms. Elisabeth DeWitts Amanda & Adam Dinitz Mr. & Mrs. James P. Dorn Bob & Mary Doyle Dr. Elizabeth Dybell Mr. Stephen Elison Annette & Knut Eriksen Mr. & Mrs. James H. Etherton Ms. Gloria Portela & Mr. Richard E. Evans Kelli Cohen Fein & Martin Fein

Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Ference Jay Fields Dale & Anne Fitz Ms. Laurel Flores Henry & Doe Florsheim Carol & Larry Fradkin Elizabeth & Ralph Frankowski Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Frautschi Ms. Aralee Dorough & Mr. Colin C. Gatwood Ms. Lucy Gebhart John & May Gee Ms. Pamela Newberry & Dr. Michael Gillin Kathy & Albrecht Goethe Thomas & Susan Golden Ms. Cora Mihu & Dr. John Gomez Rebecca & Andrew Gould Jennifer & Joshua Gravenor Joyce Z. Greenberg Mr. & Mrs. Charles H. Gregory Paul & Suzanne Haines Mary N. Hankey Deborah Happ Dr. & Mrs. William C. Heird Mr. Robert Hoff Mr. Stanley Hoffberger Mr. & Mrs. John Homier Mr. & Mrs. John Horstman Mark & Marilyn Hughes Mr. & Mrs. Matt Hurley

Mr. Craig Ignacio Mr. & Mrs. Harvey Katz Lynda & Frank Kelly Mr. & Mrs. James L. Ketelsen Mrs. Lee Kobayashi Mrs. Judy Koehl Dr. & Mrs. James H. Krause Dr. & Mrs. Morton Leonard Jr. Cynthia & Richard Loewenstern Mr. & Mrs. George Lopez Mr. & Ms. Bob J. Lunn Mr. & Mrs. Peter MacGregor Mr. & Mrs. Hubert Magee Mrs. Linda Massie Mr. & Mrs. Alan May Jr. Linda & Jim McCartney Dr. Amy Mehollin-Ray Mrs. Charlotte M. Meyer & Mr. Russell J. Miller Mr. & Mrs. Richard S. Moen Emily & Joseph Morrel/ Porter Hedges LLP Jo Ann & Marvin Mueller Mr. & Mrs. Richard Murphy Daniel & Karol Musher Ms. Jennifer Naae Joy & Gary Noble Mr. & Mrs. Anthony J. Nocella Mr. & Mrs. Mark Nuccio Ms. Maria C. Osorio Mr. & Mrs. Marc C. Paige

George & Elizabeth Passela Linda Kay Peterson Mr. & Mrs. George Pilko Ms. Linda Posey Mr. Gary Prentice Mr. & Ms. Florante Quiocho Dr. Michael & Janet Rasmussen Mr. & Mrs. William B. Rawl Mr. Serge G. Ribot Kathryn Ritcheske Mrs. Adelina Romero Jill & Milt Rose Mr. Richard Rowell Brenda & Mansel Rubenstein Kent Rutter & David Baumann

Mrs. Holly Sansing Dr. & Mrs. Raymond Sawaya Ms. Kimberly Falgout & Mr. Evan Scheele Martin Schleuse & Mindy Guthrie Mr. Tony W. Schlicht Linda Schmuck Charles & Dora Schneider Liana & Andrew Schwaitzberg Mr. Victor E. Serrato Barbara & Louis Sklar Dean & Kay Snider Betty & Gerry Stacy Mr. & Mrs. Timothy M. Stastny Mr. & Mrs. Gregg Stephens

Mr. & Mrs. Edward F. Stuart Mr. & Mrs. Ralph A. Stone Mr. & Mrs. Aaron Streett Mr. Clifford A. Swanlund Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Peter B. Terenzio Jr. Emily H. & David K. Terry Mr. & Mrs. James G. Theus Linda & Paul Thomas Dr. Brad Thompson Suzy Till Mrs. Glenda C. Toole Dr. & Mrs. Brad Urquhart Mr. & Mrs. William A. Van Wie Mr. James Walker Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Walt

Ms. Gwen E. Watkins Dr. Simon Whitney Carlton Wilde Dr. Mary Ann Reynolds-Wilkins & Dr. Robert Wilkins Loretta & Lawrence Williams Dr. Alice Gates & Dr. Wayne Wilner Mr. & Mrs. James W. Woodruff Dr. & Mrs. Frank S. Yelin Mr. & Mrs. Charles Zabriskie Anonymous (10)

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

Young Associate Premium Farida Abjani Ann & Jonathan Ayre Kimberly & James Bell Eric Brueggeman Tatiana Chavanelle

Young Associate





$2,500 or more

Valerie Palmquist Dieterich & Tracy Dieterich Vicky Dominguez Eric & Terry Cheyney Alexandra & Daniel Gottschalk

$1,500–$2,499

Dr. Genevera Allen & Michael Weylandt Michael Arlen Erin Ballance & Eugene Zilberman Drs. Laura & William Black Sverre & Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl Catherine Bratic & Mike Benza Divya & Chris Brown Megan Brown Garreth DeVoe Amanda & Adam Dinitz J.J. Gonzalez

Christine Falgout / Island Operating Company Emily & Matthew Fellows Jay Fields Laurel Flores Carolyn & Patrick Gaidos Rebecca & Andrew Gould Jennifer & Joshua Gravenor Ashley & John Horstman Stacy & Jason Johnson Robin Kesselman Kirby & David Lodholz

Claudio Gutierrez Jeff & Elaine Hiller Shane Miller Tim Ong & Michael Baugh Toni Oplt & Ed Schneider

Kusum & K. Cody Patel Ahmed Saleh Becky Shaw Drs. Ishwaria & Vivek Subbiah Susan & Andrew Truscott

Brian McCulloch & Jeremy Garcia Charyn McGinnis & Michelle Stair Emily & Joseph Morrel Porter Hedges LLP Aprill Nelson Lauren Pine Blake Plaster Kimberly & Evan Scheele Liana & Andrew Schwaitzberg Nadhisha & Dilanka Seimon

Maggie Sheridan Molly Simpson & Patrice Abivin Aerin & Quentin Smith Leonardo Soto Mark Stadnyk & Amanda Hassler Katherine Thomasson & Michael Talbot Elise Wagner Gwen Watkins

For more information, please contact: Tyler Murphy, Development Officer, Major Giving Groups, 713.337.8536.

InTUNE — January 2020 | 37

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

CORPORATE PARTNERS Principal Corporate Guarantor  $250,000 and above *Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods / Spec’s Charitable Foundation Grand Guarantor  $150,000 and above BBVA ConocoPhillips *Houston Public Media— News 88.7 FM; Channel 8 PBS *KTRK ABC-13 Phillips 66 *Oliver Wyman Guarantor  $100,000 and above Bank of America BB&T *Houston Methodist Kalsi Engineering *PaperCity Shell Oil Company *Tenenbaum Jewelers *United Airlines Underwriter  $50,000 and above *Baker Botts L.L.P. *Cameron Management Chevron ENGIE *The Events Company Exxon Mobil Corporation Frost Bank

(as of December 1, 2019)

Houston Baptist University Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Kirkland & Ellis *The Lancaster Hotel Occidental Palmetto Partners Ltd./The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation *Rand Group, LLC Vinson & Elkins LLP Sponsor  $25,000 and above *Bright Star EOG Resources H-E-B/H-E-B Tournament of Champions IberiaBank *Jackson and Company Marine Foods Express, Ltd. *Neiman Marcus *One Market Square Garage PNC Bank Sidley Austin LLP SPIR STAR, Ltd. The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center Wells Fargo

CORPORATE MATCHING GIFTS Aetna Foundation, Inc. Akzo Nobel Inc. Albemarle Corporation Allstate Insurance Company American International Group (AIG) Ameriprise Financial, Inc. Aon Foundation Bank of America BBVA BHP Billiton BP/Matching Fund Programs Caterpillar Matching Gifts Program Chevron Matching Gifts Program CITGO Petroleum Corporation ConocoPhillips Company Dominion Energy Foundation Matching Gift Program

Partner  $15,000 and above Anadarko Petroleum Corporation *City Kitchen Fifth Third Bank *Glazier’s Distributors Gorman’s Uniform Service Independent Bank Laredo Construction, Inc. Locke Lord LLP Lockton Companies of Houston USI Southwest

Benefactor  $5,000 and above Barclay’s Wealth and Investment Management Beck Redden LLP Jim Benton of Houston* Louis Vuitton Randalls Russell Reynolds Associates, Inc. *University of St. Thomas Wortham Insurance and Risk Management

Supporter  $10,000 and above *Abraham’s Oriental Rugs CenterPoint Energy Emerson Greenberg Traurig, LLP *Houston First Corporation Macy’s May Wang/Mark Kamin & Associates Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas) Nordstrom *Silver Eagle Distributors Triten Corporation White & Case LLP *Zenfilm

Patron  Gifts below $5,000 Amazon Baker Hughes Bering’s Beth Wolff Realtors Kinder Morgan Foundation Mercantil ONEOK, Inc. *Quantum Bass Center SEI, Global Institutional Group Smith, Graham & Company Stewart Title Company TAM International, Inc. * Includes in-kind support

(as of December 1, 2019)

Eli Lilly and Company Emerson Electric Company, Inc. EOG Resources ExxonMobil Matching Gift Program Fannie Mae Corporation FMC Corporation Freeport-McMorRan Copper & Gold Inc. General Electric General Mills, Inc. Goldman Sachs Halliburton Company Hewlett Packard IAC Interactive IBM Corporation ING Financial Services Intermec Johnson & Johnson

JPMorgan Chase & Co. LyondellBasell Industries Macy's, Inc. (Macy's and Bloomingdale's) Merrill Lynch Microsoft Corporation Motiva Enterprises, LLC Murphy Oil Corporation NACCO Industries Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. Northern Trust Occidental Petroleum Phillips 66 Plains All American Pipeline PNC Bank PricewaterhouseCoopers Prudential Financial Inc. Regions Shell Oil Company

Southwestern Energy Spectra Energy SPX Corporation Texas Instruments The Boeing Company Matching Program The Coca-Cola Company Thomson Reuters TransCanada Pipelines Limited Transocean Offshore Deepwater Drilling Inc. Travelers Companies, Inc. UBS Union Pacific Walt Disney Company Westlake Chemical Williams Companies, Inc.

For more information, please contact: Timothy Dillow, Director, Corporate Relations, at timothy.dillow@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8538.

38 | Houston Symphony

FOUNDATIONS & GOVERNMENT AGENCIES Diamond Guarantor  $1,000,000 and above The Brown Foundation, Inc. Houston Symphony Endowment Houston Symphony League The Wortham Foundation, Inc. Premier Guarantor  $500,000 and above City of Houston and Theater District Improvement, Inc. The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation The C. Howard Pieper Foundation Grand Guarantor  $150,000 and above City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board The Cullen Foundation The Jerry C. Dearing Family Foundation The Hearst Foundations

Houston Endowment MD Anderson Foundation Texas Commission on the Arts Guarantor  $100,000 and above The Elkins Foundation The Humphreys Foundation Underwriter  $50,000 and above Beauchamp Foundation The Fondren Foundation Houston Symphony Chorus Endowment League of American Orchestras’ Futures Fund LTR Lewis Cloverdale Foundation John P. McGovern Foundation The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation / Palmetto Partners Ltd. The Powell Foundation The Robbins Foundation

(as of December 1, 2019)

Sponsor  $25,000 and above National Endowment for the Arts The William Stamps Farish Fund Partner  $15,000 and above Edward H. Andrews Foundation Ruth & Ted Bauer Family Foundation The Melbern G. & Susanne M. Glasscock Foundation The Hood-Barrow Foundation Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation Houston Symphony League Bay Area The Schissler Foundation The Vivian L. Smith Foundation The Vaughn Foundation

Supporter  $10,000 and above The Carleen & Alde Fridge Foundation William E. & Natoma Pyle Harvey Charitable Foundation Petrello Family Foundation Radoff Family Foundation Anonymous Benefactor  $5,000 and above Leon Jaworski Foundation The Scurlock Foundation Keith & Mattie Stevenson Foundation Strake Foundation Patron  Gifts below $5,000 The WC Handy Foundation The Lubrizol Foundation

For more information, please contact: Christina Trunzo, Director, Foundation Relations, at christina.trunzo@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8530.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT The Houston Symphony thanks the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation for the $500,000 grant to upgrade the organization’s image magnification and video system (IMAG).

Anyone who has attended Houston Symphony performances in the last five years has seen the results of the Foundation’s generosity. This technology has greatly enhanced Symphony performances with live video of musicians, interviews with guest artists, supertitles for choral works, education resources at student concerts, films, and images of visual art curated to accompany the orchestra.

In 2004, a grant by the Herzstein Foundation helped the Symphony become the first orchestra in the United States to permanently install an in-hall IMAG system. In the decade since then, this technology has transformed more than 1,000 performances—including classical, POPS, and education and family concerts.

The Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation was established in 1965 to continue the legacy of a generous couple.

The Herzsteins felt fortunate to be Houstonians and believed in supporting organizations that make our city the dynamic, wonderful metropolis it is.

Albert and Ethel Herzstein met in 1927 when his job for a welding supply company took him to the Western Union office where Ethel Ann Avis was operator number 32. The couple embraced adventure from the start and eloped. Later, they sold Ethel’s car to invest in what became Big Three Industries, a leading producer of industrial gases. Al then embarked on a second career in the mid-1960s as a developer of commercial warehouses.

The Board of the Herzstein Charitable Foundation proudly continues the Herzstein legacy of generosity in our city.

The Houston Symphony sincerely appreciates the Foundation’s support, and hopes you enjoy the state-of-the-art concert experience made possible by its investment.

InTUNE — January 2020 | 39

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

TRUSTEES

William J. Toomey II, President Gene Dewhurst

James Lee Lynn Mathre

Jerry Simon Scott Wise

An endowed fund can be permanently established within the Houston Symphony Society through a direct contribution or via a planned gift such as a bequest. The fund can be designated for general purposes or specific interests.

For more information, please contact: Steven Covington, Director of Endowment and Planned Giving, at steven.covington@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8532.

ENDOWMENT FUNDS $100,000 + Accenture (Andersen Consulting) Fund AIG American General Fund M.D. Anderson Foundation Fund Mr. & Mrs. Philip Bahr Fund Janice H. & Thomas D. Barrow Fund Ronald C. Borschow Fund The Brown Foundation Guest Pianist Fund The Brown Foundation’s Miller Outdoor Theatre Fund in memory of Hanni & Stewart Orton Margarett & Alice Brown Endowment Fund for Education Lawrence E. Carlton, M.D. Endowment Fund for Youth Programs Jane & Robert Cizik Fund The Janet Clark Fund Cooper Industries, Inc. Fund The Cullen Foundation Maestro’s Fund The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Fund for Creative Initiatives DuPont Corporation Fund Elkins Charitable Trust Agency Fund The Margaret & James A. Elkins Foundation Fund Virginia Lee Elverson Trust Fund William Stamps Farish Fund Dr. Kelli Cohen Fein & Martin J. Fein Fund Richard P. Garmany Fund for the Houston Symphony League Concerto Competition Jo A. & Billie Jo Graves Fund George & Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation Fund The William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs General & Mrs. Maurice Hirsch Memorial Concert Fund in memory of Theresa Meyer and Jules Hirsch, beloved parents of General Maurice Hirsch, and Rosetta Hirsch Weil and Josie Hirsch Bloch, beloved sisters of General Maurice Hirsch Houston Arts Combined Endowment Fund The Houston Symphony Chorus Endowment Fund Mr. & Mrs. Marvin Kaplan Fund

Ann Kennedy & Geoffrey Walker Fund Rochelle & Max Levit Fund Mary R. Lewis Fund for Piano Performance Mach Family Audience Development Fund Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis Fund Mr. & Mrs. J. Stephen Marks Fund/ The Marks Charitable Foundation Marian & Speros Martel Foundation Fund Speros P. Martel Fund Barbara & Pat McCelvey Fund The Menil Foundation Fund Monroe Mendelsohn Jr. Estate George P. & Cynthia Woods Mitchell Summer Concerts Fund Sue A. Morrison & Children Fund National Endowment for the Arts Fund Stewart Orton Fund Papadopoulos Fund C. Howard Pieper Foundation Nancy & Robert Peiser Fund Fayez Sarofim Guest Violinist Fund through The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Selma S. Neumann Fund Spec’s Charitable Foundation Salute to Educators Concert Fund The Micajah S. Stude Special Production Fund Estate of Mr. Walter W. Sapp Fund The Schissler Foundation Fund Mr. & Mrs. William T. Slick Jr. Fund Dorothy Barton Thomas Fund Bobby & Phoebe Tudor Fund Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor Fund Dede & Connie Weil Fund The Wortham Foundation Classical Series Fund endowed in memory of Gus S. & Lyndall F. Wortham The Wortham Foundation Fund

Visit our website at houstonsymphony.org/endowment for a complete listing of Endowment Funds.

40 | Houston Symphony

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.

CRESCENDO CIRCLE $100,000 + Dr. & Mrs. George J. Abdo Priscilla R. Angly Janice Barrow James Barton James Bell James & S. Dale Brannon Joe Brazzatti Terry Ann Brown Mary Kathryn Campion & Stephen Liston Drs. Dennis & Susan Carlyle Janet F. Clark Mr. William E. Colburn Darrin Davis & Mario Gudmundsson Harrison R.T. Davis

Andria N. Elkins Jean & Jack* Ellis The Aubrey & Sylvia Farb Family Eugene Fong Mrs. Aggie L. Foster Michael B. George Stephen & Mariglyn Glenn Evan B. Glick Jo A. & Billie Jo Graves Bill Grieves Jacquelyn Harrison & Thomas Damgaard Dr. Rita Justice Mr. & Mrs. U. J. LeGrange Ms. Nancey G. Lobb

Joella & Steven P. Mach Bill & Karinne McCullough Mr. & Mrs. Alexander K. McLanahan Dr. & Mrs.* Robert M. Mihalo Sue A. Morrison & children in memory of Walter J. Morrison Mr. & Mrs. Marvin H. Mueller Drs. John & Dorothy Oehler Gloria G. Pryzant Donna Scott Charles & Andrea Seay Michael J. Shawiak Jule* & Albert Smith Mr. & Mrs. Louis J. Snyder Mr. Rex Spikes

Mike & Anita* Stude Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor Elba L. Villarreal Margaret Waisman, M.D. & Steven S. Callahan, Ph.D. Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber Robert G. Weiner Vicki West in honor of Hans Graf Susan Gail Wood Jo Dee Wright Ellen A. Yarrell Anonymous (2)

Farida Abjani Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey B. Aron Myra W. Barber Daniel B. Barnum George* & Betty Bashen Dr. Joan Hacken Bitar Dorothy B. Black Kerry Levine Bollmann Ermy Borlenghi Bonfield Zu Broadwater Joan K. Bruchas & H. Philip Cowdin* Mr. Christopher & Mrs. Erin Brunner Eugene R. Bruns Cheryl & Sam Byington Sylvia J. Carroll Dr. Robert N. Chanon William J. Clayton & Margaret A. Hughes Mr. & Mrs. Byron Cooley The Honorable & Mrs. William Crassas Dr. Lida S. Dahm Leslie Barry Davidson Judge & Mrs.* Harold DeMoss Jr. Susan Feickert Ginny Garrett Mr. & Mrs. Harry H. Gendel Mauro H. Gimenez & Connie A. Coulomb Mr. Robert M. Griswold Randolph Lee Groninger

Claudio J. Gutierrez Mr. & Mrs. Jerry L. Hamaker Mrs. Gloria Herman Marilyn & Robert M. Hermance Timothy Hogan & Elaine Anthony Dr. Gary L. Hollingsworth Dr. Edward J. & Mrs. Patti Hurwitz Dr. Kenneth Hyde Brian & Catherine James Barbara & Raymond Kalmans Dr. & Mrs. Ira Kaufman, M.D. John S. W. Kellett Ann Kennedy & Geoffrey Walker Dr. James E. & Betty W. Key Dr. & Mrs. I. Ray Kirk Mrs. Frances E. Leland Samuel J. Levine Mrs. Lucy Lewis E. W. Long Jr. Sandra Magers David Ray Malone & David J. Sloat Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis Jay & Shirley* Marks James G. Matthews Mr. & Mrs. John H. Matzer III Dr. & Mrs. Malcolm L. Mazow Mary Ann & David McKeithan Dr. Tracey Samuels & Mr. Robert McNamara Mr. & Mrs. D. Bradley McWilliams

Catherine Jane Merchant Dr. Georgette M. Michko Marilyn Ross Miles & Stephen Warren Miles Foundation Shane A. Miller Katherine Taylor Mize Ione Moran Sidney Moran Richard & Juliet Moynihan Gretchen Ann Myers Patience Myers Mr. John N. Neighbors, in memory of Jean Marie Neighbors Mr. & Mrs. Richard C. Nelson Bobbie Newman John & Leslie Niemand Leslie Nossaman Dave G. Nussmann John Onstott Macky Osorio Edward C. Osterberg Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Edmund & Megan Pantuliano Imogen “Immy” Papadopoulos Christine & Red Pastorek Peter & Nina Peropoulos Sara M. Peterson Darla Powell Phillips Geraldine Smith Priest Dana Puddy

Patrick T. Quinn Lila Rauch Ed & Janet Rinehart Mr. Floyd W. Robinson Walter Ross Mr. & Mrs. James A. Shaffer Dr. & Mrs. Kazuo Shimada Lisa & Jerry Simon Tad & Suzanne Smith Sherry Snyder Marie Speziale Emily H. & David K. Terry Stephen G. Tipps Steve Tostengard, in memory of Ardyce Tostengard Jana Vander Lee Bill & Agnete Vaughan Dean B. Walker Stephen & Kristine Wallace David M. Wax* & Elaine Arden Cali Geoffrey Westergaard Nancy B. Willerson Jennifer R. Wittman Lorraine & Ed* Wulfe David & Tara Wuthrich Katherine & Mark Yzaguirre Edith & Robert Zinn Anonymous (6)

In MEMORIAM

*Deceased

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

Mr. Thomas D. Barrow George Bashen Paul M. Basinski W. P. Beard William Carson Biggs Ronald C. Borschow Mrs. H. Raymond Brannon Anthony Brigandi Lawrence E. Carlton, M.D. Mrs. Albert V. Caselli Robert Cizik Lee Allen Clark William J. & Patricia S. Cunningham Fredell Lack Eichhorn Jack Ellis Mrs. Robin A. Elverson Frank R. Eyler Dr. & Mrs. Larry L. Fedder

Helen Bess Fariss Foster Christine E. George Lila-Gene George Mr. & Mrs. Keith E. Gott John Wesley Graham Dorothy H. Grieves Mrs. Marcella Levine Harris Gen. & Mrs. Maurice Hirsch Miss Ima Hogg Burke & Octavia Holman David L. Hyde Dr. Blair Justice Mr. Max Levine Dr. Mary R. Lewis Mrs. L. F. McCollum Mr. & Mrs. Charles E. McKerley Doretha Melvin Monroe L. Mendelsohn Jr.

Mr. Ronald Mikita Robert Austin Moody Mrs. Janet Moynihan Arthur Newman Constantine S. Nicandros Hanni Orton Stewart Orton, Legacy Society co-founder Dr. Michael Papadopoulos Robert A. Peiser Miss Louise Pearl Perkins Mary Anne H. Phillips Mr. Howard Pieper Clive Runnells, in memory of Nancy Morgan Runnells Ugo di Portanova Evie Ronald Mr. Charles K. Sanders

Walter W. Sapp, Legacy Society co-founder J. Fred & Alma Laws Lunsford Schultz Ms. Jean R. Sides Lola Sinclair Blanche Stastny John K. & Fanny W. Stone Richard H. Stork Dorothy Barton Thomas Dr. Carlos Vallbona Mr. Harry C. Wiess Mrs. Edward Wilkerson Daisy S. Wong / JCorp Ed Wulfe Anonymous (1)

InTUNE — January 2020 | 41

Education & Community Engagement DONORS The Houston Symphony acknowledges those individuals, corporations, and foundations that support our education and community engagement initiatives. Each year, these activities impact the lives of more than 97,000 children and students and provide access to our world-class orchestra for more than 150,000 Houstonians free of charge.

Principal Guarantor $250,000+



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

Guarantor

$100,000+



BBVA The Jerry C. Dearing Family Foundation City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board The Hearst Foundations, Inc. Houston Symphony Endowment Mr. John N. Neighbors

Underwriter



$50,000+

The Elkins Foundation ENGIE Exxon Mobil Corporation League of American Orchestras’ Futures Fund Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo The John P. McGovern Foundation The Robert & Janice McNair Foundation The Powell Foundation Mr. & Mrs. William K. Robbins Jr./ The Robbins Foundation Shell Oil Company

Sponsor



$25,000+

Chevron Houston Symphony Hispanic Leadership Council Wells Fargo

Partner



$15,000+

Anadarko Petroleum Corporation Ruth and Ted Bauer Family Foundation Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation The Melbern G. and Susanne M. Glasscock Foundation H-E-B Tournament of Champions Houston Symphony League Houston Symphony League Bay Area Macy’s Occidental Vivian L. Smith Foundation Mr. Jay Steinfeld & Mrs. Barbara Winthrop Ellen A. Yarrell in memory of Virginia S. Anderson and in honor of Cora Sue Mach 42 | Houston Symphony

Supporter



$10,000+

CenterPoint Energy George & Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas) William E. & Natoma Pyle Harvey Charitable Trust Nancy & Robert* Peiser Nordstrom

Donor



$1,000+

Lilly & Thurmon Andress Diane & Harry Gendel Kinder Morgan Foundation Cora Sue & Harry Mach Karinne & Bill McCullough Tricia & Mark Rauch Hazel French Robertson Education & Community Residency Strake Foundation Texas Commission on the Arts

Support by Endowed Funds Education and Community programs are also supported by the following endowed funds, which are a part of the Houston Symphony Endowment: Margarett & Alice Brown Endowment Fund for Education Spec’s Charitable Foundation Salute to Educators Concert Fund The Brown Foundation’s Miller Outdoor Theatre Fund in honor of Hanni & Stewart Orton The William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs Lawrence E. Carlton, M.D. Endowment Fund for Youth Programs Richard P. Garmany Fund for Houston Symphony League Concerto Competition Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Competition Endowed Fund Selma S. Neumann Fund

Support for Symphony Scouts Cora Sue & Harry Mach in honor of Roger Daily’s 13 years of service as Director of the Houston Symphony’s Education and Community Programs

Support for the CommunityEmbedded Musicians Initiative The Community-Embedded Musicians Initiative is supported in part by a generous grant from the American Orchestras’ Futures Fund, a program of the League of American Orchestras made possible by funding from the Ann & Gordon Getty Foundation.

The Houston Symphony residency at Lewis Elementary is presented in part

by BBVA and the BBVA Foundation. We are also thankful to HISD and these lead supporters of the CommunityEmbedded Musician program: Robert and Janice McNair Foundation National Endowment for the Arts Spec’s Wines, Spirits and Finer Foods / Spec’s Charitable Foundation Mr. Jay Steinfeld & Mrs. Barbara Winthrop H-E-B Tournament of Champions

MUSICIAN SPONSORSHIPS Annual Fund Donors at the Diamond Level and above are provided the opportunity to be recognized as a Houston Symphony Musician Sponsor. For more information, please contact Tyler Murphy, Development Officer, Major Giving Groups, at tyler.murphy@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8536.

Janice Barrow Sophia Silivos, First Violin Gary & Marian Beauchamp Martha Chapman, Second Violin Nancy & Walter Bratic Christopher Neal, First Violin Mr. Gordon J. Brodfuehrer Maki Kubota, Cello Ralph Burch Robin Kesselman, Principal Double Bass Barbara J. Burger Andrew Pedersen, Double Bass Dr. M.K. Campion Rodica Gonzalez, First Violin Drs. Dennis & Susan Carlyle Louis-Marie Fardet, Cello Jane & Robert Cizik Qi Ming, Assistant Concertmaster Janet F. Clark MuChen Hsieh, Principal Second Violin Mr. Michael H. Clark & Ms. Sallie Morian George Pascal, Assistant Principal Viola

Dr. Gary L. Hollingsworth & Dr. Kenneth J. Hyde Robert Walp, Assistant Principal Trumpet Drs. M.S. & Marie-Luise Kalsi Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster The Joan & Marvin Kaplan Foundation Mark Nuccio, Principal Clarinet Dr. & Mrs. I. Ray Kirk Linda Goldstein, Viola Mr. & Mrs. U. J. LeGrange Thomas LeGrand, Associate Principal Clarinet Rochelle & Max Levit Sergei Galperin, First Violin Cora Sue & Harry Mach Joan DerHovsepian, Associate Principal Viola Joella & Steven P. Mach Eric Larson, Double Bass Mrs. Carolyn & Dr. Michael Mann Ian Mayton, Horn Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster Mr. & Mrs. J. Stephen Marks Brian Del Signore, Principal Percussion

Scott & Judy Nyquist Sheldon Person, Viola Susan & Edward Osterberg MiHee Chung, First Violin Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan E. Parker Nancy Goodearl, Horn Nancy & Robert* Peiser Jonathan Fischer, Principal Oboe Dave & Alie Pruner Matthew Strauss, Percussion Gloria & Joe Pryzant Matthew Strauss, Percussion Ron & Demi Rand Annie Chen, Second Violin Lila Rauch Christopher French, Associate Principal Cello Sybil F. Roos Mark Hughes, Principal Trumpet Mr. Glen A. Rosenbaum Aralee Dorough, Principal Flute Linda & Jerry Rubenstein Brian Del Signore, Principal Percussion

Roger & Debby Cutler Tong Yan, First Violin

Jay & Shirley* Marks Sergei Galperin, First Violin

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

Leslie Barry Davidson & W. Robins Brice Colin Gatwood, Oboe

Michelle & Jack Matzer Kurt Johnson, First Violin

Mr. & Mrs. James A. Shaffer Eric Halen, Co-Concertmaster

Dr. & Mrs. Malcolm L. Mazow Rodica Gonzalez, First Violin

Laura & Michael Shannon Rian Craypo, Principal Bassoon

Barbara & Pat McCelvey Adam Dinitz, English Horn

Tad & Suzanne Smith Marina Brubaker, First Violin

Kelli Cohen Fein & Martin Fein Ferenc Illenyi, First Violin

Mr. & Mrs. Alexander K. McLanahan William VerMeulen, Principal Horn

Alana R. Spiwak & Sam L. Stolbun Wei Jiang, Viola

Mr. & Mrs. Russell M. Frankel Aralee Dorough, Principal Flute

Martha & Marvin McMurrey Rodica Gonzalez, First Violin

Stephen & Mariglyn Glenn Christian Schubert, Clarinet

Dr. Robert M. Mihalo Brian Thomas, Horn

Evan B. Glick Tong Yan, First Violin

Rita & Paul Morico Elise Wagner, Bassoon

Mr. & Mrs. Fred L. Gorman Christopher French, Associate Principal Cello

Mr. & Mrs. Robert E. Nelson Mihaela Frusina, Second Violin

Joan & Bob Duff Robert Johnson, Associate Principal Horn Scott Ensell & Family Donald Howey, Double Bass

Bobbie Newman Rodica Gonzalez, First Violin

Ms. Judith Vincent Matthew Roitstein, Associate Principal Flute Margaret Waisman, M.D. & Steven S. Callahan, Ph.D. Mark Griffith, Percussion Stephen & Kristine Wallace Allen Barnhill, Principal Trombone Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber Megan Conley, Principal Harp Robert G. Weiner & Toni Blankman Anastasia Sukhopara, Second Violin Vicki West Rodica Gonzalez, First Violin Steven & Nancy Williams MiHee Chung, First Violin Jeanie Kilroy Wilson & Wallace S. Wilson Xiao Wong, Cello Mr. & Mrs. C. Clifford Wright Jr. Jarita Ng, Viola Nina & Michael Zilkha Kurt Johnson, First Violin *deceased

Mr. & Mrs. Robert R. Springob, Laredo Construction, Inc. Mihaela Frusina, Second Violin Mike Stude Brinton Averil Smith, Principal Cello Bobby & Phoebe Tudor Bradley White, Associate Principal Trombone Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor Daniel Strba, Viola

InTUNE — January 2020 | 43

Meet Robin Kesselman, principal double bass Robin Kesselman was appointed Principal Bass of the Houston Symphony

by Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada in 2014. He has performed as guest principal bass with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and Israel Philharmonic, travelled internationally with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic, and appeared with the National, Atlanta, and Baltimore Symphonies.

Robin frequently performs as a soloist and chamber musician and presents recital programs and masterclasses at various universities across the country. He has appeared as soloist with the Houston Symphony in subscription performances of the Koussevitzky Concerto for Double Bass, and he was featured in Krzysztof Penderecki’s Duo Concertante during the composer’s Carnegie Hall residency in collaboration with the Curtis Institute. Recent festival engagements include leading the bass sections of the Grand Teton, Mainly Mozart, and Arizona Musicfest festival orchestras.

He has also served as faculty for the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America, Curtis Institute’s Summerfest, the Richard Davis Bass Conference, and the summer residency of the Filarmónica Joven de Colombia.

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

You recently celebrated your five-year anniversary with the Houston Symphony. What is your favorite memory so far?

The Symphony’s recent European Tour was a fantastic time on so many levels. My colleagues and I got to represent Houston playing in some of the world’s great concert halls. A tour is an incredible musical and personal bonding experience, the impacts of which continue long after returning home.

How did you choose your instrument?

I come from a musical family of singers and choral musicians. I wanted to play an instrument, but couldn’t decide between the bassoon and the double bass. Something about these oddballs always intrigued me... In fourth grade, there was an instrument petting zoo where we could try all of the string instruments. After picking up the quarter-sized double bass, I was hooked!

What would you be if you were not a professional musician?

The hours would be grueling, but I can imagine working as a chef. I like working with my hands, in a nontraditional office, consumed by minute detail—there are many similarities!

What does music mean to you?

Music describes the emotions and experiences of the human condition. It personifies what it feels like to be human in sound.

Music from so many time periods and countries continues to remind me that loving your family, despairing over loss, doubting yourself, or euphorically succeeding felt the same during Beethoven, Bach, or Ravel’s times as it does today.

Robin Kesselman is sponsored by Ralph Burch.

44 | Houston Symphony

Top: My professional headshot Second: Hiking Taylor Mountain in Teton County, Wyoming Third: The Houston Symphony bass section on stage at the Konzerthaus Berlin Fourth: Mom and me after skydiving on her 66th birthday

N E W B R A N D. S A M E G R E AT M U S I C.

OUR MISSION

To inspire individuals and enrich communities through diverse and inventive musical experiences OUR VISION

Lives changed through music

JAN 25

FEB 21

MAR 24

BRANFORD MARSALIS

AMERICA MAVERICKS: LOS ANGELES GUITAR QUARTET

RICHARD GOODE PLAYS BEETHOVEN

Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and NEA Jazz Master

Sarah Rothenberg Artistic Director

Renowned ensemble salutes greats including Pat Metheny, Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa

Pianists Marilyn Nonken and Sarah Rothenberg in the 2015 DACAMERA production Messiaen Visions de l’Amen. Lighting designed by Jennifer Tipton. Photo: Ben Doyle/BEND Productions.

Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth

To learn more about DACAMERA and the 2019/2020 season, go to dacamera.com.