Andrés Orozco-Estrada Concludes Season with Houston Symphony with Concert This Weekend

HOUSTON (May 6, 2015) - Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada concludes a successful first season with the Houston Symphony this weekend, May 15-17 at Jones Hall with Mahler's monumental Symphony No. 3.

Mahler's Third Symphony is the longest symphony ever written by the late-romantic composer. This 100-minute long colossal symphony explores the power and beauty of nature through the colorful sounds of the orchestra. For Mahler, nature meant everything; it was the world. It is a powerful symphony to conduct, perform and experience. This is the first time the Houston Symphony performs a Mahler symphony under the baton of Orozco-Estrada.

"Mahler's music is very challenging: it demands the highest virtuosity from every musician. The Third Symphony in particular is very emotional; it gives Mother Nature a voice with the beautiful vocals of the mezzo-soprano solo, children's choir and female chorus," said Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada.

The Houston Symphony's history with Mahler dates back to 1948 when it first performed the composer's First Symphony, but it was not until 1994 - at the League of American Orchestras convention in Dallas - when the Houston Symphony caught the attention of musical leaders across the country with its rendition of Mahler's First Symphony. The Houston Symphony also took Mahler's Fifth Symphony on two European tours, including one that culminated in a performance in Vienna's prestigious Musikverein concert hall. Orozco-Estrada stated, "The musicians of this great orchestra deeply identify with this talented composer, so I wanted to continue the tradition with my own style and interpretation of Mahler."

Orozco-Estrada, who studied conducting in Vienna, has a strong affinity for Mahler's music and has conducted his symphonies frequently with leading European orchestras. Most recently, he led the London Philharmonic Orchestra in Mahler's Second Symphony at the Royal Festival Hall in late 2014, and in July 2013, Orozco-Estrada lead the Verbier Festival Orchestra in Mahler's Symphony No. 3 in celebration of that orchestra's 20th anniversary.

The Symphony's performance of Mahler's Third Symphony will be amplified by the angelic voices of the Women of the Houston Symphony Chorus and the award-winning advanced chorus of the Parker Elementary School, under the direction of Marianna Parnas-Simpson. The vocal soloist for the fourth and fifth movements is American mezzo soprano Kelley O'Connor, whose sophisticated voice and innate dramatic artistry has elated audiences across the world.

The Grammy-Award winning California native has had an impressive year. Her credit during the 2014-15 season include Mozart's Requiem with Louis Langrée and the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra at Lincoln Center, Leoš Janá?ek's Glagolitic Mass with the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Alan Gilbert, Debussy's La Damoiselle élue and Duruflé's Requiem with Donald Runnicles conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker, among others.

Unless otherwise noted, all concerts take place at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, 615 Louisiana Street, in Houston's Theater District. For tickets and information, please call (713) 224-7575 or visit www.houstonsymphony.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the Houston Symphony Patron Services Center in Jones Hall (Monday - Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). All programs and artists are subject to change.

Andrés Conducts Mahler 3

Friday, May 15, 2015, 8:00pm

Saturday, May 16, 2015, 8:00pm

Sunday, May 17, 2015, 2:30pm
Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor
Kelley O'Connor, mezzo-soprano

Parker Elementary School Advanced Chorus

Marianna Parnas-Simpson, director
Women of the Houston Symphony Chorus
Betsy Cook Weber, director

Tickets from $25

Jones Hall

615 Louisiana St.

Houston, TX 77002

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