Houston Symphony Announces 2015-16 Season

Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada and Executive Director and CEO Mark C. Hanson today announced the Houston Symphony's 102nd Season, comprised of a full slate of classical, POPS, family, community, education and multimedia performances, as well as recordings, collaborations, international partnerships and an expanded global presence.

In his second season as Music Director, Orozco-Estrada will build on the powerful artistic bond he has cultivated with Houston Symphony musicians, which has already resulted in dynamic performances and record ticket sales. Classical performances in his inaugural season have resulted in 14% more individual ticket buyers, representing more diverse ethnicities than ever before in the orchestra's history. Orozco-Estrada carefully curates his programs to feature engaging combinations of classical masterworks paired with the music of today, significant artistic collaborations with composers and guest artists, innovative use of multimedia and visual effects and meaningful connections with the audience.

"Throughout my inaugural season, I began to establish a unique musical language and relationship with the orchestra, which we continue to strengthen with every performance," says Orozco-Estrada. "In my second season, I look forward to creating even deeper connections with a diverse community that has already embraced me from all corners of the city. I invite every Houstonian to experience a Symphony concert, and allow their eyes and ears to see and hear the beautiful universe that is an orchestra."

"The Houston Symphony and Andrés share a commitment to building our audiences and serving our entire community," said Executive Director and CEO Mark C. Hanson. "And as one of the crown jewels in our city's cultural community, it is increasingly important that we are on the minds and in the hearts of all Houstonians. As Andrés always says, our orchestra is for everybody, in Houston and beyond, and he and our outstanding musicians have created a deep and artistically exciting partnership that has captured the attention of our public. It's a thrilling time at the Houston Symphony - and as we look ahead into our next century of exceptional music-making, we're collectively focused on providing the most extraordinary and inspirational concert experiences to engage, entertain and enrich people in our community and beyond."

The season was announced at Jones Hall and featured a special broadcast on Houston Public Media's TV 8 as well as a brief performance by Houston Symphony musicians. The season announcement special, hosted by Classical 91.7's St.John Flynn and co-hosted by Mark Hanson, featured interviews with Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Principal POPS Conductor Michael Krajewski, and Associate Conductor Robert Franz as well as commentary from Houston Symphony musicians. The special broadcast was also available via a live streaming webcast.

2015-16 CLASSICAL SEASON OVERVIEW
Opening NightWorld-famous violinist Joshua Bell returns to the Houston Symphony to open the 2015-16 season on September 12, 2015, performing William David Brohn's West Side Story Suite, an arrangement of Leonard Bernstein's classical score that was written especially for Bell. The Opening Night Concert at Jones Hall and Gala at The Corinthian are chaired by Janet Clark and generously supported by ConocoPhillips, the lead corporate supporter of the Opening Night Concert and Gala for 39 consecutive years. The concert is a stand-alone performance outside of the subscription series.

Music of the AmericasOne of Orozco-Estrada's thematic threads for the 2015-16 classical season will be a particular focus on music from the American continents. Music from North American composers Samuel Barber, Pierre Jalbert, James Horner and Leonard Bernstein will be featured throughout the season.

Additionally, Orozco-Estrada will continue to explore his South American heritage during Fiesta Sinfónica, juxtaposing music of that continent with music from North America. The Fiesta Sinfónica programs will couple works from both continents, placing together music of North American composer Leonard Bernstein, Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas and South American composers Heitor Villa-Lobos and Astor Piazzolla.
Collaborations with ComposersAn important element of Andrés' artistic vision is creating meaningful connections between living composers and today's audiences. The coming season will highlight several notable collaborations with composers. American pianist and composer Gabriela Lena Frank returns for her second season as composer-in-residence, with the orchestra performing two of her works: a concerto commissioned by the Houston Symphony and written by Frank for Principal Viola Wayne Brooks. The concerto, entitled La Llorona (the Weeping Woman), is inspired by the Latin American legend of a female ghost who wanders earth after her death. The symphonic work, entitled Escaramuza (Skirmish), is a high-energy romp inspired by the music and dances of Perú. As part of her residency, Frank will be active in the community through interactions with students and music educators.

The season will also feature premieres of two new works: Andrés and the Symphony have commissioned prominent American composer and Grammy- and Academy Award-winner John Corigliano and will present the world premiere of the orchestral version of his work Stomp. At the start of the concert, concertgoers will be treated to an inside look at the music during On-Stage Insights with Andrés, where Andrés and Corigliano will offer brief commentary about the premiere. In addition, the Houston Symphony has partnered with the International Horn Society to co-commission the Concerto for Four Horns and Orchestra from American film composer James Horner (Titanic, Avatar), which will feature the Houston Symphony's Principal Horn William VerMeulen and Associate Principal Horn Robert Johnson along with their counterparts at the London Philharmonic.

In-Depth Composer Explorations: Beethoven, Sibelius, Dvo?ák and IvesOrozco-Estrada will continue a comprehensive focus on the works of several composers as a way of exploring music with the audience in a more in-depth manner. In spring 2016, the Symphony will resume its focus on Beethoven with "3 Weeks of Beethoven," featuring Symphony No. 3, Eroica and the iconic Symphony No. 9, Choral, as well as the Second and Eighth Symphonies. This will be the second installment of Andrés' three-season cycle of all nine symphonies, following last season's performances of the First, Fourth and Fifth Symphonies, and culminating in the 2016-17 season with the Sixth and Seventh Symphonies.

Additionally, the orchestra will pay tribute to Jean Sibelius' 150th birthday, with two programs showcasing his works. The first will be a performance of the Finnish composer's violin concerto with Grammy Award-winning artist Hilary Hahn. Later in the season, the orchestra will perform Sibelius' The Bard and his Symphony No. 1.
Andrés and the orchestra are also engaged in an ongoing cycle of Antonín Dvo?ák symphonies, as well as the second season of a four-year concentration on the symphonies of Charles Ives, considered by many an "American Original." This season, Andrés will conduct Ives' Symphony No. 2.

Masterworks by the Great ComposersOrozco-Estrada will open the 2015-16 classical season of eighteen concert weekends with a performance of Mahler's Symphony No. 5, one of the most powerful symphonies of all time. Other orchestral masterpieces to be performed include Dvo?ák's Symphony No. 6, the Slavonic Dances, and the Symphony No. 9, From The New World, which will be featured in The Cosmos-The HD Odyssey; Brahms' Symphony No. 2 as well as his Piano Concerto No. 2 with the great Emanuel Ax; the Grieg Piano Concerto with Gabriela Montero; Berlioz' Symphonie fantastique; Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances; Orff's Carmina Burana; Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet; Faure's Requiem; and Bernstein's Chichester Psalms.

Guest Artist & DebutsClassical season concerts will include return appearances by pianists Emanuel Ax, Gabriela Montero, Stephen Hough, Kirill Gerstein and Martin Helmchen, as well as violinists Hilary Hahn and Karen Gomyo. Guests making their Houston Symphony debuts this season include cellist Sol Gabetta and violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja. Violinist Caroline Goulding, known to local audiences from her Miller Outdoor Theatre debut in 2010 with Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra, will make her Jones Hall subscription debut. Pianist Emanuel Ax's performances are supported by Rochelle & Max Levit.

Guest Conductors & DebutsIn addition to Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada's eleven appearances on the podium during the season, 2015-16 will feature distinguished conductors both returning and new to the Houston Symphony. Coming back to conduct the orchestra will be John Storgårds, Thomas Søndergård as well as David Zinman and Fabien Gabel, both of whom will make their Jones Hall debuts. Also making his debut with the Symphony will be conductor Long Yu, Music Director of the China Philharmonic, the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, and the artistic director of the Beijing Music Festival.

Houston Symphony Musicians in Spotlight RolesThe virtuoso musicians of the Houston Symphony will be featured as soloists in several concerts throughout the season. Entering his sixth season as the orchestra's Concertmaster, Frank Huang will step into the spotlight as he leads from the Concertmaster's chair in a program of favorite works for chamber orchestra and string orchestra in November 2015, including a solo performance of Dvo?ák's Romance for Violin and Orchestra and Spanish composer Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen (Gypsy Airs) for Violin and Orchestra, as well as Dvo?ák's Serenade for Strings.

In March 2016, Principal Violist Wayne Brooks will perform the viola concerto commissioned and premiered in 2007 by the Houston Symphony entitled La Llorona, written specifically for him by composer Gabriela Lena Frank. Later in March, Principal and Associate Principal Horns William VerMeulen and Robert Johnson, respectively, will perform the North American premiere of film composer James Horner's Concerto for Four Horns and Orchestra, a co-commission of the Houston Symphony and the International Horn Society. They will be joined by hornists Richard Watkins and David Pyatt, fellow members of the Society.

Working with the Houston Symphony ChorusOrozco-Estrada will collaborate with and feature the Houston Symphony Chorus in multiple programs this season, including Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, Schumann's The Pilgrimage of the Rose, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Fauré's Requiem. In her second season as Director of the Chorus, Dr. Betsy Cook Weber, a professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies at the University of Houston's Moores School of Music, prepares the all-volunteer chorus for all performances.

The classical season is endowed by The Wortham Foundation, Inc. in memory of Gus S. and Lyndall F. Wortham. Andrés Orozco-Estrada is the fourth music director to hold the Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair. This position is endowed in perpetuity by The Cullen Foundation.

International Reach & Touring

New International Partnership Will Expand Educational ReachThe Houston Symphony welcomes the Filarmónica Joven de Colombia (Colombian Youth Philharmonic - FJC) in July 2015 as they join the Houston Symphony, the Houston Symphony Chorus and the Houston Children's Chorus for side-by-side performances of Carl Orff's epic Carmina Burana under the baton of Orozco-Estrada, who is the youth orchestra's artistic advisor. Nearly one hundred students of the FJC will travel to Houston for the experience of a lifetime, rehearsing and performing with the virtuoso musicians of the Houston Symphony. The collaboration is part of a dual-residency that will send fourteen Houston Symphony musicians to Colombia in June to instruct and coach students of the FJC in advance of their trip to Houston.

Tour to ColombiaExpanding the orchestra's connection to Orozco-Estrada's native Colombia even further, and extending the Houston Symphony's global presence, Andrés will bring the orchestra to South America for the very first time, with concerts scheduled in June 2016 in Medellín and Bogotá, and with other dates and cities to be announced. This touring activity follows the Symphony's most recent performances in Russia in June 2012 as part of the Festival of the World's Symphony Orchestras, and a seven-city, eight-concert tour through the United Kingdom in 2010 for sold-out performances of The Planets-An HD Odyssey.
Connecting Audiences More Deeply to the Music

"Musically Speaking with Andrés" Series Continues at Rice UniversityDeepening connections with loyal concert goers and cultivating non-traditional audiences is a priority for Orozco-Estrada and for the Symphony. The "Musically Speaking with Andrés" series at Rice University, begun in his inaugural season, breaks down musical myths and features Andrés conducting a singular large-scale, orchestral masterpiece. Throughout the concert, Andrés and his co-host, longtime friend and fellow conductor Carlos Andrés Botero, intersperse excerpts from the music with commentary, anecdotes and a bit of history. Each "Musically Speaking" concludes with a question-and-answer session, where Andrés and Carlos interact with the audience. This season, there are three "Musically Speaking" concerts planned in the intimate setting of Stude Concert Hall at the Shepherd School of Music.

NEW: On-Stage Insights with Andrés to Augment Jones Hall Classical PerformancesIn the 2014-15 season, Andrés delighted audiences with impromptu comments from the podium. On-Stage Insights with Andrés formalizes this concept with Orozco-Estrada and featured performers providing anecdotes, observations and commentary during select classical concerts at Jones Hall.

Multimedia, Recordings and Broadcasts

The Cosmos-An HD OdysseyThe Symphony's classical season will conclude with Dvo?ák's Symphony No. 9 as part of the world premiere of The Cosmos-An HD Odyssey, the third and final film project in the HD Odyssey trilogy that began with The Planets and The Earth. Developed in conjunction with Duncan Copp, celebrated documentary filmmaker of projects for BBC, PBS/Nova and National Geographic, The Cosmos is set to the score of Dvo?ák's Symphony No. 9, From the New World, and presents breathtaking HD images from NASA of far distant galaxies, nebulae and other astronomical wonders from the Hubble Space Telescope. As with The Planets and The Earth, The Cosmos will be commercially released on DVD and Blu-ray. The Cosmos-An HD Odyssey is supported in part by Ms. Marie Taylor Bosarge, The Elkins Foundation and Margaret Alkek Williams.

Orchestral Recordings & National Broadcast SeriesIn addition to The Cosmos - An HD Odyssey, Orozco-Estrada and the orchestra are involved in several new recording projects that will bring the Houston Symphony to even more music lovers.

In a new partnership with Dutch recording label PENTATONE, Andrés and the orchestra are in the process of recording the last four great symphonies of Antonin Dvo?ák. The first recording, featuring the Seventh and Eight Symphonies, is planned to be released in the fall of 2015. An additional forthcoming project with PENTATONE will be a series of recordings of the Music of the Americas.

Beyond commercial recordings, the Symphony will be heard in a series of six national radio broadcasts in conjunction with American Public Media's "SymphonyCast" and "Performance Today." Locally, the Houston Symphony continues its broadcast presence on Houston Public Media's Classical 91.7 with a weekly Wednesday night broadcast of Houston Symphony concerts from the current season.

The Houston Symphony's recording and electronic media initiatives are supported by The Wortham Foundation, Inc. and Bobby and Phoebe Tudor.

"Sound Plus Vision" Mixes Multimedia with Classical MusicSprinkled throughout the classical concert lineup in 2015-16, "Sound Plus Vision" elements such as descriptive text, special lighting, images and video will enhance the audience experience at six Jones Hall performances. This season, "Sound Plus Vision" will be featured at "Schumann and Bartók" in October, "Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet" in November, "Beethoven 2 & 8" and "Beethoven 9 & Bernstein" in March, "Ravel's Boléro" in April, and "The Cosmos-An HD Odyssey" in May. Sound Plus Vision concerts are sponsored by Margaret Alkek Williams and supported in part by The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Endowed Fund for Creative Initiatives. Video enhancement of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by the Albert & Ethel Herzstein Foundation.

Films with Live Orchestral Accompaniment A growing trademark of the Houston Symphony is the presentation of films with the Symphony performing the score live. The 2015-16 season will include an expanded array of film concerts, including Singin' in the Rain, Back to the Future, and the holiday classic Home Alone, as well as other 'film clip' programs that feature the music of video games from the popular Pokémon and Legend of Zelda franchises.

2015-16 FAMILY SEASON OVERVIEW

Associate Conductor Robert Franz leads three of the four-concert family season, specially designed to engage young audiences and their families. Held on Saturday mornings, the programs combine fun activities, including an instrument petting zoo, with thematic orchestral music to engage young minds.

This season's concerts feature the music of "Ghostbusters and Ghouls" on Halloween morning, "A Frosty and Frozen Christmas" in December, "Superheroes at the Symphony" in March and "Dreams Can Come True" in May, featuring music from Disney's The Little Mermaid.

2015-16 BBVA COMPASS POPS OVERVIEW

Conductor Transition in POPS LeadershipPrincipal POPS Conductor and beloved Houston favorite Michael Krajewski has announced that he will step down at the conclusion of the 2016-17 season, following 17 years of exemplary leadership. Succeeding Michael will be frequent Houston Symphony POPS conductor Steven Reineke, who is also the Music Director of The New York POPS, Principal POPS Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra at The Kennedy Center and Principal POPS Conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

In commenting on the transition, Michael Krajewski says: "My tenure with this fabulous orchestra in this wonderful city has been a true joy for me, both personally and professionally; however, I have made the decision to turn the page and embrace the next chapter of my career. I will be passing the baton to my colleague Steven Reineke, a familiar face to Symphony audiences. In the meantime, I look forward to conducting my final two seasons with the Houston Symphony."

POPS Programming Highlights2015-16 marks BBVA Compass's seventh consecutive year as a lead supporter of the Houston Symphony POPS, and the season lineup reflects talented guest performers and concert themes traversing beloved music of the last eight decades. Highlights include: Matthew Morrison from the hit TV show Glee; a world-premiere tribute to Grammy-Award winning singer/songwriter Carole King; a Centennial celebration of American legend Frank Sinatra's birthday; Singin' in the Rain-Film with Live Orchestra; and a Beatles tribute to the group 50 years after they first performed at the Sam Houston Coliseum in 1965. The season will conclude with a newly-curated Houston Symphony show encapsulating three decades of rock, a compilation concert featuring music of bands and acts of the 60s, 70s and 80s in Journey, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac & More.
In recognition of BBVA Compass' leadership commitment to the series, the Houston Symphony POPS will be known as the BBVA Compass POPS beginning with the 2015-16 season, and is part of the Cynthia Woods Mitchell POPS at Jones Hall.

THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY EXPANDS COMMUNITY OUTREACH

The Houston Symphony is committed to serving the entire community by taking "the show on the road" to ensure accessibility for people in the greater region. Highlights of community engagement include an entire concert series in the Sugar Land area; an annual, free day-long music festival at Jones Hall; performances at local churches; and appearances at local outdoor venues. Additionally, the Symphony's education and community programs provide access to music for over 250,000 Houstonians of all ages and backgrounds each year, helping residents learn about and engage with music, making it a relevant and integral part of their lives.
In 2015-16, the Houston Symphony will further its efforts to inspire students to study music through the David Dewhurst Student Concert Series, which this season is increasing from fifteen to twenty concerts. Beyond this series, the Symphony is launching a new, in-depth pilot elementary school partnership program to integrate the Houston Symphony into the lives of students from a select school. Through a series of lessons with musicians from the orchestra and teaching artists throughout the year, students, their teachers and parents will learn how to listen, perform and compose music. Through this intensive residency program, the Symphony will establish music as an essential element of the classroom and of the school community. Soon after the pilot program, the Symphony plans to expand this opportunity to even more Houston-area schools.
The Houston Symphony is also introducing a program designed to inspire student musicians to higher heights in their musical studies by providing select students opportunities to meet Andrés and see him conduct rehearsals, from the vantage point of the stage. The Symphony will also double its middle school student concerts from two to four concerts. The middle school concerts are aimed at inspiring and encouraging students to continue their musical studies at this key time in their lives when they are making critical decisions about the level of their involvement in music.
Additionally, the Symphony will continue, through the arts, to put a special focus on enhancing the quality of health care provided in Greater Houston. The Symphony will be launching a comprehensive Music and Wellness program in partnership with institutions in the Texas Medical Center to provide therapeutic opportunities for healthcare workers and patients to engage with and participate in music. This program was developed with the goal to foster well-being and promote healing through the power of classical music.
The Houston Symphony's education and community programs are supported by the following endowed funds: Margarett & Alice Brown Endowment Fund for Education; The William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs, and the Spec's Charitable Foundation Salute to Educator's Concert Fund. The trustees of the Houston Symphony Endowment provide ongoing support for the Symphony's annual activities.
2015-16 Sugar Land SeriesThe Houston Symphony's three-concert series at Sugar Land Baptist Church continues to grow in popularity and subscription base. The Symphony is proud to present its fifth Sugar Land season in 2015-16, reaching the vibrant community of Fort Bend County and expanding the geographic horizons of the orchestra. This season's Sugar Land Series lineup includes: Dvo?ák's Serenade for Strings in November 2015; Handel's Messiah in December 2015; and an all-Beethoven program in March 2016 featuring Beethoven Symphony No. 2 and Eroica which will be led by Orozco-Estrada.
Concerts at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell PavilionThe Symphony's longstanding presenting partnership with The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands continues with the orchestra performing ten programs including Part I of the "Classic Rock Weekend" with The Music of Led Zeppelin, followed by a Part II performance at Jones Hall of The Music of Pink Floyd. Other concerts presented in partnership with The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion this season will include the "Star-Spangled Salute" in July 2015; "Music of the Americas" in September 2015; and "Hocus Pocus POPS" in October 2015.
The Houston Symphony's performances at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion are supported in part by the George P. & Cynthia Mitchell Summer Concerts Fund.
ExxonMobil Summer Symphony Nights at Miller Outdoor TheatreIn June 2015, the Houston Symphony will present five free concerts at Miller Outdoor Theatre, including the orchestra's "Star-Spangled Salute," an annual Fourth of July celebration through the "ExxonMobil Summer Symphony Nights" series. These performances continue to be an important catalyst for Houston audiences to get acquainted with emerging performers, many of whom are introduced to Houston concert-goers for the first time on the Miller Outdoor Theatre stage before they are invited to perform at Jones Hall. These performances are supported by the City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board.
40th Annual Ima Hogg Competition Introduced by the Houston Symphony League in 1976, the Ima Hogg Competition - named to honor the memory of Miss Ima Hogg, a co-founder of the Houston Symphony - is an internationally prestigious competition that has earned a reputation of being a launch pad for young musicians' careers as performing artists. Past winners have earned numerous national and international awards and earned orchestral positions all over the world. This year's Finals concert on June 6 at Rice University's Stude Concert Hall is the culminating step for this season's musical competitors vying for prizes valued at more than $40,000. The top prize is generously given by The Dennis Family in memory of Grace Woodson.
Third Annual Day of MusicOn July 12, 2015, the Houston Symphony takes over Jones Hall for the 3rd Annual Free Day of Music. This day-long free summer event features dozens of performances representing Houston's diverse music community. Fans experience symphonic works, an eclectic mix of jazz groups, rock bands, blues artists, ethnic ensembles, choral music and more. A highlight this year will be a special side-by-side performance by the Filarmónica Joven de Colombia led by music director Orozco-Estrada.
Free Fiesta Sinfónica ConcertOn September 13, 2015, Orozco-Estrada leads Fiesta Sinfónica, a free annual concert supported by Chevron that commemorates Hispanic Heritage month featuring Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos's unique and beguiling Concerto for Harmonica and Orchestra. The program will include the dancing melodies of Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas and Argentina's master of the tango, Astor Piazzolla. This exciting program concludes with the infectious Latin rhythms that abound in Leonard Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story.

Ticket InformationSeason tickets for the 2015-16 Season, including the Classical, POPS, Family, Sugar Land, and Musically Speaking series are on sale now. Single tickets for fall concerts will go on sale July 1, and spring concert tickets will go on sale August 30. For more information or to purchase, visit houstonsymphony.org or call the Houston Symphony Patron Services Center at (713) 224-7575, Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm.

About the Houston Symphony During the 2014-15 season, the Houston Symphony welcomed its new music director, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, and entered its second century as one of America's leading orchestras. Founded in 1913, the Houston Symphony is one of the oldest performing arts organizations in Texas, and offers a full complement of concert, community, education, touring and recording activities. Serving the entire Greater Houston region, the Symphony's home base is Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, and the orchestra also performs regularly in Sugar Land, at Miller Outdoor Theatre, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion and other locations around the community.
As a cultural ambassador for the city and region, the Houston Symphony has toured extensively, from early in its history through road tours to military bases in Texas and Louisiana during WWII, to more recent international appearances in Singapore, Moscow, and Japan, and European tours with stops in England, France, Holland, Germany and Austria, including 16 domestic performances at Carnegie Hall. Most recently, the Symphony embarked on a seven-city, eight-concert tour through the United Kingdom in 2010 performing The Planets - An HD Odyssey, to sold-out crowds.
Today, with an annual operating budget of $29 million, the full-time ensemble of 87 professional musicians is the largest performing arts organization in Houston, presenting more than 286 performances for 300,000 people, including 82,000 children, annually. For tickets and more information, please visit houstonsymphony.org or call (713) 224-7575, Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm.

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