Principal Clarinet Mark Nuccio Makes Solo Debut With Mozart's Clarinet Concerto

Houston Symphony Principal Clarinet Mark Nuccio takes center stage in his solo debut May 4-5 at 8 p.m. and May 6 at 2:30 p.m. at Jones Hall to perform Mozart's illustrious Clarinet Concerto. Nuccio will be featured in Mozart Plus A German Requiem.

Premiered shortly before Mozart's passing, the composer's Clarinet Concerto is one of his last important masterpieces and is often referred as one of his most personal works. The intimate and conversational piece is among the most frequently played and popular pieces in the clarinet repertoire.

"It's very nice to be part of the orchestra, but when they choose to feature you, you feel that it's a huge responsibility but an opportunity to share your art form," said Nuccio. "Mozart's Clarinet Concerto remains the best concerto in the clarinet repertoire and is also thought to be compositionally perfect and truly one of the greatest of all Mozart's compositions."

In addition to performing with the Houston Symphony, Nuccio is an active solo and chamber musician and regularly performs recitals in Europe and Asia as well as across the United States. He also participates in the chamber music series at the Strings in the Mountain Music Festival in Steamboat Springs, Colorado and teaches at the Hidden Valley Music Festival in Carmel, California.

The Houston Symphony Chorus, under the direction of Dr. Betsy Cook Weber, is also featured in this program, closing out the evening with Brahms' large-scale choral piece, A German Requiem. The chorus will be joined by soloists Nicole Heaston (soprano) and Russell Braun (baritone). The choral masterwork comprised of seven movements is Brahms' longest composition.

The concert will take place at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, 615 Louisiana Street, in Houston's Theater District. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the Houston Symphony Patron Services Center at Jones Hall (Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). All programs and artists are subject to change.

MOZART PLUS A GERMAN REQUIEM

Friday, May 4, 2018, at 8 p.m.

Saturday, May 5, 2018, at 8 p.m.

Sunday, May 6, 2018, at 2:30 p.m.

Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor

Mark Nuccio, clarinet

Nicole Heaston, soprano

Russell Braun, baritone

Houston Symphony Chorus

Betsy Cook Weber, director

Mozart: Clarinet Concerto

Brahms: A German Requiem

About the Houston Symphony

During the 2017-18 season, the Houston Symphony celebrates its fourth season with Music Director Andrés Orozco- Estrada and continues its second century as one of America's leading orchestras with a full complement of concert, community, education, touring and recording activities. The Houston Symphony, one of the oldest performing arts organizations in Texas, held its inaugural performance at The Majestic Theater in downtown Houston June 21, 1913. Today, with an annual operating budget of $33.9 million, the full-time ensemble of 88 professional musicians presents nearly 170 concerts annually, making it the largest performing arts organization in Houston. Additionally, musicians of the orchestra and the Symphony's four Community-Embedded Musicians offer over 900 community-based performances each year, reaching thousands of people in Greater Houston.

The Grammy Award-winning Houston Symphony has recorded under various prestigious labels, including Naxos, Koch International Classics, Telarc, RCA Red Seal, Virgin Classics and, most recently, Dutch recording label Pentatone. In 2017, the Houston Symphony was awarded an ECHO Klassik award for the live recording of Alban Berg's Wozzeck under the direction of former Music Director Hans Graf. The orchestra earned its first Grammy nomination and Grammy Award at the 60th annual ceremony for the same recording in the Best Opera Recording category.

For tickets and more information, please visit www.houstonsymphony.org or call 713-224-7575.

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