Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony + Timpani World Premiere
Grieg’s Peer Gynt
Your Houston Symphony
Welcome to the Houston Symphony
Your Symphony Experience
Your Backstage Pass to the Symphony
Juraj Valčuha, Music Director
Orchestra Roster
Society Board of Trustees
Administrative Staff
Donor Spotlight: Nancy Martin
Spec’s Charitable Foundation Salute to Educators
Concert
Subscriber of the Month: Shelley Wisner
Programs
Mozart + Elgar’s Enigma Variations
Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony + Timpani World
Premiere
Grieg’s Peer Gynt
Our Supporters
welcome to the houston symphony
Dear Music Lover,
As we gather today in Jones Hall, we do so with deep pride in who we are and with great ambition for where the Houston Symphony is headed.
For more than a century, this orchestra has been one of Houston’s most powerful cultural ambassadors. Our musicians, our artistic leadership, and our audiences together have built an institution defined by excellence, innovation, and a distinctive musical voice. Today, we are building on that legacy with renewed focus on elevating the Houston Symphony’s national and international profile.
Houston is a global city, and its orchestra must be recognized on a global stage. In the seasons ahead, we are intentionally seeking opportunities that place the Houston Symphony in the center of the international cultural conversation through artistic partnerships, recordings and livestreaming, and high-profile collaborations that showcase the extraordinary artistry of our musicians.
One recent announcement captures this momentum perfectly: last month, the Houston Symphony joined with The Cliburn and the Shepherd School of Music at Rice to announce the new Cliburn International Competition for Conductors, which will take place right here in Houston in 2028. For the Symphony, this new Competition not only gives us an opportunity to be involved in an international musical event, it also enables us to play a leading role in helping to identify future conducting talent.
This is more than an honor. It is a statement. It affirms the Houston Symphony’s standing among the world’s great orchestras and reflects the respect our musicians command from leading international institutions. It also positions Houston as a destination for the future of classical music, where artistry, leadership, and innovation converge.
Moments like this do not happen by chance. They are the result of sustained excellence, bold vision, and the unwavering support of our community—our musicians, staff, Board, donors, and audiences. Together, you make it possible for the Houston Symphony not only to serve this city with distinction, but also to represent Houston proudly on the world stage.
Thank you for being part of this journey. We look forward to sharing many more moments—both here at home and far beyond—that bring global recognition to the Houston Symphony and to the city we serve.
With gratitude,
Gary Ginstling Executive Director/CEO Margaret Alkek Williams Chair
PERFORMANCE CALENDAR
2025-26 se a son
Mozart + Elgar’s Enigma Variations
M a r c h 1 3 , 14* & 1 5
Chamber Music Series: Springtime in Italy: Tchaikovsky & More March 15
B e et h ove n’s Fi f t h Symp ho ny +
T i m pa n i Wo r l d P r e m ie r e
M a r c h 2 0, 2 1* & 2 2
G r i eg ’s Pe e r G y nt
M a r c h 2 7, 28* & 2 9
S L a ng L a ng i n Re c it a l
A p r il 1
D isn ey s Fa nta s i a i n C on c e r t
A p r il 3 & 4
S John Malkovich in The Music Critic
A p r il 1 4
V í k i ng u r Ó l af s s o n i n Re c it a l
S
A p r il 1 7
A d a m s C on du c t s A d a m s &
A p p a l a c hi a n S p ri ng
A p r il 1 8 & 1 9*
I c o n : T h e Vo i c e s Th at C h a nge d M u s i c
A p r il 24 , 25* & 26
A b r ac a d a b r a ! A Ma g i c a l M u s i c a l
A d ve nt u r e
A p r il 25
S Chanticleer: Our American Journey
A p r il 28
S Disney & Pixar’s Toy Story in Concert May 2 & 3
J os h u a B e l l Ret u r n s : i n C on c e r t T he Ele me nt s
M ay 7, 9* & 1 0
T he Pl a net s C o n c e r t o + Tcha i kovs k y ’s V i o li n
M ay 1 5 , 1 6* & 1 7
Chamber Music Series: Ethereal Transformations May 17
Val č u h a C on du c t s M a hle r 9
M ay 2 2 , 2 3* & 24
L i g ht s ! C am e r a ! M u s ic ! 1 0 0 Ye a r s o f
E p i c Fil m S c o r e s M ay 2 9, 3 0* & 3 1
S The Music of Queen
June 19 & 20
S Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™ in Concert
June 26 & 27
your symphony experience
JONES HALL
Since the opening of Jones Hall in 1966, millions of arts patrons have enjoyed countless musical and stage performances at the venue. Dominating an entire city block, Jones Hall features a stunning travertine marble facade, 66-foot ceilings, and a brilliantly lit grand entrance. Jones Hall is a monument to the memory of Jesse Holman Jones, a towering figure in Houston during the first half of the 20 th century.
CONCERT DISRUPTION
We strive to provide the best possible auditory experience of our world-class orchestra. Noise from phones, candy wrappers, and talking is distracting to the performers on stage and those around you. Please help us make everyone’s concert enjoyable by silencing electronic devices now and remaining quiet during the performance.
FOOD & DRINK POLICY
The Encore Café and in-hall bars are open for Symphony performances, and food and drink will be permitted in bar areas. Food is not permitted inside the auditorium. Patrons may bring drinks into the auditorium for Bank of America POPS Series concerts and Symphony Specials. Drinks are not permitted inside the auditorium for Classical concerts.
LOST & FOUND
For lost and found inquiries, please contact Patron Experience Coordinator Lien Le during the performance. She also can be reached at lien.le@houstonsymphony.org. You may contact Houston First after the performances at 832.487.7050
“WHEN SHOULD I CLAP?”
It’s a question we hear often! Traditionally, audiences wait to applaud until the very end of a piece, especially when it has several sections (called movements). This allows the music to flow without interruption and helps the performers stay focused. If you’re unsure, a simple cue is when the conductor lowers their arms and turns toward the audience—that’s your signal the piece has finished. That said, there’s no wrong way to show your appreciation. If the music inspires you in the moment, don’t hesitate to clap! Your enthusiasm and energy are always welcome at the Symphony.
CHILDREN
Children ages six and up are welcome to all Classical, Bank of America POPS, and Symphony Special concerts. Children of all ages are welcome at PNC Family Series performances. Children must have a ticket for all ticketed events.
LATE SEATING
Each performance typically allows for late seating, which is scheduled in intervals and determined by the conductor. Our ushers and Patron Experience Coordinator will instruct you on when late seating is allowed.
TICKETS
Subscribers of five or more concerts 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.
ESCANEE AQUÍ PARA VER TRADUCCIÓN AL ESPAÑOL
SCAN TO CONTRIBUTE!
YOUR BACKSTAGE PASS TO THE SYMPHONY
Your generosity opens the door to exclusive member benefits—invitations to behind-the-scenes rehearsals, intimate donor events, and unforgettable experiences with our musicians. These moments bring you closer to the music and the artists who create it.
DONOR BENEFITS
Houston Symphony Society Membership, including voting privileges at the Annual Meeting
Access to ticket pre-sales with early bird ticket email notifications
Subscription to Symphony Notes newsletter
Two complimentary drink coupons
Behind-the-scenes access: Group tour of Jones Hall (invitation for two)
Behind-the-scenes access: Private rehearsal (invitation for two)
Exclusive event: Post-Concert Meet and Greet with an artist (invitation for two)
Poster signed by Principal POPS Conductor Steven Reineke
One-time pass to the Virtuoso Lounge for a Houston Symphony Jones Hall performance
Recognition in Symphony donor listings
Premier seating for Symphony concerts at Miller Outdoor Theatre (excludes July 4th)
Access to the Virtuoso Lounge for all Houston Symphony Jones Hall performances
Exclusive event: Meet the Orchestra (invitation for two)
EXPERIENCE THE MUSIC BEYOND THE STAGE—MAKE A MEANINGFUL DONATION TO THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY TODAY!
Juraj valČuha
Music Director Juraj Valčuha, whose tenure with the Houston Symphony has been extended through the 2027–28 Season, is recognized for his expressive artistry, incisive musicianship, and the dynamic collaboration he has forged with the orchestra since his appointment. He is known for his sharp baton technique, natural stage presence, and the impressive ease of his interpretations that translate even the most complex scores into immersive experiences.
Before joining the Houston Symphony in June 2022, Valčuha was Music Director of the Teatro di San Carlo, Naples, from 2016 to 2022, and first guest conductor of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin. He was Chief Conductor of the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI from 2009 to 2016. In 2023, he assumed the post of Principal Guest Conductor of the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra.
The 2005–06 Season marked the start of his international career on the podium of the Orchestre National de France followed by remarkable debuts in the United Kingdom with the Philharmonia London, in Germany with the Munich Philharmonic, in the United States with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and in Italy with Puccini’s La bohème in Bologna.
Music Director
Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair
He has since led the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Dresden Staatskapelle, Munich Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Swedish Radio Symphony, Amsterdam Royal Concertgebouw, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, Maggio Musicale in Florence, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Rome, Milan’s Filarmonica della Scala, Montréal Symphony, and the NHK and Yomiuri orchestras in Tokyo.
He enjoys regular collaborations with the Pittsburgh, Chicago, and San Francisco Symphony orchestras, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. International touring with the Orchestra Sinfonica della RAI took them to the Musikverein in Vienna, Philharmonie in Berlin, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Zurich, and Munich; to the Enesco Festival in Bucharest; and to the Abu Dhabi Classics. With the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, he visited Riga, Vilnius, and Tallinn to mark the 100th anniversary of the Baltic nations.
Valčuha champions the compositions of living composers and programs contemporary pieces in most of his concerts. He has conducted world premieres, including Christopher Rouse’s Supplica with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Steven Mackey’s violin concerto with Leila Josefowicz and the BBC Symphony in Manchester,
Nico Muhly’s Bright Idea with the Houston Symphony and, most recently, Julia Wolfe’ s Liberty Bell with the Houston Symphony. In 2015 he conducted, in the presence of the composer, Steve Reich’s Four Seasons at the Melos-Ethos Festival in Bratislava. Other composers he has supported and continues to follow with interest are Bryce Dessner, Steven Stucky, Andrew Norman, James MacMillan, Luca Francesconi, Anna Thorvaldsdóttir, Anna Clyne, Julia Wolfe, and Jessie Montgomery, among others.
In the 2024–25 Season, Valčuha joined the Semperoper in Dresden with Strauss’s Salome as well as the Paris Opéra Bastille with Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen and the Deutsche Oper Berlin with Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame. In addition to his concerts with the Houston Symphony, he returned to the Munich Philharmonic, the Orchestre National de France, the London Philharmonic, the Berlin Konzerthaus Orchester, the San Francisco Symphony, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the Yomiuri Nippon Orchestra in Tokyo.
The 2025–26 season marks his fourth season with the Houston Symphony. His guest engagements will lead him to the San Francisco, Chicago, and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras. In Europe, he will join the Orchestre National de France, the Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin, the Bamberg Symphony, the Santa
Cecilia Orchestra in Rome, the Basque National Orchestra, the NDR Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and on tour, and the RAI National Orchestra in Turin. On the opera stage, he will conduct Pelleas et Mélisande at the Geneva Opera as well as Don Carlo and La bohème at the Deutsche Oper Berlin.
Born in Bratislava, Slovakia, Valčuha studied composition and conducting in his birthplace, then at the conservatory in St. Petersburg (with Ilya Musin), and finally, at the Conservatoire Supérieur de la Musique in Paris.
ORCHESTRA ROSTER
Juraj Valčuha
Music Director
Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair
FIRST VIOLIN
Yoonshin Song, Concertmaster
Max Levine Chair
Vacant, Associate Concertmaster
Ellen E. Kelley Chair
Boson Mo, Assistant Concertmaster
Qi Ming, Assistant Concertmaster Fondren Foundation Chair
Marina Brubaker*
Tong Yan
Ferenc Illenyi
Si-Yang Lao
Christopher Neal
Sergei Galperin
James Gikas+
Tianxu Liu+
Samuel Park+
Timothy Peters+
Arutyun Piloyan+
Teresa Wang+
SECOND VIOLIN
Vacant, Principal
Vacant, Associate Principal
Amy Semes
Annie Kuan-Yu Chen
Mihaela Frusina
Jing Zheng
Anastasia Iglesias
Tina Zhang*
Yankı Karataş
Hannah Duncan
Alexandros Sakarellos
Zubaida Azezi+
Hanna Hrybkova+
VIOLA
Joan DerHovsepian, Principal
Wei Jiang, Acting Associate Principal
Samuel Pedersen, Assistant Principal
Paul Aguilar
Sheldon Person
Fay Shapiro
Keoni Bolding
Jimmy Cunningham
Meredith Harris+
Yvonne Smith+
CELLO
Brinton Averil Smith, Principal
Janice H. and Thomas D. Barrow Chair
Christopher French, Associate Principal
Jane and Robert Cizik Chair
Anthony Kitai
Louis-Marie Fardet
Jeffrey Butler
Maki Kubota
Xiao Wong
Charles Seo
Jeremy Kreutz
COMMUNITY-EMBEDDED MUSICIAN
Lindsey Baggett, Violin
LIBRARIANS
Ali Verderber, Associate Librarian
Megan Fisher, Assistant Librarian
DOUBLE BASS
Robin Kesselman, Principal
Timothy Dilenschneider, Associate Principal
Steven Reineke, Principal POPS Conductor
Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Conductor Laureate
Anthony J. Maglione, Director, Houston Symphony Chorus
Gonzalo Farias, Associate Conductor
Andrew Pedersen, Assistant Principal
Eric Larson
Logan May
Burke Shaw
Donald Howey
Avery Weeks
FLUTE
Vacant, Principal
General Maurice Hirsch Chair
Matthew Roitstein, Associate Principal
Judy Dines
Kathryn Ladner
Douglas DeVries+
PICCOLO
Kathryn Ladner
OBOE
Jonathan Fischer, Principal
Lucy Binyon Stude Chair
Anne Leek, Associate Principal
Vacant
Adam Dinitz
Pablo Moreno+
ENGLISH HORN
Adam Dinitz
Barbara and Pat McCelvey Chair
CLARINET
Mark Nuccio, Principal
Bobbie Nau Chair
Vacant, Associate Principal
Christian Schubert
Alexander Potiomkin
Ben Freimuth+
E-FLAT CLARINET
Vacant
Ben Freimuth+
BASS CLARINET
Alexander Potiomkin
BASSOON
Rian Craypo, Principal
Isaac Schultz, Associate Principal
Elise Wagner
Adam Trussell
CONTRABASSOON
Adam Trussell
STAGE PERSONNEL
Vacant, Stage Manager
José Rios, Assistant Stage Manager
Nicholas DiFonzo, Head Video Engineer
Justin Herriford, Head Audio Engineer
Connor Morrow, Head Stage Technician
Giancarlo Minotti, Audio Production Manager
HORN
William VerMeulen, Principal
Mr. and Mrs. Alexander K. McLanahan
Endowed Chair
Robert Johnson, Associate Principal
Nathan Cloeter, Assistant Principal/Utility
Ian Mayton
Barbara J. Burger Chair
Brian Mangrum
Spencer Bay+
TRUMPET
Mark Hughes, Principal
George P. and Cynthia Woods
Mitchell Chair
John Parker, Associate Principal
Robert Walp, Assistant Principal
Richard Harris
TROMBONE
Nick Platoff, Principal
Bradley White, Associate Principal
Phillip Freeman
BASS TROMBONE
Phillip Freeman
TUBA
Dave Kirk, Principal
TIMPANI
Leonardo Soto, Principal
Matthew Strauss, Associate Principal
PERCUSSION
Brian Del Signore, Principal
Mark Griffith
Matthew Strauss
HARP
Allegra Lilly, Principal
KEYBOARD
Vacant, Principal
LIBRARIAN
Luke Bryson, Principal
*on leave + contracted substitute
SOCIETY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
OFFICERS
Barbara J. Burger President
John Rydman** Board Chair Chair, Artistic & Orchestra Affairs
Barbara McCelvey President-Elect Chair, Development
Milow Lozano, Ticketing Systems & Marketing Operations Specialist
Ciara Macaulay, Creative Director
Ashley Martinez, Patron Services Coordinator
Mariah Martinez, Email Marketing Coordinator
Casey Pearce, Graphic Design Manager
Aracely Quevedo, Patron Services Representative
Eric Skelly, Senior Director, Communications
Christian Sosa, Web Experience Director
Lily Townsend, Patron Services Representative
Alexa Ustaszewski, Manager, Revenue and Audience Insights
Sophie Volpe, Digital Content Specialist
Jenny Zuniga, Director, Patron Services
OPERATIONS | ARTISTIC
Stephanie Alla, Associate Director of Artistic Planning
Becky Brown, Associate Director of Orchestra Personnel
Juan Pablo Brand, Artistic Assistant
Ryan Diefenderfer, Concert Operations Assistant
Megan Fisher, Assistant Librarian
Michael Gorman, Director of Orchestra Personnel
Julia Hall, Assistant Director, Houston Symphony Chorus
Parker Hart, Concert Operations Manager
Adrian Hernandez, Concert Media Production Manager
Giancarlo Minotti, Audio Production Manager
José Rios, Assistant Stage Manager
Brad Sayles, Senior Recording Engineer
Nathan Trinkl, Artistic Assistant & Assistant to the Music Director
Ali Verderber, Associate Librarian
Meredith Williams, Director of Concert Operations
Rebecca Zabinski, Senior Director of Artistic Planning
DONOR SPOTLIGHT:
NANCY MARTIN
For Houston Symphony donor and Board member, Nancy Martin, her relationship with music began early in life. Growing up in Dallas, she attended Dallas Symphony Orchestra concerts with her family and fondly remembers school trips to hear the orchestra perform. “My mother grew up going to the symphony in Dallas,” she recalls. “So, what your parents like, you end up liking too.” Her passion for the arts stayed with her, and after moving to Houston for law school at the University of Houston, she quickly embraced the city’s wide range of arts organizations—especially the Houston Symphony.
As a musical theater enthusiast, Nancy was initially drawn to the Symphony through attending POPS concerts with Broadway programming. Over time, her occasional ticket purchases turned into a Symphony subscription, which led to something more. “It was just sort of a gradual process,” she explains.
“Everything I did took me a step further—it just sort of built up until I became a donor.” It’s a decision that she hasn’t regretted. “I am loving every second of it,” she says. “There’s so much that enhances your Symphony experience if you get involved.” One of her favorite experiences was going on a patron trip with other donors to Finland, Sweden, and Estonia last summer. The 10-day trip organized by the Symphony featured a variety of cultural excursions, culminating in a special performance in Helsinki, where Principal POPS Conductor Steven Reineke led the Vantaa Entertainment Orchestra and a cappella vocal group, Rajaton. “The Finland trip was fantastic beyond words,” she says. “It was so beautiful, and they curated it in a way that we got all kinds of different concerts. But during the day we did touristy stuff—the food was great—it was just an amazing experience.”
Her support as a donor also led Nancy to join the Houston Symphony Board two years ago. Having served on several boards for arts organizations across Houston—including the Queensbury Theatre, the University of Houston Kathrine G. McGovern College
of the Arts, and the Alley Theatre—Nancy knows how intimidating board service can feel at first. However, she says the Houston Symphony is different. “The people are so open and inviting at the Symphony,” she reflects. “People just embrace you. They’re like, ‘Oh, you’re one of us? Wonderful!’,” Nancy says with a laugh. That sense of belonging to the Symphony community has been one of the most meaningful parts of her involvement. Whether it’s attending donor events or traveling with the Symphony, Nancy says every experience adds new dimensions to her love of music. “As a donor, you get to go to private concerts and special events and talk one-on-one with the musicians,” she explains. “When you find out why they joined the Houston Symphony and how they approach their music, it adds so much to what you’re seeing on stage.”
Introducing others to the Symphony is also something Nancy loves to do. She regularly shares extra tickets with friends, family, and charities, and often enjoys bringing her young nephews to movie concerts and holiday performances. “I recently brought a bunch of friends to the James Bond concert, and they all loved it so much that they went out and bought subscriptions. That concert brought in about five new subscribers!,” says Nancy. “I don’t have to talk them into anything. I just expose them to the Symphony. You don’t have to sell it—the Symphony sells itself.”
Nancy says that her support of the Symphony is a just natural extension of her gratitude and passion for the arts. “Why do I support the Symphony? I just love it,” she says. “And the more involved I get with it, the more I love it.” Her advice to anyone considering becoming a donor is equally straightforward: start by attending and let the music—and the community—do the rest.
Interested in becoming a donor like Nancy? Visit houstonsymphony.org or scan the QR code below
Nancy Martin
SPEC’S CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
SALUTE TO EDUCATORS CONCERT
MARCH 29, 2026
Today, the Houston Symphony honors Houstonarea educators who work tirelessly to help students grow and succeed. We are proud to support them in enhancing their students’ education through music and making an enduring impact on the lives of young people. As part of this celebration, the Spec’s Charitable Foundation Award for Excellence in Music Education is presented to an individual educator whose commitment to students and our community is truly remarkable.
SPEC’S CHARITABLE FOUNDATION AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MUSIC EDUCATION
EUN SUNG KIM, 2026 AWARD RECIPIENT
Eun Sung Kim is a passionate music educator and arts advocate who has enriched the lives of students in Aldine ISD’s Choice Schools since 2005. She currently serves as a strings teacher and the Magnet Coordinator at Carter Academy, where she has helped shape a thriving, student-centered fine arts
program. Under her leadership, she helped Carter Academy achieve National Magnet Certification and earned them recognition as a 2026 School of Excellence by Magnet Schools of America. Kim earned her bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Troy University and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Lamar University, where she is also a doctoral candidate. A 2017 finalist for Aldine ISD Teacher of the Year, Kim also frequently presents at regional and national conferences, sharing best practices in arts integration and learning.
Colleagues praise Kim for cultivating a classroom culture rooted in collaboration, accountability, and joy, where students grow not only as musicians but as confident, compassionate individuals. Eun Sung is also known for incorporating creative and relevant teaching strategies in her classes to engage her students in learning about music from around the world. She has persevered through limited resources and systemic challenges to sustain and expand her program, securing support and performance opportunities that allow students to thrive and continue their musical journeys into middle and high school and beyond. Beyond her professional work, Kim is an avid photographer and lifelong learner who enjoys traveling with her family and painting alongside her daughters, nurturing the same creativity, curiosity, and confidence she fosters in her students.
award Semifinalists
For the first time, all of the Spec’s Charitable Award for Excellence in Music Education semifinalists are elementary school music teachers. Often the unsung heroes of music education, these educators play a critical role in laying the foundation for a lifelong love of music, motivating students to persevere when challenges arise, and instilling correct technique and form from the very beginning. While we are fortunate to have so many talented elementary school educators in the Houston area, this group of semifinalists is recognized for their exceptional dedication to music education within their school and community. Below are the other distinguished semifinalists:
LAURA LUCAS
ORCHESTRA DIRECTOR AND MUSIC TEACHER, CROCKETT ELEMENTARY MAGNET SCHOOL FOR THE PERFORMING AND VISUAL ARTS
CHARLES PAGE
GENERAL MUSIC SPECIALIST/BAND DIRECTOR, LYONS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
SPEC’S: SUPPORTING MUSIC EDUCATION
The Salute to Educators Concert is made possible by the Houston Symphony’s Principal Corporate Guarantor, Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods/Spec’s Charitable Foundation. Spec’s supports the Symphony’s education programs in numerous ways, including Symphony fundraising events like the annual Wine Dinner and Collector’s Auction, the Houston Symphony Ball, and the company’s own Vintage Virtuoso fundraiser.
In total, Spec’s has contributed more than $6.95 million to the Symphony since 1996 and Spec’s president John Rydman is the Immediate Past President of the Houston Symphony Society Board of Trustees. We thank John, his wife Lindy, and their daughter, Lisa Rydman Lindsey, for their ongoing commitment to music education.
MINDY SNOW
ORCHESTRA DIRECTOR, LONGFELLOW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Featured Program
MOZART + ELGAR’S ENIGMA VARIATIONS
Vasily Petrenko, conductor
Jan Lisiecki, piano
0:13 NEWMAN/STEINER – Suite from Wuthering Heights
0:31 MOZART – Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat major, K.271 (Jeunehomme)
I. Allegro
II. Andantino
III. Rondeau and Menuetto: Presto--Cantabile--Tempo primo
INTERMISSION
0:29 ELGAR – Enigma Variations, Opus 36
Theme: Andante--
Variation I (C.A.E.): L’istesso tempo
Variation II (H.D.S.-P.): Allegro
Variation III (R.B.T.): Allegretto
Variation IV (W.M.B.): Allegro di molto
Variation V (R.P.A.): Moderato--
Variation VI (Ysobel): Andantino
Variation VII (Troyte): Presto
Variation VIII (W.N.): Allegretto--
Variation IX (Nimrod): Adagio
Variation X (Dorabella): Intermezzo: Allegretto
Variation XI (G.R.S.): Allegro di molto
Variation XII (B.G.N.): Andante--
Variation XIII (* * *): Romanza: Moderato
Variation XIV (E.D.U.): Finale: Allegro
About the Program
Friday, March 13
Saturday, March 14
Sunday, March 15
Program Insight
Jones Hall
Jones Hall & Livestream
Jones Hall
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
2 p.m.
This weekend, the Houston Symphony welcomes guest conductor Vasily Petrenko back to Jones Hall for a program of elegance and romance.
The program features Elgar’s famous Enigma Variations, a work the composer dedicated “to my friends pictured within.” Each variation is a musical portrait: the subjects include Elgar’s wife, 11 friends, one dog, and the composer himself. The English composer also noted, “The Enigma I will not explain—its ‘dark saying’ must be left unguessed,” a cryptic remark that has left musicologists guessing ever since the work’s premiere in 1899.
Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki also joins the orchestra for Mozart’s “Jenamy” Concerto. Composed in 1777 for Louise Victoire Jenamy, daughter of the great choreographer Jean-Georges Noverre, this concerto has been hailed by many connoisseurs as a breakthrough piece in Mozart’s musical development. Lisiecki’s “pristine, lyrical, and intelligent" playing (New York Times) is perfectly suited to this sparkling concerto.
The program opens with a 20th-century American work that pairs well with both Mozart’s grace and Elgar’s distinctly English romanticism. The Wuthering Heights Suite is based on Alfred Newman’s music for the classic 1939 film adaptation of Emily Brontë’s gothic romance, a score often praised as one of the greatest of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
—Calvin Dotsey
Sponsors
The Classical Season is endowed by The Wortham Foundation, Inc. , in memory of Gus S. and Lyndall F. Wortham
Video enhancement of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by the Albert & Ethel Herzstein Foundation through a special gift celebrating the Foundation�s 50 th anniversary in 2015
Program Notes
NEWMAN/STEINER
Wuthering Heights
Died Year Composed
World Premiere
March 17, 1900
New Haven, CT
February 17, 1970
Los Angeles, CA
1939 1939
Los Angeles, CA
Born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1900 to poor Russian-Jewish immigrant parents (his father’s surname was Nemirovsky before he anglicized it), Alfred Newman became a musical prodigy thanks in no small part to the steadfast support of his mother. Although Newman aspired to become a classical pianist and studied at a prestigious New York conservatory on scholarship, his parents’ separation pushed him to become the breadwinner for his mother and nine younger siblings; at 16, he abandoned a concert career for the more immediate rewards of commercial theater on Broadway, where he became one of the youngest conductors to lead major productions. In 1930, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue work in Hollywood. Initially focusing on movie musicals, he went on to score many of United Artists’ and Twentieth Century Fox’s biggest films. Although he briefly studied composition (and played tennis) with Arnold Schoenberg after the Austrian composer moved to Los Angeles, Newman was for the most part a self-taught composer. He quickly absorbed the post-Romantic style of scoring brought to Hollywood by European luminaries such as Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Max Steiner, and Dmitri Tiomkin.
Houston Symphony Premiere
20 th Century Fox Studio Orchestra, Richard Kaufman (conductor) 2026
Vasily Petrenko (conductor)
Newman’s score to Wuthering Heights is one of his most acclaimed works. Directed by William Wyler and starring Merle Oberon and Lawrence Olivier, the 1939 adaptation of Emily Brontë’s 1847 gothic romance has enjoyed enduring critical success. Newman’s approach is operatic; like many other film composers during Hollywood’s golden age, he treats film as a post-Wagnerian opera, complete with recurring leitmotifs.
The present suite was prepared by Fred Steiner, a collaborator on several of Newman’s last projects. A noted film composer in his own right (he wrote the theme to the Perry Mason television series and scored many episodes of Star Trek, Lost in Space, and The Twilight Zone), Steiner in his later years completed a PhD in musicology and wrote his dissertation on Newman. In addition to his musicological work, he also created this suite of excerpts from Newman’s score to Wuthering Heights, giving this wonderful music the structure of a Romantic tone poem and a new life in the concert hall. The names of motifs and themes given below come from Steiner’s dissertation.
The suite begins by following the opening credits: the dramatic “Despair” motif leads to the film’s most famous melody. Best known as “Cathy’s Theme,” this music is more accurately a love theme for Cathy and Heathcliff, representing their idealistic, ill-fated passion for each other. The mood then darkens with a haunting “Wuthering Heights” theme introduced by English horn. It first appears as a lost traveler stumbles across the desolate house of Wuthering Heights in the midst of a snowstorm. There, a servant recounts the main events of the story, beginning with an idyllic depiction of childhood represented in the next section of the suite; a series of childlike motifs build to a lively jig, the “Play-Castle” theme, representing Cathy and Heathcliff’s youthful games of make-believe on the Yorkshire moors. A harp glissando then
Born Alfred Newman
Program Notes
NEWMAN/STEINER
Wuthering Heights
cuts to a sweeping theme for strings, “Cathy’s Desire.” The children are now grown, and Cathy yearns to escape the limited world of Wuthering Heights. After getting to know their well-to-do neighbor, Edgar Linton, she is torn between the life of comfort and status Edgar offers and her passion for the poor, disinherited Heathcliff, who has been reduced to the role of stable boy by Cathy’s cruel brother, Hindley. Flutes introduce the gentle theme associated with Isabella, Edgar’s sister, and soon after a solo oboe introduces Edgar’s theme, which is then interwoven with “Cathy’s Desire” as he proposes marriage to her. The entrance of solo strings marks the final section of the suite. Believing Cathy prefers Edgar, Heathcliff runs away. Abandoned, Cathy marries Edgar. Years later, Heathcliff returns a rich man. Cathy falls ill, and Heathcliff reunites with her on her deathbed. The end of the suite is mainly drawn from this final, poignant scene and the end credits. After Heathcliff dies years later, the two lovers’ spirits are at last united on the moors.
—Calvin Dotsey
MOZART
Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat major, K.271 (Jeunehomme)
January 27, 1756
Salzburg, Austria
December 5, 1791
Vienna, Austria
1777
1777
Paris, France
Salzburg, Austria
Victoire Jenamy (piano) 1954 Andor Toth (conductor), Bettye Jean Anderson (piano)
Mozart completed his “Jenamy” Piano Concerto in January 1777, just shy of his 21st birthday. This was a frustrating period in Mozart’s life—no longer a child prodigy, Mozart sought a post at a major court with a musical ensemble of the highest calibre. Despite many efforts to secure one, no such prestigious position was offered to Mozart. Instead, he found himself stuck in his childhood home of Salzburg with a minor position at the court of the Prince-Archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo, who had little interest in music.
Despite these circumstances, these years were important for Mozart’s development; indeed, several scholars cite this particular concerto as a breakthrough work in which Mozart first achieved full maturity. The piece was a commission from Louise Victoire Jenamy (whose identity was discovered in 2003 by Austrian musicologist Michael Lorenz). Jenamy was the daughter of the dancer and choreographer Jean-Georges Noverre, an important figure in the history of ballet. In 1768, Louise Victoire married Joseph Jenamy, a wealthy Viennese merchant, but sadly the marriage seems to have been an unhappy one: she had left her husband by 1778 and appears to have lived in France for the rest of her life.
Although she was not a professional pianist, Jenamy was a gifted amateur who gave at least one critically praised public performance in Vienna in 1773. It is uncertain whether Jenamy visited Salzburg during the winter of 1776–77 or commissioned the piece through correspondence. Whatever the case, Mozart’s keen theatrical instincts as an opera composer are on full display; he frequently treats the soloist as an operatic heroine in dialogue with the orchestra. Although the concerto is divided into the traditional three movements, it contains several unusual features; most notable is the opening.
Amadeus Mozart
Program Notes
MOZART
Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat major, K.271 (Jeunehomme)
Most Recent Houston Symphony Performance
2006 Hans Graf (conductor), Emanuel Ax (piano)
ELGAR
Enigma Variations, Opus 36
Born Edward Elgar Died
June 2, 1857
Broadheath, UK
February 23, 1934
Worcester, UK
In Mozart’s time, the first movement of a concerto virtually always began with a (sometimes lengthy) orchestral introduction preceding the entrance of the soloist. In this concerto, Mozart opens with a surprising exchange between the orchestra and soloist, after which the orchestral introduction proceeds as usual. This attention-grabbing use of the soloist at the beginning is unique among Mozart’s concertos— not until Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 would another standard repertoire work feature such an opening. From this beginning, a brilliant first movement unfolds, featuring yearning melodies and dramatic dissonances. Perhaps the nearest literary analogue would be a contemporary comedy of manners such as Beaumarchais’s The Marriage of Figaro, which Mozart would famously adapt as a comic opera in 1786.
As usual, the movement ends with a cadenza, an extended passage for the soloist alone. The second movement also has a cadenza, and the finale includes several cadenza-like “Eingangen” or “Introductions,” passages that lead to the return of the main theme. Traditionally, cadenzas were improvised rather than written in advance, and Mozart would have invented them on the spot when playing the concerto himself (which he did frequently in the years after its completion); however, Mozart did write several cadenzas for this concerto, both because he composed it on commission for Jenamy and because his sister, Nanerl, performed the piece as well. The first, relatively brief cadenzas he wrote for the concerto are contemporaneous with the rest of the work, but in 1783–84 Mozart wrote additional cadenzas which are longer and more complex. These later cadenzas are more often used today and give listeners a tantalizing taste of what it might have been like to hear Mozart improvise.
The character of the music changes completely in the second movement, a pathos-laden Andantino in C minor. Here, the music has the character of a lament from a tragic opera. High spirits return in the finale, a Rondo with a galloping main theme. In the middle of the movement, the music slows for an episode that takes the form of a graceful minuet.
—Calvin Dotsey
By October 1898, Edward Elgar was 41 years old and through much struggle had built himself a reputation as a regional composer of choral music. Still, he was largely unrecognized by the larger musical world and had to rely on giving music lessons to earn his daily bread. Frustratingly, he only seemed to receive commissions for light, occasional pieces rather than for the grand symphonies he yearned to compose. Despondent after a long day of teaching violin, he sat down at the piano one evening and began to improvise. Elgar later recalled, “suddenly my wife interrupted by saying: ‘Edward, that’s a good tune.’ I awoke from the dream: ‘Eh! tune, what tune!’ And she said, ‘Play it again, I like that tune.’ I played and strummed, and played, and then she exclaimed: ‘That’s the
Program Notes
ELGAR
Enigma Variations, Opus 36
St. James’s Hall
London
Philharmonic, Hans Richter (conductor) 1934
Frank St. Leger (conductor)
Most Recent Houston Symphony Performance 2014
JoAnn Falletta (conductor)
Dotsey Year Composed
Program Bios
Vasily Petrenko, conductor
Vasily Petrenko is Music Director of the Royal Philharmonic
tune.’” Thinking of their friend Hew David Steuart-Powell, an amateur pianist, Elgar playfully varied the theme, imitating runs Powell would play to warm up at the piano, albeit “chromatic beyond H. D. S.-P.’s liking.” Soon, he began creating variations inspired by other friends, much to his wife Alice’s delight. What started as a lark would become Elgar’s “Enigma” Variations, his breakthrough masterpiece.
The “Enigma” nickname stems from the presence of that word above the original theme in the composer’s manuscript score. What the “enigma” is has never been discovered, let alone its solution. Elgar dedicated the work “to my friends pictured within,” and in all, the original theme would be followed by 14 variations depicting Elgar’s wife, friends, a bulldog, and the composer himself. The friends were originally only identified by initials, nicknames, and music depictions, but this enigma, however, has long since been solved, as their identities are now well-known. Elgar once cryptically noted: “The Enigma I will not explain—its ‘dark saying’ must be left unguessed [...] through and over the whole set another and larger theme ‘goes,’ but is not played….” Many have since sought a tune that can be played simultaneously with the “Enigma” theme. A number of suggestions have been put forth, including “God Save the Queen,” “Auld Lang Syne,” and “Rule Britannia.” Elgar encouraged such speculation, but he rejected all proposed solutions. If there were indeed a hidden melody, he took the secret to his grave. Others have suggested that the enigma refers to a more abstract idea such as friendship, creative inspiration, or even Elgar himself. Fortunately, one does not need to know the solution to the enigma in order to enjoy the music, as the audience at the premiere thoroughly did on June 19, 1899. The piece made him internationally famous and continues to be treasured for its ingenuity and heartfelt emotions.
—Calvin
Orchestra, a position he assumed in 2021, and which ignited a partnership that has been praised by audiences and critics worldwide. The same year, he became Conductor Laureate of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra following his hugely acclaimed 15-year tenure as their Chief Conductor from 2006–21. He is the Associate Conductor of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León, and has also served as Chief Conductor of the European Union Youth Orchestra (2015–24),
Chief Conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra (2013–20), and Principal Conductor of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain (2009–13). He stood down as Artistic Director of the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia “Evgeny Svetlanov” in 2022, having been
their Principal Guest Conductor from 2016 and Artistic Director from 2020.
He has worked with many of the
Program Bios
world’s most prestigious orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Symphony, Leipzig Gewandhaus, London Symphony, London Philharmonic, Philharmonia, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (Rome), Orchestre National de France, Czech Philharmonic, and NHK Symphony orchestras, and in North America has led the Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, and the San Francisco, Boston, and Chicago Symphony orchestras. Equally at home in the opera house, and with more than 30 operas in his repertoire, Vasily has conducted widely on the operatic stage.
Vasily Petrenko has established a strongly defined profile as a recording artist. Amongst a wide discography, his Shostakovich, Rachmaninov, and Elgar symphony cycles with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra have garnered worldwide acclaim. With the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, he has released cycles of Scriabin’s symphonies and Strauss’s tone poems, and an ongoing series of the symphonies of Prokofiev and Myaskovsky. In autumn 2025, he launched a new partnership between the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Harmonia Mundi label. He was Gramophone Artist of the Year (2017) and Classical BRIT Male Artist of the Year (2010), and holds honorary degrees from Liverpool’s three universities. In 2024, Vasily launched a new academy for young conductors, co-organized by the
Jan Lisiecki, piano
Described as “pristine, lyrical, and intelligent (The New York Times) and “a musician of unusual refinement and imagination (Boston Globe), Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki looks back on a career spanning a decade and a half on the world’s greatest stages. He works closely with the foremost conductors and orchestras of our time, performing more than 100 concerts a year.
The 2025–26 Season sees him returning to Rotterdam Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony, Finnish Radio Symphony, Warsaw Philharmonic, Gulbenkian Orchestra, and RadioSinfonieorchester Berlin, as well as San Francisco Symphony and Houston Symphony, among others.
In August 2025, he concluded the renowned Seoul International Music Festival at the Seoul Arts Center in South Korea with a Beethoven concert and a solo recital with his highly acclaimed Preludes program, which was recently released by Deutsche Grammophon. A further 30 piano recitals take him across Europe and North America, including the Philharmonie Berlin, Vienna Konzerthaus, Palau Barcelona, Primavera Foundation Armenia and the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra.
Koerner Hall Toronto, and the National Arts Centre Ottawa. Continuing his collaboration with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, which he led from the piano in a tour of several Beethoven cycles in the previous season, he will perform another Beethoven cycle at the Enescu and Merano Festivals.
Recent return invitations include the New York Philharmonic, The Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, and Staatskapelle Dresden. He made his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in spring 2024. Lisiecki is a fixture at major summer festivals across Europe and North America, has performed at the Salzburg Festival, and recently made his third appearance at the BBC Proms. His previous recital program was celebrated in more than 50 cities around the globe.
Jan Lisiecki was offered an exclusive recording contract by Deutsche Grammophon at the age of 15. Since then, he has recorded nine albums which have received the JUNO Award, ECHO Klassik, Gramophone Critics’ Choice, Diapason d’Or, and Edison Klassiek.
At 18, he received both the Leonard Bernstein Award and Gramophone’s Young Artist Award, becoming the youngest ever recipient of the latter. He was named UNICEF Ambassador to Canada in 2012.
0:30 BEETHOVEN – Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Opus 67
I. Allegro con brio II. Andante con moto
III. Allegro--
IV. Allegro
**Houston Symphony commission, world premiere
About the Program
Friday, March 20
Saturday, March 21
Sunday, March 22
Program Insight
Jones Hall
Jones Hall & Livestream
Jones Hall
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
2 p.m.
Music Director Juraj Valčuha returns to Jones Hall to conduct what is perhaps the most famous symphony ever written: Beethoven’s revolutionary Symphony No. 5. Composed during the turbulent epoch of the Napoleonic Wars, this symphony charts a course from darkness to light, a template that would inspire generations of composers to come.
One of those composers was Louise Farrenc, a woman who was instrumental in revitalizing French musical life during the 19th century. Farrenc was among the first to champion Beethoven’s music in France, and her personal interpretation of Beethoven’s musical innovations is readily apparent in her daring Overture No. 2.
Beethoven was also one of the first composers to treat the timpani as a melodic instrument, famously giving it prominent solos in his Violin Concerto as well as his Fourth and Ninth Symphonies. American composer Andy Akiho has taken this several steps further by composing a thrilling timpani concerto tailored to the playing of the Houston Symphony’s virtuoso timpanist, Leonardo Soto. If you have ever wondered what it might have been like to have heard the first performances of your favorite masterpieces, this exciting world premiere is your chance to witness music history in the making.
—Calvin Dotsey
Sponsors
Barbara J. Burger Guarantor
Support for the commission of Andy Akiho’s Timpani Concerto comes from Dr. Miguel & Mrs. Valerie MiroQuesada and the “Campaign for a Sound Future” Fund for new works in honor of Winifred Safford Wallace
Dr. Miguel & Mrs. Valerie Miro-Quesada Sponsor
The Classical Season is endowed by The Wortham Foundation, Inc. , in memory of Gus S. and Lyndall F. Wortham
Houston Symphony Young Associates Council Sponsor
Video enhancement of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by the Albert & Ethel Herzstein Foundation through a special gift celebrating the Foundation�s 50 th anniversary in 2015
Favorite Masters
Program Notes
FARRENC
Overture No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 24
May 31, 1804
Paris, France
September 15, 1875
Paris, France 1834 1840
2026
Juraj Valčuha (conductor)
Louise Farrenc was born Louise Dupont, a member of an illustrious artistic family which had been patronized by French kings since the days of Louis XIV. Her brother Auguste would continue this family tradition by becoming an acclaimed sculptor, but Louise set out on a slightly unconventional path by pursuing music in place of the visual arts. From a young age, she displayed great talent as a pianist and composer, beginning studies with Antonín Reicha at the Paris Conservatoire at age 15.
Her studies were briefly interrupted by her marriage at 17 to Aristide Farrenc. The son of a merchant family in Marseille, Aristide had run away to Paris to pursue music. Although he enjoyed some success as a flautist, oboist, and composer, he found his true calling as a music publisher, specializing in the works of Beethoven, Hummel (a friend of the couple), and of course, his wife. Louise’s biographer Bea Friedland describes their marriage thus: “A stable and mutually supportive relationship, the Farrenc union seems to have achieved a blend of communality and independence rarely seen in the 19th century.”
Over the course of her impressive career, Farrenc composed three symphonies and many pieces of chamber and solo piano music. In 1842, she became a professor of piano at the Paris Conservatoire, the only woman to hold a permanent post of that rank there during the 19th century; her two concert overtures, however, date from earlier in her career. Her first publicly performed works for orchestra, both were composed in quick succession in 1834. Her Overture No. 1 in E minor, Opus 23, received its premiere the following year, but the Overture No. 2 in E-flat major, Opus 24, had to wait until April of 1840 for its first performance, given by the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire. Hector Berlioz praised the work “whose craftsmanship shines above all” as “well written” and orchestrated with “a rare talent,” and it soon after received further performances in Copenhagen.
Clearly modeled on works by Mozart and Beethoven—two composers Farrenc championed as a performer—the overture begins with an imposing introduction in E-flat minor; this gives way to a mercurial Allegro whose effervescent main theme mixes major and minor. Daring harmonic surprises lead to a graceful second theme for the woodwinds, and a grand pause precedes a twisting and turning development. The overture ends with a recapitulation of its main ideas and a brilliant coda.
—Calvin Dotsey
Born Louise Farrenc
Program Notes
BEETHOVEN
Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Opus 67
Ludwig van Beethoven
Born
Died
Year Composed World Premiere
December 17, 1770 Bonn, Germany
March 26, 1827
Vienna, Austria
1808 1808
Vienna, Austria
Theater an der Wien
Beethoven (conductor)
Houston Symphony Premiere
Most Recent Houston Symphony Performance
1931 Uriel Nespoli (conductor)
2025 Gonzalo Farias (conductor)
Beethoven lived during an era of extraordinary violence and upheaval: the Napoleonic Wars. But battles were not only fought around Beethoven; with regard to his music, perhaps the most important struggle was within himself. Just as Beethoven was winning a reputation as the leading composer in Vienna, he was faced with a terrible fate: slow, progressive hearing loss that would render him completely deaf by the end of his life. In 1802, Beethoven contemplated suicide, writing, “It was only my art that held me back. Oh, it seemed impossible to me to leave this world before I had produced all that I felt capable of producing…” This crisis marked a major turning point in his musical style; he took the musical language he had inherited, tore it apart, and put it back together again, determined to write music that could chart the course from despair to victory.
Of all his works, the Fifth Symphony best exemplifies Beethoven’s new, “heroic” style. Though sketches for the symphony can be traced to 1804, Beethoven truly set to work on the piece in late 1807, completing it in early 1808. It has since become one of music history’s best-known works, but it would have sounded strange and new to Beethoven’s contemporaries. In the Fifth Symphony, Beethoven creates a narrative arc over the course of its four movements that leads from the darkness of the opening to the triumph of the finale.
The first movement begins with perhaps the four most famous notes in all music. Traditionally interpreted as “fate knocking at the door,” this iconic opening idea forms the basis of the entire symphony. Beethoven constructs his grand musical forms from simple building blocks, making the music gripping and coherent. The opening idea soon cascades throughout the orchestra until the horns expand on it, introducing a new, softer theme in the violins. This more hopeful melody is derived from the opening idea, but turned upside-down; in a way, it is its mirror image. The opening returns and the main ideas of the movement are repeated, leading to a turbulent development. As the development progresses, the music becomes weaker, as if dying away, until the opening idea makes a powerful reappearance. The oboe plays a brief, poignant solo before the other main ideas of the movement are reprised. In the end, the fateful opening idea ultimately prevails.
The slower second movement begins with a ruminative melody in the violas and cellos, to which the woodwinds and violins respond with consoling phrases. A brighter, more optimistic theme emerges in the clarinets and bassoons, but it is interrupted by uncertain, questioning music in the violins. Turning away from these doubts, the theme resumes resplendently in the brass. These two themes alternate and are varied with each appearance, growing more complex as the movement unfolds. After a brief, misty introduction, the third movement begins with a grim march based on the rhythm of the four notes that began the symphony. A contrasting middle section banishes the oppressive mood of the march with an upsurge of life; when the march returns, it appears in a weakened form featuring pizzicato strings.
Program Notes
BEETHOVEN
Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Opus 67
The final movements are linked by a mysterious bridge that crescendos to the triumphant entrance of the trombones, which mark the beginning of the finale. Beethoven presents a series of soaring, triumphant themes, leading to a final, stormy development. Suddenly, the music slows and becomes quieter as the weakened version of the march from the third movement reappears. The uplifting main themes of the movement are then reprised in preparation for an extended, jubilant coda.
—Calvin Dotsey
Program Bios
Juraj Valčuha, conductor
See p. 6 for bio
Leonardo Soto, timpani
Leonardo R. Soto, Jr. was appointed Principal Timpani of the Houston Symphony in 2018. Before arriving in Houston, Leo served as Principal Timpani of the Charlotte Symphony from 2009 to 2018, and the Michigan Opera Theatre-Detroit Opera House from 2003 to 2009. He was also an active member of Miami’s Nu-Deco ensemble.
Leo has the unique distinction of being the first native Hispanic timpanist to play in a major orchestra in the United States.
As an educator, Leonardo was faculty at Queens University of Charlotte as well as Artist in residence at Central Piedmont College, and an instructor for the Charlotte Youth Symphony program. As a clinician, he has taught master classes including PASIC’s Pennsylvania day of percussion, the University of North Carolina, Eastern Michigan University, Filarmónica Joven de Colombia, University of Georgia, Rice University, University of
Houston, Universidad de Antioquia de Colombia, and schools throughout South America. Leo often travels back to his native Chile to perform recitals, master classes, and clinics at the National University of Chile, the Youth Symphony Foundation, and the National Symphony.
Leonardo has appeared as a soloist with the Charlotte Symphony, Amarillo Symphony, and the Houston Symphony. In January 2017, he performed the world premiere of Evolution Percussion Concerto, written for him by composer Leonard Mark Lewis.
He began his musical education at the University of Chile and was the recipient of the Teatro Municipal of Santiago National Scholarship. Concurrently, he was trained as a Latin percussionist by his father, Leonardo Soto, Sr., one of Chile’s most prominent musicians in the field. Leo embarked on his professional career with the Santiago Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Chile, where he gained experience in orchestral, opera, and ballet repertoire. In 1997, he received the Fundación Andes International Scholarship, which brought him to the US and Carnegie Mellon University, where he studied with Timpanist Timothy Adams from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He was made an honorary student at Cleveland State University by Tom Freer of the Cleveland Orchestra.
Leonardo has worked with ensembles such as the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony, City Music Cleveland,
Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Toledo Symphony, and Grand Rapids Symphony, among others. As a Latin percussionist, he has recorded and toured with a number of artists from the Pennsylvania, Southern Michigan, and New York areas.
Working with Luft Mallets, Leo launched his own signature line of Timpani sticks to the market and is a proud performing artist for Pearl/Adams Percussion, Adams Percussion, Remo Drumheads, and Luft Mallets.
Andy Akiho, composer
Andy Akiho is a “trailblazing” (Los Angeles Times) Pulitzer Prize finalist and seven-time Grammynominated composer whose bold works unravel intricate and unexpected patterns while surpassing preconceived boundaries of classical music. Called “increasingly in-demand” by The New York Times, Akiho has earned international acclaim for his large-scale works that emphasize the natural theatricality of live performance. He is the only composer to be nominated for a Grammy in the Best
Contemporary Classical Composition category in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Program Bios
Recent highlights include the world premieres of several major works, most notably Nisei—a sweeping new concerto for cellist Jeffrey Zeigler—which headlined the year’s Sun Valley Music Festival in 2024. Another standout: Sculptures, a groundbreaking, triple Grammynominated work for the Omaha Symphony honoring renowned visual artist Jun Kaneko. Finally, BeLonging, a powerful new collaboration with Imani Winds with strong political undertones, also made highly acclaimed live and recorded debuts, receiving two Grammy nominations. Equally at home writing chamber music and symphonies, Akiho was the Oregon Symphony’s 2024–25 composer-in-residence.
Other recent engagements include commissioned premieres by the New York Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony, China Philharmonic, Guangzhou Symphony, Oregon
Symphony Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, Music@ Menlo, The Industry, and a soldout run of Seven Pillars at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
Akiho has been recognized via many prestigious awards and organizations including the Rome Prize, American Academy of Arts and Letters, Lili Boulanger Memorial Prize, Harvard University Fromm Commission, Barlow Endowment, New Music USA, and Chamber Music America. His compositions have been featured by organizations such as Bang on a Can, American Composers Forum, The Intimacy of Creativity in Hong Kong, and the Heidelberg Festival.
An active steel pannist, Akiho has performed his works with Imani Winds, the LA Philharmonic’s Green Umbrella Series, the Berlin Philharmonic’s Scharoun Ensemble, the International Drum Festival in Taiwan, and more.
Akiho’s recordings No One to Know One, The War Below, Seven Pillars, Oculus, Sculptures, and BeLonging feature brilliantly crafted compositions inspired by his primary instrument, the steel pan.
Akiho was born in Columbia, South Carolina, and is currently based in Portland, Oregon, and New York City.
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Featured Program Grieg’s Peer Gynt
Dima Slobodeniouk, conductor
*Karita Mattila , soprano
Houston Symphony Chorus, Anthony J. Maglione, director
*Rob Melrose, director (Peer Gynt)
*Christopher Hury, actor
*Luis Quintero, actor
*Alexandra Szeto-Joe, actor
*Kaylee McCray, stage manager
0:12 SIBELIUS – Pohjola’s Daughter, Opus 49
0:06 STILL – Threnody (In Memory of Jean Sibelius)
0:15 SIBELIUS – The Captive Queen, Opus 48
INTERMISSION
0:55 GRIEG – Selections from Peer Gynt
In partnership with the Alley Theatre. English translation by Paul Walsh.
1. At the Wedding
2. The Abduction of the Bride. Ingrid’s Lament
3. In the Hall of the Mountain King
4. The Death of Åse
5. Morning Mood
6. Arabian Dance
7. Anitra’s Dance
8. Peer Gynt and Anitra
9. Solveig’s Song
10. Peer Gynt’s Homecoming. Stormy Evening on the Sea
11. Night Scene
12. Whitsun Hymn, “Oh Blessed Morning”
13. Solveig’s Cradle Song
*Houston Symphony debut
About the Program
Friday, March 27
Saturday, March 28
Sunday, March 29
Program Insight
Jones Hall
Jones Hall & Livestream
Jones Hall
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
2 p.m.
Finnish guest conductor Dima Slobodeniouk returns to Jones Hall for a program of Nordic masterpieces featuring the fabulous Houston Symphony Chorus.
The program opens with a mythological work by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Completed in 1906, Pohjola’s Daughter is a brooding, dramatic masterpiece inspired by the Kalevala, Finland’s national epic.
Composed contemporaneously, Sibelius’s The Captive Queen is a rousing, patriotic choral work written to protest Russia’s domination of Finland.
Sandwiched between these two pieces by Sibelius is an American work inspired by the Finnish composer: William Grant Still’s Threnody: In Memory of Jean Sibelius. Still saw Sibelius’s quest to create a uniquely Finnish style of classical music as analogous to his own use of Black American musical traditions in his symphonies and operas.
The program concludes with the music Grieg wrote for Ibsen’s classic play, Peer Gynt. Featuring legendary Finnish soprano Karita Mattila together with the orchestra and chorus, this special theatrical presentation directed by the Alley Theatre’s Rob Melrose brings Ibsen’s fantasy to life, adding thought-provoking context to this familiar and beloved music.
—Calvin Dotsey
Sponsors
Margaret Alkek Williams Spotlight Series
The Classical Season is endowed by The Wortham Foundation, Inc. , in memory of Gus S. and Lyndall F. Wortham Gold Classics
Houston Symphony Chorus Endowment Sponsor
Video enhancement of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by the Albert & Ethel Herzstein Foundation through a special gift celebrating the Foundation�s 50 th anniversary in 2015
Program Notes
SIBELIUS
Pohjola’s Daughter, Opus 49
Jean Sibelius
Born
Died Year Composed World Premiere
December 8, 1865 Hämeenlinna, Finland
September 20, 1957
Ainola, Järvenpää, Finland
1906 1906
St. Petersburg, Russia
Mariinsky Theatre
The Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre, Jean Sibelius (conductor)
Houston Symphony Premiere
Most Recent Houston Symphony Performance
1965 John Barbirolli (conductor)
1965 John Barbirolli (conductor)
The relationship between program music and its literary sources is always complex; such is the case with Sibelius’s tone poem, Pohjola’s Daughter. The earliest sketches for material that would end up in the work date from 1901 and were originally associated with an oratorio titled Marjatta ja Kiesus (“Mary and Jesus”) based on Canto 50 of the Kalevala, Finland’s national epic. (Although the canto has loose parallels with the Gospel accounts of Jesus’s birth, the tale is a thoroughly Finnicized mythological allegory of Finland’s transition from paganism to Christianity). This oratorio project was abandoned by 1905, when Sibelius repurposed some of its material for a symphonic poem to be called Luonnotar, or “Nature Spirit” in Finnish, one of the names of the Finnish air goddess Ilmater. This, too, was abandoned in the summer of 1906 (although Sibelius would later write a different piece with the title Luonnotar). It seems that he quickly refashioned (or perhaps simply retitled) the piece to give us the tone poem we know today.
Sibelius initially wanted to call the work A Symphonic Fantasy: freely after the Finnish National Epic the Kalevala, but his German publisher Robert Lienau balked at such a long-winded and generic title. As the work’s long gestation suggests, Sibelius tended to write music in search of a program rather than the other way around. In the end, he decided that the story of Väinämöinen and Pohjola’s Daughter fit his music. The story comes from Canto 8 of the Kalevala, in which Väinämöinen, a shaman-like old man with magical powers, is returning from Pohjola, the wild Northland of Finnish mythology. He encounters a beautiful maiden perched atop a rainbow (Pohjola’s Daughter) and proposes marriage, but she refuses by setting him a series of impossible tasks, such as launching a boat without touching it. In the end, the demon Hiisi causes Väinämöinen’s axe to strike his knee; wounded, Väinämöinen retreats in search of a healer.
Structurally, the piece can be interpreted as following this story, opening with a dark-hued cello solo—the magical singing voice of Väinämöinen. The music accelerates as he speeds across the wilds of Pohjola on his sleigh, climaxing with heroic, brassy fanfares. A more lyrical theme then appears in the woodwinds—Pohjola’s Daughter. An intense development ensues—the impossible tasks—and the piece fades away with reminiscences of the opening music—Väinämöinen’s retreat. Musically, however, the work is also an important transitional piece in Sibelius’s development, with one foot in his early Romantic nationalism and another in the more abstract, nature-inspired style he would cultivate in his later years. It has many parallels with the first movement of his Fourth Symphony (including the opening cello solo and harmonic plan), and many commentators have noted Sibelius’s integration of influences from Debussy, Strauss, and Rimsky-Korsakov into his own, distinct musical language.
In the end, the work was titled by Lienau, who rejected Sibelius’s suggestions of Väinämöinen and the French title L’aventure d’un héros (“The adventure of a hero”), writing, “But why not ‘Pohjolas Tochter’ [Pohjola’s Daughter], really?” Sibelius acquiesced and conducted the premiere in St. Petersburg in December 1906. In 1943, Sibelius
Program Notes
SIBELIUS
Pohjola’s Daughter, Opus 49
responded to a request to perform the work under a Swedish-language title. He insisted on keeping the Finnish “Pohjola,” but noted that “Perhaps there should be a small program note, although it is, as a matter of fact, absolute music.” With or without the story, the work remains an evocative and thoroughly Finnish masterpiece.
—Calvin Dotsey
STILL
Threnody (In Memory of Jean Sibelius)
May 11, 1895 Woodville, MS
December 3, 1978 Los Angeles, CA
1965 1965
Miami, FL
University of Miami
The University of Miami Symphony Orchestra, Dr. Fabien Sevitzky (conductor)
2026
Dima Slobodeniouk (conductor)
Born in Woodville, Mississippi to a family of educators (who were themselves the children of formerly enslaved people), William Grant Still began playing violin and participating in choral singing as a child. After his father’s death, the family relocated to Arkansas. To please his mother, Still pursued a pre-medical degree from Wilberforce University in Ohio, although his true calling was to be a composer. During his early years as a professional musician, he gained experience in the world of popular music as an arranger and songwriter. Upon reaching the requisite age, he received his father’s inheritance and used the funds to pursue further musical education at Oberlin College. His studies were interrupted by a stint in the Navy during World War I, and in 1919, he moved to New York, where he found work in musical theater and radio. At the same time, Still pursued classical composition, studying briefly with George Whitefield Chadwick and, more significantly, with Edgard Varèse, one of the United States’ most influential musical modernists.
Still emerged as one of the most compelling musical voices of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s, at first cultivating an avant-garde style which mixed popular African American influences with the harmonic dissonances and unexpected rhythms of contemporary classical music. As the decade wore on, however, he moved away from what he later called his “ultramodern” style in favor of his “racial” style, which favored lush, romantic harmonies and orchestrations. As Still’s name for this style suggests, his music of this period drew deeply on African American musical traditions, from spirituals to blues to jazz. Completed in 1930, his groundbreaking Symphony No. 1, titled Afro-American Symphony, exemplifies the music of this period. The work became the first symphony by an African American composer to be premiered by a major orchestra when it was first performed by conductor Howard Hanson and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in 1931.
As the 1930s progressed, Still underwent his final stylistic evolution, developing what he called his “universal” style. Although his music continued to be deeply influenced by African American vernacular traditions, he often incorporated these influences more subtly and adopted a neoclassical approach to composition.
His Threnody: In Memory of Jean Sibelius dates from this period. Still was an admirer of Sibelius’s music, and saw parallels between his own mission of creating concert music based on African American themes and Sibelius’s similar project with the music of Finland. In his essay “Horizons Unlimited,” Still wrote, “A good example of the manner in which a composer can be influenced by a racial idiom and yet be able
Program Notes
STILL
Threnody (In Memory of Jean Sibelius)
SIBELIUS
The Captive Queen, Opus 48
Jean Sibelius
Born
Died Year Composed
World Premiere
December 8, 1865
Hämeenlinna, Finland
September 20, 1957
Ainola, Järvenpää, Finland
1906 1906
Helsinki, Finland
Orchestra of Helsinki
Philharmonic Society, Jean Sibelius (conductor)
Houston Symphony Premiere
2026
Dima Slobodeniouk (conductor)
to develop an individual style is expressed in this obituary, written in Australia after the death of Sibelius: ‘It has been said that the art of Sibelius took its root in the soil of his country, but became individualized by contact with his experience of life. Thus, because of his strong personal bias, combined with his racial consciousness, he evolved an artistic code of his own, neither modern nor archaic; his music is simply unlike any other.’”
Although Sibelius died in 1957, Still’s piece dates from several years later. It was commissioned by conductor Fabien Sevitzky, who led the premiere with the University of Miami Symphony Orchestra on March 14, 1965. The following year, the work was broadcast on Finnish radio. This concise memorial alternates an elegiac melody with a resolute funeral march. Featuring the pentatonicism characteristic of traditional spirituals, the work is unmistakably Still; however, the composer perhaps nods to Sibelius’s music in the orchestration, particularly with majestic brass chorales.
—Calvin Dotsey
Sibelius interrupted work on what would become Pohjola’s Daughter (also featured on this program) to compose The Captive Queen, a choral piece based on a text by Finnish poet and Shakespeare translator Paavo Cajander; the work, however, was not premiered under that name on May 12, 1906 at the University of Helsinki. Instead, it went by the more innocuous title There Sings the Queen
The switch was made purely to get the work past Russian censors. In 1906, Finland was still the “Grand Duchy of Finland,” a province in Tsar Nicholas II’s Russian Empire. Prior to the Napoleonic Wars, Finland had been a Swedish possession, colonized by a relatively small population of Swedish settlers who dominated urban and professional life while native Finns continued to live in traditional villages. When Sweden ceded Finland to Russia in 1809, the Swedish Finns were initially left to their own devices, but as time wore on, they found themselves in conflict with their new overlords. As Protestant Swedish-speakers accustomed to self-government, they had no wish to become Orthodox Russianspeakers obedient to an autocratic Tsar.
The philosopher and statesman Johan Vilhelm Snellman, whose 100th birthday The Captive Queen was written to commemorate, neatly stated a novel solution to this predicament: “Swedes we are not, Russians we do not want to be, So let us then be Finns.” Snellman was a leader of the Fennoman movement, which advocated that the Swedish Finns learn Finnish and embrace Finnish culture in the hopes of one day achieving an independent Finnish state—ironically, this seemed to be the surest way for the Swedish Finns to maintain their own way of life. Domestically, the Fennomans sought to educate the native Finnish population, integrate them into modern life, and instill in them a national consciousness; internationally, they would promote Finnish culture to make a case for Finnish sovereignty on the world stage. The story of Finland’s emergence
Program Notes
SIBELIUS
The Captive Queen, Opus 48
as an independent country is a long one, but to be brief, it worked. Sibelius was a major figure of this Finnish national project. Although he grew up speaking Swedish, he began learning Finnish as a young man and wholeheartedly embraced a Finnish identity (it helped that he married a beautiful heiress from one of Finland’s most prominent Fennoman families). Many of his works are inspired by Finnish mythology, and he wrote several explicitly patriotic pieces advocating for Finnish independence.
The Captive Queen is one of them, hence the need to fool the censor. Indeed, the titular queen is a transparent allegory for Finland, a land held captive by the tyrannical Tsar. Cajander’s verses employ the typical medieval imagery of a damsel in distress awaiting a knight in shining armor (the brave young men of Finland) to rescue her. Sibelius responds with a stirring and vivid score, much in the vein of his famous Finlandia.
—Calvin Dotsey
GRIEG
Selections from Peer Gynt
Born Edvard Grieg
Died Year Composed
World Premiere
June 15, 1843
Bergen, Norway
September 4, 1907
Bergen, Norway
1875 1876
Christiania (now Oslo), Norway
Christiania Theatre
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Edvard Grieg (conductor)
Today, Henrik Ibsen (1828–1906) is best remembered for intense, realistic dramas such as A Doll’s House (1879) and Hedda Gabler (1890), but Peer Gynt (1876) is an earlier work with a somewhat different character. Like many of Ibsen’s plays, Peer Gynt is at heart a social critique. The work is a biting satire of both the titular Peer Gynt and the society that formed him. Although Peer begins the play with an appealing lust for life, he is constantly rejected by the self-interested and judgemental communities in which he finds himself, whether they be his fellow villagers at a wedding, trolls in the hall of the Mountain King, a dinner party of rapacious imperialists, monkeys in an acacia tree, or the inmates of an insane asylum. A fantasist who deludes himself even more than he deludes others, Peer proves incapable of forging meaningful human connections and becomes progressively more selfish and amoral: he kidnaps (or rescues?) a reluctant bride, abandons several women, becomes a slave trader, and generally deals with all of his problems by running away from them. In the end, after traversing the world in a series of misadventures, he returns to Norway a bitter and disappointed old man. Neither God nor the devil will take him; instead, a mysterious figure, the Button-moulder, appears and declares that after death Peer’s worthless soul will be melted down for scrap unless he can at least provide a list of his sins—a list which the unreflective Peer seems incapable of providing himself. Preferring the fires of hell to the death of his ego, he returns to Solveig, a woman he abandoned long ago, and begs her to recite his sins. Overjoyed at Peer’s return, she replies, “You have not sinned at all, my dearest boy.” Ibsen ends the play ambiguously with a distraught, uncomprehending Peer crying into Solveig’s lap and the Button-moulder waiting in the wings. Ibsen clothes this cautionary parable in the garb of an exuberant fairy-tale fantasy: written in verse, the play includes a generous dose of mythical
creatures, magic, wry humor, and exotic locales. The original version of the play was meant to be read privately rather than staged; calling for more than 40 scene changes, it would have been impractical to realize with any realism before the advent of cinema. Years later, however, Ibsen created a revised, stageable version that would of course call for spectacular sets and costumes. Requiring a musical score to match, in January 1874 Ibsen wrote to Edvard Grieg: “I intend to adapt Peer Gynt for the theatre. Will you compose the music that will be required?”
Grieg quickly agreed, later recalling, “It was the need for money—or, more precisely, it was the offer of money—that drove me,” although he also ironically noted that “the performance of Peer Gynt just now can do some good in Oslo, where materialism is trying to rise up and choke everything that we regard as high and holy. There is a need for one more mirror, I think, in which all the egotism can be seen, and such a mirror is Peer Gynt [...]”
As the project progressed, more and more music was needed to accompany the five-act play. By August, Grieg admitted that, “The job is proving to be much larger than I had thought, and in some places I am encountering difficulties that have me absolutely stymied.” About a year after accepting, he confessed that the project “hangs over me like a nightmare, and I can’t possibly be done with it until spring.”
Grieg ultimately took a year and a half to complete the incidental music. He refused to attend any rehearsals and skipped the premiere, fearing that the ragtag 35-piece orchestra engaged for the production would make mincemeat of his score: regarding his “wretched Peer Gynt music,” he wrote, “I had to banish my ideals in order to cover up for a poor orchestra and enhance the popular stage effects.” To Grieg’s surprise, both the play and the music proved a smashing popular success. Nevertheless, Grieg remained dissatisfied with his score, and continued to revise it throughout his life—particularly with regard to the orchestration. In the end, Grieg’s Peer Gynt stands with Bizet’s Carmen and Tchaikovsky’s ballets as a new kind of theatrical music, in which concise, superbly crafted numbers tell a story through irresistible tunes, colorful orchestration, and keen dramatic insight.
—Calvin Dotsey
Program Bios
Dima Slobodeniouk, conductor
Acclaimed by both musicians and audiences for his dynamic leadership and exhilarating interpretations, Dima Slobodeniouk stands among the most respected conductors today.
Slobodeniouk collaborates with the world’s leading orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, and NHK Symphony Orchestra.
In the 2025–26 Season, Dima Slobodeniouk returns to the U.S. to lead the New York Philharmonic, as well as the Boston, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and Houston Symphony orchestras and makes his debut with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. He opens the season with a return to the Tanglewood Music Festival, where he conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra in two programs and leads a performance with the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra. This summer also sees
him with The Cleveland Orchestra at the Blossom Music Festival and leading the Seoul Philharmonic as part of the Lotte Hall Festival.
Other season highlights include appearances with WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne, Dresden Philharmonic, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Bergen Philharmonic, and Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. He conducted the Vienna Symphony Orchestra in a program featuring Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 for the New Year’s Eve concerts and will also lead this work with the Boston Symphony Orchestra to close their 2025–26 Season.
Known for his musical expertise and interpretive depth, Slobodeniouk is also an acclaimed recording artist. Recent notable recordings include Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Cello Concerto with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and Nicolas Altstaedt (Alpha) which received an ICMA Award. His latest release on the BIS label features Stravinsky’s Symphony in Three Movements, Symphony in C, and Symphonies of Wind Instruments recorded with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, where he served as Music Director.
Dima Slobodeniouk served as Music Director of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia from 2013 to 2022, Principal Conductor of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra from 2016 to 2021, and the Artistic Director of the Sibelius Festival.
Karita Mattila, soprano
Internationally revered for her lyric vocal beauty and commanding theatrical presence, Karita Mattila continues to captivate audiences worldwide in a career spanning more than four decades. The Finnish soprano has garnered critical acclaim for her dramatic portrayals and celebrated interpretations of 20 th-century and contemporary repertoire.
This season begins with a return to her native Finland for the closing concert at the Sibelius Festival in Lahti, a recital in Iitti, and masterclasses at the Finnish National Opera followed by returns to NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Dresdner Philharmonie for concert performances of Elektra
Highlights from last season include returns to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden for Jenůfa; the National Theatre Prague for Jenůfa; Opéra National de Paris for Suor Angelica; ABAO Bilbao Opera for Suor Angelica; and the Gran Teatre del Liceu for Rusalka.
Operatic highlights of Mattila’s recent seasons include Salome at Opéra National de Paris, Canadian Opera Company, and Houston Grand Opera; Elektra at Deutsche
Program Bios
Oper Berlin and Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Suor Angelica at the Salzburg Festival; La voix humaine at Finnish National Opera; Jenůfa in Claus Guth’s award-winning production at The Royal Opera, Covent Garden; Lohengrin at the Savonlinna Festival; and The Makropulos Case at Opéra National de Paris.
Mattila is a two-time Grammy Award winner for Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg under Sir Georg Solti and Jenůfa under Bernard Haitink. Her extensive discography includes Vier letzte Lieder under Claudio Abbado (Deutsche Grammophon) and her 40 th birthday concert from Helsinki (Ondine).
Her distinguished career has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Order of the Lion of Finland (First Class Commander), Musical America’s Musician of the Year, the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, and the Royal Philharmonic Society Award for her performances in Jenůfa and The Makropulos Case
Mattila studied at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki with Liisa Linko-Malmio and later with Vera Rózsa. A sought-after mentor, she has recently led masterclasses at the Peabody Institute, Lauluakatemia Helsinki, the Birgit Nilsson Museum, Wigmore Hall (in partnership with the Sibelius Academy and Keval Shah), and Savonlinna Music Academy.
Rob Melrose, director
Rob Melrose is the Artistic Director of Alley Theatre, where he has directed productions of The Da Vinci Code, The Glass Menagerie, The Janeiad, Thornton Wilder’s The Emporium, Pictures from Home, The Servant of Two Masters, Born with Teeth, Sweat, The Winter’s Tale, 1984, and Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. He also adapted and directed A Christmas Carol.
Melrose was formerly the Artistic Director and co-founder of the Cutting Ball Theater. He has directed at The Public Theater, The Guthrie Theater, Asolo Repertory Theatre, The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Magic Theatre, The Old Globe, PlayMakers Rep, and Black Box Theatre, as well as Actors’ Collective, The Gamm Theatre, and Crowded Fire, among others.
He has taught at Stanford University, UC Berkeley, USF, the University of Rhode Island, and Marin Academy. He has a BA in English and Theater from
Princeton University and an MFA in directing from the Yale School of Drama.
Rob directed Strindberg’s Svarta Handsken (The Black Glove) in Stockholm, Sweden, at Strindberg’s Intimate Theater. His translations of Woyzeck, Ubu Roi, and Pelleas & Melisande have been published by EXIT Press. He has written a number of plays including: Helen of Troy, The Flat Earth, Divorsosaurus, When Human Voices Wake Us, Asylum, and Serpentyne and has written a rock musical adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s Ozma of Oz
Thanks to a generous grant from the Roy Cockrum Foundation, he is excited to be directing an unabridged, six-hour, two-part production of Henrik Ibsen’s Peer Gynt at Alley Theatre in the Fall of 2027 in a new translation by Paul Walsh.
Christopher Hury, actor
Chris is delighted to be performing with the Houston Symphony for the first time. He is a veteran actor who was last seen at the Houston
Grand Opera as the Detective in their acclaimed production of Porgy and Bess.
Program Bios
Other favorite roles include Alan in God of Carnage and Jason in Medea at the Dallas Theater Center; the title roles in both Cyrano de Bergerac and Macbeth at Shakespeare Dallas; and Michael Centanni in Wil Calhoun’s Leavings at the Circle Repertory Company in New York.
In addition to his work in the theater, Chris has appeared in numerous commercials and television programs, has voiced a variety of characters in the English language versions of popular anime shows, and is an experienced motion capture actor whose work can be seen in the recently released video games, Doom: The Dark Ages and Borderlands 4.
He is also the father of seven-yearold triplet daughters. As a result, he needs a nap even as you read this.
Luis Quintero, actor
Luis Quintero is an actor, composer, fight choreographer, and award-winning playwright. His Hip Hop adaptation of Medea, produced by Red Bull Theater, was nominated for four Lucille Lortels and two Drama Desk Nominations
with a win in playwriting from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Artists (HOLA).
He is a bi-coastally based artist working from Houston and New York. Locally he attended Seven Lakes High School in Katy. Upon graduating from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, he has appeared in Houston theaters including A.D. Players, Stages, Fourth Wall Theatre Company, and The Alley.
Regionally he has performed all around the United States including The Old Globe San Diego, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, The North Carolina Symphony, and Hudson Valley Shakespeare. Yearly, Luis can be seen across the way in A Christmas Carol at the Alley Theater.
Upcoming writing commissions include The Minotaur with Hudson Valley Shakes and Phaedra with Red Bull Theater and the Alley. He would like to thank his mother, father, brother, and partner Beth for all of their support as well as the Houston Symphony for the opportunity to strut the boards.
Alexandra Szeto-Joe, actor
Alexandra Szeto-Joe is a professional actress and theater artist based in both Houston and New York City. Fun fact: Alexandra grew up playing the harp! So she is delighted to be back in an orchestral environment performing with instruments she knows and music she loves.
Alexandra has performed with other companies such as The Alley Theatre, Stages Houston, Capital Repertory Theater, Catskill Mountain Shakespeare, and Houston Grand Opera. She has had the privilege of heading several regional and American premieres, including but not limited to Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d (The Alley Theatre), The Chinese Lady (Stages Houston), Becky Nurse of Salem (Capital Repertory Theater), POTUS (Stages Houston), Emojiland: The Musical (Tapestry Players), and the Christmas at Pemberley series at Main Street Theater (2021-2023).
Alexandra was recently named a standout actor in Houston Press’s “Ones to Watch in Houston’s Theater Scene 2025–26,” and also was named a finalist for Best Supporting Actress last year for
Program Bios
her portrayal of Irina in Three Sisters at Classical Theatre Company. Alexandra holds a BFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Big love to her mom and big brother for all their support!!
Kaylee McCray, stage manager
Kaylee Sarton McCray (she/her) is a Houston-based stage manager, primarily in theatre and musical theatre, although she’s dabbled in
music and dance. She has been on the stage management team at Alley Theatre for nearly 15 productions, including titles such as English, The Da Vinci Code, The Glass Menagerie, and Jane Eyre
She has a special love for the collaborative nature of new work—a selection of new titles at the Alley and other institutions around Houston include Cowboy Bob, Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me a Soprano, a new translation of Chekhov’s Little Comedies, A Texas Carol, The Woman in the
SUBSCRIBER OF THE MONTH:
SHELLEY WISNER
Q: How long have you been a Houston Symphony subscriber?
I have been a subscriber with the Houston Symphony for approximately 15 seasons. I enjoy the Sunday matinees because it’s such a relaxing way to end the weekend.
Q: What do you love the most about the Houston Symphony?
I love everything about the Houston Symphony. Our son, Jonathan, helped inspire me to enjoy classical music. He’s been a percussionist since third grade. Due to him, I really love watching the percussion section!
Q: Can you tell us about your favorite memory of attending a performance?
My favorite memory of attending a concert was a
Mirror, and The Night Shift Before Christmas (and its subsequent remount). Kaylee is very proud to be exercising the “new work” muscles on this hybrid of art forms.
She attained her BFA in Theatre with an emphasis in Design, Technology, and Management from Sam Houston State University. Proud member of Actors’ Equity Association, the labor union representing stage managers and actors in the American theatre.
few years ago when the Symphony performed the Jurassic Park score along with the movie. Jonathan was asked to be a sub with the orchestra; it was so much fun watching him perform in his hometown.
Q: What concert are you most excited about this season?
I was excited to attend the concert where Marin Alsop conducted the orchestra. She has been such an amazing influence on women in classical music.
houston symphony chorus
Anthony J. Maglione Director
Julia C. Hall Assistant Director
The Houston Symphony Chorus is the official choral unit of the Houston Symphony and consists of highly skilled and talented volunteer singers. Over the years, members of this historic ensemble have learned and performed the world’s great choral-orchestral masterworks under the batons of Juraj Valčuha, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Hans Graf, Christoph Eschenbach, Robert Shaw, and Helmuth Rilling, among many others.
In addition, the Chorus enjoys participating in the Houston Symphony’s popular programming under the batons of conductors such as Steven Reineke and Michael Krajewski. Recently, the ensemble sang the closing subscription concerts with the Prague Symphony Orchestra in the Czech Republic.
Singers are selected for specific programs for which they have indicated interest. A singer might choose to perform in all 45 concerts, as was the case in a recent season, or might elect to participate in a single series. The Houston Symphony Chorus holds auditions by appointment and welcomes inquiries from interested singers.
ANTHONY J. MAGLIONE
Conductor, Composer, and Producer Anthony J. Maglione is Director of Choral Studies at the University of Houston and Director of the Houston Symphony Chorus. He joined the Moores School of Music faculty from William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, where he was the Director of Choral Studies and held the Robert H. McKee Chair of Music. Choirs under his direction have appeared at state, regional, and national conventions; released internationally distributed commercial recordings; and have twice been named Runner-Up for the American Prize in Choral Performance, College/University Division. A frequent collaborator, he has prepared choirs for performances with the American Spiritual Ensemble, Boston Camerata, The Canadian Brass, Joyce DiDonato, Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, Kansas City Civic Orchestra, The King’s Singers, Kings Return, and the Mark Morris Dance Group.
Maglione is an often-performed and commissioned composer with a growing national reputation and his music has appeared at state, regional, and national-level conventions; on TV; and in video games; and has been recorded on Albany Records, Centaur Records, GIA Choral Works, and Gothic Records. Several of his choral works are published on James Jordan’s “Evoking Sound” choral series through GIA Publications as well as “The Amanda Quist Signature Choral Series” on Gentry Publications.
In 2018, Maglione’s cantata for soloists, choir, and orchestra, The Wedding of Solomon, premiered at the American Guild of Organists National Convention. The Miami University Men’s Glee Club premiered Maglione’s On Life at the 2019 National ACDA Conference. In early 2020, Verdigris Ensemble premiered his extended dramatic work Dust Bowl as part of the AT&T Performing Arts Center’s Elevator Project in Dallas, Texas. Dust Bowl was recently revised and performed again in 2024 at the Wyly Theatre in Dallas through funding in-part from the National Endowment of the Arts. From 2023 to 2025, Maglione served as Composer-InResidence with Te Deum, a professional choir based in Kansas City.
As a producer, Maglione lends his ears to recording projects around the country and recently received national attention through his production work with Sam Brukhman and Verdigris Ensemble on Betty’s Notebook by composer Nicholas Reeves. This ground-breaking, programmable art music is the first of its kind and the first to be sold using blockchain technology.
As a tenor, Maglione has appeared with renowned organizations such as Artefact Ensemble, Cappella Romana, Kansas City Baroque Consortium, Kantorei KC, The Same Stream, The St. Tikhon Choir, Sunflower Baroque, and Spire Chamber Ensemble.
A sought-after clinician and frequent guest conductor, Maglione teaches workshops and has conducted All-State and honor choirs in California, Kansas,
CHORUS ROSTER
Steve Abercia
Melissa Adams
Mary Ann Addis
Ayden Adler
Bob Alban
Mark Anstrom
Keith Anthis
Allison Arnold
Farrah Au-Yeung
Shannon Elizabeth Barbaran
Ellis Bardin
Mansi Baxi
Jay Besch
Dave Blassingame
Sarah Blumhardt
Randy Boatright
Criselda Bocanegra*
Jonathan Bordelon*
Sara Brannon
Nancy Shelton Bratic
Jennifer Breneman
Kimberly Burton
Ann Colleen Candler
Doris Caraballo-Ayala
Doni L. Carder
William K. Cheadle
Alysse Chivonne
Nancy Christopherson
Adria Clark
Nicole Colby-Bordelon
Andy Corbin
Michael P. Dorn
Corita Parker DuBose
Steve Dukes
Randy Eckman
Paul Ehrsam
Georgia Elgohary
Nicole Elliott
Chris Fair
Ian Fetterley
Amanda Fetter-Matthys*
Dylan Fornshell
Rachel Gehman
Michael G. Gilbert
Rex Gillit
John Glaser
Robert Lee Gomez
Vselovod Gontsov
Daniel Gorelick
Julia Hall
Sydnee Horton
Catherine Howard
Sylvia J. Hysong
Jenny Jou
Elise Kappelmann
Gretchen L. Kersten
Nobuhide Kobori
David Kolacny Jr.
Elizabeth Kragas
Natalie Kronser
Sia Janice Kuresa
Brian K. Lassinger
Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. He holds degrees from Westminster Choir College of Rider University, East Carolina University, and the University of California, Los Angeles.
Lauren Lawson
Nathan Lazenberry
Dean Leake
Jiapei Yang Li
Rachel Lootens
Benjamin Luss*
Brendan Lutes
Lisa Marut-Shriver
Ken Mathews
Ana Isabel Mendoza
James K. Moore
Robert Nash
Savannah Newsome
Benedict Tri Nguyen
Theresa Olin
David Opheim
Janwin Overstreet-Goode
Bill Parker
Paul Parkinson
Jennifer S. Paulson
Lauren Price
Greg Railsback
Linda Renner
Dylan Rivera
Douglas Rodenberger
Carolyn Rogan
Missy Roth
Marta Salazar
Emily Elizabeth Sanders
Angela Bongat Seaman
Claire Sewell
Joshua Snedeker
Jonathan Snowden
Mark Standridge
Carol Strawn
Cecilia Sun
Caitlyn Surkein
Suzy Thacker
Paul Van Dorn
Mary Voigt
Natalie Voogt
Heidi Walton
Lydia Wassan
David Wellborn
Lance Wilcox
Hollis Wilkins
Lee Estes Williams
Jerry Yang
Grace Zeinieh
*Section Leader
Corporate Spotlights
Established in 2014, CKP is an independent, woman-owned, Texas-based integrated communications firm headquartered in Houston, Texas with offices in Austin, Dallas, Charlotte, NC, and Charleston, SC.
CKP develops smart strategies, creates award-winning ideas, and delivers results. CKP’s creative storytellers, detail-oriented data crunchers, and dogged researchers use a research-driven approach that provides the laser-focus to develop strategic action plans that elevate brands.
CKP has been recognized by the American Marketing Association, Public Relations Society of America, and the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals for client work across all communications verticals. Their people-first approach has landed them on several Best Places to Work lists, including #6 on the Houston Business Journal Best Places to Work annual survey and listed as an Inc. Magazine Best Workplace in the US. The team’s culture of discipline and leadership has earned them the honor of PRSA Houston Agency of the Year three consecutive times, plus best-in-show awards with both the Houston and Dallas PRSA chapters. CKP is consistently ranked on the Inc. 5000 Series list of fastest-growing private companies in Texas, a direct result of the team’s ongoing focus on providing a high level of value and building long-term, meaningful client relationships.
Visit theckpgroup.com to learn more.
EOG Resources is one of the largest independent crude oil and natural gas companies in the United States, known for its commitment to innovation and operational excellence. With deep roots in the Houston community, EOG is dedicated to supporting organizations that strengthen the region’s cultural life. Through their partnership with the Houston Symphony, EOG helps sustain world-class performances, including its sponsorship of last season’s Special concert featuring Cynthia Erivo. Their investment in the Symphony reflects the company’s belief in enriching the communities where its employees live and work.
As a celebrated member of Houston’s performing arts community for more than 100 years, the Houston Symphony is proud to partner with another local institution that has been giving back to the city for more than a century: Vinson & Elkins LLP, an international law firm with more than 700 lawyers in 11 offices worldwide.
The lawyers and business professionals at Vinson & Elkins truly believe in the value of giving back to the communities they serve and are especially proud of their long tradition of supporting the arts here where the firm was founded. Visit velaw.com for more information about the firm.
The Houston Symphony thanks Vinson & Elkins for the firm’s continued support.
The Houston Symphony gratefully acknowledges those who support our artistic, educational, and community engagement programs through their annual generosity. Our Donors
Listing as of January 13, 2026
$100,000+
more than
Donors $100,000+
Dr. Eric McLaughlin & Mr. Eliodoro Castillo
Eric and Elliot are active philanthropists in Houston’s performing arts world. They are proud to elevate their support of the Symphony and its vision to be a world-class orchestra and Houston cultural leader. Outside of his entrepreneurial and healthcare pursuits, Eric dabbles in playing the piano. He cites exceptional performing arts and powerful air conditioning as key reasons he calls Houston home. Elliot, a professionally trained bass-baritone opera singer, has also grown his real estate and property management portfolio to over $40 million in just a few years. Together, Eric and Elliot enjoy travel and the outdoors.
Bobbie is actively involved in multiple civic, community, and philanthropic organizations in Houston and is a generous supporter of the Symphony’s Annual Fund, Special Events, and Endowment. She attends both classical and pops concerts and provides leadership support for general operations each year. In 2022, she endowed the orchestra’s Principal Clarinet Chair. In 2023, she chaired the highest-grossing Houston Symphony Wine Dinner and Collector’s Auction in the event’s history. Bobbie is former majority owner of Silver Eagle Distributors.
Bobbie Nau
Our Donors
Leslie Nossaman
$100,000+
Leslie is an impactful leader on both the Symphony Board as a Governing Director and Houston Symphony League Board. She has been a Symphony patron since the 1980s and a major volunteer since 2016, including Student Concerts, Family Concerts, musician auditions, and the Archives. She is currently President-Elect for the League and participates on many Symphony committees such as Marketing, Development, and Education and Community Engagement. She is also the Chair for the Livestream and Recording Studio Consortium.
John & Lindy Rydman/Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods
The Houston Symphony’s Principal Corporate Guarantor 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 Symphony fundraising event, Vintage Virtuoso. In total, the company has contributed more than $6.5 million to the Symphony since 1996.
Mike Stude
Mike Stude, Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees, has been one of the Symphony’s most devoted champions for decades. He has made extraordinary personal contributions of time and treasure and is a steadfast advocate of the Symphony and its Endowment among foundations and peers. A lifelong lover of classical music, Mike is former owner of KRTS classical radio, serves as a Musician Sponsor, and has traveled worldwide to hear the orchestra on tour. He began his career at Brown & Root and later became Owner and President of Stude Investment Partners and Chairman of Big Covey Exploration.
Bobby and Phoebe Tudor
Bobby and Phoebe Tudor are leading Houston philanthropists with a remarkable dedication to the Houston Symphony. Over the course of their decades-long involvement, they have provided leadership support for virtually every one of the organization’s strategic priorities. Bobby has served as both President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees. He is CEO of Artemis Energy Partners; previously, he was a founding partner and chairman of Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. Phoebe is an active community volunteer involved with the arts, historic preservation, parks, education, and quality-of-life issues.
Margaret Alkek Williams
The Houston Chronicle named Margaret “the most powerful, committed female philanthropist in Houston since Ima Hogg.” Her extraordinary contributions have made a remarkable impact at the Symphony and across the theater district. Each season, she sponsors the six-concert Margaret Alkek Williams Spotlight Series and serves as Grand Guarantor of two programs. In 2015, Margaret endowed the orchestra’s Executive Director/CEO Chair. She is a Lifetime Trustee and Governing Director. In 2024, the Margaret Alkek Williams Grand Lobby opened at Jones Hall.
Our Donors
Edward & Janette Blackburne
Mary Kathryn Campion & Stephen Liston
Drs. Dennis & Susan Carlyle
Brady F. & Zane Carson Carruth
Anne & Albert Chao
Virginia A. Clark
Aggie L. Foster & Steve Simon
Elia & Michael Gabbanelli
In memory of Ira T. Anderson
Jr. by Frances Anderson & Jennifer Anderson
Ann & Jonathan Ayre
Dr. Saúl & Ursula Balagura
Barbara & David Balderston
Donna & Ken Barrow
James* & Dale Brannon
Nancy & Walter Bratic
Mr. Christopher Cheever
Mr. & Mrs. Russell M. Frankel
David & Aoife French
Evan B. Glick
Mr. Joe Greenberg & Mrs. Claire Liu
Mark & Ragna Henrichs
Dr. Rita Justice/The MasterCaregiver Company
Tom Anderson
Nina K. Andrews
Dr. Angela R. Apollo
Anne Morgan Barrett
Mr. David J. Beck
Dr. Gudrun H. Becker
In Memory of Sybil F. Roos –Ginger Bertrand, Cathey Cook, & Betsy Garlinger
Terry Ann Brown
Kathryn & Eric D. Brueggeman
Mr. Robert Bunch & Ms. Lilia Khakimova
Ralph Burch
Kori & Chris Caddell
Kristen J. Cannon
Dr. Robert N. Chanon
Stephen & Mariglyn Glenn
Gary L. Hollingsworth & Kenneth J. Hyde
Rebecca & Bobby Jee
Joan & Marvin Kaplan Foundation/The Kaplan, Brooks, and Bruch Families
Carey Kirkpatrick
Cindy E. Levit
Mr. & Mrs. J. Stephen Marks
Lil & Matthew Kades
Gwen & Dan Kellogg
Mr. & Mrs. David B. Krieger
Paul Leach & Susan Winokur
Joella & Steven P. Mach
Alison & Ara Malkhassian
Mrs. Carolyn & Dr. Michael Mann
Barry & Rosalyn Margolis
Family
Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis
Michelle & Jack Matzer
John & Dorothy McDonald
Jim & Terri McLaughlin
Katie & Bob Orr / Oliver Wyman
Gloria & Joe Pryzant
Brad & Joan Corson
Jeanette & John DiFilippo
Mike & Debra Dishberger
Andria N. Elkins
Sidney Faust
Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey B. Firestone
Eugene Fong
Mrs. Mary Foster & Mr. Don DeSimone
Mary & Steve Gangelhoff
Mr. & Mrs. Shaun Gibson
Suzan & Julius Glickman
Mrs. Mary Goodman
Mr. & Mrs. Fred L. Gorman
Jo A. & Billie Jo Graves
Claudio J. Gutiérrez
Mr. Stan Haddock
Dr. Miguel & Mrs. Valerie Miro-Quesada
Mr. David Peavy & Dr. Stephen McCauley
Shirley & David Toomim Family Foundation / Steve & Ellen Robinson
Kathy & Ed Segner
Margaret & Joel Shannon
Robin Angly & Miles Smith
$50,000+
Alana R. Spiwak & Sam L. Stolbun
Anne Adams & Terry Thomas
Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor
Robert G. Weiner & Toni Blankmann
$25,000+
Laurie A. Rachford
Ed & Janet* Rinehart
Toni A. Oplt & Ed Schneider
Donna Scott & Mitch Glassman
Ms. Diana Skerl
Bill & Ann Stanley
Mr. Jay Steinfeld & Mrs. Barbara Winthrop
Stephen & Kristine Wallace
Jay & Gretchen Watkins
Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber
Steven & Nancy Williams
Ellen A. Yarrell
Elena & John Young Anonymous
Mr. & Mrs.* Jerry L. Hamaker
Carol & Charlie Herder
Mrs. James E. Hooks
Catherine & Brian James
Dr. Charles Johnson & Tammie Johnson
Mr. & Mrs. Bashar Kalai
Ms. Linda R. Katz
Dr. & Mrs. I. Ray Kirk
Ms. Nancey G. Lobb
Cindy Mao & Michael Ma
Elissa & Jarrod Martin
Susan & Michael Mason
Marvin & Martha McMurrey
Diane K. Morales
Michael Baugh & Tim Ong
Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan E. Parker
Jean & Allan Quiat
$15,000+
Susan & Ed Septimus
Mr. & Mrs. James A. Shaffer
Becky Shaw
Tad & Suzanne Smith
Dr. Carol Stelling
Justin Stenberg
Mr. & Mrs. Karl Strobl
Mrs. Marguerite M. Swartz
Marc Tabolsky & Sally Anne Schmidt
Margaret Waisman, M.D. & Steven S. Callahan, Ph.D. Vicki West
Kate & Brook Wiggins
Larry & Lori Williams
Ellen & Tony Williford
Rini & Edward Ziegler
Anonymous
Our Donors
Gail & Louis Adler
Stanford & Joan Alexander Foundation
Marcie & Nick Alexos
Edward H. Andrews III
Laura & Christopher
Armstrong
Rita & Jeffrey Aron
Johanna & Brad Bishop
Judy & James Bozeman
Carrie & Sverre BrandsbergDahl
Barbara A. Brooks
Dolores & Craig Brooks
Ms. Deborah Butler*
Chaing-Lin & Ye-Mon Chen
Coneway Family Foundation
Roz & Byron* Cooley
Regina & Larry Corbin
Debby & Roger Cutler
Alexander Dell
Elisabeth DeWitts
Valerie Palmquist Dieterich & Tracy Dieterich
Kathy & Frank Dilenschneider
Bonnie & George Dolson
Rosalind & Gary Dworkin
Kelli Cohen Fein & Martin Fein
Ursula H. Felmet
Janet Gurwitch & Ronald Franklin
Dr. & Mrs. George* J. Abdo
John & Pat* Anderson
Dr. Julia Andrieni & Dr. Rob Phillips
Rick Ankrom & Jay Hooker
Mr. Jeff Autor
Jacqueline Baly
Sarah Barrett
Stephanie & Dom Beveridge
Dr. Joan H. Bitar
Florence & George Boerger
Mr. Russell Boone
Margery Anderson & Farhad Bozorgmehr
Mr. Gordon J. Brodfuehrer
Mr. Chester Brooke & Dr.
Nancy Poindexter
Sharon & Bill Bullock
Patricia & William Bumpus
David Bush
Bernie Cantu & Rubens Franz
John W. Cassidy
Tatiana & Daniel Chavanelle
Heaven Chee
Barbara A. Clark & Edgar A. Bering
Ms. Miquel A. Correll
Fernando Alberto Cuartas
Corey Tu & Andrew Davis
Joseph & Rebecca Demeter
Ms. Ellen Dillon
Mr. Parrish N. Erwin Jr.
Lindsay & Brian Fisher
Carolyn & Patrick Gaidos
Grace Ho & Joe Goetz
Ms. Lidiya Gold
The Gordan A. Cain Foundation
Kathryn & Kirk Hachigian
Deborah Happ & Richard Rost
Sandy & Don L. Harris
Pam & Jim Harris
Ann G. Hightower
Katherine & Archibald Hill
Katherine Hill
Mina Park & Olaf Honerkamp
Dawn James
Marzena & Jacek Jaminski
Josephine & Phil John
Donna Marie & John Joity
Debbie & Frank Jones
Betty & Jim Key
Yvette & David J. M. Key
Carmen & Alfred J. Knapp Jr.
Julie Van & Joshua Lee
Helen & Calvin Leeke
Richard Loewenstern
Marilyn G. Lummis
Pat & Bob Lunn
Nancy F. Martin
Martha & Alexander Matiuk
Dr. & Mrs. Malcolm L. Mazow
Kandee & Terry McGill
Dianne G. Foutch
Bill & Diana Freeman
Alejandro E. Gallardo
Dr. Eugenia C. George
Mr. Gary Ginstling & Mrs.
Marta Lederer
Kathy & Albrecht Goethe
Susan & Bradford Goodwin Jr.
Julianne & David Gorte
The Hon. Stella GuerraNelson
Rizzia Hammond
Mary N. Hankey
Elaine & Jeffrey Hiller
Susan Akers Hirtz
Mr. & Mrs. John Homier
Lindsay & John W. Hutchinson
Daniel Irion
Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Jankovic
Stephen Jeu & Susanna Calvo
Beverly Johnson
Kaleta Johnson
Mady & Ken Kades
Kathryn L. Ketelsen
Kirk Kveton
Mr. Steve Lee
Gail Little
Rachel Lloyd
Kirby & David Lodholz
Mary Marquardsen
Ms. Kathy McCraigh
Carol & Paul McDermott
Rita & Paul Morico
Barbara & Gerald Moynier
Jo Ann & Marvin Mueller
Dr. Susan Osterberg & Mr.
Edward C. Osterberg, Jr.
Dianne Padgett
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Pastorek
Mr. Robert J. Pilegge
Mrs. Jenny Popatia in memory of Dr. Tajdin R. Popatia
Heather & Chris Powers
Edlyn & David Pursell
Radoff Family
Christiana & George Ransford
Mona & Gabriel Rio
Jill & Allyn Risley
Fay & George Rizzo
Floyd W. Robinson
Alicia & Douglas Rodenberger
Robert K. Rogerson
Roz & David Rowan
Lori Harrington & Parashar Saikia
Dr. John R. Stroehlein & Miwa Sakashita
Christy & Ted Sarosdy
Barbara & Paul Schwartz
Andrea & Charles Seay
Mr. Stephen Mendoza
Larry & Lyn Miller
Josie & Phil Morgan
Suzannah Brock Morris
Stephanie Weber & Paul Muri
Aprill Nelson
Bobbie Newman
Linda Tarpley Peterson
Dr. & Mrs. James L. Pool
Roland & Linda Pringle
Darla & Chip Purchase
Cris & Elisa Pye
Uma Ramaswamy
Vicky & Michael Richker
Constance E. Roy
Megan Anne & Jason Ryan
Michael T. & Sophie Rydin
Andrew Sackheim
Ellen Safier & Efrain Bleiberg
Lawrence P. Schanzmeyer
Garry & Margaret Schoonover
Robert Seah
Carolyn A. Seale
Angelica Garza & Richard Sepulveda
Mr. & Mrs. Charles O. Shearouse
Donna & Tim Shen
Mr. & Mrs. Steven Sherman
Mr. Philip Shipp
Aerin & Quentin Smith
Sandy & George Sneed
Dr. & Mrs. Robert B. Sloan
Houston Christian
University
Mr. & Mrs. Jim R. Smith
Anthony & Lori Speier
Mary & Richard Spies
Helen & David Stacy
Tina Raham Stewart in memory of Jonathan Stewart
Karen Tell
Susan L. Thompson
Carol & Eric Timmreck
Nanako & Dale Tingleaf
Pamalah* & Stephen Tipps
John G. Turner & Jerry G. Fischer
Frances & Brad Urquhart
David & Robin Walstad
Barbara E. Williams
Janice Robertson & Doug Williams
Kay & Doug* Wilson
Woodell Family Foundation
Ezra Yacob
Nina & Michael Zilkha
Edith & Robert Zinn
Anonymous (5)
$10,000+ $5,000+
Sam & Linda Snyder
Donna & John Speer
Jeaneen & Tim Stastny
Sandra Stephens
Dr. & Mrs. Van W. Teeters
Jean & Doug Thomas
Patricia Van Allan
Katharine & William Van Wie
Mr. & Mrs. David Vannauker
Connie Walden
H. Richard Walton
Laurel & Matthew Weathers
Nancy & David Webb
Nancy B. Willerson
Houston Contemporary Dance Company
Grant Winthrop
Cyvia Wolff
Mrs. Lorraine Wulfe
Trish & Steve Yatauro
Michele & Robert Yekovich
Mrs. Linda Yelin
Erla & Harry Zuber
Anonymous
Our Donors
Farida Abjani
Norah Adams
Mary E. Ainslie
Maria Alaoui
Lilly & Thurmon Andress
Candida & Edmund Aversenti
Carol* & Stephen J. Banks
Polina Gaddy & Scott Barber
Sophia Ewalt & Matthew Behrmann
Nancy Glass & John Belmont
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Bickel
Naomi & Charles* Black
Jeb & Cynthia Blackwell
Lesley & Gerald Bodzy
Matt Brams & Alice Mao
Gwen* & Robert Bray
Mr. Steven E. Breyfogle
Helene Harding & Patrick
Briggs
Jane & Ron Brownlee
Brandy Buck
Irene & Fred Buckwold
Cindy & Laurence Burns
Justice Brett & Erin Busby
Cheryl Byington
Rosangela Capobianco
Julie & Terry Carius
Margot & John Cater
Tyri Schiek & David Centanni
Julie & David Charles
Mr. Per Staunstrup
Christiansen
Mr. & Mrs. Adam Clark
Lynn Coe
Mr. & Mrs. Michael F. Cook
Gary Cooper
Mrs. Myriam Degreve
Elena Delaunay
Nan Earle
David Edwards
Elaine Adams
Julie Adrogue
Linda & Chuck* Alexander
Robert K. Arnett Jr.
Mr. Wael As
Henry Bachman
Roger Baker
Myra W. Barber
Consurgo Sunshine
Deborah Bautch
Janet & John Beall
Marjorie & Arthur L. Beaudet
Barbara & Jim Becker
Kimberly & James Bell
Bonnie & Frank Benton
Catherine & Roger Bhalla
Mrs. Ginger Blanton
Cyndi Bohannon
Adrienne Bond
Louis Bonno
Patricia K. Boyd
Christine & Kevin J. Bradford
Joe Brazzatti
Kathy Beck & John Egbert
Annette & Knut Eriksen
Emma Ferguson
Nicole Fingeroot
Mary & Robert Fusillo
Patrick B. Garvey
Wm. David George Ph.D.
Alyson & Elliot Gershenson
Susan & Kevin Golden
Helen B. Wils & Leonard A. Goldstein
Amy Goodpasture
Mary & Charles Gregory
Louise Richman & Dennis Griffith
Mrs. Tami A. Grubb
Perla Guerra
Sonja Bruzauskas & Houston Haymon
Barbara & Christopher Hekel
Toney Hermes
Mr. & Mrs. Frank Herzog
Mr. Stanley Hoffberger
Holly Holmes
Jonathan T. Jan
Mr. & Mrs. Rick C. Jaramillo
Angela & Craig Jarchow
Susan & Jonathan Jee
Mark A. Jensen
Francene Young & Ken Jones
Veronica Juarez
Anna Kaplan
Lynda & Frank Kelly
Maxine Olefsky & Justin Kenney
Marcia & Douglas Koch
Jane & Kevin Kremer
Brittany & Kevin Kushner
Stephanie & Richard Langenstein
Gary T. Leach
Debra Ewing & Thomas Britton
Michael Broderick
Claire Brooks
Mr. Stephen G. Brown
Kathleen Bucher
Brad Burke
Mr. Frank Busch
Lauren Bustos
Steven Buxbaum
Ghiulinara Carimculova
Stephanie Harrison & Theodore Carpenter
Nancy Christopherson
James Cleary
Mike Clements & Helen Lilienstern
Mr. & Mrs. James Collins
Nicholas Collins
Edgardo Colon
Dr. Carmen Bonmati & Mr.
Ben Conner
Kay & Lawson Cook
Kate & Lee Lennard
Mr. William W. Lindley
Kristen & Matthew Loden
Tama Lundquist
Martiel Luther
Mr. & Mrs. Peter MacGregor
Melanie & Larry Margolis
Mary Pauline McElroy
Cathy McNamara
Kristen Meneilly
Suzanne Miller
Jamie & David Ming
Mrs. Jean Mintz
Mr. & Mrs. Richard S. Moen
Emily & Joseph Morrel
Jackie Mutschler
Jessica & Erick Navas
Paula & Geoffrey Newton
Stephanie Nielsen
Gigi Noyes
Ms. Barbara Nussmann
Macky Osorio
Patricia A. Kalmans & Michael A. Ozer
Laura & Bill Parker
Nancy Parra
Kusum & K. Cody Patel
Karen & Melvin Payne
Shirley & Michael P. Pearson
Roy Perry
Debbie Polotko
Mr. & Mrs. Florante Quiocho
Randy Rakes
Clinton & Leigh Rappole
Dr. Michael & Janet Rasmussen
Lauren & Jeff Read
Anna Reger
Janet & J.B. Reimer
Anna Robshaw
Adelina Romero
John Cooks
Danielle & John Crockett
Mr. Robert Crownover
Mr. Carl R. Cunningham
Paula & John Cutler
Tarek Dammad
Eric Davis
Anna M. Dean
Mary Ellen Swadley & Ron Deane
Del Olmo Aldaz Family
Trienet & Mauricio Del Valle
Susan & Jere Dial
Ms. Irma Diaz-Gonzalez & Mr.
Roberto Gonzalez
Victoria E. Dominguez
Anita & T. Michael Dossey
Allyn & Clifford Dukes
Ramsay M. Elder
Ronald Elkins
Jay Estes
Beverly & Gerald* Fanarof
Susan Feickert
$2,500+
Lynn & Alex Rosas
Linda & Jerry Rubenstein
Kimberly Ruona
Anthony Sanchez Rodriguez
Lee
Carol & Kamal Sandarusi
Melissa Sandefer
Julieta & Milan Saunders
Lynda G. Seaman
Mr. & Mrs. Paul Shack
Deborah & Adrian Shelley
Gary Shiba
Carlos Sierra
Hinda Simon
Mr. Ray Smaistrla
Becky & David Smith
Becky & Sam Smith
Sandra Smith
The Snook Family
Young Son
Joseph & Sheryl Speelman
Mary McKerall & Richard Steele
Debbie & Gene Straka
Bill Stubbs
Lori & Craig Teller
Emily H. & David K. Terry
Juliana & Stephen Tew
Sal & Denise Torrisi
Fabius Watson
Dr. & Mrs. Richard T. Weiss
Katherine & William Wiener
Marianne Wood
Kathleen Wood
Susan Gail Wood
Penelope A. & John W. Wright
Lori & Scott Wulfe
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Zabriskie
Anonymous (4)
$1,000+
Judith Feigin & Colin Faulkner
Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Ference
Roberta & Peter Ferenz
Larry Finger
Janet Fitzke
Marilyn & Theodore Flick
Jeannine & Patrick Flynn
Christina Fontenot
Susan & Thomas Forestier
Angel & Craig Fox
Ann & Christopher Frautschi
Darlene Clark & Edwin Friedrichs
Jozica & Norman Gabitzsch
Sandra Galbraith
Martin J. Gambling
Leslie Gassner
Lucy Ann Gebhart
Dr. Michael Gillin & Ms.
Pamela Newberry
Lizabeth Gillis
Nancy Glesby
Maxine & Steven Goodman
Our Donors
Kathy & Marty Goossen
Shirley Graham
Joan & William Grattendick
Catherine Green
Laurie & Lewis Greenberg MD
Joan DerHovsepian & Erik Gronfor
Goran Haag
Angelea & Eric Halen
Mr. & Mrs. Franklin J. Harberg Jr.
Tom Hargis & Leah Shapiro
Alice & Bruce Harkness
Eve & Robert Harrell
John Haynes
Sheila Heimbinder
Dean & Beth Hennings
Neil Hershey
Christian Hettick
Suzanne M. Hite MD
Susan Hodge & Mike Stocker
Jennifer & David Hoover
George E. Howe
Dr. Vicki Huff & Dr. Eric Boerwinkle
Lauren & C. Birk Hutchens
Janine K. Iannarelli
Mr. Craig Ignacio
Kerry & Steve Incavo
Mary Kay & Charles Jackson
Sharon Jamison
Kathleen & Okey Johnson
Sheryl Jorgensen
Ara J. Karian
Deborah Kearney
Bernadette Keating
Susan H. & Thomas J. Keefe
Lee Kesselman
Gail Danziger Klein & Milton Klein
Mr. & Mrs. William H. Knull III
Judy Koehl
Kris Lehnhardt
Raquel Lewis
Patsy Liao
Yuelin Liu
Michella Lorino
Robert J. Lorio
Judy & Tony Lutkus
Calum Macaulay
Nancy Manderson
Renee Margolin
Jesse Marion
Heidi & David Massin
Alison & Mark Matovich
Brooke & Christopher McCarty
Debra McCoy
Linda McCutchen
Mellena McKenna
Patricia McMahon & Joseph F. McCarthy
Ashley McPhail
Ginni & Richard Mithoff
Lynn & James Moers
Christopher J Moore
Marguerite & Abraham Moreno
Andy Moreno
Mr. William Morrison & Dr.
Sharon Davis
Kiran Movva
Linda C. Murray
Karol & Daniel Musher
Alan & Elaine Mut
Jim Narvios
Donna & Richard Nebel
Cynthia & Robert Nelson
Lisa Ng
Phong Patrick Nguyen
Tammy & Wayne Nguyen
Lucinda Marshall & Hans
Nielsen
Ruth & Anthony Nocella
Eugene Nosal & Nelda Gilliam
Turi Odegard
Cathy & Marc Olson
Roberto Orlandi
Mr. Daniel J. Pagnano & Mrs.
Mary Cronin
Ruth & Marc C. Paige
Kathy Patrick
Laura Pears
Dr. & Mrs. Joseph V. Penn
Leila Perrin
Bryant Phelan
Vsevolod Popov
Dana Puddy
Fairfax & Risher Randall
Venu & Elsie Rao
Louise Ratz
Nancy & William Rawl
Jennifer Renner & Mark Kelly
Patricia Richards
Linda Ridley-Wise
Elaine & Steve Roach
Monica Rocha
Diane Roederer
Lena & Keith Rogers
Ms. Regina J. Rogers
Jack H. Rooker
Jill & Milt
Rose
Brenda & Mansel Rubenstein
Kent Rutter & David Baumann
Mary & John Ryder
Frank Barlow Rynd
Jacqueline & Ian Sack
Mr. Robert T. Sakowitz
Chula & Ramon Sanchez
Judy & Carl Sandlin
Beth & Lee Schlanger
Betty & Robert Schwarz
Brian Scully
Kristie & Michael Seago
Heidi Seizinger
Mandel Selber III
Sarah & Peter Seltz
Victor E. Serrato
Barbara Jean Shipp
Leslie Siller
Mr. & Mrs. William A. Smith
Dr. Liliana Soltero
Leonardo Soto
Kimberly & David Sterling
Bill Stevens
Julie Cowie & David Stewart
Kathleen & Edward Stuart
Patricia & Robert Sturdivant
Amy Sutton & Gary Chiles
Steve Tait
Mary & John Taylor
Nicholas Terry
Ms. Betsy Mims & Mr. Howard
D. Thames
Mr. Aaron J. Thomas & Mrs.
Jennifer Chang
Donald James Tindall
Jane & David Turner
Adrienne & Timothy Unger
Mary & John Untereker
Donna Schultz Van Fleet
Hallie A. Vanderhider
Jennifer Villinski
Dean Walker
Mr. James Walker
Albert Walko
Connie & Larry Wallace
Marie & Douglas Walt
Nancy Ames & Danny Ward
Kathryn & Terence
Washington
$1,000+
Milka Waterland
Janet Weeks
Anne Marie & Larry Weis
Joann E. Welton
Dr. & Mrs. Brad Wertman
Amy E. Whitaker
Maura & Bradley White
Carlton Wilde
Bridget & Brooke Williams
Jerre & Dennis Williams
Alice Gates & Wayne Wilner
Susan & Larry Wilson
Jim Winget
Jennifer R. Wittman
Nora Dobin & Christian Wolfe
Beth Wolff
Gerlind & Jerry Wolinsky
Jo Dee & C. Clifford Wright Jr.
Melinda & Alan Young
Janette & Randy Zercher
Linda & Richard Zoll
Anonymous (13)
*Deceased
Corporate, Foundation, & Government Partners
The Brown Foundation, Inc.
The Brown Foundation, established in 1951, is a philanthropic organization committed to enriching Texas communities through education, arts, and civic engagement. It has distributed more than $1.7 billion in grants across Texas since its inception. With a focus on bringing passion, energy, and creativity to life in Houston, the Foundation has been a steadfast supporter of the Symphony for decades. Its generous contributions have enabled the Symphony to deliver exceptional performances, engage diverse audiences, and foster education initiatives.
Houston Symphony Endowment**
Houston Symphony Endowment (the Endowment) was established to support the operations of the Houston Symphony Society (the Society). The Endowment holds contributed funds in perpetuity, invests those funds, and makes contributions from time to time to the Society. Such contributions must meet the stated restrictions of donors as well as the current policies of the Endowment. The Endowment is governed by a Board of Directors who are elected by the officers of the Board of Directors of the Society.
The Wortham Foundation, Inc.
THE WORTHAM FOUNDATION, INC.
The Houston Symphony is fortunate to have the generous and longstanding support of The Wortham Foundation, Inc., whose grants play a vital role in maintaining the orchestra’s artistic excellence and organizational strength. The Wortham Foundation, Inc. has been a partner of the Symphony for more than 45 years, and its investment in the Symphony has been invaluable to the organization’s artistic growth.
City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance
John & Lindy Rydman/Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods
The Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) is a local arts and culture non-profit agency dedicated to helping artists and non-profits be bold, productive, and strong. Under the guidance of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, HAA implements the City of Houston’s vision for arts grantmaking and civic art investments. Additionally, HAA spearheads privately funded initiatives, including disaster preparedness, arts research, and temporary public art projects that invigorate local neighborhoods. HAA generously provides funding to the Houston Symphony, allowing us to improve accessibility of the arts throughout the Houston community.
The Houston Symphony’s Principal Corporate Guarantor 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 Symphony fundraising event, Vintage Virtuoso. In total, the company has contributed more than $6.5 million to the Symphony since 1996.
Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation
$1,000,000+ $500,000+ $150,000+
Founded in 1995, the Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation supports charitable, religious, medical, cultural, and educational initiatives across Texas. The majority of the Foundation’s grants align with Mr. Alkek’s focus on research and education, aiming to make long-term impact through discoveries and improved quality of life. The Foundation’s funding deeply reflects the Alkek family’s commitment to community involvement in Houston and throughout the state where it continues to honor the vision and values of its founder through its ongoing philanthropic work.
Corporate, Foundation, & Government Partners
Grand Guarantor
THE CULLEN TRUST FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
ConocoPhillips
$150,000+
For more than 50 years, ConocoPhillips has supported the Houston Symphony, advocating for music education and cultural enrichment. In 2025, the company celebrated its 39 th consecutive year as the Opening Night Concert Sponsor and Lead Corporate Gala Underwriter, ensuring a grand start to the Symphony’s season. This partnership exemplifies ConocoPhillips’s dedication to giving back to the community. As a leading exploration and production company, ConocoPhillips is committed to being a good neighbor and responsible citizen in the areas it operates.
The Cullen Foundation
The Cullen Foundation was established by Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen in 1947 and has supported the Symphony for more than 60 years. In that time, the Foundation has been a loyal donor to the orchestra in times of prosperity and an invaluable champion during difficult times. The Foundation has made extraordinary gifts to help sustain the orchestra, including contributions to Hurricane Harvey relief and to the Symphony’s Endowment Campaign.
The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts
The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts is one of the best-known names in Houston philanthropy and has been one of the Symphony’s greatest champions. One of three charitable trusts with independent boards created by the Cullen Foundation in the 1970s, it furthers the philanthropic legacy of Houston legend Hugh Roy Cullen. The Trust has contributed more than $9 million to the Houston Symphony since 1984, supporting almost every aspect of the orchestra’s activity.
The Hearst Foundations
In a remarkable gesture of support during the COVID-19 crisis, The Hearst Foundations granted $250,000 to the Houston Symphony, part of a $50 million effort benefiting 100 non-profits nationwide. William Randolph Hearst III and Virginia Hearst Randt announced these unprecedented grants, aimed at aiding the Symphony’s perseverance through challenging times. Additionally, the Hearst Foundations have been a enduring supporter of the Symphony’s Education and Community Engagement initiatives.
Houston Symphony League
The Houston Symphony League (HSL) is an organization of committed volunteers who have supported the Grammy Award-winning Houston Symphony since 1937 in service to the Houston Symphony’s audience development, education, community outreach, and fundraising efforts.
The Humphreys Foundation
For more than 30 years, The Humphreys Foundation’s grants have been instrumental in allowing the Symphony to bring high-quality artistic programming to Houston. Under the leadership of President Linda Bertman, the charitable foundation based in Liberty County has underwritten several iconic Symphony concerts, including: operas like Abduction from the Seraglio, Fidelio, Bluebeard’s Castle , and Oedipus Rex; the HD Odyssey trilogy (The Planets , The Earth, The Cosmos) and the 2017–18 Season performance of The Rite of Spring; as well as festivals like the two-week Schumann Festival in 2020, and Carmina burana
KTRK ABC-13*
KTRK ABC-13 is the leading local television news station serving the Greater Houston area, known for its comprehensive news coverage, entertainment programming, and community engagement. As the Official Television Partner of the Houston Symphony, KTRK ABC-13 plays a pivotal role in amplifying the Symphony’s reach and impact. This partnership exemplifies KTRK ABC-13’s commitment to supporting local arts and culture and enriching the lives of Houstonians through the power of music.
Corporate, Foundation, & Government Partners
Marvy Finger Family Foundation
MARVY FINGER FAMILY FOUNDATION
Marvy Finger was a prominent figure in the real estate industry for over six decades, widely respected not only for his business success but also for his philanthropic contributions to civic, medical, and educational institutions throughout Houston. A native Houstonian, Mr. Finger was passionate about creating opportunities for motivated students to pursue further education and career advancement. The Marvy Finger Family Foundation generously supports the Houston Symphony’s Education and Community Engagement initiatives.
Texas Commission on the Arts**
The Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) is a state agency dedicated to promoting the arts in Texas. Established to support and enrich the state’s cultural landscape, TCA provides grants, resources, and initiatives to artists, organizations, and communities. Through its programs, the agency fosters creative expression, economic development, and educational opportunities in the arts. With a focus on accessibility and inclusivity, the TCA works to ensure that all Texans, regardless of background, can experience and participate in the vibrant artistic culture of the state.
Vitol, Inc.
Vitol is a global energy and commodities company with a presence across the energy spectrum: from crude oil and refined products to power, natural gas, renewables, and carbon. For more than 55 years, Vitol has served the world’s energy markets, trading and distributing energy safely and responsibly to growing economies around the world. From 40 offices worldwide, we seek to add value across the energy supply chain by deploying our scale and market understanding to help solve the energy challenges of today and investing in energy solutions for the future.
Bank of America
$150,000+ $100,000+
Bank of America is committed to making financial lives better through the power of every connection. They deliver on this through their responsible growth strategy, which emphasizes being a great place to work for the nearly 2,500 employees in Houston and sharing their success with our local community. Whether it is owning a home, starting a business, building savings and credit, or making a difference, Bank of America connects communities to the lending, investing, and giving they need to remain vibrant and vital. Bank of America is the title sponsor of the Bank of America POPS Series.
City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board **
The Miller Theatre Advisory Board (MTAB) serves as a steward of both public and private funds, ensuring the delivery of professional-caliber performances—free of charge—at the Miller Outdoor Theatre. Its mission is to enhance the cultural vibrancy of Houston by offering diverse and enriching experiences to both the city’s residents and its visitors.
The Jerry C. Dearing Family Foundation
Founded in 2009, the Jerry C. Dearing Family Foundation is a family-run private foundation that supports Houston-based non-profit organizations that provide health, education, and sustainability services in Houston and Harris County. The Jerry C. Dearing Family Foundation has distributed more than $22.5 million in grants to support, encourage, and assist several local organizations. Since the Houston Symphony’s 2018–19 Season, The Jerry C. Dearing Family Foundation has supported a wide array of our Education and Community Engagement initiatives.
Frost Bank
Frost Bank and the Houston Symphony—two institutions that have served Texans for more than a century—are happy to partner on the Frost Bank Gold Classics Series for the 2025–26 Season. Frost has helped generations of Texans achieve their financial goals for more than 155 years. Frost has consistently been ranked highest in customer satisfaction in Texas by the J.D. Power U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study. It is honored to support communities across the state of Texas.
Corporate, Foundation, & Government Partners
Guarantor
Houston Methodist
M.D. ANDERSON FOUNDATION
$100,000+
Houston Methodist is a dedicated supporter of the Houston Symphony as the Official Health Care Provider and underwriter of six concert weekends throughout the 2025–26 Season. Houston Methodist offers unique benefits to the Houston Symphony’s musicians 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 working collaboratively to address the specific demands placed on artists so they can do what they do best—enrich the lives of Houston audiences.
Kalsi Engineering
Founded in 1978 by Dr. M.S. Kalsi, Kalsi Engineering, Inc. is a high-tech consulting firm based in Sugar Land, Texas. Specializing in mechanical engineering, the company offers services in design, analysis, research, and testing for industries such as power generation, aerospace, oil, petrochemical, and defense. Kalsi Engineering is renowned for delivering cost-effective, innovative solutions, backed by a skilled team and a strong record of industry milestones, technical publications, patents, and new products. Their work continues to provide lasting benefits to clients worldwide.
M.D. Anderson Foundation
The Houston Symphony is grateful to the M.D. Anderson Foundation, a dedicated supporter since the 1970s, for supporting the Symphony’s grand scale musical projects and helping us adapt to pandemic challenges. Founded by Monroe Dunaway Anderson in 1936, the Foundation is renowned for its role in creating the Texas Medical Center and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and supports organizations enhancing the quality of life for Houstonians. The Houston Symphony thanks the Trustees of the Foundation for its decades of support and salutes them for their service to our city.
Oliver Wyman
Oliver Wyman is a leading global management consulting firm with offices in more than 50 cities across 30 countries and combines deep industry experience with specialized expertise in strategy, operations, risk management, and organization transformation. The company devotes substantial time and resources to creating positive social impact and works with non-profit organizations worldwide. Oliver Wyman has provided consulting services to the Houston Symphony since 2015. Please visit the company at OliverWyman.com to learn more.
PaperCity*
PaperCity Magazine is a Texas-based luxury lifestyle publication covering fashion, art, design, dining, real estate, and culture. With editions in Houston, Dallas, Austin, and other major cities, the magazine showcases the definitive source for influential sophisticated trends and exclusive events. Whether in print or online, PaperCity delivers the best of Texas style and society.
PNC**
For 160 years, PNC has been committed to providing its clients with great service and powerful financial expertise to help them meet their financial goals. As one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, PNC has a longstanding history of supporting not only our customers but also our communities, employees, and shareholders. PNC is proud to be an ongoing sponsor of the Houston Symphony’s PNC Family Series. This commitment is rooted in the belief that involvement in the arts enriches lives and fosters a stronger, more vibrant community in Houston.
Sarofim Foundation
Sarofim Foundation was established by Fayez Sarofim, prior to his death, in gratitude for the opportunities this country and Houston provided him as an emigrant from his native Egypt. Throughout his life Mr. Sarofim exhibited an unshakable faith in what was possible through a steadfast and a disciplined approach to excellence, hard work, and trust in others. These are the same principles that guide Sarofim Foundation forward today. The Sarofim Foundation Board is honored to build on Mr. Sarofim’s history of investing in our community in powerful, intentional ways.
Corporate, Foundation, & Government Partners
Shell USA, Inc.
Amerapex
Baker Botts L.L.P.*
Carruth Foundation
Chevron**
CKP*
EOG Resources
Bulgari
The Events Company*
Shell USA, Inc., a longtime leadership contributor to the Houston Symphony, underwrites the Houston Symphony’s Favorite Masters Series of classical subscription concerts as part of the company’s continuing commitment to the communities it serves. Since it was founded, Shell USA, Inc. has invested more than $1 billion in charitable, cultural, and educational organizations throughout Houston and the United States. Shell’s support of culture and the arts encompasses a wide range of symphony, opera, and theater groups, as well as the visual arts and science museums.
Wan Bridge
Wan Bridge (WB) is a Texas-based, technology-driven real estate company specializing in build-to-rent (BTR) communities in high-demand cities. Since 2016, WB has delivered high-end homes with hassle-free living, innovating “from Land to Living.” Our family of companies includes W Land Development, managing land acquisition, development, and contracting; AiWB, leveraging advanced construction technologies; and TBD Management, providing full-service property operations. This vertical integration ensures quality design, thoughtful amenities, and service-first management—giving residents more time for what matters and employees greater ownership, opportunity, and growth within the Company’s future.
Gardenia Foundation
The Melbern G. & Susanne M. Glasscock Foundation**
H-E-B/H-E-B Tournament of Champions**
Houston Symphony Chorus Endowment
Houston Christian University
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo**
John P. McGovern Foundation**
Kinder Morgan Foundation**
Kirkland & Ellis
The Lancaster Hotel*
Nexus Health Systems
Oxy**
The Powell Foundation**
Silver Eagle Beverages
Tito’s Handmade Vodka**
Ruth & Ted Bauer Family Foundation**
City Kitchen*
Gorman’s Uniform Service
Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation
The Master Caregiver Company**
MetroNational
Neiman Marcus*
One Market Square Garage*
Rand Group, LLC*
Sewell
Jackson & Company*
Marine Foods Express, Ltd.
Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits
Suntory Global
Silver Eagle Distributors Houston, LLC
The Vivian L. Smith Foundation**
Sterling-Turner Foundation
Truist
Univision Houston & Amor 106.5FM
Vinson & Elkins LLP
$100,000+ $50,000+ $25,000+ $15,000+
USI Southwest
Valentino
Corporate, Foundation, & Government Partners
Supporter
American Tank and Vessel, Inc.
The Gordon A. Cain Foundation
George & Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation**
William E. & Natoma Pyle Harvey Charitable Foundation**
Benefactor
Beck Redden LLP
Husch Blackwell
J-Bar-M Barbecue*
Keith & Mattie Stevenson Foundation
Patron
Greentree Fund
The Hood-Barrow Foundation
Houston First Corporation*
Mark Kamin & Associates
National Endowment for the Arts
New Timmy Chan Corporation
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, L.L.P.
Leon Jaworski Foundation
Nuveau Plastic Surgery
The Blanche Stastny Foundation
Strake Foundation**
$10,000+
Quantum Energy Partners
The Radoff Family Foundation
Beth Wolff Realtors
$5,000+
University of St. Thomas*
Union Pacific**
Wortham Insurance & Risk Management
KPMG US Foundation, Inc.
Nippon Steel North America, Inc.
$5,000 and below
The Schissler Foundation
* Includes in-kind support **Education and Community Engagement Support
Legacy Society
The Legacy Society honors those who have included the Houston Symphony Endowment in their long-term estate plans through a bequest in a will, life-income gifts, or other deferred-giving arrangements.
For more information, please contact Hadia Mawlawi, Endowment and Planned Giving Officer, at hadia.mawlawi@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8532.
CRESCENDO CIRCLE
Dr. and Mrs. George* J. Abdo
Ms. Margery S. Anderson
Priscilla R. Angly
Ann & Jonathan Ayre
Myra W. Barber
James Barton
James Bell
Dr. Joan H. Bitar
Cyndi & Carl Bohannon
Zarine Meherwan Boyce*
James* & S. Dale Brannon
Nancy & Walter Bratic
Joe Brazzatti
Desi Brown
Terry Ann Brown
Eugene Bruns*
Mary Kathryn Campion & Stephen Liston
Drs. Dennis & Susan Carlyle
Dominic Cellitti
Janet F. Clark
Virginia A. Clark
Mr. William E. Colburn
Elisabeth DeWitts
Andria N. Elkins
Jean & Jack* Ellis
(as of February 1, 2026)
The Aubrey* & Sylvia Farb Family
Eugene Fong
Aggie L. Foster
Lucy Ann Gebhart
Stephen & Mariglyn Glenn
Evan B. Glick
Jo A. and Billie Jo Graves
Mr. Mario Gudmundsson
Claudio J. Gutiérrez
Deborah Happ & Richard Rost
Don L. Harris
Marilyn & Robert M. Hermance
Dr. Charles Johnson & Tammie Johnson
Dr. Rita Justice
Mary W. Kenner
Betty & Jim Key
Carey Kirkpatrick
Mr. & Mrs. Calvin Leeke
Mr.* & Mrs. U. J. LeGrange
Joella & Steven P. Mach
Martha & Alexander Matiuk
Michelle & Jack Matzer
MEMBERS (as of February 1, 2026)
Farida Abjani
Dr. & Mrs. Jeffrey B. Aron
George* & Betty Bashen
Ermy Borlenghi Bonfield
Zu Broadwater*
Mr. Christopher & Mrs. Erin Brunner
David Neal Bush
Cheryl & Sam* Byington
Sylvia J. Carroll
Dr. Robert N. Chanon
William J. Clayton & Margaret A. Hughes
Mr.* and Mrs. Byron Cooley
The Honorable* & Mrs.*
William Crassas
Dr. Lida S. Dahm & Mr. Karl A. Dahm
Leslie Barry Davidson
Cynthia Diller*
Mary Seaton Dix*
Susan Feickert
Mrs. Thomas C. Garrett
Mr. & Mrs. Harry Gendel
Christine E.* Michael B.
George
Mauro H. Gimenez & Connie
A. Coulomb
Robert M. Griswold
Randolph Lee Groninger
Mr. and Mrs.* Jerry L. Hamaker
Timothy Hogan & Elaine
Anthony
Dr. Gary L. Hollingsworth
Dr. Edward J. & Mrs. Patti* Hurwitz
Dr. Kenneth J. Hyde
Marya McLean Ingram*
Catherine & Brian James
Barbara & Raymond Kalmans
Mr. Samuel D.* and Mrs. Cele S.* Keeper
Dr. & Mrs. I. Ray Kirk
Marc Levin
Kerry Levine
Samuel J. Levine*
Mrs. Lucy Lewis
Raquel Lewis
David Ray Malone & David J. Sloat
Mr. & Mrs. Rodney H.
Margolis
Jay* & Shirley* Marks
James G. Matthews
Mary Ann & David McKeithan
Dr. Will McLendon*
Catherine Jane Merchant*
Dr. & Mrs. Malcolm L. Mazow
David Peavy & Dr. Stephen McCauley
Barbara & Pat McCelvey
Bill & Karinne McCullough
Muffy & Mike* McLanahan
Dr. Tracey Samuels & Mr. Robert McNamara
Mr. & Mrs. D. Bradley* McWilliams
Dr. Georgette M. Michko
Dr. Robert M. Mihalo*
Alfred Cameron Mitchell*
Mr. & Mrs. Marvin H. Mueller
Dr. John Oehler & Dr.
Dorothy Oehler
Gloria G. Pryzant
Fay & George Rizzo
Dr. Douglas & Alicia Rodenberger
Constance E. Roy
Mr. Ed Schneider & Mrs. Toni Oplt
Donna Scott
Charles & Andrea Seay
Mr. & Mrs. James A. Shaffer
Michael J. Shawiak
Louis* & Mary Kay Snyder
Helen & David Stacy
Frank Shroeder Stanford in memory of Dr. Walter O. Stanford
Jay Steinfeld & Barbara Winthrop
Marilyn Ross Miles & Stephen Warren Miles Foundation
Sidney & Ione Moran
Richard & Juliet Moynihan
Janet Moynihan*
Gretchen Ann Myers
Patience Myers
Aprill Nelson
Ms. Elizabeth Nelson
Mr.* & Mrs. Richard C. Nelson
Bobbie Newman
John & Leslie Niemand
Ms. Leslie Nossaman
Very Rev. John Onstott
Macky Osorio
Susan & Edward Osterberg
Mr. & Mrs. Edmund & Megan Pantuliano
Christine & Red Pastorek
Peter* & Nina Peropoulos
Linda Tarpley Peterson
Sara M. Peterson
Mrs. Jenny Popatia in memory of Dr. Tajdin R. Popatia
Geraldine Smith Priest*
Dana Puddy
Patrick T. Quinn
Liz & Dennis Regenscheid
Tina Raham Stewart, in memory of Jonathan Stewart
Mike Stude
Mr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor
Elba L. Villarreal
Margaret Waisman, M.D. & Steven S. Callahan, Ph.D.
Stephen & Kristine Wallace
Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber
Robert G. Weiner & Toni Blankmann
Vicki West, in honor of Hans Graf
Gary & Shari Winston
Susan Gail Wood
Jo Dee Wright
Ellen A. Yarrell
Anonymous (4)
$100,000+ Up to $99,999
Ed & Janet* Rinehart
Mr. Floyd W. Robinson
Walter Ross*
Dr. & Mrs. Kazuo Shimada
Leslie Siller
Lisa & Jerry Simon
Miles O. Smith
Tad & Suzanne Smith
Colden Anthony Snow
Marie Speziale
Mr. Rex Spikes
Nancy A. Strohmer
Emily H. & David K. Terry
Jean & Doug Thomas
Stephen G. Tipps
Ann K. Tornyos
Steve Tostengard* in memory of Ardyce Tostengard
Jana Vander Lee
Bill & Agnete Vaughan
Dean B. Walker
Geoffrey Westergaard
Nancy B. Willerson
Jennifer R. Wittman
Lorraine & Ed* Wulfe
David & Tara Wuthrich
Katherine & Mark Yzaguirre
Anonymous (11)
*Deceased
Houston Symphony Endowment
The Houston Symphony Endowment ensures the Symphony’s long-term sustainability by funding key priorities like daily operations costs, Education and Community Engagement initiatives, and affordable ticket pricing. The Symphony’s goal is to grow the Endowment by $40 million by 2030, and your support can make a lasting difference. To learn how you can support the Endowment through a gift or bequest, contact: Amanda Dinitz, Director of Principal and Endowment Gifts, at amanda.dinitz@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8541.
Music Director: Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair
Currently held by Juraj Valčuha
Concertmaster: Max Levine Chair
Currently held by Yoonshin Song
Assistant Concertmaster: Fondren Foundation Chair
Currently held by Qi Ming
Associate Concertmaster: Ellen E. Kelley Chair
Currently vacant
Principal Cello: Janice H. and Thomas D. Barrow Chair
Currently held by Brinton Averil Smith
Endowed Funds
American General Fund (AIG)
The Brown Foundation Guest Pianist Fund
The Brown Foundation Miller Outdoor Theatre Fund in memory of Hanni and Stewart Orton, Legacy Society Co-Founders
Margaret and Alice Brown Fund for Education
Barbara J. Burger
Janet F. Clark Fund
The Cullen Foundation’s Maestro Fund
The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Fund for Creative Initiatives
The Margaret and James Elkins Foundation Fund
El Paso Corporation Endowment (formerly Tenneco)
Endowment Donors
Philip Bahr Endowment
David Bintliff- Messiah Concert Fund
Walter and Nancy Bratic Fund
Associate Principal Cello:
Jane and Robert Cizik Chair
Currently held by Christopher French
Principal Flute:
General Maurice Hirsch Chair
Currently vacant
Principal Oboe: Lucy Binyon Stude Chair
Currently held by Jonathan Fischer
English Horn:
Barbara and Pat McCelvey Chair
Currently held by Adam Dinitz
Principal Clarinet: Bobbie Nau Chair
Currently held by Mark Nuccio
Marvy Finger Family Foundation Fund for Education and Community Engagement
The Virginia Lee Elverson Trust Fund
William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs
The General and Mrs. Maurice Hirsch Memorial Concert Fund in memory of Theresa Meyer and Jules Hirsch, beloved parents of General Maurice Hirsch, and Rosetta Hirsch Weil and Josie Hirsch
Bloch, beloved sisters of General Maurice Hirsch
Houston Arts Combined Endowment Foundation
Houston Symphony Chorus Fund
Principal Horn: Mr. and Mrs. Alexander K. McLanahan Chair
Currently held by William VerMeulen
Fourth Horn: Barbara J. Burger Chair
Currently held by Ian Mayton
Principal Trumpet: George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Chair
Currently held by Mark Hughes
Executive Director, CEO: Margaret Alkek Williams Chair
Currently held by Gary Ginstling
Dr. MarieLuise Kalsi Fund
Joan and Marvin Kaplan Fund
Mary R. Lewis Fund for Piano Performance
M.D. Anderson Foundation Fund
Mary Lynn and Steve Marks Fund
Barbara and Pat McCelvey Fund
Monroe L. Mendelsohn Jr. Fund
George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Summer Concerts Fund
National Endowment for the Arts Fund
Nations Bank Endowment Fund
C. Howard Pieper Foundation Fund
Walter W. Sapp Fund, Legacy Society Co-Founder
$250,000+
Fayez Sarofim Guest Violinist Fund through the Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts
The Schissler Foundation Fund
Spec’s Charitable Foundation Salute to Educators Concert Fund
The Micajah S. Stude Special Production Fund
Bobby and Phoebe Tudor Fund
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor Endowed Fund
The Wortham Foundation Classical Series Fund in memory of Gus S. and Lyndall F. Wortham
The Brown Foundation, inc.- In Memory of General Maurice Hirsch
Lawrence E. Carlton, MD Endowment Fund for Youth Programs
Robert Cizik Endowment Virginia Clark Endowment
$50,000-$249,999
Gene Dewhurst Endowment
DuPont Corporation Endowment
Eaton Endowment
Charles Engelhard Foundation
Marvy Finger Endowment
Lila-Gene George Endowment
General Education Programs
Claire Glassell Endowment
Stephen and Mariglyn Glenn Endowment
Trudy Guinee Endowment
Dr. Ken Hyde and Dr. Gary Hollingsworth Endowment
Houston Trust Endowment
JP Morgan Chase Endowment
Katherine Sloan Thomas Trust Endowment
TRUSTEES
James H. Lee, President
David J.M. Key
KHOU-TV Channel 11 Endowment
Devorah and David Krieger
Dion Laurent Endowment
Max and Rochelle Levit Endowment
Mach Family Audience Development Fund
Rodney and Judy Margolis Endowment
Jay and Shirley Marks Endowment
Marian and Speros Martel Foundation
Ajay Khurana David Krieger
Walter J. Morrison Endowment Fund
David Nussman, Houston Symphony Chorus
Orton Family Endowment
Daniel Prosser Endowment
SBC Endowment
James and Helen Shaffer Endowment
Spectra Energy Corporation Endowment, Formerly Duke Energy
Studdard and Melby Endowment
Scott Wise
$50,000-$249,999
Texas Eastern Endowment
L. Proctor and Alice Thomas Endowment
Fredric and Betsy Weber Endowment
Williams Stamps Farish Fund
Williams Companies, Inc Endowment (Transcontinental Gas Pipeline)
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 45 and under who are interested in exploring symphonic music within Houston’s flourishing artistic landscape. To join or learn more about the YAC, please contact Vivian Gonzalez, Annual Giving Officer, at vivian.gonzalez@houstonsymphony.org or 713.337.8535.
YOUNG ASSOCIATES LEADERSHIP
Justin Stenberg, Chair
Laurel Weathers, Vice Chair
YAC
- CONDUCTOR’S CIRCLE (as of February 1, 2026)
Christopher & Laura
Armstrong
David Breece III
Eric D. Brueggeman
Lindsay Buchanan Fisher# & Brian Fisher
Heaven Chee
Vicky Dominguez
Joseph Von Edwins
YAC - VIRTUOSO CIRCLE
Denise & Brandon Davis
Dr. Mhair Dekmezian
Meesha & Nick Gruy
Juan Herrera
Jonathan T. Jan#
Veronica Juarez
Ashley and Andrew Kang
YAC
Kendrick Alridge
Saba and Ben Blanding
Catherine Bratic
Jasmine Bolton
Michelle Ghitman & David
Chaluh
Joseph Chang
Julie and David S. Charles
Dickinson
Andria N. Elkins
Carolyn & Patrick Gaidos
Rebecca & Andrew Gould
Claudio Gutiérrez
Lori Harrington & Parashar Saikia
Elaine & Jeff Hiller#
Kirby & David Lodholz#
Marisa & Tandy Lofland
Lindsay Buchanan Fisher, Communications Chair
Liana Schwaitzberg, Membership Chair
Elissa & Jarrod Martin
Amanda Lenertz & Chadd Mikulin
Aprill Nelson#
Liana & Andrew Schwaitzberg#
Ryan Silverman
Aerin & Quentin Smith
Justin Stenberg#
$5,000+
Stephanie Weber & Paul Muri
Kathy Zhang-Rutledge & Mack Wilson
Angela Wu & Kurt Wilson
Anonymous
$2,500-$4,999
Maxine Olefsky & Justin Kenney#
Kat Kunz
Andy Lee
Allegra Lilly & Robin Kesselman#
Trevor Myers
Anna Robshaw
Carlos Sierra
Melanie Smith
Young Son
Bryce Swinford
Laurel & Matthew Weathers#
Emily and Alex Dvorscak
Nicole Fingeroot
Amy Goodpasture
Cary Hess
Lauren & C. Birk Hutchens
Jessica Marshall
Haydée del Calvo & Esteban Montero
David Moyer
Alice & Dennis O’Brien
Renee Palisi
Blake Plaster
Sam Richards
Charlotte Ross
Katie Salvatore
Anthony Sanchez Rodriguez Lee#
Leonardo Soto
$1,500-$2,499
Gabriela Tantillo
Alexander Webb
Michael Zarcaro
Anonymous
# Steering Committee
Jesse H. Jones Hall Renovation Donors
The Houston Symphony is grateful to those who have generously provided leadership support to the Friends of Jones Hall’s campaign to provide much-needed improvements to the patron experience at Jones Hall.
(as of July 1, 2025)
Nancy and Charles Davidson
The Brown Foundation, Inc. The City of Houston / Houston First Corporation Sarofim Foundation Margaret Alkek Williams
Janice H. Barrow*
The Robert and Jane Cizik Family
Janet F. Clark
ConocoPhillips The Cullen Foundation The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts
M.D. Anderson Foundation
Anne and Albert Chao
Fondren Foundation Mr. & Mrs. J. Stephen Marks
Past Leadership
PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY SOCIETY
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.
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.
The Elkins Foundation Houston Endowment Barbara and Pat McCelvey
The Shirley and David Toomim Family The Wortham Foundation, Inc.
FRIENDS OF JONES HALL
Beverly and James Postl Vivian L. Smith Foundation
