Houston Symphony Magazine - September 2010

magazine

Hans graf music Director

September • 2010

Frank Huang, concertmaster

� www.houstonsymphony.org

Official Program Magazine of the Houston Symphony615 Louisiana, Suite 102, Houston, Texas 77002(713) 224-4240 • www.houstonsymphony.orgContents ••

September • 2010

See Andrea Bocelli perform with the Houston Symphony on December 8 – priority pre-sale details on page 20.

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Programs14 September 3-5

16 September 818 September 11

�3 September 12�4 September 16, 18-19�7 September 24-26

Feature1�-13 2010 Houston Symphony Ball

On Stage and Off40 Backstage Pass5 Credits31-39 Donors 7 From the Orchestra4 Hans Graf6 Letter to Patrons�8 Music Matters!8 Orchestra and Staff

30 Symphony Society11 Volunteers

Departments9-10 Spotlight on Sponsors

�8 Support Your Symphony�0 Upcoming Performances

Cover photo by Jeff Fitlow. Contents photos by Bruce Bennett and PWL Studio.

Read about the magical evening of the 2010 Houston Symphony Ball.

12-13 20

4 Join us in celebrating with Hans Graf as he begins his 10th season as Music Director.


Hans Graf............................................................................................................

Biography............................................................................................................Known for his wide range of repertoire and creative programming, dis-tinguished Austrian conductor Hans Graf – the Houston Symphony’s 15th Music Director – is one of today’s most highly respected musicians. He began his tenure here on Opening Night of the 2001-2002 season.

Prior to his appointment in Houston, he was music director of the Calgary Philharmonic, the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine, the Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra and the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra.

A frequent guest with all of the major North American orchestras, Graf has developed a close relationship with the Boston Symphony and appears regu-larly with the orchestra during the subscription season and at the Tanglewood Music Festival.

He made his Carnegie Hall debut with the Houston Symphony in January 2006 and returned leading the Orchestra of St. Luke’s in March 2007. He and the Houston Symphony were invited to appear at Carnegie Hall in January 2010 to present the New York premiere of The Planet—An HD Odyssey.

Internationally, Graf conducts in the foremost concert halls of Europe, Japan and Australia. In October 2010, he leads the Houston Symphony on a tour of the UK to present the international premier of The Planets—An HD Odyssey. He has participated in the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Bregenz and Aix en Provence and appeared at the Salzburg Festival. In summer 2010, he conducted the opening concert

of the Aspen Music Festival and returned to Tanglewood and Chicago’s Grant Park Festival.

An experienced opera conductor, Graf first conducted the Vienna State Opera in 1981 and has since led productions in the opera houses of Berlin, Munich, Paris and Rome, including several world premieres. Recent engagements include Parsifal at the Zurich Opera and Boris Godunov at the Opera National du Rhin in Strasbourg.

Born in 1949 near Linz, Graf studied violin and piano as a child. He earned diplomas in piano and conducting from the Musikhochschule

in Graz and continued his studies with Franco Ferrara, Sergiu Celibidache and Arvid Jansons. His career was launched in 1979 when he was awarded first prize at the Karl Böhm Competition.

His extensive discogra-phy includes recordings with the Houston Symphony, available through houstonsymphony.org: works by Bartók and Stravinsky, Zemlinsky’s Lyric Symphony, Berg’s Three Pieces from the Lyric Suite and a DVD of The Planets—An HD Odyssey.

Graf has been awarded the Chevalier de l’ordre de la Legion d’Honneur by the French government for championing French music around the world and the Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria.

Hans and Margarita Graf have homes in Salzburg and Houston. They have one daughter, Anna, who lives in Vienna.

PHOTO BY SANDY LAN

KFORD

Welcome to our 2010-2011 season – my 10th season in Houston. How many wonderful concerts we have shared over the years! And this season will be just as exciting.

Opening night on September 11 starts with an event: we will introduce a key player, our new concertmaster, Frank Huang. He will play the Mozart Sinfonia concertante with our principal viola, Wayne Brooks. Mozart’s violin concertos are beautiful and growing in perfection and importance from No. 1 to No. 5, but the Sinfonia concertante is the next step. The very emotional dialogue between the violin and viola, but even more, the depth and new beauty of this music make it a gem of the solo repertoire for strings. Frank is a fabulous player

and he convinced everybody immediately. We all agreed: this is an extraordinary talent.The first subscription concert on September 16, 18, and 19 will bring back a great friend of the

Houston Symphony, Yefim Bronfman. He is the kind of pianist who is in demand everywhere. Why? He is a team player, as well as one of the finest virtuosos of our time. I am really looking forward to the pleasure of performing the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 with him.

The end of the month brings a unique program with John Adams’ Doctor Atomic Symphony and the Wagner/Maazel Ring Without Words. There are operas that have a wealth of great orchestra music which sometimes is not allowed to shine enough in an opera pit. And some great operas are played quite rarely.

These are two excellent reasons to give in to the desire to play this music in concert. Although Wagner has been played by symphony orchestras quite often, Lorin Maazel’s idea is great: to let a selection of orchestral

highlights tell the whole story. In a musical sequence that follows the chronology, you feel the unfolding of the whole Ring, which is ultimately a story about the end of the world.

And the new opera Doctor Atomic by John Adams talks about a similar question: Dr. Oppenheimer’s life and ethical dilemma in creating the atomic bomb. The music is strong, in stark colors, but also with many moments of tenderness and melancholy. I am happy to intro-duce this work to Houston, and also to take it on tour to the

United Kingdom in October, as a profound and brilliant example of new American music.

A strong start for the season, my 10th, with this – your! – wonderful orchestra.

( )Hans Graf conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood.

“...Graf’s leadership was enthusiastic and expert... [his] performances were scintillating...”David Weininger, Boston Globe

September 2010 �

Credits...........................

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Mark C. Hanson Executive Director/CEOJessica Taylor EditorCarl Cunningham Program AnnotatorElaine Reeder Mayo Editorial Consultant

CHILDREN AT CONCERTS In consideration of our patrons, we ask that children be 6 years and older to attend Houston Symphony concerts. Children of all ages, including infants, are admitted to Weatherford Family Concerts. Any child over age 1 must have a ticket for those performances.

CAMERAS, RECORDERS, CELL PHONES & PAGERS Cameras and recorders are not permitted in the hall. Patrons may not use any device to record or pho-tograph performances. Please silence cell phones, pagers and alarm watches and refrain from texting during performances.

In Memoriam...........................................................

Larry Thompson (1937-2010) The Houston Symphony Society honors the life and memory of Larry Thompson, a former musician and staff member who passed away this May. He began playing English horn for the Houston Symphony in 1967 and retired in 2003. Amidst playing in the orchestra, Larry also served as orchestra personnel manager for more than a decade. We are sad-dened at the loss of such a dedicated and talented member of the Houston Symphony family and are grateful for his many contributions throughout his tenure.

Janet Meyer [email protected] Gumney Art [email protected] Greenberg Projects [email protected] Buck Director of [email protected] Dowling Senior Account Executive [email protected] Lang Senior Account [email protected] Powell Account [email protected] Clark CC Catalyst CommunicationsLaura Manning Mediart PartnersMarlene Walker Walker Media LLC

In remembrance of our friend and colleague John Mark Buck.

The activities and projects of the Houston Symphony are funded in part by grants from the Texas Commission on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and the City of Houston through the Houston Downtown Alliance, Miller Theatre Advisory Board and Houston Arts Alliance.

The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion at The Woodlands is the Summer Home of the Houston Symphony.

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Contents copyright © 2010 by the Houston Symphony

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Letter to Patrons.................................................................................................

Welcome to our opening concerts of the 2010-11 season! As always, we warmly welcome you to Jones Hall and extend our sincere thanks to you for generously supporting the Houston Symphony.

The summer of 2010 was a very active and successful period of concerts for the Houston Symphony. In early June, the Houston Symphony’s annual Sounds Like Fun! free concert series filled 11 auditoriums, schools and churches in the Houston area. This is our annual opportunity to share wonderful music with audiences of all ages in locations outside of downtown – a mission that we are looking forward to expanding in the coming seasons.

More than 40,000 people attended our free June and July concerts at Miller Outdoor Theater that featured our own John Thorne, associate principal flute, and Thomas LeGrand, associ-ate principal clarinet, as soloists, along with two up-and-coming conductors – Diego Matheuz and Krzysztof Urbanski – and pianist Sun-A Park, a 2010 Ima Hogg Competition Finalist. We also incorporated new technology elements in the outdoor concert experience. At our June 17 “Tweetcert,” audience members were invited to read streaming program notes on their smart phones that were posted live to our Twitter account during the concert. On the following eve-ning, we invited audience members to vote for their favorite encore choice using text messaging, a fun experiment covered by The New York Times.

Back in Jones Hall, our July Summer Concerts attracted capacity crowds for concerts fea-turing The Music of Queen, Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY and two encore perfor-mances of The Planets—An HD Odyssey. We are very proud of our Symphony for presenting such a memorable and meaningful summer of concerts.

As the 2010-11 season commences, we congratulate Hans Graf as he begins his 10th season as our Music Director and thank him for his continued commitment to the Houston Symphony. We look forward to seeing you throughout the new season here in Jones Hall!

Bobby Tudor President

Mark C. Hanson Executive Director/CEO

PHOTO BY ALExANDEr POrTrAITS

PHOTO BY BrUCE BENN

ETT

September 2010 �

From the Orchestra............................................................................................

Photo by Eric arbitEr

on behalf of the musicians, i would like to welcome you back to the houston Symphony for our very exciting 97th season! there are many reasons we are eager for this season, but high among them is the arrival of our new concertmaster, Frank huang.

the concertmaster is technically the leader of the first violin section, but in practice, he actu-ally leads all of the string sections and, ultimately, the entire orchestra. this musician is “second in command” after the conductor, and a great concertmaster can have a powerful unifying effect on the sound of the orchestra as a whole. the concertmaster must be a virtuoso player, able to command the respect of his colleagues and also a sensitive chamber musician – constantly alert and adapting to everything that goes on around him. it’s a very tall order, and since the retirement of Uri Pianka in 2005, we have been in a long and difficult search to find the right match.

as we were scouting for potential candidates, Frank was mentioned to me as a player with unquestioned virtuoso credentials, numerous top prizes in the world’s biggest competitions and many years of experience as the leader of a chamber orchestra. after tracking him down (via Facebook!), i was surprised to learn that Frank grew up in houston and that his parents still live in Sugar Land. he played a trial week with us in May 2009. During an audition, after just a few hours of practice (with the rockets game on tV in the background, he later admitted), he played some of the most difficult Strauss excerpts imaginable – as well as we had ever heard them played before.

it was a clear and unanimous choice for the selection committee, but Frank had just signed a con-tract with the ying Quartet at the Eastman School. Despite the knowledge that we would have to wait,

we made the difficult decision to focus our energies on recruiting him versus searching for other candidates. We are delighted to welcome Frank to our orchestra and excited to aspire to new artistic heights together.

i also want to express our gratitude for the incredible contributions of our admired friend and valued colleague, Eric halen. this is a happy case of adding strength to strength, and Eric will continue to lead the orchestra regularly. as Maestro hans Graf has said, “Every orchestra needs several great concertmasters.”

it is an exciting time for our city when we have the culture both to produce a world-renowned musician like Frank and to support a top level orchestra that could bring him back home. Enjoy the concert!

Brinton Averil SmithPrincipal cello


Hans Graf, Music DirectorRoy and Lillie Cullen Chair

Michael Krajewski, Principal Pops Conductor

Sponsor, Cameron Management

Robert Franz, Associate Conductor

Sponsor, Madison Charitable Foundation

Brett Mitchell, Assistant Conductor

FiRst Violin:Frank Huang, Concertmaster MaxLevineChairEric Halen, Associate Concertmaster

EllenE.KelleyChairAssia Dulgerska, Assistant Concertmaster

CorneliaandMeredithLongChairQi Ming, Assistant Concertmaster FondrenFoundationChairMarina Brubaker, Hewlett-PackardCompanyChairAlexandra AdkinsMiHee ChungSophia SilivosRodica GonzalezFerenc Illenyi**Si-Yang LaoKurt JohnsonChristopher NealSergei GalperinQuan Jiang*

second Violin:Jennifer Owen, PrincipalCharles Tabony, Associate PrincipalHitai LeeKiju JohRuth Zeger Margaret BraggMartha ChapmanKevin KellyMihaela OanceaChristine PastorekAmy TeareOpen Position

Viola:Wayne Brooks, PrincipalJoan DerHovsepian, Associate

PrincipalGeorge Pascal, Assistant PrincipalLinda GoldsteinThomas MolloyFay ShapiroDaniel StrbaWei JiangPhyllis HerdliskaOpen Position

cello:Brinton Averil Smith, PrincipalChristopher French,

Associate PrincipalHaeri JuJeffrey ButlerKevin Dvorak

Xiao WongMyung Soon LeeJames Denton Anthony Kitai

douBle Bass:David Malone, Acting Principal

JaniceH.andThomasD.BarrowChair

Mark Shapiro, Acting Associate Principal

Eric LarsonRobert PastorekBurke ShawDonald HoweyMichael McMurray

Flute:Aralee Dorough, Principal

GeneralMauriceHirschChairJohn Thorne, Associate PrincipalJudy DinesAllison Garza

Piccolo:Allison Garza

oBoe:Robert Atherholt, Principal

LucyBinyonStudeChairAnne Leek, Associate Principal Colin GatwoodAdam Dinitz

enGlisH HoRn:Adam Dinitz

claRinet:David Peck, PrincipalThomas LeGrand, Associate

PrincipalChristian SchubertOpen position

e-Flat claRinet:Thomas LeGrand

Bass claRinet:Open position

TassieandConstantineS.NicandrosChair

Bassoon:Rian Craypo, Principal StewartOrtonChairEric Arbiter, Associate Principal AmericanGeneralChairElise WagnerJ. Jeff Robinson

contRaBassoon:J. Jeff Robinson

HoRn:William VerMeulen, PrincipalWade Butin, Acting Associate

Principal*Brian Thomas

RobertandJaniceMcNairFoundationChair

Nancy GoodearlPhilip StantonJulie Thayer

tRuMPet:Mark Hughes, Principal

GeorgeP.andCynthiaWoodsMitchellChair

John DeWitt, Associate Principal Open position, Assistant PrincipalAnthony Prisk

SperosP.MartelChair

tRoMBone:Allen Barnhill, PrincipalBradley White, Associate PrincipalPhillip Freeman

Bass tRoMBone:Phillip Freeman

tuBa:Dave Kirk, Principal

tiMPani:Ronald Holdman, PrincipalBrian Del Signore, Associate Principal

PeRcussion:Brian Del Signore, PrincipalMark GriffithMatthew Strauss

HaRP:Paula Page, Principal

KeyBoaRd:Scott Holshouser, Principal

NevaWatkinsWestChair

oRcHestRa PeRsonnel ManaGeR:

Steve Wenig

assistant oRcHestRa PeRsonnel ManaGeR:

Michael Gorman

liBRaRian:Thomas Takaro

assistant liBRaRians:Erik GronforMichael McMurray

staGe ManaGeR:Donald Ray Jackson

assistant staGe ManaGeR:Kelly Morgan

staGe tecHnician:Toby BluntZoltan FabryCory Grant

*Contracted Substitute** Leave of Absence

SteinwayistheofficialpianooftheHoustonSymphony.JamesB.Kozak,PianoTechnician.LocalassistanceisprovidedbyForsheyPianoCo.

TheHoustonSymphony’sconcertpianoisagiftofMrs.HelenB.Rosenbaum.

Orchestra and Staff............................................................................................Mark C. Hanson, Executive Director/CEOMartha García, Assistant to the Executive DirectorMeg Philpot, Director of Human Resources

steven Brosvik, General ManagerRoger daily, Director, Music Matters!Kristin l. Johnson, Director, Operationssteve Wenig, Orchestra Personnel ManagerMichael Gorman, Assistant Orchestra Personnel ManagerDonald Ray Jackson, Stage ManagerKelly Morgan, Assistant Stage ManagerMeredith Williams, Assistant to the General ManagerCarol Wilson, Manager, Music Matters!

MiCHael D. Pawson, Chief Financial Officersally Brassow, ControllerPhilip Gulla, Director, Technologyamed Hamila, Director, Database SupportHeather Fails, Manager, Ticketing DatabaseJanis Pease LaRocque, Manager, Patron DatabaseKay Middleton, ReceptionistMaria Ross, Payroll ManagerArmin (A.J.) Salge, Network Systems EngineerChris Westerfelt, Manager, Accounts Payable and

Special Projects

aurelie DesMarais, Senior Director, Artistic PlanningMerle n. Bratlie, Director, Artist Servicesthomas takaro, Librarian amanda tozzi, Director, Popular Programming and

Special ProjectsErik Gronfor, Assistant LibrarianMichael McMurray, Assistant LibrarianRebecca Zabinski, Artistic Assistant

Glenn taylor, Senior Director, Marketingallison Gilbert, Director of Marketing, SubscriptionsMelissa H. lopez, Director of Marketing, Special Projectscarlos Vicente, Director of Marketing, Single TicketsJenny Zuniga, Director, Customer ServiceSarah Bircher, Marketing AssistantNatalie Ferguson, Graphic DesignerJeff Gilmer, Group and Corporate Sales AssistantJason Landry, Customer Service Center ManagerMelissa Pate, Customer Service Center SupervisorMelissa Seuffert, Assistant Marketing Manager, Digital

Media/Young Audience Engagement

Jennifer r. Mire, Senior Director, CommunicationsJessica taylor, Editor, MagazineHolly cassard, Manager, Public Relations

tara BlaCk, Interim Senior Director, DevelopmentVickie Hamley, Director, Volunteer ServicesBrandon VanWaeyenberghe, Director, Corporate

Relationslaura Woods, Director, EventsPeter yenne, Director, Foundation Relations and

Development CommunicationsJessica Ford, Patron Services SpecialistSamantha Gonzalez, Patron Services SpecialistClare Greene, Associate Director, EventsAbbie Lee, Patron Services AssistantTim Richey, Manager, Patron Services Sarah Slemmons, Development Associate, Administrative

ServicesLena Streetman, Manager, Individual GivingAndrew Walker, Development Assistant

Conductor

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.......Flutes.

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....Cello

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....Bassoons.

......Oboes.

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.........Violas.

Second.Violins.

Firs

t.Vio

lins.

.....Horns.

.Trumpets.

..................Trombones. ....Tuba.

.........Percussion.

September 2010 �

Spotlight on Sponsors....

ConocoPhillips has been a proud sponsor of the Houston Symphony for more than 25 years and commends the Symphony on its leadership in advancing Houston’s vibrant arts community. The Houston Symphony, recognized as one of the world’s leading orchestras, has enriched the lives of countless individuals through the performance of exceptional music.

As an integrated energy company, ConocoPhillips operates in more than 30 countries, has approximately 29,900 employ-ees worldwide and assets of $151 billion as of June 30, 2010. The company is proud to sup-port organizations in the communities in which its employees live and work, investing approxi-mately $80 million in 2009.

ConocoPhillips applauds the Symphony’s efforts to promote music education and cul-tural awareness in the Houston community.

Continental Airlines has been a long-time supporter of a variety of charitable organiza-tions, believing it is essential for a global cor-poration to be socially responsible. While this has become increasingly important in modern times, Continental’s philosophy has always been to demonstrate excellent corporate citi-zenship in its interactions with its employees, the community and the environment.

In addition to participation by Continental employees in diverse civic activities, the air-line takes a direct role in sponsoring specific community organizations in the arts, culture, sports, education, health and medicine and serves in the capacity of “Official Airline” of many organizations across the country. Continental prides itself on fostering a com-pany culture that treats employees with dig-nity and respect, and encourages employees to give back to their communities through active volunteerism.

Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 2,700 daily departures through-out the Americas, Europe and Asia, serv-ing 132 domestic and 137 international des-tinations. Continental is a member of Star Alliance, which overall offers more than 21,200 daily flights to 1,172 airports in 181 countries through its 28 member airlines. With more than 40,000 employees, Continental has hubs serv-ing New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with its regional partners, carries approximately 63 million passengers per year.

In addition to its philanthropic endeavors, Continental consistently earns awards and

10 www.houstonsymphony.org

critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture. For nine consecutive years, Fortune magazine has ranked Continental as the top U.S. airline on its “World’s Most Admired Companies” airline industry list.

“At Continental, we believe in work-ing together to participate in the culture and vibrancy of the communities we serve,” says Jeff Smisek, chairman, president and CEO of Continental Airlines. “That’s how our employ-ees provide you the best service and the best product in the industry. We’re committed to providing generous support to first-class arts organizations like the Houston Symphony. We are proud to be Houston’s hometown airline, and we’re proud to be the Official Airline of the Houston Symphony.”

With 28,000 employees in 50 countries, Wood Group supports the communities in which it operates and believes strong communities benefit their companies and their people. At Wood Group, involvement in community proj-ects at the local level is strongly encouraged. Wood Group offers its passionate and enthu-siastic support to a diverse range of commu-nity and charitable initiatives from mentor-ing children to supporting victims of natural disasters.

Wood Group’s contributions are under-pinned by the commitment to building positive, long-term relationships and to being respon-sible corporate citizens. Its corporate com-munity program supports health, education and the arts. In efforts to support the inspir-ing and enriching Houston arts community, the Wood Group is generously sponsoring the Houston Symphony’s 2010 UK tour and the Alley Theatre’s school partnership program.

Acknowledgements

The Official Airline of the Houston Symphony

The Official Health Care Provider of the Houston Symphony

Spotlight on Sponsors....continued

September 2010 11

The Symphony’s Petting Zoo Isn’t Scary at All!Volunteer Jeanné Cox has been working with the Symphony for about seven years. During that time, the Instrument Petting Zoo – where she works with the brass instruments – has become one of her favorite activities. When asked what motivates her to volunteer, Cox says, “It gives me great joy to see the expressions of amazement and triumph on the children’s faces when they

create a sound from one of the instruments. If we are able to encourage any child to try play-ing a musical instrument, we have accom-plished a lot.”

The Instrument Petting Zoo is one of the Symphony’s most recognizable and popular projects. Children and adults alike appreci-ate the opportunity to have a hands-on experi-ence with various orchestral instruments from the brass, string, woodwind and percussion families. Debbie Mathews, a volunteer through National Charity League Yellow Rose Chapter, helps with the brass instruments even though she has never played one. She recalls, “My daughter, Jessi, and I loved the Instrument Petting Zoo. It was such a joy to see the kids blow and blow until, finally, a noise resembling a musical note came out of the instrument. To see the excitement on their faces was incredible.”

The cacophony exuding from the instru-ments and crowds may seem overwhelming for first-time volunteers, but they quickly get into

the spirit of things when they see that the experience is more about being hands-on than about the ability to play the instrument. “My favorite activity is the Instrument Petting Zoo,” says Brynn Aurelius, a Houston Symphony League member who enjoys working with the string instruments. “There’s a lot of interaction with children as I help them, and that’s what I enjoy most.”

The Instrument Petting Zoo is available at all four family concerts in Jones Hall, as well as Magical Musical Morning and the Junior Patron event. It even goes on location for as many as 15 Sounds Like Fun! concerts each year. Eight to 10 people are needed to adequately staff the Petting Zoo, and the Symphony is always looking for willing volunteers. If you are interested in supporting the arts and volunteering in the community, Houston Symphony has a place for you! For more information, contact Vickie Hamley, director, Volunteer Services at (832) 531-6701 or [email protected].

Volunteers.......................................................

^ Houston Symphony League member Darlene Clark demonstrates the proper way to play a flute. Volunteers enjoy interacting with the young visitors in the Instrument Petting Zoo.

^ Jeanné Cox prefers working with the brass instruments, and she is usually successful in helping budding musicians blow a note or two. The brass family is represented in the Petting Zoo by a trumpet, trombone and French horn.

PHoToS BY JEFF FITLoW


What a Wonderful World!...............................................

The 2010 Houston Symphony Ball, Music Matters! What a Wonderful World, which took place at the Hilton Americas – Houston on March 27, 2010, honored Aileen B. Gordon with the Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Philanthropy Award and Fidelity Investments with the Houston Symphony Maurice Hirsch Corporate Citizenship Award. The event also recognized Cora Sue Mach for her leadership in education and community service with a special video production underwritten by KPRC Local 2.

The Richard Brown Orchestra performed musical favorites from all eras and our own “Satchmo,” Troy Anderson, naturally performed Louis Armstrong’s timeless classic, “What a Wonderful World,” accompanied by the Treble Choir from Christ Church Cathedral. For the night owls, there was a late-night party, A Starry, Starry Night, that kept the event going into the wee hours.

The Houston Symphony Ball is the biggest annual fundraising event of the Houston Symphony League and is a tribute to the education and community engagement programs of the Houston Symphony.

Margaret Alkek WilliamsHonorary Chairman

Kelli and Martin FeinChairmen

Tara and David WuthrichUnderwriter Chairmen

Diane and Harry H. GendelBetty and Jess B. Tutor

Ball Advisors

Sharin GailleNancy Littlejohn

Auction Chairmen

Julia Anderson FrankelRed Rose Committee Honorary Chairman

^ Former Houston Symphony Society President, Jess Tutor, and his wife, Betty

< Ball underwriters Ulyesse and Barbara LeGrange will be honorees at the 2010 Opening Night Gala.

^ Ball honoree Aileen B. Gordon and her daughter, Frann Gordon Lichtenstein

^ Ball underwriters Robert and Nancy Peiser will chair the 2010 Opening Night Gala.

^ Houston Symphony Board and Ball Underwriting Committee member Steven P. Mach and his wife, Joella

PHOTOS By KIM COFFM

AN

September 2010 13

.................................................

^ Houston Symphony Society President Bobby Tudor and his wife, Phoebe; Executive Director/CEO Mark C. Hanson and his wife, Christina

^ Ball Chairs Dr. Kelli and Martin Fein with Honorary Chair Margaret Alkek Williams (center)

^ Long-time Symphony supporter Cora Sue Mach received special recognition at the Ball for her leadership in Education and Community Engagement for the Houston Symphony.

Program


Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pops at Jones Hall

Friday, September 3, 2010 8 pm Saturday, September 4, 2010 8 pm Sunday, September 5, 2010 7:30 pm

Jones Hall

Broadway Rocks!Michael Krajewski, conductor Julia Murney, Capathia Jenkins, Hugh Panaro, Rob Evan, vocalistsGay Men’s Chorus of Houston Linus Lerner, director

L. Vandross/R. C. Fleischer A Brand New Day (Everybody Rejoice) from The Wiz lyrics by Luther VandrossWildhorn/K. Scharnberg This Is the Moment from Jekyll and Hyde lyrics by Leslie BricusseM. Shaiman/Fleischer Good Morning, Baltimore from Hairspray lyrics by Marc Shaiman-Scott WittmanB. Gaudio/Fleischer Medley from Jersey Boys lyrics by Bob CreweJ. Steinman/J. Hinchey Total Eclipse of the Heart from Dance of the Vampires lyrics by Jim SteinmanE. John/C. Beck Circle of Life from The Lion King lyrics by Tim RiceJ. Fogerty/Fleischer Proud Mary lyrics by John FogertyLloyd Webber/Mancini Medley from Jesus Christ Superstar J. Larson/Fleischer Seasons of Love from Rent lyrics by Jonathan LarsonShaiman/W. Barker You Can’t Stop the Beat from Hairspray lyrics by Marc Shaiman-Scott Wittman

INTERMISSION

P. Townshend/Fleischer- Overture/Pinball Wizard from The Who’s Tommy J. Castellon lyrics by Pete TownshendS. Schwartz/T. Zito For Good from Wicked lyrics by Stephen SchwartzB. Andersson-B. Ulvaeus Anthem from Chess lyrics by Tim RiceF. Perren/Fleischer I Will Survive lyrics by Dino FekarisLloyd Webber Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say) from Jesus Christ Superstar lyrics by Tim RiceSchwartz/Fleischer Defying Gravity from Wicked lyrics by Stephen SchwartzB. Andersson-S. Anderson- Medley from Mamma Mia Ulvaeus/Fleischer H. Krieger And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going from Dreamgirls lyrics by Tom EyenLloyd Webber/Barker The Music of the Night from The Phantom of the Opera lyrics by Charles Hart-Richard Stilgoe

Presenting Sponsor

Biographies...........................

Michael Krajewski, conductorMuch in demand across the United States and Canada, Michael Krajewski delights concertgo-ers with his imaginative and entertaining pro-grams and his wry sense of humor. Audiences leave his concerts smiling, remembering the evening’s music and surprises.

Maestro Krajewski joined the Houston Symphony as Principal Pops Conductor at the beginning of the 2000-01 season. His fans especially enjoy this Star Spangled Salute at Miller Outdoor Theatre and The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, and the Houston holiday tradi-tion, Very Merry Pops.

He also serves as principal pops conduc-tor of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra. He was recently promoted to Principal Pops Conductor for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra – the first in Atlanta! He previously held prin-cipal pops conductor positions with the Long Beach and New Mexico Symphonies.

As a guest conductor, he has performed with the Boston Pops and the Hollywood Bowl orchestras, and has appeared with symphonies across the U.S., including those of Baltimore, Dallas, Detroit, Minnesota, Phoenix, St. Louis, San Antonio, San Francisco and more. In Canada, he has led Ottawa’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, as well as the Edmonton and Winnipeg symphonies.

Krajewski has performed with an eclectic group of artists including Sir James Galway, Marilyn Horne, Alicia de Larrocha, Roberta Flack, Judy Collins, Art Garfunkel, Al Hirt, Cab Calloway, The Kingston Trio, Ben E. King, Mary Wilson, Patti Austin, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Canadian Brass and Pink Martini.

With degrees from Wayne State University and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Krajewski furthered his training at the Pierre Monteux Domaine School for Conductors. He was a Dorati Fellowship Conductor with the Detroit Symphony and later served as that orchestra’s assistant conductor.

Michael Krajewski lives in Orlando, Florida, with his wife, Darcy. When not conducting, he enjoys travel, photography, jogging, bicycling and solving The New York Times Sunday cross-word puzzle.

Krajewski

PHOTO By BRUCE BENN

ETT

lyrics by Benny Andersson-Stig Anderson-Bjorn Ulvaeus

September 2010 15

Julia MurneyJulia Murney last appeared on Broadway as Elphaba in Wicked, a role for which she received an Acclaim Award while on the national tour. Other New York credits include Lennon, Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party (Drama Desk nomination), The Vagina Monologues, A Class Act, Saved, Crimes of the Heart, First Lady Suite and Time and Again (Lucille Lortel nomination).

A Syracuse University graduate, her recordings include the original cast albums of The Wild Party and A Class Act, the Grammy®-nominated Actor’s Fund Benefit of Hair and her first solo album, I’m Not Waiting, which is avail-able on Sh-K-Boom records.

Capathia JenkinsBrooklyn-born actress Capathia Jenkins made her Broadway debut in The Civil War, creating the role of Harriet Jackson. She has starred in the Off-Broadway revival of Godspell ; her ren-dition of “Turn Back, O Man” can be heard on the original cast recording. She was critically acclaimed in The Look of Love, and created the roles of The Washing Machine in Caroline, Or Change and Frieda May in Martin Short-Fame Becomes Me. She was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her role in (mis) Understanding Mammy–The Hattie McDaniel Story.

Jenkins and composer Louis Rosen have released South Side Stories, One Ounce of Truth–The Nikki Giovanni Songs and The Ache of Possibility.

.....................................................................................................................Murney

Jenkins

Hugh PanaroHugh Panaro has played both Raoul and the Phantom in the Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera. Among others, he por-trayed Gaylord Ravenal in Show Boat, Marius in Les Miserables and the title role of the seductive vampire in Elton John’s Lestat.

Panaro has participated in “Reprise!” concert performances of Call Me Madam, for which he received an Ovation nomination. He won the Barrymore Award for his portrayal of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables.

He can be heard on Jerome Kern Treasury, the original cast recordings of Side Show, Tap Your Troubles Away, The Centennial and Life on the Wicked Stage. His first solo CD was recorded with Sony/BMG.

Robert EvanRobert Evan has appeared on Broadway in Les Miserables, Jekyll & Hyde and Little Shop of Horrors. Off-Broadway, he created the roles of The Dancin’ Kid in Johnny Guitar and Miles Hendon in The Prince and the Pauper.

A member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, he can be heard on many of the group’s record-ings. Evan also frequently tours with Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway, is lead vocalist for The Dream Engine and performs with his progres-sive rock band, Menrva Realm.

A native of Monticello, Georgia, Evan was a varsity athlete at the University of Georgia. His favorite roles are husband to Beate and father to Johan, Max and Birk.

PanaroEvan

Bayou City Performing ArtsGay Men’s Chorus of HoustonBayou City Performing Arts (BCPA), now in its 32nd season, was founded as The Montrose Singers, Inc. in November 1979, led by founding director, Andy Mills. In 2005, the organization expanded to include both Gay Men’s Chorus of Houston and Bayou City Women’s Chorus. The most recent addition was Bayou City Chorale in 2007. All of the choruses now operate under Bayou City Performing Arts. The 2010-2011 season marks Dr. Linus Lerner’s second year as artistic director of the choruses.

Linus Lerner, director Linus Lerner, director of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Houston, has conducted orchestras, operas, choruses and instrumental groups in his native Brazil and across the world. Currently artistic director of Houston’s Bayou City Performing Arts, he also is music director of the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra. Lerner previously served as asso-ciate conductor for Opera in the Ozarks, the Tallahassee Youth Symphony Orchestra and the University of Arizona Philharmonic. Lerner completed his doctorate degree in orchestral conducting at the University of Arizona. He holds master’s degrees from Florida State University and the College Conservatory of Music (University of Cincinnati), and a bach-elor’s degree from Brazil’s Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul.

Lerner

Appearances by Principal Pops Conductor Michael Krajewski are generously sponsored by Cameron Management.

This weekend’s performances are generously sponsored by Continental Airlines.

Guest vocalists’ performances for this concert are sponsored by Sybil Roos.

The printed music for The Phantom of the Opera was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Murray A. McAndrew.

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

Program


Symphony Special

Wednesday, September 8, 2010 7:30 pm

Jones Hall

Michael BoltonRandall Craig Fleischer, conductor

J. Tizol/J. Ployhar Caravan

J. Barry/S. Rosenhaus Suite from Dances With Wolves

Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade, Opus 35 III Andantino quasi Allegretto

Porter/R. Hermann Begin the Beguine from Jubilee

J. Kander/R. Wendel New York, New York

Mussorgsky/Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition X The Great Gate of Kiev: Allegro alla brève, Maestoso, Con grandezza

INTERMISSION

Michael BoltonThis portion of the program will be announced from the stage.

The printed music for Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade was donated by Ms. Helen R. Viereck.


Randall Craig Fleischer, conductorMusic director/conductor of Youngstown Symphony, Hudson Valley Philharmonic and the Anchorage Symphony, Randall Craig Fleischer finds time to guest conduct many major orches-tras around the world.

Fleischer first came to international attention when he conducted Dvorák’s Cello Concerto with Mstislav Rostropovich as solo-ist during the National Symphony Orchestra’s 1990 tour of Japan and the U.S.S.R. In 1995, he debuted with New York City Opera, conducting The Magic Flute.

Recent and upcoming engagements include the Hong Kong Philharmonic, National Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, San Diego Symphony, Utah Symphony, the Prague Festival and his debut with the China Philharmonic in Beijing.

Fleischer recently premiered his ground-breaking original composition, “Triumph,” com-bining ceremonial Navajo songs and dances in a full orchestral work. His latest commis-sion, “Echoes,” premiered with the Anchorage Symphony in October 2008.

A pioneer of new and growing genres, Fleischer has commissioned and conducted many world premieres and works by living composers. He has worked with artists such as John Densmore (The Doors), Natalie Merchant, Blondie, Ani DiFranco, John Cale (Velvet Underground), Garth Hudson (The Band), Kenny Rogers and Native American artists R. Carlos Nakai, Burning Sky, The Hawk Project, The Benaly Family and others.

He has co-authored instructional pieces for children with his wife, comedian Heidi Joyce. Their children’s programs, “Cool Concerts for Kids,” have been performed with great success by symphony orchestras across the country.

Fleischer studied with Leonard Bernstein as a conducting fellow at Tanglewood in 1989 and served as assistant conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra from 1986 to 1989. He earned a master’s degree from Indiana University School of Music and a bachelor’s of Music Education from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter, Michaela.

Fleischer

Biographies...........................

September 2010 17

Michael BoltonIf you tallied all the artists who have sold more than 53 million records; won multiple Grammy® awards; earned a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame; sold out arenas worldwide; sung with Luciano Pavarotti and Ray Charles; written songs with Bob Dylan, Ne-Yo and Lady Gaga; penned hits for Barbra Streisand, Cher and KISS; played guitar with B.B. King; and had his music sampled by hip-hop superstar Kanye West (featuring megastar Jay-Z), Michael Bolton would be the only name on that list.

In the late 1980s, Bolton emerged reinterpreting old soul classics by Ray Charles, Percy Sledge and Otis Redding. He played guitar with the blues legend B.B. King, and in 1991, wrote a song with Bob Dylan entitled “Steel Bars.” He wowed classical audiences in 1998 with an album of arias, which led to him singing tenor alongside the late, great Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, José Carreras, Renee Fleming and other opera stars. All the while, he was writing pop hits and supplying mate-rial to a raft of other performers.

In planning his new album, One World One Love, Bolton chose to craft a feel-good collection of fresh, memorably uplifting pop songs – without losing the classic Bolton vocal signature. Having discarded the idea of focusing on covers of soul classics, Bolton began writing and recording with Nasri Atwah and Adam Messinger, whose credits included Brandy and the High School Musical crew, as well as another pair – Mike Mani and Jordan Omley, known as “The Jam,” who had worked with Leona Lewis.

Bolton co-wrote nine of the 12 songs in fluctuating combinations with his various producers, writ-ers and integral guests such as American R&B star Ne-Yo and Lady Gaga.

In concert, Bolton sets standards as high as those he aims for in the studio. He has never lost the hunger that, as a young songwriter, kept him struggling onwards until, in his mid-30s, he finally enjoyed solo success. And he’s definitely not looking back.

.....................................................................................................................

by Carl CunninghamProgram


Saturday, September 11, 2010 7:30 pm

Jones hall

Opening night: a Vienna SoiréeHans Graf, conductor

*Frank Huang, violin Wayne Brooks, viola

J. Strauss Jr. Overture to Die Fledermaus (The Bat), Opus 362

Mozart Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major for Violin, Viola and Orchestra, K.364 i allegro maestoso ii andante iii Presto

J. Strauss Jr. Perpetuum mobile, Opus 257

J. Strauss Jr. annen-Polka, Opus 117

J. Strauss Jr. an der schönen blauen Donau (On the beautiful blue Danube), Opus 314

There will be no intermission.

*houston Symphony debut

hans graf’s biography appears on page 4.

Opening night is sponsored by

The printed music for J. Strauss Jr.’s Overture to Die Fledermaus (The Bat) was donated by Mr. James G. Matthews.

The printed music for mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante was donated by Dr. Eleanor D. Montague in memory of Dr. Meredith Montague III.

The printed music for J. Strauss Jr.’s Perpetuum Mobile was donated by an anonymous donor.

The printed music for J. Strauss Jr.’s Annen-Polka was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy W. Connell in honor of The Musicians.

The printed music for J. Strauss Jr.’s An der schönen blauen Donau (On the Beautiful Blue Danube) was donated by Ms. Mary B. Gibbs in memory of Elizabeth Rice.

The houston Symphony currently records under its own label, houston Symphony media Productions, and for naxos. houston Symphony recordings also are available on the Telarc, rCa red Seal, Virgin Classics and Koch international Classics labels.

This concert is being recorded for future broadcast on KuhF 88.7 Fm, the radio Voice of the houston Symphony.

OVERTURE TO DIE FLEDERMAUS (THE BAT), OPUS 362 Johann Strauss Jr.

Born: Oct 25, 1825, Vienna, austria

Died: Jun 3, 1899, Vienna, austria

Work composed: 1874

Recording: herbert von Karajan conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (Sony DVD)

Instrumentation: pairs of flutes (one doubling piccolo), oboes, clarinets and bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, percussion and strings

Although Johann Strauss Jr. is world-famous for dozens of waltzes, his fame as a composer of stage works rests largely on Die Fledermaus, the only genuine hit among his long string of operettas. The story tells of a masquerad-ing couple who carry on little extra-marital romances behind the backs of their spouses, only to have their amours exposed after a night spent behind bars.

Its plot stems from a mid-19th-century Viennese farce that was adapted for the Parisian stage in 1872. Its string of charming melodies includes several tunes from the third act in which Rosalinda’s husband and her lover both wind up in jail, the bubbling second-act waltz, and a mock-mournful oboe melody from the first-act Trio where Gabriel von Eisenstein tells his wife that he has to serve his jail term, without admitting that he is sneaking out to a fancy ball beforehand.

SINFONIA CONCERTANTE IN E-FLAT MAJOR FOR VIOLIN, VIOLA AND ORCHESTRA, K.364 Wolfgang amadè mozart

Born: Jan 27, 1756, Salzburg, austria

Died: Dec 5, 1791, Vienna austria

Work composed: 1779-80

Recording: arthur grumiaux, violinist; arrigo Pel-licia, violist; Sir Colin Davis conducting the london Symphony Orchestra (Philips)

Instrumentation: two oboes, two horns, strings

For all its beauty and elaborate detail, Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante is something of a mys-tery piece in his vast legacy of compositions. The autograph manuscript has been lost and our knowledge of the work is based upon the first printed edition by the Viennese publisher, Anton André, plus a few surviving manuscript sketches.

Scholars generally surmise that it was composed at the end of 1779, immediately fol-lowing Mozart’s trip to Mannheim and Paris, two cities where this genre of a concerto

notes...................................

September 2010 19

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featuring multiple soloists was very popular during the last three decades of the 18th cen-tury. Nor does anyone know the violinist and violist for whom Mozart may have composed the piece, since he held a well-known disdain for the performing abilities of musicians in Salzburg following his reluctant return to that provincial city after his heady but unprofit-able trip to Mannheim and Paris.

Concertos for more than one soloist were very much on Mozart’s mind during the middle and late 1770s. The Concerto for Two Violins and Strings was the first of these, composed in 1774. His concertos for two and three pianos were composed between 1775 and 1779. Several other multiple-soloist works were planned, completed, abandoned or lost during his trip abroad. These include his non-existent, possibly lost, Sinfonia Concertante for Four Winds and Orchestra, the Concerto for Flute, Harp and Orchestra and a Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Cello which was left unfinished among Mozart’s manu-scripts following his death.

In composing this work, Mozart enno-bled the sinfonia concertante as a musical form. Among Parisian composers, it had been a superficial type of composition, more con-cerned with showing off the technical prow-ess of solo performers than expressing much in the way of artistic values. But Mozart’s work is thematically as rich as any of his mature concertos, and its poignant C minor slow movement is one of his most expres-sive adagios. The orchestral part is full of intricate contrapuntal details and is far more than a bland accompaniment to the two solo-ists, as is commonly found among Parisian examples.

The Mozart Sinfonia concertante is also a striking example of the “symphonic con-certo” by which he fused the solo/orchestral interplay of the earlier concerto form with the logical exposition/development/restatement plan of symphonic form. Finally, one should note Mozart’s plan in alternating the two solo lines. Where the violinist states the numer-ous themes, letting the violist respond in the exposition to the first movement, their roles are neatly reversed when the themes again pass in review during the recapitulation.

PERPETUUM MOBILE, OPUS 257ANNEN-POLKA, OPUS 117AN dER ShöNEN BLAUEN dONAU (ON ThE BEAUTIFUL BLUE dANUBE), OPUS 314 Johann Strauss Jr.

Recording: Herbert von Karajan conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (Sony DVD)

Instrumentation: an average orchestra of piccolo, one or two flutes, two oboes, clarinets and bas-

soons, four horns, two trumpets, trombone, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp and strings

The polka, with its two-step meter and infec-tiously happy rhythms, came into popularity during the 1830s in nearby Bohemia, and it became the second most frequent dance form to find its way into the Strauss rep-ertoire. It is structurally simpler than the waltz, resembling the three-part 18th-century minuet with a central trio section separating the opening section and its repetition at the

end of the piece. As the polka’s popularity spread through-

out European society, it was subdivided into various types. Strauss’ deftly orchestrated Perpetual Motion is labeled a “polka sch-nell” or “fast polka,” while the moderately fast Annen-Polka is sometimes classified as a “polka française.” It was composed in 1852 for an annual public celebration in Vienna’s huge municipal park, The Prater, on the feast day of St. Anne.

People familiar with the famous river


Order Today!www.houstonsymphony.org (713) 224-7575

Upcoming Performances...................................................................................

Joshua Bell’s MendelssohnOctober 1, 2, 3, 2010Hans Graf, conductorJoshua Bell, violinMendelssohn: Scherzo for Orchestra from Octet for StringsMendelssohn: Violin ConcertoSchubert: Symphony No. 9, The Great

Tickets: from $25

Symphony Special Paul AnkaOctober 21, 2010, 7:30 pm

Paul Anka is one of history’s most prolific and successful songwriters. His songs have been performed by some of the greatest names in entertainment history including Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and Barbra Streisand. Anka will take the Jones Hall stage to perform his hits, such as “Diana,” “Put Your Head On My Shoulder” and “My Way.”The Houston Symphony does not appear on this program.

Tickets: from $35

Chris BottiOctober 22, 23, 24, 2010Grammy® Award-winning trumpeter-composer Chris Botti is back by popular demand! His charismatic style has led to four #1 albums. Chris Botti is headed back to Houston to play his sultry versions of your favorites such as “Time to Say Goodbye,” “When I Fall in Love” and “My Funny Valentine.”

Tickets: from $25

Andrea Bocelli with the Houston Symphony at Toyota CenterDecember 8, 2010Randall Craig Fleischer, conductorAndrea Bocelli comes to Houston for a one-night-only concert with the Houston Symphony at Toyota Center!

Grammy®-nominated Tuscan tenor, Andrea Bocelli has captivated audiences worldwide with his extraordinary voice and powerful stage presence. He has sung duets alongside artists such as Celine Dion, Sarah Brightman and the great Luciano Pavarotti, and topped the charts with songs like “Time To Say Goodbye,” “The Prayer” and “O Sole Mio.”

For Houston Symphony Priority Pre-sale tickets, call (713) 224-7575 or go to houstonsymphony.org now through September 21.

Tickets: from $75

Concert Just

Announced!

September 2010 21

Notes continued................

master of the Houston Symphony with this concert. First Prize Winner of the 2003 Walter W. Naumburg Foundation’s Violin Competition and the 2000 Hannover International Violin Competition, Huang has established a major career as a violin virtuoso.

At age 11, he performed with the Houston Symphony in a nationally broadcast concert and has since performed with orchestras through-out the world. He has performed on NPR’s Performance Today, Good Morning America and CNN’s American Morning with Paula Zahn. Huang’s first commercial recording, comprised of Fantasies by Schubert, Ernst, Schoenberg and Waxman, was released on Naxos in 2003.

Biographies......................................................Huang

Frank Huang, violinFrank Huang begins his tenure as concert-

that passes through Vienna vow that the Danube’s waters are sometimes green, sil-very or gray, depending upon whether the river is reflecting sunlight, moonlight or cloudy skies. But its waters are never blue. Nevertheless, the image was good enough to inspire unforgettable melodies from Johann Strauss in his famed Blue Danube Waltz.

Conductor Johann Herbeck, who gained lasting fame for rediscovering the manuscript to Schubert’s “Unfinished” Symphony and giving that work its long-delayed premiere in 1865, added to the luster of his name by com-missioning a choral waltz from Strauss two years later. In the 1850s and 1860s, Herbeck directed two choral groups, including the Men’s Choral Society of Vienna. Alas, the quality of available choral music was poor, and he sought to improve it by commission-ing Strauss to write a waltz for the chorus to sing during the February carnival season of 1867.

Never at a loss to find a handy title to fit waltzes written for any occasion, Strauss remembered a love poem by Austrian writer Karl Isidor Beck, in which each verse ended with the line, “By the beautiful blue Danube.” Strauss borrowed the line for his title, but not the full text. Instead, Herbeck assigned a poet in his Men’s Choral Society to write new words to fit the music. The new text by one Josef Weyl exhorted the city to cel-ebrate, even though Austria had just suf-fered a humiliating loss in a brief conflict with Prussia.

According to biographer Joseph Wechsberg, the Men’s Choral Society gave the premiere of the Strauss/Weyl Blue Danube Waltz, accompanied by the com-bined café orchestras of the Strauss broth-ers, Eduard and Josef, on February 13, 1867. It was a flop with the public, and the com-poser philosophically wrote it off as one of life’s failures, lamenting only that its bitter-sweet coda deserved better treatment.

But in the summer of that year, Strauss was invited to perform the waltz at an elabo-rate pavilion maintained by the Austrian gov-ernment at the Paris World Exhibition. By happenstance, an orchestral version of his Blue Danube Waltz was the surprise hit of the entertainment at a dinner party given for French journalists. Suddenly, the waltz was guaranteed lasting international fame.

Following a pensive introduction, the waltz proceeds through five different sec-tions, each of which calls for extensive rep-etition. These waltz sections are followed by an elaborate coda, recalling and modifying various tunes heard earlier. The waltz con-cludes with a sentimental commentary on the first tune.

©2010, Carl R. Cunningham

PHoTo By JEFF FITloW


Biographies continued...................................................................................

Recently, Huang held the position of first violinist of the Grammy® Award-winning Ying quartet and was a faculty member at the Eastman School of Music. He is concertmaster of the Sejong Soloists, a conductor-less cham-ber orchestra based in New York.

Huang has taken top prizes in the Premio Paganini International Violin Competition, the Indianapolis International Violin Competition, the Kingsville International Competition, the Irving M. Klein International Competition and the D’Angelo International Competition.

Recent concerts include debuts in Wigmore Hall (London), Salle Cortot (Paris), Kennedy Center (Washington), Herbst Theatre (San

Francisco) and a second recital in Alice Tully Hall (New York), which featured the world premiere of Donald Martino’s Sonata for Solo Violin.

His commitment to chamber music, has taken him to the Marlboro Music Festival, Ravinia’s Steans Institute, The Seattle Chamber Music Festival and the Caramoor Festival. He frequently participates in Musicians from Marlboro tours. He was selected by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center to be a member of the prestigious Chamber Music II program. Huang is part of a trio with Thomas Kaines and Reiko Uchida.

Huang studied with Robert Mann at The Juilliard School, Donald Weilerstein at the

Cleveland Institute of Music and Fredell Lack in Houston.

Wayne Brooks, violaWayne Brooks is the principal violist of the Houston Symphony. Born in Los Angeles, Brooks joined the orchestra in 1977 as associate principal violist after graduating from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. In 1985, he won the position of principal viola. In February 2007, he commemorated his 30th season with the orchestra by performing the world premiere of La Llorona: Tone Poem for Viola and Orchestra, a Houston Symphony commission by composer Gabriela Lena Frank.

He has appeared in chamber music per-formances with Joseph Silverstein, Lynn Harrell, Yefim Bronfman, Garrick Ohlsson and Christoph Eschenbach. He has participated in chamber music concerts in the Houston Symphony’s pre-vious INNOVA series and others with Da Camera of Houston, Greenbriar Consortium and Mukuru “Arts for AIDS” Series.

As violist of the Houston Symphony Chamber Players, he served on the faculty of Japan’s Pacific Music Festival and toured Japan (1993-1995) and Europe (1994 and 1997). He also appeared at Chicago’s Ravinia Festival in 1996 and 1997 and recorded works of Webern and Berg.

Brooks taught solo and orchesteral reper-toire classes as associate professor of viola at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music from 1985 to 2001. He currently teaches as an affili-ate artist at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music. His former students perform in the New World, Charlotte, Richmond and Detroit Symphonies, as well as the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Chiara Quartet, Arianna Quartet and Borromeo Quartet.

In 1995, Brooks gave the Houston pre-miere of Alfred Schnittke’s Viola Concerto with Eschenbach and the Houston Symphony. In 2001, he performed Frank Martin’s rarely heard Ballade for Viola and Orchestra with Larry Rachleff and the Shepherd School Chamber Orchestra. Most recent solo appearances with the Houston Symphony include Berlioz’ Harold in Italy under Eschenbach’s baton and Mozart’s Sinfonia con-certante, K.364 with violinist Eric Halen.

Brooks

Program

September 2010 23

Sunday, September 12, 2010 6:00 pm

Jones Hall

Chevron Fiesta Sinfónica FamiliarBrett Mitchell, conductorWestside High School Inertia Dance Company Sharon Roberts, director

B. Galindo Sones de Mariachi

Chávez Sinfonía India

Copland El Salón México

INTERMISSION

R. Fuentes/R. Ochoa Que bonita es mi tierra

Q. Mendoza y Cortés/ Cielito Lindo P. J. Lang

A. Márquez Danzón No. 2

Revueltas Sensemayá

Moncayo Huapango

Fiesta Sinfónica Familiar is sponsored by

This program, in celebration of the Bicentennial of Mexico’s Independence, is sponsored in part by the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Consulate General of Mexico, the Mexico Tourism Board and Bank of America.

Media Sponsor: Univision Channel 45


This concert is being recorded for future broadcast on KUHF 88.7 FM, the Radio Voice of the Houston Symphony.

Biographies.................

Brett Mitchell, conductorNow entering his fourth season as Assistant Conductor of the Houston Symphony, Brett Mitchell is one of America’s most promising young conductors. He has led the orchestra in nearly 100 performances; several of which have been broadcast nationwide on SymphonyCast and Performance Today. His position with the Houston Symphony has afforded him the oppor-tunity to meet, observe in rehearsal and study with some of the world’s greatest conductors. He is the newly appointed music director of the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra and serves as a regular cover conductor for The Philadelphia Orchestra.

Mitchell has led the London Philharmonic; Leipzig Gewandhaus; The Philadelphia Orchestra; Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Oregon, Memphis and Peoria Symphony Orchestra; Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestras; and the Northwest Mahler Festival Orchestra. He served as a musi-cal assistant at the New York Philharmonic during the 2007-08 season and as cover conductor with the Cleveland Orchestra in 2009. He made his European debut in 2004 with Romania’s Brasov Philharmonic and his Latin American debut in 2005 with the Orquesta Filarmónica de la UNAM in Mexico City.

Highlights of this season include his debuts with the National Symphony Orchestra and Da Camera of Houston, as well as preparing a pro-duction of Puccini’s Trittico for Lorin Maazel at the 2010 Castleton Festival.

Mitchell was assistant conductor of the Orchestre National de France, director of orches-tras at Northern Illinois University and associ-ate conductor of the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble. He has served as music director of numerous operas, including Igor Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress, Mark Adamo’s Little Women and Robert Aldridge’s Elmer Gantry.

A Seattle native, Mitchell earned his bach-elor of music in composition from Western Washington University and holds a doctorate from The University of Texas. He participated in the National Conducting Institute in Washington, D.C. and received the inaugural American Friends of the Mendelssohn Foundation Scholarship.

Mitchell

PHOTO BY SANDY LAN

kFORD

Continued on page 29

by Carl CunninghamProgram


Thursday, September 16, 2010 8 pm Saturday, September 18, 2010 8 pm

Sunday, September 19, 2010 2:30 pm

Jones hall

bronfman’s Tchaikovsky 1Hans Graf, conductorYefim Bronfman, piano

Stravinsky Chant du rossignol (Song of the nightingale)

Shostakovich Symphony no. 1 in F minor, Opus 10 i allegretto—allegro non troppo ii allegro iii lento— iV allegro molto—lento—allegro molto

INTERMISSION

Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto no. 1 in b-flat minor, Opus 23 i allegro non troppo e molto maestoso ii andantino semplice iii allegro con fuoco


TOTal gold Classics

This weekend’s performances are generously sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis.

The printed music for Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto no. 1 in b-flat minor was donated by Ms. Marilyn Holtz.

Prelude is sponsored by Fluor.

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

KUHF 88.7 FM is the Classical Season media sponsor.

The houston Symphony currently records under its own label, houston Symphony media Productions, and for naxos. houston Symphony recordings also are available on the Telarc, rCa red Seal, Virgin Classics and Koch international Classics labels.

These concerts are being recorded for future broadcast on KuhF 88.7 Fm, the radio Voice of the houston Symphony.

CHANT DU ROSSIGNOL (SONG OF THE NIGHTINGALE) igor Stravinsky

Born: Jun 17, 1882, Oranienbaum, russia

Died: apr 6, 1971, new york, new york

Work composed: 1908-1914, 1916-1917 (symphonic poem)

Recording: Fritz reiner conducting the Chicago Symphony (rCa)

Instrumentation: two flutes (one doubling piccolo), two oboes (one doubling English horn), two clarinets (one doubling E-flat clarinet), two bassoons, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, large percussion ensemble, two harps, celesta, piano and strings

In 1908, when Stravinsky began composing a short operatic version of Hans Christian Anderson’s fairytale, The Nightingale, he was still living in St. Petersburg, working under the guidance of his mentor, Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov. He completed the first act by the summer of 1909, but then received Serge Diaghilev’s historic commission to com-pose The Firebird. He did not return to The Nightingale until 1913, following the premieres of Petrouchka and The Rite of Spring. By that time, his compositional style had completely changed, and he had mixed feelings about attaching the then-archaic style of Act One to the newer style of the last two acts. The stage premiere was given at the Paris Opera on May 26, 1914, followed by four performances at London’s Drury Lane Theater beginning on June 18.

Two years later, Stravinsky fashioned excerpts from the final two acts into a stylis-tically compatible symphonic poem, adapting the scenario so that Diaghilev could also stage this purely orchestral version as a ballet. The story concerns a Chinese emperor who invited a nightingale to sing for him, but then suddenly received the gift of a mechanical nightingale from Japanese visitors. After the real nightin-gale took offense and flew out of the palace, the emperor fell deathly ill and didn’t recover until the bird returned to sing once more. The scenario is divided into three main parts: a fes-tival at the emperor’s porcelain palace, includ-ing a Chinese march for the emperor’s entry; the singing of the two nightingales, real and mechanical; the emperor’s deathly illness and quiet recovery.

The music bears many similarities to its immediate predecessor, The Rite of Spring, but the pounding brutality of that primitivistic ballet is a less oppressive aspect of The Song of the Nightingale. Other orchestral effects, often more subtle than those heard in The Rite of Spring, inspired Stravinsky to employ a broader array of tone colors. Nevertheless, the

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September 2010 25

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composer’s abrupt, pungent musical speech is very much in evidence in the perverse rhythms, explosive accents, bitter harmonies and piquant effects that vibrate throughout the score.

SYMPHONY NO.1 iN f MiNOr, OPUS 10Dmitri Shostakovich

Born: Sep 25, 1906, St. Petersburg, Russia

Died: Aug 9, 1975, Moscow, USSR


recording: Mariss Jansons conducting the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (EMI Classics)

instrumentation: three flutes (two doubling piccolo), two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, piano and strings

Dmitri Shostakovich was only 19 years old when he completed his First Symphony early in 1926, and the work astounded his profes-sors and student colleagues at the Petrograd Conservatory with its maturity, its sense of restraint and its sure, imaginative grasp of symphonic form.

In his book on the Shostakovich sympho-nies, author Roy Blokker asserts that the sym-phony was Shostakovich’s graduation piece, and there was such strong feeling that it should be performed that the conservatory paid the cost of copying out the instrumental parts. Nicolai Malko, professor at the conservatory and conductor of the Leningrad Philharmonic, included it on the orchestra’s final program on May 12, and the impoverished, sickly young composer was suddenly a national celebrity.

The First Symphony is not only a remark-able achievement in its own right; in its basic plan and expressive profile, it is also an early model for Shostakovich’s most popular sym-phony, the monumental Fifth Symphony he composed 11 years later.

It is set in four movements, with the first movement building steadily from a germi-nal introduction in a long arch to a dramatic climax, then ending quietly. As in the Fifth Symphony, a sardonic scherzo comes next, followed by a deeply felt slow movement and a brilliant, many-faceted finale.

While the work as a whole does not match the heroic scale of the Fifth Symphony, it spans an impressive range of emotions and imposes strong dramatic values upon the long-established structural pillars of sym-phonic form – two traits that remained char-acteristic of Shostakovich’s talent through-out his career. Much of the music has a light, playful character through the first movement and the middle of the scherzo, but that move-ment ends with a vengeful restatement of the gentle theme heard in its central trio section.


Notes continued.....................................................

The slow movement turns increasingly from lyrical romantic sentiments to feelings of trag-edy, as a trumpet fanfare inserts itself ever more ominously into the last half of the move-ment. And the whimsical, seemingly episodic finale becomes almost terrifying as the fanfare theme is thundered out by the timpani, sum-moning Shostakovich’s symphonic forces for an awesome coda to the work.

PIANO CONCERTO NO. 1 IN B-FLAT MINOR, OPUS 23Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Born: May 7, 1840, Votkinsk, Viatka, Russia

Died: Nov 6, 1893, St. Petersburg, Russia


Recording: Pianist Nicolai Dimidenko, with Alexander Lazarev conducting the BBC Symphony (Helios)

Instrumentation: pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani and strings

The world’s most popular piano concerto was also one of the most controversial con-certos when it was composed. Tchaikovsky was in his eighth year as a faculty member at the Moscow Conservatory when he invited Nicholas Rubinstein, the founding director of the conservatory and the intended soloist for his First Piano Concerto, to comment upon an incomplete draft of the new work in a private reading. Alas, Rubinstein heaped abuse upon the concerto, declaring it “unplayable” and calling the work itself “vulgar,” according to a letter Tchaikovsky later wrote to his wealthy patroness, Nadhezda von Meck. When Rubinstein urged Tchaikovsky to make cer-tain changes, the stubborn composer refused, declaring he would finish the concerto and publish it as it stood.

In the rift that ensued, Rubinstein lost a golden opportunity to give the first perfor-mance of what was to become the most fre-quently played piano concerto in the entire rep-ertoire. Tchaikovsky granted Hans von Bülow the privilege of giving it an acclaimed world premiere in far-distant Boston on October 25, 1875. In the meantime, Tchaikovsky scheduled the Russian premiere in St. Petersburg rather than Moscow, because of Rubinstein’s critical attitude toward the concerto. Ironically, the attitudes of both men mellowed over the years. Tchaikovsky revised the concerto twice, find-ing more playable solutions to problems in its keyboard part, and Rubinstein learned the work, becoming one of its most ardent propo-nents.

Notwithstanding its immense popularity and immediate public acceptance, the form of the First Piano Concerto has always puz-

zled musical scholars and may have been the cause of Rubinstein’s complaints. Specifically, the huge piano chords and the bold, majestic orchestral theme at the outset are set in a dif-ferent tonality than the rest of the first move-ment. They never recur anywhere in the con-certo, leaving the impression that Tchaikovsky missed a chance to give one of his greatest tunes a triumphant reprise.

Typically, this whole section is consid-ered a long introduction to the body of the concerto, whose first theme is a quick, skip-ping octave melody derived from a Ukrainian folk song Tchaikovsky had noted down in his sketchbooks. Following a bravura solo pas-sage for the pianist (the second of many in the concerto), the woodwinds and piano introduce a yearning second theme, which is quickly intertwined with a song-like third theme. All three themes are involved in the develop-mental interplay, while the second and third dominate the closing pages of the movement. Tchaikovsky’s extended cadenza makes imagi-native use of the second theme.

The slow movement begins as a song-like melody stated in the flute over a simple string accompaniment and is then taken up by the piano. Its middle section and repetition are decorated with a filigreed accompaniment, largely by the piano. The central portion of the movement suddenly becomes a daredevil light-fingered scherzo, until the serene open-ing melody returns to round off the movement.

The finale is charging rondo, whose broad, flaming second theme becomes the subject of a thrilling coda. Its bold grandeur balances the majestic theme that opened the first movement.


Biography...................Bronfman

Yefim Bronfman, pianistRussian-born Israeli-American pianist Yefim (“Fima”) Bronfman has wowed critics and audiences worldwide with his solo recit-als, prestigious orchestral engagements and expanding catalogue of recordings, being especially admired for his performances of modern Russian repertoire.


Notes..........................by Carl CuNNiNgham

Program

September 2010 27

Friday, September 24, 2010 8 pm Saturday, September 25, 2010 8 pm Sunday, September 26, 2010 2:30 pm

Jones hall

Wagner’s “ring” Without Words an Orchestral adventureHans Graf, conductor

J. Adams Doctor atomic Symphony

INTERMISSION

Wagner/Maazel Der ring ohne Worte (The ring Without Words)


Shell Favorite masters

The SoundPlusVision series is sponsored by The Alkek and Williams Foundation and supported in part by an endowed fund from The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Fund for Creative Initiatives.

Prelude is sponsored by Fluor.

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

KUHF 88.7 FM is the Classical Season media sponsor.

The houston Symphony currently records under its own label, houston Symphony media Productions, and for Naxos. houston Symphony recordings also are available on the Telarc, rCa red Seal, Virgin Classics and Koch international Classics labels.

These concerts are being recorded for future broadcast on KuhF 88.7 Fm, the radio Voice of the houston Symphony.

DOCTOR ATOMIC SYMPHONY John adams

Born: Feb 15, 1947, Worcester, massachusetts

Work composed: 2006

Recording: David robertson conducting the Saint louis Symphony (Nonesuch)

Instrumentation: two flutes, piccolo, three oboes (third doubling English horn), three clarinets (third doubling bass clarinet and E-flat clarinet), three bassoons (third doubling contrabassoon), four horns, four trumpets (fourth doubling piccolo trum-pet), three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, celesta and strings

Over the last century, composers have occa-sionally extracted and re-fashioned excerpts from their operas as “opera symphonies,” designed to bring the music of their stage works to a broader segment of the public by having it played in concert form. The most famous 20th-century example is Paul Hindemith’s Mathis der Maler Symphony, which has become one of his most popular orchestral works, while his full opera on the life of German painter Mathias Grünewald is still rarely performed onstage. Alban Berg’s Lulu Symphony filled the gap in his unfinished opera for a half-century after his death, until his sketches of its third act were fleshed out in full vocal/orchestral dress.

John Adams followed suit with this 25-minute single-movement symphony based on his opera, Dr. Atomic, following the San Francisco Opera’s 2005 world premiere of the work about the development of the atomic bomb. Thus far, Adams’ opera on the moral conflicts weighing upon the conscience of scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer has also fared fairly well in its stage version, with four additional productions by the Netherlands, Chicago, Metropolitan and English National opera companies.

As recounted in Adams’ autobiographical publication, Hallelujah Junction, the opera and its subject matter were commissioned by San Francisco Opera director Pamela Rosenberg, who requested an “American Faust” kind of opera. She suggested the story of Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, the lonely scientist caught in the power of a military machine bent upon ending the bloodshed of World War II by quick blows of mass destruction. The idea appealed to Adams, whose previous operas, Nixon in China and The Death of Klinghoffer, also dealt with the broad world consequences of events surrounding the actions of individual humans.

The emotional tone of the symphony Adams extracted from the two-act opera is unfailingly ominous, whether it is portray-ing the huge moral dilemma weighing upon Oppenheimer’s conscience, or the real panic



Music Matters!.................................................................................................

Fidelity Investments Provides an Experience of a LifetimeOn July 30th, seven Houston-area public high school musicians stepped out of the darkened wings of Miller Outdoor Theatre and into the bright spotlight for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As winners of the 2010 Fidelity FutureStage Music Competition held in April, each student dem-onstrated exceptional talent and promise and earned the right to appear on-stage in a special concert with the Houston Symphony and Principal Pops Conductor Michael Krajewski.

Winners included saxophonist Alan Gonzalez of Waltrip High School, who was featured in a lush orchestral arrangement of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Fellow Waltrip students, Megan Miller and Massie Wingard joined Houston Symphony percussionists Brian Del Signore, Mark Griffith and Matthew Strauss to create a Latin percussion ensemble for a performance of Rie y Llora. From Bellaire High School, cellist Joseph Ong collaborated with violinist Terrence Liu and his brother, pianist Benjamin Liu, to present Passacaille, the third movement of Ravel’s Trio in A minor. Bass vocalist Jack Delac of Clear Lake High School ended the evening with a heart-felt delivery of “Some Enchanted Evening” from South Pacific with orchestra accompaniment.

In partnership with the nation’s leading orchestras in major metropolitan areas, including the Boston Pops, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Los Angeles Philharmonic, the North Carolina Symphony and our Houston Symphony, the FutureStage program creates a unique educational opportunity that spans the school year and provides new avenues in which students can explore and expand their interest in music. Included in the program are instrument donations, trips to symphony performances, mentoring by symphony musicians, demonstrations and performances at schools and performance opportunities for student ensembles.

Through these efforts, students gain self-confidence, unleash their passions, work toward goals and discover their true potential. Through the Fidelity Investments FutureStage program, students are encouraged to be successful not only on stage, but in life as well.

^ The winners of the 2010 Fidelity FutureStage Music Competition pose with Houston Symphony Principal Pops Conductor Michael Krajewski and Fidelity Investments Senior Vice President and Texas Market Manager Jeannie Reckert on June 30, 2010, just before performing in the finale concert at Miller Outdoor Theatre.

Support Your Symphony...................................................................................

Your Gift MattersMusic affects us on many different levels. It turns time into beauty and sounds into imagery. It even changes the very chemistry of our brains. Music can thrill, relax and even exalt us. Music fills a basic human need – it’s one of the ways we make sense of our lives. It enables us to express feelings for which there are no words and understand with our hearts what we can’t grasp with our minds.

That is why, for nearly a century, the Houston Symphony has been bringing great music to life. We know that music has the power to change lives, lift spirits and inspire us to grow from within, and that is why we are so committed to educating young audiences.

The effects of music education are profound, and they go far beyond simple music appreciation. Research has shown that children who take music lessons have a greater ability to grasp concepts that are essential to math and science. Coordination and concentration are also improved when, for example, children take piano lessons and learn to play a different line of music with each hand. Mastering a song or technique gives children a feeling of accomplishment and encourages them to face new challenges, creating a sense of pride and personal satisfaction that extends far beyond the classroom.

Music really does matter – and that is why your gift matters. Not only will your gift bring great music to life, it will also ensure that music continues to be a treasured part of our children’s lives as well.

^ Houston-area students eagerly await entry into Jones Hall for the opportunity to hear the Houston Symphony in the Explorer concert series.

PHOTO By JEFF FITLOW

your gift of $100 will bring 25 children to a Symphony Explorer Concert!

To donate online, visit houstonsymphony.org or call the Development Department at (713) 337-8500. Thank you for your support!

PHOTO By JENN

y ANTILL

September 2010 29

suddenly visited upon the whole Los Alamos community when a violent midnight thunder-storm erupted around the exposed bomb, waiting to be detonated on the New Mexican desert test site the following morning.

It is a significant challenge to adapt the musical/dramatic structure of an opera to the abstract implications of a symphony, with its abstract plan of motivic growth and devel-opment, and its progress through stages of repose and excitement to a final summation of its tonal thought processes. Adams intensified the challenge by choosing a single-movement symphonic structure.

His Dr. Atomic Symphony begins with an implacable slow introduction, releasing it into the agitated second-act “panic” music from the opera’s storm scene.

The lower brass instruments are promi-nent throughout the center of the work, in solo as well as ensemble playing, and are high-lighted by a trombone solo representing the laboratory’s overbearing military commander.

A faster section suggests a corn dance from the nearby Tewa Indian reservation. Toward the end of the work, Oppenheimer’s troubled conscience is bared during a long solo trumpet transcription of the opera’s main aria, “Batter my heart, three-person’d God” which drew upon the text of John Donne’s famous Holy Sonnet and caused Oppenheimer to name the desert bomb site “Trinity.” The final frenzied measures represent the count-down to the pre-dawn moment that brought the atomic age into being.

DER RING OHNE WORTE (THE RING WITHOUT WORDS) Richard Wagner

Born: May 22, 1813, Leipzig, Germany

Died: Feb 13, 1883, Venice, Italy

Arranged for symphonic orchestra: Lorin Maazel


Recording: Lorin Maazel conducting the Berlin Philharmonic (Telarc)

Instrumentation: piccolo, three flutes (third doubling second piccolo), three oboes, English horn, three clarinets, bass clarinet, three bassoons, eight horns (four doubling Wagner tubas), three trumpets, bass trumpet, stierhorn (offstage), four trombones, bass tuba, timpani (two players), percussion, two harps and strings

Richard Wagner was arguably the most sig-nificant orchestral composer of the 19th cen-tury, but his great orchestral masterpieces are imbedded in the vocal-orchestral texture of his vast music dramas. His artistic philos-ophy even attributed narrative and descrip-tive values to purely orchestral music, but he never came closer to composing an “opera

symphony” than the charming little Siegfried Idyll, a chamber ensemble piece that was partially extracted from the third opera in his famed Ring Cycle.

Though orchestral excerpts from the Ring have joined the overtures, preludes and orchestral episodes from Wagner’s remain-ing operas and music dramas as a standard part of the symphonic repertoire, it has been left to conductor Lorin Maazel to reduce the orchestral portions (and some vocal-orches-tral excerpts) from the 19 hours of music in Wagner’s mythical tetralogy into this 70-minute Ring Without Words.

According to Maazel’s own account, the idea gestated in his mind for nearly 30 years. While conducting a preliminary rehearsal of the orchestral accompaniment to Wagner’s Lohengrin at Bayreuth in 1960, he was sur-prised to find the composer’s grandson, Bayreuth Festival director Wieland Wagner, sitting in to hear the rehearsal. At that time, he explained to Maazel that Wagner’s orchestral music formed a subconscious text-behind-the-text of his operas and music dramas.

Wieland Wagner’s views gained full meaning for Maazel five years later, when he was director of West Berlin’s German Opera Company, preparing a production of the com-plete Ring Cycle for performance. At that time, he realized that the orchestral score to the Ring, with all its thematic “leading motives” is really a coded version of the full operatic tetralogy and its story of greedy Nordic gods exemplifying the maxim that money is the root of all evil.

Sometime during the next 22 years (the date is uncertain), Maazel assembled almost all of the Ring Cycle’s purely orchestral music into a continuous chronological sequence, joining them where necessary to other seg-ments that originally contained vocal lines. He used only music that Wagner had origi-nally composed and sought to match the sequence of themes, tempo markings and proportions heard in Wagner’s unabridged version. Maazel recorded his Ring Without Words on the Telarc label in December 1987.

While some episodes are missing from Wagner’s sprawling tale of conniving gods, humans and subterranean creatures, the orchestral score represents a opulent musi-cal travelogue from the glistening depths of the Rhine up to the heavenly palace in Valhalla, down into the caves of Nibelung slaves and snorting dragons, and back to the watery grave where the stolen gold is finally returned by the true-hearted Brünnhilde.


Notes continued from page 27.......................................... Biographies.................

Westside High School Inertia Dance CompanyInertia Dance Company is the elite performing ensemble of HISD’s Westside High School Fine Arts Dance Program. This unique group cre-ates a style and feel of its own by combining all elements of traditional dance, including ballet, modern dance and jazz techniques, with street styles such a break dance, house, and popping and locking.

The group holds 30 national champion-ship titles and numerous choreography and technique awards. It has performed at the National Dance Gala, National High School Dance Festival, Dance Houston, San Antonio Spurs games and the BCS National Title Game Halftime Show. Inertia has been featured in People, Dance Teacher and Southern Living magazines, the Houston Chronicle, Houston Press and Houston Business Journal. Television credits include The Tony Danza Show, CBS Early Show, HEB Holiday Parade and FedEx Orange Bowl, as well as spots on all local affiliates. It has performed in New York, Chicago, Miami, Baltimore, New Orleans and across Texas.

Inertia is directed by Sharon Roberts and Jesse Garcia. Roberts, a master teacher of dance education, has been honored as HISD’s Dance Educator of the Year, People magazine’s “Heroes Among Us” Honoree in 2004 and nomi-nated 10 times for Who’s Who Among American Teachers. Garcia is an accomplished BBoy and member of Soul Street, Houston Rockets Launch Crew and Planet Funk. He travels widely to com-pete in urban dance competitions and promote Hip Hop culture.

Inertia’s goal is to encourage and facilitate tools for students to be successful in “Grade 13” following graduation. It has a 100 percent graduation rate with alumni accepted to major universities.

Next month, Inertia members and alumni will represent the U.S. at the 8th China Folk Art Festival in Shanghai, Shuzhou and Beijing, China.

Inertia thanks the Houston Symphony for its support.

www.houstonsymphony.org

continued from page 23


Past Presidents of the houston symPhony society

Mrs. Edwin B. ParkerMiss Ima HoggMrs. H. M. GarwoodJoseph A. Mullen, M.D.Joseph S. SmithWalter H. WalneH. R. CullenGen. Maurice HirschCharles F. JonesFayez SarofimJohn T. CaterRichard G. MerrillEllen Elizardi KelleyJohn D. PlattE. C. Vandagrift Jr.

J. Hugh Roff Jr.Robert M. HermanceGene McDavidJanice H. BarrowBarry C. BurkholderRodney H. MargolisJeffrey B. EarlyMichael E. ShannonEd WulfeJesse B. Tutor

Past Presidents of the houston symPhony League

Miss Ima HoggMrs. John F. GrantMrs. J. R. PartenMrs. Andrew E. Rutter

Mrs. Aubrey Leon CarterMrs. Stuart SherarMrs. Julian BurrowsMs. Hazel LedbetterMrs. Albert P. JonesMrs. Ben A. CalhounMrs. James Griffith LawhonMrs. Olaf La Cour OlsenMrs. Ralph Ellis GunnMrs. Leon JaworskiMrs. Garrett R. Tucker Jr.Mrs. M. T. Launius Jr.Mrs. Thompson McClearyMrs. Theodore W. CooperMrs. Allen H. Carruth

Mrs. David Hannah Jr.Mary Louis KisterEllen Elizardi KelleyMrs. John W. HerndonMrs. Charles FranzenMrs. Harold R. DeMoss Jr.Mrs. Edward H. SoderstromMrs. Lilly Kucera AndressMs. Marilou BonnerMrs. W. Harold SellersMrs. Harry H. GendelMrs. Robert M. EuryMrs. E. C. Vandagrift Jr.Mrs. J. Stephen MarksTerry Ann BrownNancy Strohmer

Mary Ann McKeithanAnn CavanaughMrs. James A. ShafferLucy H. LewisCatherine McNamaraShirley McGregor PearsonPaula JarrettCora Sue MachKathi RovereNorma Jean BrownBarbara McCelveyLori SorcicNancy WillersonJane Clark

Symphony Society Board...................................................................................

Governing Directors.....................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................

PresidentBobby tudor

Chairman of the Board ed Wulfe

Executive Director/CEOmark c. hanson

Immediate Past PresidentJesse B. tutor

Chairman Emeritus mike stude

Terry Ann Brown Prentiss Burt Brett Busby * John T. Cater Janet Clark Michael H. Clark Scott Cutler Lorraine Dell Viviana Denechaud Gene Dewhurst Kelli Cohen Fein Julia Frankel Allen Gelwick Stephen Glenn

Gary L. Hollingsworth Ulyesse LeGrange Rochelle Levit Nancy Littlejohn April Lykos Cora Sue Mach Steven P. Mach Beth Madison Rodney Margolis Jay Marks Mary Lynn Marks Barbara McCelvey Gene McDavid * Alexander K. McLanahan

Paul Morico Arthur Newman Robert A. Peiser Fran Fawcett Peterson Geoffroy Petit David Pruner Stephen Pryor Gloria Pryzant John Rydman Manolo Sanchez Helen Shaffer Jerome Simon David Steakley Mike Stude

Bobby Tudor * Jesse B. Tutor Margaret Waisman Fredric A. Weber Vicki West Margaret Alkek Williams Ed Wulfe David Wuthrich Robert A. Yekovich

Trustees................................................................................................................... Philip Bahr * Janice Barrow Darlene Bisso Meherwan Boyce Walter Bratic Nancy Bumgarner Lynn Caruso Jane Clark Brandon Cochran Louis Delone Susanna Dokupil Tom Fitzpatrick Chris Flood Craig A. Fox

David Frankfort Susan Hansen Kathleen Hayes Brian James Joan Kaplan I. Ray Kirk Carolyn Mann Paul M. Mann Judy Margolis Brad Marks Jackie Wolens Mazow Elisabeth McCabe Marilyn Miles Tassie Nicandros

Scott Nyquist Edward Osterberg Jr. J. Hugh Roff Jr. Kathi Rovere Michael E. Shannon Jule Smith Michael Tenzer L. Proctor (Terry) Thomas Stephen G. Tipps * Betty Tutor Mrs. S. Conrad Weil David Ashley White James T. Willerson Steven J. Williams

ex-officio Martha García Mark C. Hanson Mark Hughes Deana Lamoreux John Thorne William VerMeulen

* Life Trustee

Vice President, Artistic and Orchestra AffairsBrett Busby

Vice President, Popular Programmingallen gelwick

Vice President, Audience Development and Marketing

robert a. Peiser

Presiding Trustee, Endowmentulyesse J. Legrange

Vice President, Finance and Board Governancesteven P. mach

Vice President, Educationcora sue mach

General CounselPaul r. morico

At-Large Membersgene dewhurst

Jay markshelen shaffer

Vice President, VolunteersBarbara mccelvey

Vice President, Developmentdavid Wuthrich

eX-officio memBersnancy Littlejohn, President, Houston Symphony League

martha garcía, Secretarymark hughes, Orchestra Representative

rodney margolisJohn thorne, Orchestra Representative

William Vermeulen, Orchestra Representative

Executive Committee...............................................................................................

September 2010 31

Annual Campaign Donors.................................................................................

The Houston Symphony expresses its deepest appreciation to the donors listed on this and the following pages for their generous contributions in support of Symphony programs. More information is available from the Individual Giving Department at (713) 337-8500, the Corporate Support Department at (713) 337-8520 or at www.houstonsymphony.org.

AsofAugust9,2010

$100,000-$499,999 BBVACompass ContinentalAirlines FidelityInvestments LINNEnergy,LLC ShellOilCompany

$50,000-$99,999 AmericanExpress Chevron ConocoPhillips*GDFSUEZEnergyNorthAmerica TheMethodistHospitalSystem TOTAL*WeatherfordInternationalLtd. WeillCornellMedicalCollege

$25,000-$49,999 AndrewsKurth,LLP ChubbsGroupofInsuranceCompanies CrownCastle*ExxonMobil Fulbright&JaworskiL.L.P.*JPMorganChase

KPMGLLP*MarathonOilCompany Vinson&ElkinsLLP

$10,000-$24,999 AnadarkoPetroleumCorporation BakerBottsL.L.P.*BankofAmerica Bracewell&GiulianiLLP*CenterPointEnergy CooperIndustries,Inc.*DevonEnergyCorporation Ernst&Young*FluorCorporation FrostBank H.E.ButtGroceryCompany Margolis,Phipps&Wright,P.C.*Macy’sFoundation MemorialHermann NorthernTrust SPIrSTAr,Inc. StarFurniture USI*WellsFargo

$500-$9,999 Beck,redden&Secrest,LLP*Beirne,Maynard&Parsons,LLP BloombergL.L.P. IronshoreInsuranceServices,LLP LocktonCompanies OceaneeringInternational,Inc. Porter&Hedges,LLP PricewaterhouseCoopers,Inc.*randallsFoodMarkets,Inc. SeyforthShow*Smith,Graham&Company*SouthTexasCollegeofLaw*SwiftEnergyCompany TexasChildren’sHospital WorthamInsurance&riskManagement

Corporations.........................................................................................................

AsofAugust9,2010

$1,000,000 and above *HoustonEndowment,Inc. *HoustonSymphonyLeague TheWorthamFoundationInc.

$500,000-$999,999 *M.D.AndersonFoundation *TheBrownFoundation,Inc.

$100,000-$499,999 *TheBrownFoundation TheCullenFoundation TheCullenTrustforthePerformingArts TheCynthiaandGeorgeMitchellFoundation MadisonCharitableFoundation *Spec’sCharitableFoundation

$50,000-$99,999 TheAlkek&WilliamsFoundation TheAndrewW.MellonFoundation *HoustonLivestockShowandrodeoEducationalFund *JohnP.McGovernFoundation

$25,000-$49,999 AnnandGordonGettyFoundation TheHumphreysFoundation TheSchisslerFoundation *Sterling-TurnerFoundation

$10,000-$24,999 *BauerFoundation CarleenandAldeFridgeFoundation *GeorgeandMaryJosephineHammanFoundation AlbertandEthelHerzsteinCharitableFoundation Hood-BarrowFoundation *HoustonSymphonyLeagueBayArea *ThePowellFoundation *Sterling-TurnerFoundation StrakeFoundation VaughnFoundation

$2,500-$9,999 TheBeckerFamilyFoundation *rayC.FishFoundation *TheMelbernG.andSusanneM.GlasscockFoundation

WilliamE.&NatomaPyleHarveyCharitableTrust HuffingtonFoundation LeonJaworskiFoundation WilliamS.&LoraJeanKilroyFoundation *robertW.&PearlWallisKnoxFoundation LubrizolFoundation *KinderMorganFoundation *LynneMurray,Sr.EducationalFoundation TheHelmleShawFoundation SusmanFamilyFoundation *VaughnFoundation *TheCyviaandMelvynWolffFamilyFoundation

Government Donors *CityofHoustonthroughtheHouston DowntownAlliance,HoustonArtsAlliance andMillerTheatreAdvisoryBoard NationalEndowmentfortheArts StateEmployeeCharitableCampaign *TexasCommissionontheArts

*SponsorsofHoustonSymphonyEducationandOutreachPrograms

Foundations...........................................................................................................


Leadership Gifts................................................................................................

Ima Hogg Society – $150,000 or MoreMs. Beth Madison

Madison Benefits Group, Inc.Mr. George P. Mitchell

Mr. M. S. StudeMr. & Mrs. Robert B. Tudor III

The Houston Symphony gratefully acknowledges those individuals who support our artistic, educational and community engagement programs with Leadership Gifts at the highest levels. Donors at these levels set the standard for supporting the Symphony and we are proud to list them here.

Centennial Society – $100,000 - $149,999Mrs. Margaret Alkek Williams

President’s Society – $75,000 - $99,999Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst

Maestro’s Society – $50,000 - $74,999Maestro Hans Graf & Mrs. Graf

Mr. & Mrs. Alexander K. McLanahanMr. & Mrs. Jess B. Tutor

Concertmaster Society – $25,000 - $49,999Janice & Tom Barrow

Mr. & Mrs. Edward F. Blackburne Jr.Mr. Michael H. Clark & Ms. Sallie Morian

Gene & Linda DewhurstMr. & Mrs. Russell M. Frankel

Dr. Gary L. HollingsworthDrs. M.S. & Maurie - Luise Kalsi

Rochelle & Max LevitCora Sue & Harry MachBarbara & Pat McCelveyNancy & Robert Peiser

Mrs. Sybil F. RoosMs. Louisa Stude Sarofim

Mr. & Mrs. James A. ShafferLaura & Michael Shannon

September 2010 33

Joan & Stanford AlexanderMr. & Mrs. Karl H. BeckerMr. & Mrs. Charles G. Black IIIMr. & Mrs. Walter V. BoyleJoe BrazzattiRuth White BrodskyMr. & Mrs. Philip J. BurguieresMrs. Lily CarriganMr. & Mrs. David DenechaudMr. & Mrs. Paul F. Egner Jr.Aubrey & Sylvia FarbMr. & Mrs. Marvy A. FingerMr. George B. GearyDr. & Mrs. William D. GeorgeMrs. James J. Glenn Jr.Mr. & Mrs. David Gow

William A. Grieves & Dorothy McDonnell Grieves

Mr. & Mrs. Frank HerzogMr. & Mrs. David V. Hudson Jr.Debbie & Frank JonesDrs. Blair & Rita JusticeMr. & Mrs. Francis S. KalmanDr. & Mrs. Bernard KatzMr. & Mrs. Stephen A. LasherMr. Clyde Lea & Ms. Pamela FazzoneMrs. Margaret H. LeyMr. E. W. Long Jr.Jay & Shirley MarksDr. & Mrs. Malcolm L. MazowMrs. Beverly T. McDonaldCameron Mitchell

Mr. & Mrs. Lucian L. Morrison Jr.Mary & Terry MurphreeMr. & Mrs. Edward C. Osterberg Jr.Ms. Peggy Overly & Mr. John BarlowMr. Howard PieperMr. Robert J. PileggeMs. Karen S. PulaskiKathryn & Richard RabinowMrs. Lila RauchMr. & Mrs. William K. Robbins Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Ken N. RobertsonDrs. Alejandro & Lynn RosasMr. & Mrs. Mark R. SmithMr. & Mrs. Keith StevensonMr. & Mrs. Antonio M. SzaboMr. Stephen C. Tarry

Patron Donor Society........................................................................................

Principal Musician Society $15,000 - $24,999Anonymous (2)Mr. & Mrs. Philip A. BahrDr. Kelli Cohen Fein & Martin J. FeinAllen & Almira Gelwick - Lockton CompaniesStephen & Mariglyn Glenn

Mrs. Aileen GordonMr. & Mrs. Ulyesse J. LeGrangeJoella & Steve MachMr. & Mrs. David R. PrunerAnn & Hugh Roff

David & Paula SteakleyMr. & Mrs. Conrad Weil Jr.Vicki & Paul West

Members of the Patron Donor Society support the Houston Symphony with gifts to the Annual Fund and Events. Members of the Society are offered a wide array of benefits and recognition including invitations to special events and more. For more information on how to become a member of the Houston Symphony Patron Donor Society, please call the Development Department at (713) 337-8523.

Musician Sponsor Society $7,500 - $14,999Anonymous (1)Eric S. Anderson & R. Dennis AndersonGary & Marian BeauchampCaptain & Mrs. W. A. “Cappy” Bisso IIIDr. & Mrs. Meherwan P. BoyceMs. Terry Ann BrownMr. & Mrs. J. Brett BusbyThe Robert and Jane Cizik FoundationJanet F. ClarkDr. Scott CutlerMr. Richard DanforthLeslie Barry Davidson & W. Robins BriceDr. & Mrs. Alexander DellMr. & Mrs. Michael DokupilMr. & Mrs. Chris FloodAngel & Craig FoxMr. S. David FrankfortMr. & Mrs. Richard D. HansenChristina & Mark HansonMr. Harold E. Holliday Jr. & Hon. Anna R. Holliday

Mr. & Mrs. John A. IrvineMr. Brian JamesMr. & Mrs. Marvin KaplanDr. & Mrs. I. Ray KirkMr. & Mrs. Erik P. LittlejohnMr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Lykos Jr.Dr. & Mrs. Michael M. MannDr. & Mrs. Paul M. MannMr. & Mrs. Rodney H. MargolisMr. & Mrs. J. Stephen MarksMr. & Mrs. Brian P. McCabeBetty & Gene McDavidMiss Catherine Jane MerchantDr. & Mrs. Robert M. MihaloMike & Kathleen MooreSue A. MorrisonBobbie & Arthur NewmanMrs. Tassie NicandrosHanni OrtonMr. & Mrs. Philip M. PetersonGloria & Joe PryzantMr. Glen A. Rosenbaum

Mrs. Helen B. RosenbaumMrs. Maryjane ScherrMr. & Mrs. William T. Slick Jr.Julia and Albert Smith FoundationDr. Alana R. Spiwak and Sam StolbunMr. & Mrs. Robert R. Springob, LaredoConstruction, Inc.Alice & Terry ThomasPaul Strand ThomasStephen & Pamalah TippsAnn & Joel WahlbergMargaret Waisman, M.D. & Steven S. Callahan, Ph.D.Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. WeberDr. & Mrs. James T. WillersonMr. & Mrs. Steven Jay WilliamsMr. & Mrs. Wallace S. WilsonMs. Jennifer R. WittmanMr. & Mrs. Ed Wulfe

Conductor’s Circle $5,000 - $7,499


Mr. Brian TeichmanShirley & David R. ToomimGene Carlton & Ann TrammellC. Harold & Lorine WallaceCyvia & Melvyn WolffWoodell Family FoundationWinthrop A. Wyman & Beverly JohnsonNina & Michael ZilkhaErla & Harry Zuber

Grand Patron $2,500 - $4,999Anonymous (1)Mr. & Mrs. John C. AverettMr. A. Greer Barriault & Ms. Clarruth A. SeatonMrs. George L. Brundrett Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Sean BumgarnerAlan & Toba BuxbaumDougal & Cathy CameronMr. & Mrs. W. T. Carter IVMr. & Mrs. Thierry CarusoMargot & John CaterMr. William Choice & Mrs. Linda Able ChoiceMr. & Mrs. Gerald F. ClarkWilliam J. Clayton & Margaret A. HughesMr. & Mrs. James W. CrownoverRoger & Debby CutlerJ. R. & Aline DemingJudge & Mrs. Harold DeMoss Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Daniel DrorMr. William Elbel & Ms. Mary J. SchroederMrs. Robin A. ElversonMr. Parrish N. Erwin Jr.Mr. Edwin C. Friedrichs & Ms. Darlene ClarkMrs. Lila-Gene GeorgeMr. & Mrs. W. R. HayesGeneral Stuart HaynsworthMr. & Mrs. James E. HooksMr. & Mrs. Richard D. KinderWilliam & Cynthia KochKevin & Lesley LillyMr. James F. Mailey & Ms. Sharon McMahonJames & Mary McMartinMr. & Mrs. William B. McNamaraMr. & Mrs. Arnold M. MillerPaul & Rita MoricoJulia & Chris MortonMr. & Mrs. Richard P. MoynihanMr. & Mrs. Robert E. NelsonMr. Austin M. O’Toole & Ms. Valerie SherlockMr. & Mrs. Jonathan E. ParkerMr. & Mrs. Anthony G. PetrelloMr. & Mrs. Stephen PryorMichael Richker & Vicky PravdaDr. & Mrs. Franklin RoseLinda & Jerry RubensteinMr. & Mrs. Clive RunnellsMr. & Mrs. Manolo Sanchez

Beth & Lee SchlangerMr. & Mrs. Jerry SimonMr. Louis H. Skidmore Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Tad SmithMr. & Mrs. John SpeerMr. & Mrs. Gene Van DykeStephen & Kristine WallaceMr. & Mrs. Benjamin WarrenMrs. Naomi WarrenMr. David Ashley WhiteEdith & Robert Zinn

Patron $1,000 - $2,499Anonymous (7)David M. & Lisa B. AaronsonDr. & Mrs. George J. AbdoMorrie & RolaineWade & Mert AdamsMrs. Nancy C. Allen, President Greentree FundJohn & Pat AndersonMr. & Mrs. Thurmon AndressMr. Maurice J. ArestyMr. & Mrs. John S. ArnoldyMr. & Mrs. John M. ArnspargerDr. & Mrs. Jeffrey B. AronDr. & Mrs. Roy AruffoPaul H. & Maida M. AsofskyMr. Jeff AutorMr. & Mrs. Arnie AziosEdward & Joyce BackhausMr. Richard C. BaileyMr. & Mrs. Ralph BalascoMr. & Mrs. Kenneth BaldwinDr. & Mrs. Alfonso BarreraMs. Marion Barthelme & Mr. Jeff FortMr. & Mrs. John BauerBetty BellamyDr. & Mrs. Devinder BhatiaJohn BlomquistMr. & Mrs. John F. BookoutMr. & Mrs. James D. BozemanThe Honorable & Mrs. Peter BrownMr. & Mrs. Laurence BurnsMrs. Anne H. BushmanDr. & Mrs. William T. ButlerMrs. Marjorie CapshawMr. & Mrs. Barent W. CaterDr. Robert N. ChanonMr. & Mrs. Allen ClamenMr. & Mrs. James G. CoatsworthMr. William E. ColburnDr. & Mrs. James D. CoxMr. David A. CoyleMr. & Mrs. William C. CrassasMr. & Mrs. Robert CreagerSylvia & Andre CrispinMr. & Mrs. Harry H. Cullen Jr.Mr. Carl CunninghamMr. & Mrs. Jerry H. DeutserMr. & Mrs. Robert DeutserMike & Debra DishbergerMr. & Mrs. Jack N. DohertyDr. Burdett S. & Mrs. Kathleen C. E. DunbarCarolyn & David EdgarMr. Roger EichhornMr. & Mrs. J. Thomas EubankDiane Lokey FarbDr. & Mrs. Larry FaulknerMr. & Mrs. Donald Faust Sr.Mrs. Carolyn Grant Fay

Dr. Judith FeiginJerry E. & Nanette B. FingerDr. & Mrs. Ronald FischerMr. & Mrs. Edwin FreedmanPaula & Alfred FriedlanderJ. Kent & Ann FriedmanSally & Bernard FuchsMr. & Mrs. Todd FullerMr. & Mrs. Magnus FyhrMr. & Mrs. Gerard GaynorThomas & Patricia GeddyMr. & Mrs. John GeeMr. Jerry GeorgeMrs. Joan M. GieseMr. Walter GilmoreMr. & Mrs. Thomas W. GlanvilleMr. & Mrs. Morris GlesbyMr. & Mrs. Bert H. GoldingRobert & Michele GoodmarkMr. & Mrs. Tony GracelyMs. Joyce Z. GreenbergMr. Charles H. GregoryMr. Paul T. GregoryMr. & Mrs. Fred E. HaasMrs. Thalia HalenMr. & Mrs. Robert C. HannaMs. Margaret W. HansenMarion & Jim HargroveDr. & Mrs. Eric J. HaufrectMr. & Mrs. Philip J. HawkMr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Heath Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Eric HeggesethMark & Ragna HenrichsMarilyn & Robert M. HermanceMr. & Mrs. Doug R. HinzieMr. & Mrs. Richard HoffertMr. Tim HoganDr. & Mrs. Robert IvanyDr. & Mrs. Joseph JankovicMr. & Mrs. John F. JoitySam & Cele KeeperLinda & Frank S. KelleyMr. John Kelsey & Ms. Gaye DavisMr. & Mrs. Bill KingMary Louis KisterDr. & Mrs. Russell W. KridelBobbie & Richard KristinikMr. Willy KuehnMr. & Mrs. Kevin LaneMs. Joni LatimerMr. & Mrs. Jack LeeDr. & Mrs. Kenneth Eugene LehrerMr. William W. LindleyMr. & Mrs. H. Arthur LittellMs. Nancey LobbRobert & Gayle LongmireClodagh & Tommy MannW. Baker & Penny McAdamsMr. & Mrs. James W. McCartneyMr. & Mrs. Andrew McFarlandMr. & Mrs. David R. McKeithan Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Theron McLarenMr. & Mrs. William E. MearseStephen & Marilyn MilesMr. & Mrs. Robert MitchellMr. & Mrs. Richard MithoffDr. Florence M. MonroeDr. Eleanor D. MontagueJohn & Ann MontgomerySidney & Ione MoranMr. & Mrs. Gerarld MoynierDr. D. Patricia Nelson

Individual Donors..........................................................................................................

September 2010 35

......................................................................................................................................

Mr. & Mrs. Charles G. NicksonDr. & Mrs. Thomas OleySteve & Sue OlsonJane & Kenneth OwenMr. & Mrs. Robert PageMr. & Mrs. Raul PavonMichael & Shirley PearsonPamela & James PennyMr. & Mrs. Harry J. Phillips Jr.Mr. James D. PitcockMr. John PottsMr. Michael H. PriceClinton & Leigh RappoleRecord FamilyHilda & Hershel RichMr. & Mrs. Allyn RisleyMs. Janice Robertson & Mr. Douglas WilliamsMinnette & Jerome RobinsonMs. Regina J. RogersMr. & Mrs. William J. Rovere Jr.Mr. Charles K. SandersMary Louise & David SandersonMr. & Mrs. Shannon SasserMrs. Myrna SchafferMr. & Mrs. Lawrence SchanzmeyerMr. & Mrs. Steven SchwarzbachDr. Philip D. Scott & Dr. Susan E. GardnerMs. Sharin Shafer GailleMr. & Mrs. Marc J. ShapiroDonna & Tim ShenMr. & Mrs. W. Allen ShindlerBarbara & Louis SklarMr. & Mrs. Louis J. SnyderMs. Kelly SomozaCarol & Michael StamatedesMr. & Mrs. George StarkCassie B. Stinson & James H. GibbonsMr. & Mrs. Hans StrohmerMr. & Mrs. Toby SummersMs. Jeanine SwiftMr. & Mrs. Albert S. Tabor Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Warren TashnekMr. Mark TaylorMrs. Donna TeichmanMr. John F. Terwilliger & Ms. Laura CodmanJean & Doug ThomasMr. & Mrs. Timothy J. UngerMatthew VanBesien & Rosanne JowittMr. & Mrs. William VisinskyMr. Danny Ward & Ms. Nancy AmesMr. & Mrs. Patrick J. WhelanMr. Thomas H. WilsonMr. & Mrs. Russell WindhamDr. & Mrs. Jerry S. WolinskyMr. & Mrs. Jeff WrayMr. & Mrs. C. Clifford WrightDr. & Mrs. Robert YekovichMr. & Mrs. Mark YzaguirreMr. & Mrs. Charles ZabriskieMrs. Betsy I. Zimmer

Composer’s Circle$500 - $999Anonymous (4)Ms. Joan AmbrogiCorbin & Char Aslakson

Mr. Rudy AvelarMr. & Mrs. Jerry AxelrodMr. & Mrs. David M. BalderstonCarolyn & Arthur BernerMr. & Mrs. Daniel BoggioMr. & Mrs. Thomas BolamMr. & Mrs. Giorgio BorlenghiMs. Joan BossMr. & Mrs. Danny J. Bowers Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Robert BrayKatherine M. BriggsMrs. Catherine Campbell Brock & Dr. Gary BrockMs. Barbara A. BrooksMrs. Vera BrownMrs. Shirley E. BurgherThe Gertz FoundationMr. & Mrs. Joseph L. CampbellMr. & Mrs. J. Scott CampbellK. D. Charalampous, M.D.Mr. & Mrs. Kent ChenevertMrs. Cielle ClemenceauMr. & Mrs. Mark W. CoffinMs. Barbara A. ConteMs. Mary H. Cook & Mr. Scott R. SpencerMr. & Mrs. Byron CooleyMichael T. CoppingerMr. William S. & Dr. Mary Alice CowanMr. & Mrs. T. N. CrookMs. Anna M. DeanBruce B. DiceMr. & Mrs. Mark DiehlMr. & Mrs. Carr P. DishroonMr. & Mrs. Mark W. DobbinsMr. & Mrs. James P. DornElizabeth H. DuerrMr. Dan DunhamDrs. Gary & Roz DworkinMr. & Mrs. Edward N. EarleMr. & Mrs. Peter EricksonDr. Kenneth L EulerMr. & Mrs. William EvansDr. & Mrs. Louis A. FaillaceMr. & Mrs. Jonathan B. FairbanksMr. & Mrs. Bruce FerenceLinda & Ronny Finger FoundationMr. Dale FitzMr. & Mrs. Harvey FleisherMr. & Mrs. Charles FlourneyMs. Beth FreemanMs. Sharin Shafer GailleMartha & Gibson Gayle Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Harry GendelThe Gertz FoundationDr. & Mrs. Jack GillWilliam E. GipsonLee & Sandy GodfreyMr. & Mrs. Herbert I. GoodmanDr. & Mrs. Harvey L. GordonMr. & Mrs. Robert M. GriswoldZahava HaenoshMr. & Mrs. Joseph A. Hafner Jr.Dennis B. HalpinDr. & Mrs. Carlos R. HamiltonRita & John HannahMr. & Mrs. Stephen HarbachickMr. & Judge Frank Harmon IIIMr. & Mrs. Robert S. HarrellMr. & Mrs. David L. HaugMr. & Mrs. Robert P. Herrmann

Ann & Joe HightowerMr. & Mrs. Ross K. HillMr. & Mrs. Richard P. HoganMr. & Mrs. Robert E. HollowayMr. & Mrs. Roger HurstDiane & Geoffrey IbbottMr. John Jansen & Mrs. Lori Sorcic JansenMrs. Paula JarrettHauling Ace, Curtis Storz & Donna Marie JendritzaMr. Mark JohanssonMr. & Mrs. Okey B. JohnsonMr. Scot W. JohnsonDr. & Mrs. Robert E. JordonLucy & Victor KormeierMr. & Mrs. Melvin Krezer Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Richard D. Lee IIMr. Richard LeibmanMs. Golda K. LeonardH. Fred & Velva G. LevineMichael & Sharon LewisSharon Lipsky, M.D.Mr. Kelly Bruce LobleyMr. Christopher ManciniMs. Liz MarkellMr. & Mrs. J. A. Mawhinney Jr.Ms. Judi McGeeMs. Mary J. McKerall & Ms. Marilyn FlickBarnett & Diane McLaughlinMr. & Mrs. D. Bradley McWilliamsDr. & Mrs. John MendelsohnMr. Ronald A. MikitaMr. Willis B. MitchellMr. & Mrs. Marvin MuellerMr. Richard MurphyMs. Jennifer NaaeMr. & Mrs. Geoffrey B. NewtonJohn & Leslie NiemandNils & Stephanie NormannMrs. Morris OrocofskyMr. Marc C. PaigeMr. Robert PastorekMr. & Mrs. James L. PayneMr. & Mrs. William O. Perkins IIIMr. Arthur PreisingerDoris F. PryzantMrs. Dana PuddyDr. & Mrs. Henry H. Rachford Jr.Dr. Mike RatliffMrs. Edith G. ReedMilton & Jill RoseMr. Edward RossDr. Raymond E. SawayaMr. & Mrs. Lawrence SherlockMr. Barry E. Silverman & Ms. Shara FryerMrs. Camille SimpsonDean & Kay L. SniderMs. Joyce SteensrudMr. & Mrs. James R. StevensDr. & Mrs. David SufianMrs. Louise SuttonMr. Stephen TangneyMr. Kerry TaylorMs. Betsy Mims & Mr. Howard D. ThamesJacob & Elizabeth ThomasMs. Cathleen J. TrechterMr. & Mrs. Robert A. TremantMr. & Mrs. Juan B. Vallhonrat

Dr. & Mrs. Gage VanHornMs. Jana Vander LeeMr. & Mrs. Bill VaughnDr. & Mrs. Robert L. VickMr. David WaddellJan & Don WagnerMr. & Mrs. James A. WattMs. Joann E. WeltonMr. & Mrs. Eden N. WenigMr. & Mrs. Ben WhiteMr. & Mrs. Andrew Wilkomirski

Sustaining Member $250 - $499Anonymous (9)Mr. & Mrs. W. Kendall AdamMr. & Mrs. N. T. AdamsMr. William J. AndersonMr. & Mrs. Gabriel BaizanMr. & Mrs. James A. Baker IIIDr. & Mrs. Robert C. Bast Jr.Mr. Steve A. BavousettMr. Tom BeckerMs. Roberta BensonMr. & Mrs. Mark BerkstresserMr. & Mrs. Paul C. BernerMs. Mary BeshearsJames S. & Linda BirtwistleMr. & Mrs. George BoergerMr. Arno S. BommerMs. Suzie BoydMs. Tiffany BreedingMr. J. W. BrougherMrs. Charles F. BrownSally & Laurence BrownFred & Judy BrunkMr. & Mrs. Rick A. BurrisMr. & Mrs. Raul CaffesseMr. & Mrs. Dean L. CallenderVirginia & William CamfieldMr. Petros CarvounisMr. & Mrs. Kevin J. CaseyVirginia A. ClarkMr. & Mrs. Ralph CohenMrs. Barbora ColeMr. Tulio ColmenaresMs. Erin ConnallyMr. & Mrs. Sanford CrinerMr. & Mrs. Timothy J. CrullMs. Christina DanielsMr. & Mrs. Jeremy DavisDr. & Mrs. Clotaire D. DeleryMs. Dora DillistoneMr. & Mrs. David DybellDr. & Mrs. David W. EdelsteinMr. Ramsay M. ElderMr. Mike EzzellMs. Bernice FeldMr. Chris C. FellowsMs. Ursula H. FelmetMrs. John T. FilesMr. & Mrs. Theodore C. FlickMr. James B. Flodine & Ms. Lynne LiberatoMr. Richard L. Flowers Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Michael S. FranciscoMr. Ralph F. FrankowskiBill & Diana FreemanMs. Diane L. FreemanRobert A. Furse, M.D.Dr. & Mrs. Gary M. GartsmanMr. & Mrs. Duane V. Geis


Mr. & Mrs. James E. GerhardtMs. Heidi GoodMr. & Mrs. Tim GrahamMr. Dane GrenobleMs. Jo Ann C. GuilloryMr. Teruhiko HagiwaraMs. Vickie HamleyMr. & Mrs. Robert L. HansenMs. Karen HardingDr. & Mrs. William S. HarwellMr. & Mrs. Frank L. Heard Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Walter A. HechtMr. Dean HenningsMs. Joy HerinMr. & Mrs. John R. HeumannMr. & Mrs. John HeyburnSusan HodgeMr. David HoffmanMr. & Mrs. John HomierS.y. & Y.j. Kim HongMr. & Mrs. Robert M. HopsonJohn & Nancy HowardGeorge E. HoweMr. John HowenstineMr. & Mrs. Aaron HowesMr. & Mrs. George M. HricikMr. Tyler HubbardMs. Vicki HuffMr. & Mrs. James R. HuttonMr. Jacek JaminskiMs. Sheila K. JohnstoneDr. & Mrs. Andrew P. KantMr. & Mrs. Kenneth KantorMr. & Mrs. David KarohlMr. & Mrs. Hugh R. KellyMr. & Mrs. I. H. Kempner IIIDr. & Mrs. Sherwin KershmanDr. Nora J. KleinDr. & Mrs. Douglas D. KochMr. & Mrs. Sam KosterDr. & Mrs. James H. KrauseSuzanne A. & Dan D. KubinMr. Vijay KusnoorMr. & Mrs. Phillip LadinMs. Bryn Larsen & Mr. Bertrand FryMr. & Mrs. William LeightonMr. & Mrs. Robert LeonardMr. & Mrs. Earl L. Lester Jr.Mr. James C. LindseyMs. Lisa LinneyDr. Ellen LumpkinMrs. Renee MargolinMr. Mark MatovichMs. Suzanne McCarthyMr. R. Scott McCayMrs. Alison McDermott & Mr. Adrian GlasserMr. George McKeeOdette & James McMurreyMs. Laurie McRayMrs. Dorri MelvinDr. Robert A. MendelsonMs. Edna F. Meyer-NelsonMr. & Mrs. Charles A. MichalskiEllen Ochoa & Coe F. MilesMr. Russell J. Miller & Mrs. Charlotte M. MeyerMr. & Mrs. John H. Monroe Jr.Ms. Kathleen Moore & Mr. Steven T. HomerAlan & Elaine MutMr. & Mrs. David S. Neuberger

Mary Murrill NorthMr. & Mrs. Charles OfnerMs. Elizabeth OsherMr. & Mrs. Enrique OspinaMr. & Mrs. Sheldon I. OsterJulie & Chip Oudin IIIMr. William PannillDr. & Mrs. Joseph V. PennGrace & Carroll PhillipsMs. Alice PhillipsMary H. & Lynn K. PickettKim & Ted A. PowellMr. Robert W. PowellMs. Peggy PowersMs. Nita D. PyleElias & Carole QumsiehMr. & Mrs. William B. RawlLoreta & Ronald ReaMs. Joan ReadMr. & Mrs. John Q. ReansMr. & Mrs. Harry L. ReedMr. & Mrs. Walter RhodesMrs. George RismanMary & Jesse RobertsMr. Brian Rodgers & Mrs. Sally EvansDrs. Herbert & Manuela RoellerMs. Mirelle RoscaBrenda & Mansel RubensteinMr. John E. RyallDr. & Mrs. Barry SachsMr. Ed Schneider & Ms. Toni A. OpltMrs. Joan Schnitzer LevyCharles & Andrea SeayMrs. Lenoir SeelhorstMr. & Mrs. Charles O. ShearouseArt & Ellen SheltonPamela & Richard SherryMr. Barrett SidesMr. & Mrs. Stephen N. SmithMr. & Mrs. William SmithMr. Marc SofiaHans C. SonnebornMr. & Mrs. Donald K. SteinmanMr. & Ms. Gary StenersonWilliam F. SternMr. Myron F. StevesDr. & Mrs. Richard StraxDr. John R. Stroehlein & Ms. Miwa SakashitaDr. Shahin TavackoliMr. Robert M. TaylorHoward Tellepsen Jr.Ms. Gloria TenenbownMr. Tas C. Thornhill Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Tom ThweattDavid & Ann TomatzMr. Paul R. TregurthaMr. & Mrs. Ronald TrowbridgeMs. Martha Turner & Mr. Glenn BaugussDr. Robert Ulrich & Ms. June R. RussellMr. John T. Unger & Ms. Kathy WelchMr. & Mrs. D. E. UtechtMr. Steven ValeriusMr. Viet VanDr. Holly & Mr. Michael VarnerPieter & Janet VranckenDean B. WalkerMs. Sandria Ward

Mr. Kenneth W. WarrenMs. Victoria WendlingMr. & Mrs. G. Thomas WhitcombMiss Susan WoodMr. & Mrs. Stephen R. WoodMrs. Peggy J. WylieMr. Kevin YankowskyMs. Ellen A. Yarrell, P.C.Mr. Sam M. Yates IIIMr. & Mrs. Le Roy YeagerMr. Ray YoungMr. & Mrs. Paul J. Zohlen

Krajewski Club Center Stage $1,500 or moreAnonymous (1)Rita & Geoffrey BaylissMr. & Mrs. Edward F. Blackburne Jr.Jim & Ellen BoxMs. Sara J. DevineMr. & Mrs. James E. DorsettMr. & Mrs. Byron F. DyerCarol & Larry FradkinAllen & Almira Gelwick - Lockton CompaniesJulius & Suzan GlickmanDr. & Mrs. Bernard KatzAlice R. McPherson, M.D. & Anthony A. MierzwaPaul & Rita MoricoMr. Robert J. PileggeMr. & Mrs. Mark S. RauchMr. & Mrs. Ben A. ReidMr. & Mrs. William K. Robbins Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Ken N. RobertsonLinda & Jerry RubensteinMrs. Maryjane ScherrMr. & Mrs. Leland TateMs. Jody VerwersMr. & Mrs. William B. Welte III

Krajewski Club Headliner $1,000 - $1,499Stanley & Martha BairMr. Mark C. ConradMr. & Mrs. Fred L. GormanMr. & Mrs. Jerry L. HamakerMr. & Mrs. George A. HellandMr. & Mrs. Allan QuiatMr. & Mrs. John T. RiordanMrs. Annetta RoseMr. & Mrs. Steve SimsMs. Virgina TorresMr. & Mrs. Lawrence D. Wallace

Krajewski Club Producer $500 - $999Anonymous (1)Rev. & Mrs. H. Eldon AkermanMr. & Mrs. H. Richard AlexanderMr. Stephen J. BanksMr. Allen J. BeckerMr. John S. BeuryMr. Christopher Buehler & Ms. Jill HutchisonW. M. CalvertMr. & Mrs. Warren J. CarrollDr. & Mrs. Neal ChastainJohn & Joyce EagleDr. & Mrs. Robert N. HealyMr. Harold JennisonMr. Don E. Kingsley

Mr. & Mrs. Joe T. McMillanDr. & Mrs. Raghu NarayanMr. Anthony G. OgdenW. R. PurifoyMr. & Mrs. Philip ReddingMr. & Mrs. George A. Rizzo Jr.Mr. Morris RubinMr. & Mrs. Tim ShauntyMr. & Mrs. Harold L. SiegeleGene & Donna TrombleeSally & Denney Wright

Krajewski Club Director $250 - $499Mrs. Elsie AmeenDr. & Mrs. R. L. BrennerMr. Jay T. BrownMs. Carol BrownsteinMr. & Mrs. Bruce BuhlerRichard & Marcia ChurnsMr. Robert A. ColtonMr. & Mrs. Joseph DemeterMr. T. J. DoggettRichard & MildredMr. & Mrs. Dale HardyMr. Larry JanuaryMs. Mary KeathleyMr. George S. KnappCharles C. & Patricia KubinMr. Richard S. LedermannMr. & Mrs. Roger LindgrenMr. & Mrs. James McBrideMr. & Mrs. Carrol R. McGinnisMr. Gerard & Mrs. Helga MeneillyMs. Phyllis SchafferDr. & Mrs. A. Carl SchmulenMr. & Mrs. David K. SmithMr. & Mrs. William G. StraightMr. & Mrs. Carl N. TongbergDr. & Mrs. Karl TornyosMr. Roger TrandellSandy Vander KamMr. & Mrs. Don Wilton

Individual Donors...............................................................................................

September 2010 37

As of April 1, 2010

Alexander’s Fine Portrait DesignBaker Botts Be FriendsBergner and JohnsonCogneticMr. Carl R. CunninghamDarryl & Co.Deville Fine JewelryDocuData SolutionsThe Events Company Hilton Americas - HoustonHouston ChronicleJackson and CompanyJOHANNUS Organs of TexasJim Benton of Houston LLC

JR’s Bar and GrillKUHF 88.7 FMThe Lancaster Hotel Limb DesignMorton’s The SteakhouseMusic & ArtsNeiman MarcusNew Leaf Publishing, Inc.PaperCityPride HoustonPro/SoundSaint Arnold’s BrewerySaks Fifth AvenueShecky’s Media, Inc.Silver Eagle DistributorsSky Bar

Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer FoodsStrip HouseValobra Jewelry & AntiquesJohn Wright/Texprint

Corporate Matching Gifts.........................................................................................

In Kind Donors.........................................................................................................

AetnaAkzo NobelAT&TBank of AmericaBoeingCaterpillarChevronCoca-ColaEl Paso CorporationEli Lilly and CompanyExxon Mobil

Fannie MaeGeneral ElectricGeneral MillsGoldman, Sachs & Co.HalliburtonHewlett-PackardIBMING Financial Services CorporationJPMorgan ChaseKBRKirby Corporation

Occidental PetroleumSMART Modular Technologies, Inc.Spectra Energy

Annual Campaign Donors.................................................................................

He last appeared with the Houston Symphony in March 2009, performing Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 with Maestro Graf. Highlights of last season included per-forming the piano concerto composed for him by Esa-Pekka Salonen under the compos-er’s direction at the Edinburgh, Helsinki and Lucerne Festivals, as well as playing Brahms’ Second Concerto with numerous orches-tras including the Vienna Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta. Bronfman’s 2009-10 recital tour-ing schedule included Japan, Europe and North America, where he gave his annual solo performance at Carnegie Hall. He also toured Europe with Alan Gilbert and the New York

Biographies continued from page 26.......................................................................Philharmonic. In 2008-09, Bronfman was an “On Location” artist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic; undertook a solo recital tour of the U.S. and Europe and a duo recital tour with Emanuel Ax; opened both the San Francisco Symphony and New York Philharmonic sea-sons; and performed with leading inter-national orchestras, including the Royal Concertgebouw and Berlin Philharmonic. Bronfman’s commitment to chamber music has led to collaborations with quartets such as the Emerson and Guarneri, and artists including Isaac Stern, Yo-Yo Ma and Pinchas Zukerman. His wide-ranging discography

includes Bartók’s three piano concertos with Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which won a Grammy® in 1997. Recent releases feature Salonen’s works; Beethoven concertos with Gil Shaham, Truls Mørk and the Tonhalle Orchestra; Tchaikovsky’s first con-certo with Jansons and the Bavarian Radio Symphony; and a recital disc, Perspectives, complementing Bronfman’s 2007-08 Carnegie Hall “Perspectives” series. Having trained at The Juilliard School, Marlboro and the Curtis Institute of Music, with Rudolf Firkusny, Leon Fleisher and Rudolf Serkin, Bronfman was awarded the presti-gious Avery Fisher Prize in 1991.


W. P. BeardMrs. H. Raymond BrannonAnthony BrigandiLawrence E. Carlton, M.D.Lee Allen ClarkJack EllisFrank R. EylerHelen Bess Fariss FosterChristine E. GeorgeMrs. Marcella Levine Harris

General & Mrs. Maurice HirschMiss Ima HoggBurke & Octavia HolmanMrs. L. F. McCollumJoan B. McKerleyMonroe L. Mendelsohn Jr.Mrs. Janet MoynihanConstantine S. NicandrosHanni OrtonStewart Orton, Legacy Society co-founder

Dr. Michael PapadopoulosMiss Louise Pearl PerkinsWalter W. Sapp, Legacy Society co-founderJ. Fred & Alma Laws Lunsford SchultzJohn K. & Fanny W. StoneDorothy Barton ThomasMrs. Harry C. WiessMrs. Edward Wilkerson

Legacy Society...................................................................................................

The Legacy Society honors those who have included the Houston Symphony in their long-term estate plans through bequests, life-income gifts or other deferred-giving arrangements. Members of the Legacy Society enjoy a variety of benefits, including an annual musical event with a renowned guest artist. The Houston Symphony extends its deepest thanks to the members of the Society, and with their permission, is pleased to acknowledge them.

Anonymous (8)Mr. & Mrs. Thomas D. BarrowGeorge & Betty BashenDr. & Mrs. Peter BenjaminDorothy B. BlackErmy Borlenghi BonfieldRonald C. BorschowAnneliese BosselerJoe BrazzattiZu BroadwaterTerry Ann BrownDr. Joan K. Bruchas & H. Philip CowdinEugene R. BrunsSylvia J. CarrollWilliam J. ClaytonLeslie Barry DavidsonHarrison R. T. DavisMr. & Mrs. Jeremy DavisJean & sJack EllisMrs. Robin A. ElversonThe Aubrey and Sylvia Farb FamilyGinny GarrettMichael B. GeorgeStephen and Mariglyn GlennMr. & Mrs. Keith E. GottRandolph Lee GroningerMarilyn & Robert M. HermanceDr. Gary L. HollingsworthDr. Edward J. & Mrs. Patti HurwitzKenneth HydeMr. Brian JamesDrs. Rita & Blair JusticeDr. & Mrs. Ira Kaufman, MDMr. John S. W. KellettAnn Kennedy & Geoffrey Walker

Dr. & Mrs. I. Ray KirkMr. & Mrs. Ulyesse LeGrangeMrs. Frances E. LelandMary R. LewisE. W. Long Jr.Sandra MagersMr. & Mrs. Jay MarksJames MatthewsDr. and Mrs. Malcolm MazowMr. & Mrs. Gene McDavidCharles E. McKerleyMr. & Mrs. Alexander K. McLanahanMiss Catherine Jane MerchantDr. & Mrs. Robert M. MihaloRon MikitaKatherine Taylor MizeIone MoranSidney MoranSue A. Morrison and ChildrenMr. & Mrs. Richard P. MoynihanMr. & Mrs. Marvin MuellerGretchen Anne MyersEdward C. Osterberg Jr.Joan D. OsterweilImogen “Immy” PapadopoulosSara M. PetersonMr. Howard PieperGeraldine S. PriestDaniel F. ProsserGloria & Joe PryzantWalter M. RossMr. & Mrs. Michael B. SandeenCharles K. SandersCharles King SandersMr. & Mrs. Charles T. Seay II

Mr. & Mrs. James A. ShafferDr. & Mrs. Kazuo ShimadaJule & Albert SmithMr. & Mrs. Louis J. SnyderMike and sAnita StudeMr. & Mrs. David K. TerryStephen G. TippsMr. & Mrs. Jesse B. TutorDr. Carlos Vallbona and ChildrenMargaret Waisman, M.D. &

Steven S. Callahan, Ph.D.David M. Wax & Elaine Arden CaliRobert WeinerGeoffrey WestergaardJennifer R. WittmanMr. & Mrs. Bruce E. WoodsMr. & Mrs. David Wuthrich

As of August 9, 2010

sDeceased

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

In Memoriam.....................................................................................................

For more information on creating a legacy for the benefit of the Symphony, please contact the Planned Giving Office at (713) 337-8524 or e-mail [email protected].

September 2010 39

Artistic excellence, strong leadership, robust ticket sales and growing philanthropic support are vital, but they alone cannot guarantee the Houston Symphony’s future. To do so, its endowment must be increased. My Houston, My Symphony: Campaign for a Sound Future has two major goals: add $60 million to the Symphony’s endowment and raise $15 million in working capital. We are proud to recognize those who have already made commitments to this campaign and invite others to join them as we build an artistically and financially sound Houston Symphony.

Foundations......................$10,000,000 The Brown Foundation, Inc. *

$1,000,000 - $4,999,999AnonymousThe Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts *Houston Endowment Inc.Spec’s Charitable FoundationThe Wortham Foundation, Inc.

$500,000 - $999,999The Fondren Foundation

$100,000 - $499,999M. D. Anderson FoundationThe Cullen FoundationThe Margaret and James A. Elkins, Jr. FoundationThe William Randolph Hearst FoundationAlbert & Ethel Herzstein Charitable FoundationMach Family FundThe Marks Charitable Foundation

$25,000 - $99,999Dror Charitable FoundationThe Kayser FoundationThe Nightingale Code Foundation

Corporations.....................$100,000 - $250,000Baker Botts L.L.P.ChevronConocoPhillipsFulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.Marathon Oil Company Foundation

$50,000 - $99,000Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP

$25,000 - $49,999Amegy Bank of TexasGoldman Sachs

$10,000 - $24,999Sterling Bank

Individuals.......................FounderAnonymous

Grand GuarantorMr. & Mrs. Philip A. Bahr *Mr. & Mrs. Thomas D. Barrow *Lieutenant Governor David H. DewhurstBarbara & Patrick McCelveyPhoebe and Bobby Tudor

GuarantorEstate of Lawrence E. Carlton, M.D.Mr. & Mrs. Marvin KaplanMr. & Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis

Mr. & Mrs. Jay Marks *Mrs. Sue A. Morrison and ChildrenEstate of Mr. Walter W. Sapp *Mr. & Mrs. Michael E. ShannonMr. & Mrs. Jesse B. Tutor *

Major BenefactorDr. & Mrs. Alexander DellLevit Family/Grocers SupplyDr. & Mrs. Michael Mann

BenefactorAnonymous *Linda & Gene DewhurstMrs. Robin A. ElversonMr. & Mrs. Marvy A. FingerHouston Symphony ChorusDrs. Blair & Rita JusticeDrs. M.S. & Marie-Luise Kalsi *Mr. & Mrs. James A. ShafferMr. & Mrs. Stephen G. Tipps *

Major SponsorAnonymousMr. & Mrs. David J. BeckMrs. Ruth White BrodskyMr. & Mrs. John T. CaterMr. Michael H. Clark & Ms. Sallie Morian *Mr. Martin J. Fein & Dr. Kelli Cohen Fein

in memory of Jean VineyMr. & Mrs. Russell M. FrankelStephen & Mariglyn GlennDr. Gary L. HollingsworthMs. Martha KleymeyerMr. & Mrs. Gene McDavidMr. & Mrs. Michael D. Moore *Mr. & Mrs. Scott S. NyquistKathy & Harry Phillips FundGloria & Joe PryzantMr. & Mrs. J. Hugh Roff Jr.Ms. Charlotte A. RothwellMr. & Mrs. Paul N. Schwartz Ms. Ann TrammellMr. & Mrs. Steven J. WilliamsMr. & Mrs. Ed Wulfe

SponsorAnonymous (2) Mr. Clayton BairdMr. & Mrs. Gary Beauchamp *Mrs. Ermy Borlenghi BonfieldMs. Catherine Campbell-Brock & Dr. Gary BrockMs. Janet F. ClarkMr. & Mrs. Jeffrey B. EarlyMr. & Mrs. Craig A. Fox *Mr. Frank T. Garcia & Dr. Elizabeth M. SpankusMr. & Mrs. Robert M. HermanceMr. Jack Holmes *Dr. & Mrs. I. Ray KirkMr. & Mrs. Ulyesse J. LeGrangeDr. & Mrs. Daniel E. LehaneMr & Mrs. Harry MachMs. Judi McGeeMr. & Mrs. Alexander K. McLanahan *

Mr. & Mrs. Lucian L. Morrison Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Arthur NewmanMr. & Dr. Edward C. Osterberg Jr.Nancy & Bob PeiserMr. & Mrs. Joseph P. QuoyeserMr. & Mrs. Albert J. Smith Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Fredric A. Weber *

Major PatronMr. Thomas Becker & Mr. Jim Rosenfeld *Mr. Gordon B. BonfieldMr. Anthony BrigandiMs. Terry Ann BrownMr. & Mrs. John R. Dennis IIIMr. & Mrs. Osborne J. Dykes IIIMr. & Mrs. Frank J. HevrdejsMr. & Mrs. Frank G. JonesMr. E. W. Long Jr.The MacDonald-Peterson Foundation Inc.Mr. & Mrs. Tommy O. MannMr. & Mrs. C. W. MerchantMr. & Mrs. James M. Mercurio *Mr. & Mrs. Kirk B. MichaelMrs. Hanni Orton *Mr. & Mrs. J. Dale RamseyMr. & Mrs. William J. Rovere Jr.Dr. Margaret Waisman & Dr. Steven S. CallahanVicki & Paul S. WestMr. & Mrs. Melvyn WolffMr. David Zerhusen & Mrs. Kathy Schoff

Patron Mr. & Mrs. Willie J. AlexanderMrs. Marty AmbroseMs. Martha Z. CarnesDr. Scott CutlerMrs. Benjamin DanzigerMs. Leslie B. Davidson & Mr. W. Robins BricePaul & Vickie DavisMr. & Mrs. Patrick M. DreckmanThe Estate of Emma Sue B. FrankDr. Susan E. Gardner & Dr. Philip D. ScottRobert Lee GomezMr. Robert GrantMr. & Mrs. Anthony W. Hall Jr.Susan & Dick HansenMr. & Mrs. Robert S. HarrellMr. & Mrs. Fraser A. McAlpineMr. & Mrs. John S. OrtonMr. & Mrs. P. C. PeropoulosMrs. Helen Rosenbaum *Joseph & Holly RubboSusan ScarrowEstate of Dorothy Barton ThomasMr. David Ashley WhiteMr. & Mrs. David J. Wuthrich

* Donor to endowment and working capitalListing as of August 9, 2010

Campaign Cabinet MembersJan BarrowDaniel DrorRochelle LevitRodney H. MargolisJay MarksJ. Stephen Marks

Harry J. Phillips Jr.Robert B. Tudor IIIWallace S. Wilson

Houston Symphony EndowmentPresident Ulyesse J. LeGrange

Trustees Prentiss Burt Janet Clark J. Cole Dawson III Gene Dewhurst Jesse B. Tutor

George Mitchell, Honorary ChairM. S. Stude, ChairGene Dewhurst, Vice ChairJesse B. Tutor, Vice Chair Mike McLanahan, Vice ChairUlyesse J. LeGrange, Vice Chair

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My Houston, My Symphony: Campaign for a Sound Future ........................


Backstage Pass...................................................................................................

Frank Huang, concertmaster

Birthplace: Beijing, China; I moved to Houston when I was 7 years old.

Education: I moved from Houston to Cleveland to attend the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) when I was 16. I graduated high school there while attending the young artist program, then continued on to finish my bachelor in music degree. After that, I attended The Juilliard School for one year in the artist diploma program.

Joined the Houston Symphony: August 2010

Looking forward to in the 2010-2011 Season: I’m especially looking for-ward to getting to know all the wonderful musicians and staff who are a part of the Houston Symphony family. I’m also looking forward to get-ting to know my hometown better. Even though I spent part of my child-hood here, it’s very different coming back as an adult!

Beginnings: I began playing the violin when I came to Houston at age 7, studying with my mother. I initially did not like it at all and would much rather have been outside playing basketball or hanging out with friends, but my mom would not let me quit and convinced me to con-tinue practicing. Even though we had some difficult times and tons of arguments about my music, I’m certain that her dedication and support are a big part of me being where I am now.

Earliest musical memory: One of the first things I remember is playing the piano, which I started while I was still in Beijing. I still love it and enjoy playing whenever there’s one around.

All in the family: My mother is a violinist; my father is a conductor/pianist; and I have a very talented younger sister who also plays the violin!

Discovering my vocation: My teachers have been the most important influence on me as far as deciding to be a musician. They are, in chrono-logical order: my mother, then Fredell Lack at the University of Houston, then Donald Weilerstein at CIM and, finally, Robert Mann at Juilliard. This past year, I was associate professor of violin and chamber music at the Eastman School of Music, and teaching has become a major part of my life. I’m thrilled to be on the faculty now at the University of Houston, where I had my first violin lessons, and I hope to inspire my students the same way my teachers have inspired me.

Best thing about being a musician: The best thing about being a musi-cian is being able to get up in front of people and play music for them. There is no better way to share your emotions and ideas with a room full of complete strangers, in my opinion!

Alternative reality: If I was not a professional musician, I’m sure I would still love it and want to be constantly surrounded by music. I could imagine enjoying other careers, however…maybe I could enjoy being one of those people who travel around the world writing reviews about nice restaurants and hotels?

Favorite performance piece: I enjoy whatever I’m working on at the moment. I think it’s important to really get to know a piece well enough to understand what it’s about and love it before getting on stage and sharing those ideas with the audience.

Musical inspiration: There are too many inspirational composers, musicians and artists to even begin to single anyone out!

Current listening: In my iPod right now there’s a very wide range of music! There are a few late Beethoven quartets, some techno that I listen to as I run, some great orchestral works by Strauss and Stravinsky, some hip-hop by Ludacris and Jay-Z, a recording of a con-cert by my piano trio that will be released on iTunes soon and tons of pieces that I’m currently practicing and learning.

Keeping your music making fresh: For me, it’s mainly about constantly experimenting with different ideas and trying to make everything sound spontaneous and natural.

Finding the perfect instrument: I am currently looking for my perfect instrument. I have never owned my own violin, so it is probably the one thing I want the most in this world! I have been very fortunate to have had many great instruments loaned to me by foundations or very kind sponsors, but inevitably there comes a day when I have to return them to their owners. It is very painful to part with an instrument, especially if I have had it for a few years, which has happened a few times!

Biggest challenge: The most difficult aspect of being a violinist for me is, again, not having a great instrument that I can call my own.

Notable moment: There are many moments in my musical career that are memorable, but one in recent history stands out. I will always remember walking onto the stage at the Hollywood Bowl and perform-ing a Sibelius concerto with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for thou-sands of people! The size of the audience was unforgettable!

Pastime and good company: Outside of work, I enjoy many hobbies. I love playing basketball (I’m a very loyal Rockets fan), table tennis, bike rides and eating any kind of food. I can also be happy doing absolutely nothing except sitting in front of a TV!

Documents

Houston Symphony Magazine - September 2010