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Sexy new Houston Symphony conductor to lead a season with twist, surprises: Chasing music electricity

From the moment when Andrés Orozco-Estrada stepped onto the podium to lead his first concert with the Houston Symphony, the musicians knew they had found their guy. There was chemistry. There were sparks. And then there was passionate music.

It's fitting that in announcing its 2014-15 concert lineup on Friday night, the Houston Symphony themed the official inaugural season of the Colombian-born music director "Conducting Electricity," a nod to the the synergies between his stimulating conducting style, the 87 orchestral players and a hungry audience aching to be moved.

"I want to make music in a way that brings everyone together," Orozco-Estrada tells CultureMap. "My goal is for my guests to experience what can only happen in live performance — the excitement, the energy, the magic. If you've never been to a Houston Symphony concert, I promise to make this a thrilling experience."

Will you accept his invitation? Here's how the season unfolds.

You can expect the Opening Night Concert and Gala (Sept. 13) at the Corinthian to be a sold-out social affair teeming with the who's who of the city's philanthropists. British trumpeter and 2013 Gramophone Artist of the Year Alison Balsom is front and center for Haydn's Trumpet Concerto plus Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition and Mozart's Overture to the Marriage of Figaro.

SIX DON'T MISS CONCERTS WITH OROZCO-ESTRADA

The horns will wail and the woodwinds will twirl in Richard Strauss' Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life), a tone poem of epic proportions, scheduled as part of Watts Play Rachmaninoff (Sept. 19-21). Pianist André Watts joins Orozco-Estrada for the opulent Piano Concerto No. 2 by Rachmaninoff. Of note in this program is the world premiere of a commission by the Houston Symphony from composer Gabriela Lena Frank, who will serve as artist-in-residence for a community engagement program.

Is there such thing as too much Beethoven?

The symphony doesn't think so with the series Three Weeks of Beethoven Nov. 14-30), the first installment of a Beethoven Cycle to be completed in subsequent seasons. His first, fourth and fifth symphonies plus the overtures to Coriolan and Egmont are complemented by other important repertoire of the region, including Brahms' Schicksalslied, Mozart's Requiem and Schumann's Cello Concerto with principal cellist Brinton Averil Smith.

The Vienna-trained music director has a penchant for opera, but without a theater suitable for full productions, Orozco-Estrada is trying the next best thing. Mozart's The Abduction from the Seraglio (Jan. 23-25, 2015) will be performed in concert version with the help of vocal students from the Shepherd School of Music and the Moores School of Music. The main roles will be cast with singers of international repute.

"If you've never been to a Houston Symphony concert, I promise to make this a thrilling experience."

Beethoven and Bartók (May 7-10, 2015) couples two completely different works that test the dexterity of the soloists. Violinist James Ehnes will interpret Beethoven's Violin Concerto while the full ensemble shows their goods in Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra.

Lang Lang Joins Andrés (May 12, 2015) reunites the flamboyant piano badass with Orozco-Estrada for one night only. Expect tuneful fireworks and lots of gratuitous head bangs and facial expressions from the main man.

Mahler's Symphony No. 3 (May 15-17, 2015) brings the classical season to a close. The massive orchestral forces are complemented by the women of the Houston Symphony Chorus for this longest symphony among the standards.

UP-CLOSE AND PERSONAL

No more Access concerts, a format that attempted to add an educational and social component to traditional performances. Instead, Musically Speaking with Andrés (Jan. 15, March 12 and May 7, 2015) at Rice University reinvents the concept with interactive talks with Orozco-Estrada. In addition, the maestro will be available after several concerts to engage in informal question-and-answer sessions with patrons. Cyber savvy guests can even interact with him using hashtag #1415AndresHS on Twitter.

BIG NAMES

Remember Sarah Chang? The violinist is back for Sarah Chang Plus Copland (Oct. 2-5) to perform Barber's Violin Concerto. Beefing up the program led by conductor Cristian Macelaru is local composer Karim Al-Zand's City Scenes.

Always popular with audiences of every walk of life, Andrea Bocelli (Dec. 10) headlines a concert at the Toyota Center.

Classical music celeb Itzhak Perlman (Feb. 12-15, 2015) conducts and plays fiddle in Bach's Violin Concerto No. 2 and Schubert's Symphony No. 9. In between that concert run, Bernadette Peters (Feb. 13, 2015) comes to town for a Valentine's soirée filled with popular Broadway tunes.

The passionate maestro Robert Spano leads Ohlsson Plays Chopin (April 17-19, 2015) with pianist Garrick Ohlsson tickling the ivories to Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1. Also on the program are two works by American composer Jennifer Higdon, an effort by the Houston Symphony to showcase more works by female composers.

GRAF RETURNS

Ravel and Debussy (Oct. 23-26) sees the return of former Houston Symphony music director Hans Graf in a concert with piano virtuoso Jon Kimura Parker. Graf will travel back for Graf Conducts Schumann (Feb. 20-22, 2015) to share music by Hindemith, Saint-Saëns and Schumann.

FREE STUFF

The first concert of the year happens to be free. ¡Bienvenido, Andrés! (Sept. 12) at Miller Outdoor Theatre introduces Orozco-Estrada to the city with a program that highlights music from the Americas. Adding prowess to this playbill is Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero, who's known for her ability to improvise on the spot.

Fiesta Sinfonica con Andrés (Sept. 14) at Jones Hall continues the welcoming ceremonies with Orozco-Estrada again with Montero in a program that celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month.

Think of the Second Annual Day of Music (July 12) as a cacophonous 12-hour concert marathon in which Jones Hall transforms into a showcase of many music presenters of all genres in Houston, including jazz, rock, blues, cultural groups, choirs and on and on.

WHAT TO DO

Season subscriptions — which are available in packages that include three to 18 concerts — start at $99. Subscriptions may be purchased online or by calling 713-224-7575.

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Stay tuned (pun intended) for CultureMap's coverage of the Houston Symphony's new Cynthia Woods Mitchell POPS season at Jones Hall.

The Houston Symphony themed the official inaugural season of Andrés Orozco-Estrada "Conducting Electricity."

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Houston Grand Opera names Rice alum James Gaffigan its next music director

Photo by Claire McAdams

Houston Grand Opera names James Gaffigan as next Music Director

Opera lovers in the audience for the Houston Grand Opera’s magnificent season opening production of Porgy and Bess didn’t know it, but they were hearing HGO’s future. James Gaffigan, the acclaimed conductor of the performance will no longer be called an honored guest to the company and our city; instead, he’ll make the Wortham Center his new home.

HGO announced on Thursday, November 6, that Gaffigan will serve as the fifth music director in its 70-year history, leading the company alongside general director and CEO Khori Dastoor. He replaces Patrick Summers, who announced last year that he would step down as artistic and music director at the end of the 2025-26 season.

When Gaffigan begins his term as music director designate for the 2026-27 season and then assumes the full role of music director in the 2027-28 season, he won’t find Houston an unfamiliar landscape. Though originally from New York, Gaffigan once lived here while earning his master’s degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.

After his time at Rice, he quickly rose to international superstardom in both symphonic and operatic circles. He has conducted some of the greatest orchestras around the country, including the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and many others. In Europe he has taken the podium at the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin, and more.

In 2011, he made both his HGO and American operatic debut with the company’s production of The Marriage of Figaro. He has also become a very welcome guest conductor for national and international opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Opéra National de Paris, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and more.

For the past several years, he has made a home in Europe serving as the general music director of Komische Oper Berlin, and he recently completed his fourth and final season as music director of the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia, Spain.

Even with such a strong global presence, this Rice Owl continues to migrate back to Houston, guest conducting the Houston Symphony several times. Last year, he lead the first-ever performance by the HGO Orchestra at the annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers Concert of Arias.

Gaffigan’s ties to Houston are so strong that back in 2011, CultureMap’s own society king and classical music expert, Joel Luks, pondered if Gaffigan might be an excellent candidate for Houston Symphony director upon Han Graf ’s retirement. Luks, who attended the Shepherd School at the same time as Gaffigan, lauded the maestro’s sense of musical timing, charisma, and spirit.

$\u200bHouston Grand Opera names James Gaffigan as next Music Director$

Photo by Claire McAdams

Houston Grand Opera has named James Gaffigan as its next Music Director.

“He seems to understand music-making in a macro level, presenting a cohesive interpretation, while allowing musicians freedom of expression,” described Luks, also noting Gaffigan’s ability to connect with musicians and audiences, alike.

It turns out Luks’s prediction for a musical directorship for Gaffigan was only off by 14 years and about a theater district block, the distance from Jones Hall to the Wortham Center.

“I always knew that the first post I would take in the United States as music director had to be the perfect fit,” Gaffigan said in a statement. “All the boxes needed to be ticked. As I considered which institution, which city, and which community aligned with my dreams and goals for an American institution, I found HGO to be my ideal partner. In my opinion, HGO is the most exciting opera company in the United States. It is rare to find such a healthy institution, with tremendous potential, and a solid foundation on which to build.”

Gaffigan went on to reminisce that he has admired HGO since his early twenties.

“When walking into the building, I get a sense of community and excitement for our art form and the importance it has in our lives. I feel the same from the people in the greater Houston area. Houstonians want great art. Under Khori Dastoor’s leadership, the company has flourished, and it has become clear to me that the sky is the limit. I can’t wait to return to this city and start our thrilling new chapter together.”

Dastoor sings similar praises for Gaffigan.

“To welcome James Gaffigan back to Houston, and to HGO, as our new music director represents the fulfillment of an ambitious dream,” stated Dastoor. “This fall, Houston audiences have had the incredible opportunity to witness his passion, electric energy, and mind-blowing artistry at the podium. I am overjoyed that today’s leading American conductor — who embodies a new generation of music-making at the highest level — has chosen to invest fully in this company. James was steeped in the art and culture of Houston on his way to finding phenomenal international success. His return is both a testament to our city and a reflection of HGO’s ascendance as a force in the global opera industry.”

For those wanting to get a taste of that passion and energy Gaffigan will bring to his role as Houston Grand Opera music director, he conducts Porgy and Bess November 7 and 9.

performing-arts houston grand opera james gaffigan