Houston Symphony Concludes Season With Lang Lang, Mahler, Beethoven and More!

The Houston Symphony is celebrating the conclusion of an eventful 2014-15 season with a varied and innovative lineup of classical, POPS and community concerts.

British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor and German-Japanese conductor Jun Märkl are both expected to make their Houston Symphony debuts on May 1-3. Märkl, who guest-conducts regularly in Europe, Japan and North America, will lead the young pianist in Beethoven's lively and bold Piano Concerto No. 1. The program concludes with the rafter-shaking effect of Saint-Saëns' Symphony No. 3, Organ Symphony.

On May 7-10, Canadian violinist James Ehnes returns to Jones Hall to interpret Beethoven's Violin Concerto, one of the most profound works of the violin repertoire. This program, led by Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada, also includes Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra. The Thursday, May 7, program is part of the Musically Speaking with Andrés series at Rice University's Stude Hall, which features a live orchestral performance and musical commentary.

And then, for a one-night-only performance, pianist extraordinaire Lang Lang descends on Jones Hall on May 12 for Lang Lang Joins Andrés to delight audiences with his astounding technique and charisma. Lang Lang was recently seen performing on the stage of the 57th Grammy Awards alongside Grammy Award-winner Pharrell Williams.

On May 15-17, Orozco-Estrada conducts Mahler's monumental third symphony in the final concert of his inaugural season. This majestic choral concert will feature the Parker Elementary School Chorus, the Women of the Houston Symphony Chorus under the direction of Betsy Cook Weber, and Grammy Award-wining mezzo-soprano Kelley O'Connor, whose sophisticated voice and innate dramatic artistry have elated audiences across the world.

On May 22-24, Houston-based speed painter and creator of Paintjam Dan Dunn will join the Houston Symphony in a highly visual presentation choreographed to music and brought to life by the sounds of the orchestra in Paintjam Concert Experience. Dunn has brought his spontaneous art form to nearly 30 countries in the last few years, entertaining and amazing audiences of all ages and backgrounds. There will be a post-concert live auction as part of this program.

POPS audiences will also be treated to two nights of classic British rock music. Randy Jackson, lead singer and guitarist for the rock band Zebra, will join the Houston Symphony on programs that feature music from two of the most influential rock groups of all time: Led Zeppelin (on May 29) and Pink Floyd (on May 30). Jackson, known for his searing lead vocals and soaring guitar leads, toured as a keyboardist, guitarist and backing vocalist with the original Jefferson Airplane back in 1989. This program will be led by Brent Havens, an acclaimed arranger and conductor for nearly a dozen symphonic rock programs, including Music of Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Pink Floyd, U2, and many more.

To conclude this month's activities, the Houston Symphony Chorus and the Houston Symphony Chorus Chamber Ensemble Houston Symphony will offer a free choral concert on May 31 at St. Luke's Methodist Church. The program will feature choral classics by Handel, Mendelssohn, Brahms and Morten Lauridsen, among others.

Unless otherwise noted, all concerts take place at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, 615 Louisiana Street, in Houston's Theater District. For tickets and information, please call (713) 224-7575 or visit www.houstonsymphony.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the Houston Symphony Patron Services Center in Jones Hall (Monday - Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). All programs and artists are subject to change.

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1

Thursday, April 30, 2015, 8:00pm

Friday, May 1, 2015, 8:00pm

Sunday, May 3, 2015, 2:30pm

*Jun Märkl, conductor

*Benjamin Grosvenor, piano

Berlioz: Le Corsaire

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1

Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3, Organ Symphony

German-Japanese conductor Jun Märkl and young British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, who won the BBC Young Musician Competition, both make their Houston Symphony debuts. Hear Berlioz's riveting overture Le Corsaire, about the imagined dangers and excitement of a pirate's life. Grosvenor joins the orchestra for Beethoven's lively and bold Piano Concerto No. 1, and the program concludes with the rafter-shaking effect of Saint-Saëns' Symphony No. 3, Organ Symphony.

Beethoven and Bartók

Thursday, May 7, 2015, 7:30pm

Saturday, May 9, 2015, 8:00pm

Sunday, May 10, 2015, 2:30pm

Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor

James Ehnes, violin

Beethoven: Violin Concerto

Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra

Listen as James Ehnes soars through melodies in one of the most profound works of the violin repertoire, Beethoven's glorious Violin Concerto. Returning for a repeat appearance with the Houston Symphony, discover why the Houston Chronicleproclaimed, "Ehnes again proved notable not only for technical proficiency, but also for the warmth and understanding of his playing." Also experience the incredible virtuosity of each instrument in Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra.

Note: The Thursday program is part of the Musically Speaking Series format at Rice University's Stude Hall and only includes Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra, along with musical commentary.

Lang Lang Joins Andrés

Tuesday, May 12, 2015, 7:30pm

Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor

Lang Lang, piano

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1

No contemporary artist has made more of an impact on the classical world than Lang Lang. He has ascended to enormous popularity and has earned nicknames such as the classical music "rock star" by The Wall Street Journal, and landed a coveted spot on Time magazine's list of the "100 Most Influential People in the World." Lang Lang, who plays with dazzling technique and charisma, has been characterized for his "sensitive," yet "deeply human" performances, and brings his colossal talent to Jones Hall to help close out the 2014-15 Season.

Andrés Conducts Mahler 3

Friday, May 15, 2015, 8:00pm

Saturday, May 16, 2015, 8:00pm

Sunday, May 17, 2015, 2:30pm

Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor

Kelley O'Connor, mezzo-soprano

Parker Elementary School Chorus

Marianna Parnas-Simpson, director

Women of the Houston Symphony Chorus

Betsy Cook Weber, director

Mahler: Symphony No. 3

Don't miss this season finale performance led by Andrés Orozco-Estrada! Mahler once said, "A symphony must be like the world. It must embrace everything." In his colossal Symphony No. 3, Mahler explores the power and beauty of nature through the colorful sounds of the orchestra. Hear how many different nature sounds you can detect during this spectacular Symphony.

The Paintjam Concert Experience

Friday, May 22, 2015, 8:00pm

Saturday, May 23, 2015, 8:00pm

Sunday, May 24, 2015, 7:30pm

Michael Krajewski, conductor

Dan Dunn, artist

Internationally-acclaimed, Houston-based speed painter Dan Dunn brings music to life inspired by the sounds of the full orchestra. Improvising on a grand scale, Dunn uses paint, sand, canvas, multi-media and 30 years of life as an artist to choreograph his live performance art to classical, movie, pop and patriotic music. Don't miss this brand new, jaw-dropping, spontaneous visual experience as he creates art right before your very eyes.

The Music of Led Zeppelin

Friday, May 29, 2015, 8:00pm

The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Brent Havens, conductor/arranger

Randy Jackson, vocalist

The Music of Led Zeppelin combines the power of a full rock band with the Houston Symphony at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in one high-energy evening of music. Conductor and arranger Brent Havens and lead singer Randy Jackson, of rock band Zebra fame, join the orchestra to capture Led Zeppelin's "sheer blast and power" riff for riff in electric performances of classic hits such as "Stairway to Heaven," "Black Dog" and "Immigrant Song."

Tickets for this concert are available through The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. For tickets and more information, click here.

The Music of Pink Floyd

Saturday, May 30, 2015, 7:30pm
Jones Hall

Brent Havens, conductor/arranger

Randy Jackson, vocalist

Amplified by a full rock band and accompanied by singer Randy Jackson's fabulous vocals, creator Brent Havens guest conducts the Houston Symphony as they capture Pink Floyd's ethereal flow of music and effects while churning out new musical colors. This rock concert features 17 Pink Floyd songs, including "Money," "Learning to Fly," "Comfortably Numb" and selections from the band's 1979 hit album The Wall.

Houston Symphony Chorus at St. Luke's Methodist

Sunday, May 31, 2015, 4:00pm
St. Luke's Methodist Church

Betsy Cook Weber, conductor

Houston Symphony Chorus

Houston Symphony Chorus Chamber Ensemble

Daryl Robinson, organ

The Houston Symphony Chorus, directed by Besty Cook Weber, shines on its own in this FREE concert of choral classics by Handel, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Morten Lauridsen, traditional spirituals and more! The concert will take place at St. Luke's United Methodist Church at 3471 Westheimer Road, Houston, Texas 77027 at 4:00 pm. No tickets will be required to attend this concert. General admission seating will be available on a first come, first served basis.

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