Young Pianist Makes Houston Symphony Debut, Now thru 5/3

German-Japanese conductor Jun Märkl and young British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor - who first shot to prominence at the age of 11 as the winner of the Keyboard Final of the 2004 BBC Young Musician Competition - are both making their Houston Symphony debuts in Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 tonight, April 30 and May 1 & 3.

During his brief, but sensational career to date, Grosvenor has already received top industry accolades, including a Classic Brit Critics' Award, UK Critics' Circle Award for Exceptional Young Instrumentalist, a Diapason d'Or Jeune Talent Award and two Gramophone Awards: Young Artist of the Year and Instrumental Awards.

The 22-year old pianist and the orchestra will be led by German-Japanese conductor Jun Märkl known for conducting the world's most prominent orchestras and for his work in the realm of opera, with guest conducting appearances at the Metropolitan Opera, the San Francisco Opera, and the Hamburg, Vienna and Berlin State Operas, among others. Märkl - who studied violin, piano and conducting - is a highly respected interpreter of the core Germanic and French repertoire from the symphonic and operatic traditions.

The program will also feature the last of Camille Saint-Saëns' symphonies, Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3, which was commissioned in 1883 by the Philharmonic Society of London. Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 premiered two years later with great success shortly after the passing of the composer's close friend and virtuoso pianist Franz Liszt. Saint-Saëns - who dedicated the piece to honor the memory of his deceased friend - considered his Symphony No. 3 a grand masterpiece, his greatest accomplishment. Also on the program is Berlioz's overture Le Corsaire, a piece inspired by the imagined dangers and excitement of a pirate's life. Le Corsaire is related to Lord Byron's semi-autobiographical, nautical, poetical tale The Corsair.

A free Prelude pre-concert discussion led by organist Daryl Robinson will be held 45-minutes prior to the start of the concerts at Jones Hall on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. 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.

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