Rising Violinist and Austrian Conductor Make Houston Symphony Debuts at Miller

Award-winning violinist and winner of the 2017 National Sphinx Competition, Annelle Gregory, will make her Houston Symphony debut Friday, June 23, at Miller Outdoor Theatre. Gregory joins the orchestra at 8:30 p.m. in the first concert of this year's ExxonMobil Summer Symphony Nights.

The evening's concert led by Associate Conductor Robert Franz opens with Overture to an Unwritten Comedy, a charming work by British-Canadian composer Healey Willan in a nod to Canada's sesquicentennial, followed by Barber's lushly melodic Violin Concerto. The program concludes with Beethoven's thrilling Eroica.

The Houston Symphony returns to Miller the next evening under the direction of up-and-coming conductor David Danzmayr in a program featuring the Houston Symphony's new Composer-in-Residence Jimmy López. With movements titled "Trance" and "Techno," López' Fiesta! is a high-energy orchestral showpiece full of virtuoso rhythms. Houston Symphony Principal Horn William VerMeulen also plays Mozart's sunny Horn Concerto No. 2, and the program concludes with the enchanting melodies of Dvorák's Symphony No. 8.

The remaining concerts in the ExxonMobil Summer Symphony Nights series will take place Friday, June 30, Saturday, July 1, and Tuesday, July 4. Admission is free, but tickets are required for the covered seated area. Tickets are available at the Miller Theatre Box Office the day of the performance between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Any remaining tickets are released one hour before the performance time. Visit www.milleroutdoortheatre.com for more information.

BEETHOVEN'S EROICA
Friday, June 23, 8:30 p.m.
Robert Franz, conductor
Annelle Gregory, violin
Mendelssohn: The Hebrides
Willan: Overture to An Unwritten Comedy
Barber: Violin Concerto

Beethoven: Symphony No. 3, Eroica

MOZART & DVO?ÁK

Saturday, June 24, 8:30 p.m.

David Danzmayr, conductor

William VerMeulen, horn

J. López: Fiesta!

Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 2

Dvo?ák: Symphony No. 8

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