Nicole Parker & Steven Reineke Join Houston Symphony to Perform TV's Greatest Hits This Weekend

This weekend, September 26, 27 and 28, guest conductor Steven Reineke and the wickedly funny singer/comedian Nicole Parker of MADtv and Broadway's Wicked join the Houston Symphony to take you on a fantastical journey through the themes and anthems of your favorite hit TV shows from the last 50 years. Be it the nostalgia of The Muppet Show Overture, the emotional intensity of themes from Downton Abbey and Game of Thrones, the original anthem of "Don't Forget Me/Let Me Be Your Star" from Smash, or the fun of a game show medley, TV's Greatest Hits will hit all the high notes in a salute to music of the small screen. Additionally, Parker truly shines in a tribute to iconic variety show performances like Carol Burnett and Judy Garland. Parker's comedic style, improvisational background and vocal skills make for an unforgettable night of audience participation in sing alongs and an on-stage game show. This concert is made possible in part through the support of Cynthia Woods Mitchell POPS at Jones Hall and BBVA Compass.

Steven Reineke's boundless enthusiasm and exceptional artistry have made him one of the nation's most sought-after pops conductors, composers and arrangers. He is the Music Director of The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, Principal Pops Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Principal Pops Conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. He previously held the posts of Principal Pops Conductor of the Long Beach and Modesto Symphony Orchestras and Associate Conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra.Reineke is a frequent guest conductor with The Philadelphia Orchestra and has been on the podium with the Boston Pops, The Cleveland Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia. His extensive North American conducting appearances also include Houston, San Francisco, Seattle, Edmonton, Pittsburgh, Vancouver, Ottawa (National Arts Centre), Detroit, Milwaukee and Calgary.A native of Ohio, Mr. Reineke is a graduate of Miami University of Ohio, where he earned bachelor of music degrees with honors in both trumpet performance and music composition. He currently resides in New York City with his partner Eric Gabbard.

Best known for her six year stint as a cast member and contributing writer on Fox's MADtv, Nicole Parker has also spent much of her career on the stage. She played Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway and the First National Tour. Her other Broadway credits include Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me and The People in the Picture with Donna Murphy. Regionally, she has played Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, Juliet in the original musical The People vs. Friar Lawrence, the Man Who Killed Romeo and Juliet with Second City and Chicago Shakespeare (Jeff Nomination) as well as playing Rosemary in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Reprise Theatre). Parker was a performer and writer at Boom Chicago, a sketch and improvisation theater in Amsterdam. Additionally, she can be seen in such films as Judd Apatow's Funny People and Disaster Movie. Other TV credits include Key and Peele on Comedy Central, Bunk on IFC and Trust Us With Your Life for ABC. In addition to her Houston Symphony performance, she has been a guest soloist with Peter Nero and the Philly Pops, The Utah Symphony, The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and the Colorado Symphony in Denver.

During the 2014-15 season, the Houston Symphony enters its second century as one of America's leading orchestras with a full complement of concert, community, education, touring and recording activities. This season also marks the inaugural year for new Music Director Andrés Orozco- Estrada. The Houston Symphony is one of the oldest performing arts organizations in Texas whose inaugural performance was held at The Majestic Theater in downtown Houston on June 21, 1913. Today, with an annual operating budget of $30.7 million, the full-time ensemble of 87 professional musicians is the largest performing arts organization in Houston, presenting more than 286 performances for 300,000 people, including 82,000 children, annually. For tickets and more information, please visit www.houstonsymphony.org or call 713-224-7575.

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