Pink Martini Returns To Houston Symphony With NPR's Ari Shapiro, 3/19

Pink Martini, the internationally-celebrated "little orchestra" that blurs the barriers between classical, Latin, jazz and classic pop music, returns to the Houston Symphony with special guest Ari Shapiro, co-host of National Public Radio's All Things Considered, at 8 p.m. March 17-18 and 7:30 p.m. March 19.

Led by Principal POPS Conductor Designate Steven Reineke, Pink Martini returns with lead vocalist China Forbes and Shapiro to put a festive spin on favorites like "Brazil," "¿Dónde Estás, Yolanda?," "Yo Te Quiero Siempre" and "Hey Eugene." Also on the program are songs from the group's most recent studio album, Je dis oui!, which features songs in English, Arabic, Armenian, Farsi, French, Xhosa, Portuguese and Turkish. Houston is the only city on Pink Martini's American Heartland Tour that will include performances by Shapiro.

Founded in 1994 by pianist Thomas Lauderdale, Portland, Oregon-based Pink Martini draws inspiration from music from all over the world, crossing genres and languages. As a 12-piece ensemble, Pink Martini performs its multilingual repertoire on stages throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Northern Africa, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and North America. The band has performed with over 50 orchestras around the world including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Pops and the BBC Orchestra, and has appeared on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," "Late Show with David Letterman," "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and BBC Two's "Later with Jools Holland."

Shapiro, a longtime Pink Martini collaborator and co-host of NPR's flagship evening news program, All Things Considered, made his singing debut with the band at the Hollywood Bowl in 2009 before an audience of nearly 18,000 people. Since then, he has regularly joined them in concert around the world and recorded songs on the group's albums Splendor in the Grass, Joy to the World, Get Happy and Je dis oui!

The concert will 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.

(Photo Credit: Houston Symphony)