Young Pianist Behzod Abduraimov to Make Houston Symphony Debut, 1/12

Young piano virtuoso Behzod Abduraimov will make his Houston Symphony debut in a performance of Beethoven's Emperor Concerto at 8 p.m. January 12 and 14 and 2:30 p.m. January 15 at Jones Hall. Guest conductor James Gaffigan, who is Chief Conductor of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, will lead the program.

True to Gaffigan's unconventional program configurations and inversions of the usual concert sequence, the performance will commence with Beethoven's last piano concerto, Piano Concerto No. 5. Popularly known as the Emperor Concerto, the piece will be interpreted by twenty-six-year-old Abduraimov.

Uzbek-born Abduraimov, who has already earned great recognition and critical acclaim for his exceptional caliber of pianistic ability, has quickly established himself among the frontrunners of his generation's outstanding pianists. Abduraimov has performed with leading orchestras worldwide such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston and NHK Symphony Orchestras and Leipzig Gewandhaus. Most recently, he performed in recital at the Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall's main stage, after his successful Weill Recital Hall debut last season.

In addition to his post with the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, Gaffigan is also the Principal Guest Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and is the first Principal Guest Conductor of the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne. As a rising young American conductor in high demand by leading orchestras and opera houses, he has enjoyed guest engagements with the London and Dresden Philharmonics, Vienna Symphoniker, as well as the Philadelphia Orchestra, St. Louis, and National Symphony Orchestras, among others.

After intermission, the orchestra will spotlight one of Richard Strauss' most famous tone poems, Don Juan, as well as Liszt's melodic Les Préludes, Symphonic Poem No. 3.

All programs and artists are subject to change.

PIANO CONCERTO NO. 5 (the EMPEROR CONCERTO), Beethoven; DON JUAN, Richard Strauss; LES PRÉLUDES, SYMPHONIC POEM NO. 3, Franz Liszt. Presented by Houston Symphony. Performance are at 8 p.m. Thursday, January 12, 2017; 8 p.m. Saturday, January 14, 2017; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, January 15, 2017. At Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana . For information, call 713-224-7575 or visit houstonsymphony.org.

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