John Mangum News

At the invitation of the American Composers Orchestra, the Houston Symphony is taking part in an EarShot Composers Residency in May 2020. EarShot is a project designed to support new and emerging orchestral composers from underrepresented demographics in today's classical music scene.

Today, the Houston Symphony announced a four-concert chamber music series showcasing musicians of the orchestra and guest luminaries in intimate venues across Houston. The opening concert takes place at MATCH Box 4 featuring violin virtuoso Gil Shaham and Houston Symphony musicians in Brahms' Clarinet Quintet in B minor on Friday, Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m.

The Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) has awarded the Houston Symphony a grant of $250,000 to support its world-class holiday programming and attract visitors to the Houston Theater District through an exciting 2019 line up, including an All-Strauss Thanksgiving, Very Merry POPS, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, and Handel's Messiah.

National Endowment for the Arts Acting Chairman Mary Anne Carter has approved more than $80 million in grants as part of the Arts Endowment's second major funding announcement for fiscal year 2019.

The Houston Symphony and Composer-in-Residence Jimmy Lopez partner with the Rice Shepherd School, the University of Houston (UH) Moores School of Music, and Interfaith Ministries to celebrate the determination and hope of Houston's refugee communities in a project called Resilient Sounds. 

Following an extensive search spanning more than three years, the Houston Symphony and Music Director Andres Orozco-Estrada announce the appointment of Yoonshin Song as its concertmaster and holder of the Max Levine Chair beginning in the 2019?2020 Season. She succeeds Frank Huang in this position, who left the Houston Symphony at the end of the 2015?2016 Season to take an equivalent position with the New York Philharmonic.

The Houston Symphony and Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada announced today details of the 2019−2020 season, which marks Orozco-Estrada's sixth year as music director. This season is characterized by in-depth explorations of the works of some of the greatest composers with the superb musicians of the Houston Symphony, crowned by a two-week-long Schumann Festival, the likes of which is seldom seen in the United States. This is a unique opportunity to experience the scope of Robert Schumann's music, and to get a glimpse inside the mind of a creative genius.

The Houston Symphony named Gwen Watkins as its new Chief Marketing Officer beginning Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019.  Watkins most recently served as the Museum of Fine Arts Houston's associate head of marketing and communications for the past three years, having joined the organization in 2011.  In the Houston Symphony post, Watkins succeeds Trazanna Moreno, who left to assume an equivalent post at the Houston Zoo.

The Houston Symphony is launching a new season of broadcasts on Houston Public Media's (HPM) News 88.7 FM, airing Sunday nights at 8 p.m. with repeats airing on HPM's Classical stream on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. 

The Houston Symphony and Music Director Andr s Orozco-Estrada announced today details of the 2018-19 season, which marks Orozco-Estrada's fifth year as music director. Highlights of the season include conducting appearances by world-class violinists Joshua Bell and Itzhak Perlman; the world premiere of Aurora, a violin concerto by Houston Symphony Composer-in-Residence Jimmy L pez; and a semi-staged opera performance of Bart k's Bluebeard's Castle.

Houston Symphony Board President Janet F. Clark, on behalf of the Board of Trustees and Music Director Andr s Orozco-Estrada, announced today the appointment of 19-year veteran arts administrator John Mangum to the position of Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer of the Houston Symphony. Mangum will hold the Margaret Alkek Williams Executive Director/CEO Chair and will begin his new post April 16, 2018. Mangum succeeds Mark C. Hanson, who stepped down from this role in July 2017 to lead the San Francisco Symphony.

Houston Symphony Board President Janet F. Clark, on behalf of the Board of Trustees and Music Director Andr s Orozco-Estrada, announced today the appointment of 19-year veteran arts administrator John Mangum to the position of Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer of the Houston Symphony. Mangum will hold the Margaret Alkek Williams Executive Director/CEO Chair and will begin his new post April 16, 2018. Mangum succeeds Mark C. Hanson, who stepped down from this role in July 2017 to lead the San Francisco Symphony.

Thirty-two professionals from across the country will take part in the League of American Orchestras' ten-day Essentials of Orchestra Management program in Los Angeles, July 18-27.

Thirty-two professionals from across the country will take part in the League of American Orchestras' ten-day Essentials of Orchestra Management program in Los Angeles, July 18-27.

On Tuesday July 28, LA Phil Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel ventures into Shakespeare's forest of mistaken identities and fairy mischief for A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM WITH DUDAMEL at the Hollywood Bowl. Actress Bryce Dallas Howard will narrate, bringing Shakespeare's words to life in a magical evening featuring soloists soprano Deanna Breiwick and mezzo-soprano Jennifer Holloway, and the women of the Los Angeles Master Chorale.

Orange County, Calif.—March 6, 2015—The world's most brilliant playwright—William Shakespeare—is reimagined in unexpected ways when Pacific Symphony partners with Chapman University to present “Shakespeare Reimagined,” a festival that explores how The Bard's plays have inspired not only other playwrights and directors, but also composers, choreographers and filmmakers. The festival, which runs through April 19, began last month with “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” at Chapman University, and continues on March 13 with a semi-staged version of Mendelssohn's “A Midsummer Night's Dream,” performed by The Chapman Orchestra, Women's Choir and Department of Theatre students. The festival culminates April 16-19 with four Pacific Symphony concerts featuring Prokofiev's “Romeo and Juliet.” The ballet is presented with actors and dancers who help reinstate the composer's original happy ending, which was banned by Joseph Stalin. For a complete listing of events, which include classical concerts, discussions, film screenings, dance, lectures, theater, master classes and a symposium on interpreting Shakespeare, please see the calendar below, or visit http://www.chapman.edu/events/shakespeare-reimagined/event-calendar.aspx.

More than 300 guests dressed in elegant cocktail attire gathered at The Westin South Coast Plaza for Pacific Symphony's Opening Night party on Thursday, Sept. 25, eager to celebrate Music Director Carl St.Clair's milestone 25th anniversary with the orchestra. A festive poolside cocktail reception and gourmet dinner in the Terrace Pavilion featured a bounty of surprises for St.Clair, including performances by Pacific Symphony musicians, the John Alexander Singers and music by the maestro's mentor, Leonard Bernstein. Hosted by the Symphony's Board of Directors, the special event continued through the opening concert of the 2014-15 Hal and Jeanette Segerstrom Family Foundation Classical series, featuring classical superstar Joshua Bell, and included a reception on the Box Circle level of the hall during intermission and a post-concert party back at The Westin. The evening—presented by South Coast Plaza—raised more than $150,000 to support the Symphony's artistic and education programs. Additional sponsors included platinum sponsors Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin Newport Beach and artist sponsors Ellie and Mike Gordon.

Andrey Boreyko will lead the New York Philharmonic in Haydn's Symphony No. 60, Il distratto; Glazunov's Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Schulhoff's Hot-Sonate for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra, performed by Branford Marsalis in his Philharmonic subscription debut; and R. Strauss's Le Bourgeois gentilhomme, Wednesday and Thursday, February 16-17, 2011, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, February 18, at 2:00 p.m., and Saturday, February 19, at 8:00 p.m.

Andrey Boreyko will lead the New York Philharmonic in Haydn's Symphony No. 60, Il distratto; Glazunov's Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Schulhoff's Hot-Sonate for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra, performed by Branford Marsalis in his Philharmonic subscription debut; and R. Strauss's Le Bourgeois gentilhomme, Wednesday and Thursday, February 16-17, 2011, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, February 18, at 2:00 p.m., and Saturday, February 19, at 8:00 p.m.

In anticipation of the New York Philharmonic's staged performances of György Ligeti's 1975-77 opera, 'Le Grand Macabre', and its first complete New York performances May 27-29, 2010, Music Director Alan Gilbert and Douglas Fitch - the production's director and designer - will preview the unusual aspects of this production of the fantastical, absurdist opera in an Insights Series event, Tuesday, May 11, 2010, at 6:30 p.m.