“The Houston Symphony took a leap of faith when it hired Andrés Orozco-Estrada,” writes Colin Eatock in Friday’s (5/29) Houston Chronicle. “Although the Colombian maestro had an established reputation in Europe, he was virtually unknown in the U.S. He had appeared only once as a guest conductor here. Now, 16 months later, the 37-year-old conductor is experiencing a musical honeymoon as he wraps up his first season as the Houston Symphony’s 15th music director. ‘I’ve had the opportunity to work with all the great musicians in the orchestra,’ Orozco-Estrada said. ‘We’ve done many things, and I’ve made some strong musical connections. In the orchestra, there’s great quality and also a spirit to try different things.…’ At the time of his appointment, Houston Symphony CEO Mark Hanson catalogued Orozco-Estrada’s strengths, and, implicitly, the orchestra’s expectations: ‘exemplary conducting technique, deep musical knowledge, exceptional communication skills, youthful exuberance and a strong commitment to broadening our audience base.’ He has proven himself to be all that. He’s young, dynamic, trilingual—Spanish, English, and German. On the podium he’s clear, direct and emphatic, and he charmingly wins over orchestras and audiences alike. He is the point-man for all the Houston Symphony’s ambitions.”
Posted June 3, 2015
Photo of Andrés Orozco-Estrada by Jeff Fitlow
