“The Houston Symphony announced earlier this year details about its 2021-22 season, which will be the last under music director Andrés Orozco-Estrada,” writes Andrew Dansby in Sunday’s (6/20) Houston Chronicle (TX). “The announcement came around the time Orozco-Estrada was denied entry to the United States … because of coronavirus-related diplomatic protocols…. This week the Houston Symphony announced specifics about Orozco-Estrada’s return [which] begins Sept. 11 with … soprano Renée Fleming. Then a week later, Orozco-Estrada will return for three days of shows arranged around Ludwig van Beethoven…. Among the programming that week will be George Bridgetower’s ‘Henry’ for fortepiano and voice, along with Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, which will feature [pianist Yefim Bronfman], Houston Symphony … concertmaster Yoonshin Song and principal cellist Brinton Averil Smith…. Orozco-Estrada will conduct farewell concerts … April 29-May 1 [of] Mahler’s ‘Resurrection’ Symphony, with … the Houston Symphony Chorus…. Orozco-Estrada promised ‘something big. Like the Super Bowl.’ Since his arrival in 2014, Orozco-Estrada has left a formidable imprint…. He … oversaw the launch of the community-embedded musician program, which took Houston Symphony performers [to] schools, medical facilities and other spaces…. ‘In the end,’ Orozco-Estrada says, ‘you need to not just be yourself but to serve some purpose.’ ”
Change font size
