Holst’s The Planets

Sought after for her insightful interpretations and dynamic presence, New Zealand-born Gemma New is the newly appointed artistic advisor and principal conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, music director of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, and principal guest conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. She is the recipient of the prestigious 2021 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award.

In Gemma’s inaugural season with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the orchestra’s 75th anniversary season, she leads the 2022 Winter Festival with Hilary Hahn and Paul Lewis; Mozart Requiem with Voices New Zealand; and contemporary works by New Zealand composers John Psathas, John Rimmer, Tabea Squire, and Anthony Ritchie.

This season, she leads the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and Royal Northern Sinfonia. Increasingly in demand in Europe, she conducts the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National de Lyon, Berner Symphonieorchester, Gävle Symphony, Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine, Orchestra della Toscana, and the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg in the final concert of Mozartwoche 2023. Gemma debuts with the Houston Symphony and Melbourne Symphony in Australia and returns to lead the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony, and the New World Symphony. In June 2023, she returns to St. Louis to lead Opera Theatre of St. Louis’s production of Susannah.

Gemma’s work as music director of the Hamilton Philharmonic has been committed to deepening the orchestra’s artistic level and expanding its reach into the community. She launched the HPO’s first “Intimate and Immersive” concert series, a Family Series, and regular side-by-sides with the HPO Youth Orchestra. Her programs present works by core masters as well as works by today’s most active composers from Canada and New Zealand, such as Zosha di Castri, José Evangelista, Salina Fisher, and Kevin Lau.

Gemma previously served as resident conductor of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and as associate conductor of the New Jersey Symphony. A former Dudamel Conducting Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Gemma was a conducting fellow at Tanglewood Music Center and at the Aspen Music Festival. She studied conducting at the Peabody Institute with Gustav Meier and Markand Thakar.

Optimism, vitality, and joyful exuberance are elements of Camille Thomas’s rich and compelling personality. The young Franco-Belgian cellist, who signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon in 2017, understands art’s power to unite people from diverse cultures, countries, and backgrounds. Her charismatic artistry is driven by a passion for life and a desire to inspire others to open their hearts to the wonder of classical music.  

“Music gives hope for the beauty and greatness of the human soul,” she says. Voice of Hope (2020) her second DG album, was internationally released to great acclaim. The first classical album recorded in partnership with UNICEF, it features the world premiere recording of Fazil Say’s 2018 poignant Concerto for Cello and Orchestra Never Give Up. Her remarkable series of videos, sharing music from empty museums in Paris during lockdown, have been transformative experiences for many thousands of viewers worldwide.  

Following on the heels of her recent triumphant Los Angeles Philharmonic debut with the Elgar Concerto, this season includes her first appearances with the Houston and Quebec Symphonies as well as recitals in Birmingham, Boston and New York at Town Hall. Camille has appeared with leading series and orchestras, in person and online, including Purdue Convocations, The Cliburn, Performing Arts Houston, Interlochen Presents, Wisconsin Union Theatre, and Emory University, among others.  

Camille is conquering the world stage at a staggering pace. She has worked with conductors Paavo Järvi, Mikko Franck, Darrell Ang, Kent Nagano, Stéphane Denève, Keith Lockhart, and Paolo Bartomeoli and with leading orchestras, including Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Academia Santa Cecilia, Staatsorchester Hamburg in the Elbphilharmonie, Orchestre National de Bordeaux, Brussels Philharmonic, RTE National Symphony Ireland, BBC Wales, and the Korean and Kyoto symphony orchestras. In recital and chamber music, she performs at prestigious venues and festivals around Europe, collaborating with top artists from both sides of the ocean.  

Camille studied at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin. She plays the Stradivarius “Feuermann” (1730) thanks to the generosity of the Nippon Music Foundation and a bow by Eugène Sartory kindly on extended loan from the Fondation Roi Baudoin – Fonds Bollandsee. 

The Houston Symphony Chorus is one of Houston’s oldest and most distinguished musical organizations.

Over the years, the Chorus has sung with dozens of the world’s most notable conductors, including Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Steven Reineke, Michael Krajewski, Robert Shaw, André Previn, Leopold Stokowski, Christoph Eschenbach, Sir John Barbirolli, Ferenc Fricsay, Lawrence Foster, and Hans Graf, to name only a very few.

In addition to performances in Jones Hall, the Symphony’s home venue, the Chorus has also delighted audiences in various concert halls throughout the United States, Europe, and Mexico.

Recent reactions to its performances include:

Classical/Chorus: “…beautifully balanced, modulated sound that seamlessly blended with the orchestra.”
—Review of A German Requiem, Houston Chronicle, May 8, 2018

Classical/Chorus: “… the chorus was magnificent.”
—Review of Stabat Mater, Houston Chronicle, September 27, 2018

The Chorus consists entirely of volunteer singers who have considerable musical skill, vocal talent, and choral experience. They audition for placement each year.  The Chorus performance schedule is possibly the busiest in the country, consisting of up to fourteen different sets of repertoire for a total of 45 concerts.