The Houston Symphony is proud to impact communities at home and abroad. Through a deep partnership with the Filarmónica Joven de Colombia (Colombian Youth Philharmonic)—a pre-professional training orchestra from Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada’s home country—the Houston Symphony, in partnership with the University of Houston (UH) Moores School of Music, will host the entire Colombian Youth Philharmonic in Houston, and musicians of the Houston Symphony will travel to Paipa and Medellín, Colombia to work with these aspiring and gifted musicians.
During their 10-day visit to Houston, the young musicians will stay on campus at UH, and they will rehearse and perform side-by-side with Houston Symphony musicians for two performances of Orff’s Carmina Burana on July 17 and 18. The Colombian Youth Philharmonic will also perform Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring as part of the third annual FREE Day of Music on the afternoon of July 12. On July 13, its musicians will perform a free chamber music concert at the UH Moores Opera House. In addition, musicians of the Colombian Youth Philharmonic will enrich our community by performing for Spanish-speaking seniors at Ripley House Community Center and working with music students in Fort Bend County.
In advance of the Colombian Youth Philharmonic’s visit to Houston, 14 Houston Symphony musicians have traveled to Colombia to provide coaching and professional development. Such a partnership offers the young Colombian Youth Philharmonic musicians access to a professional orchestral environment and personal attention from our musicians. Additionally, it extends the Houston Symphony’s educational mission internationally, while building bridges to the Colombian community in Houston.
With the partnership, Andrés seeks to help the Colombian Youth Philharmonic’s young musicians realize their full musical potential, grow the appreciation for classical music in his home country and expand the Houston Symphony’s educational reach internationally. “I’m very proud and inspired,” said Andrés, “by the Houston Symphony’s commitment to the development and training of young musicians. It underscores the importance of music in the developmental years of our youth.”
“Giving young musicians the opportunity to share the stage with our talented musicians is a hallmark of the Houston Symphony’s commitment to transformational education programs,” said Mark Hanson, Executive Director and CEO of the Houston Symphony. “With the dual residency, we have the unique opportunity to foster a mutually beneficial relationship between our organizations and countries that will also engage and inspire diverse audiences throughout Greater Houston through the power of classical music.”
The culminating event of the residency is a pair of concerts on an extended stage at Jones Hall during which the Colombian Youth Philharmonic will play side-by-side with the Houston Symphony, Houston Symphony Chorus and Houston Children’s Chorus in performances of Orff’s epic Carmina Burana. The Day of Music and Carmina Burana concerts will all be conducted by Andrés, who is also an artistic adviser for the Colombian Youth Philharmonic.
This is an awesome, life changing experience for these gifted musicians. Houston Civic Symphony had the experience of participating in a side- by- side rehearsal this past Oct. with the Houston Symphony and it was great! Thank you HSO for all you do for our Houston community and for those in other countries. The outreach programs are incredible and so appreciated!!