The prestigious Houston Symphony elected their fist ever Latin American music director, 35-year-old Colombian Andres Orozco-Estrada.
“I immediately felt a striking and energizing chemistry between Andres and the orchestra,” said Jennifer Owen, a member of the symphony’s search committee and its principal second violinist.
Orozco-Estrada began as a violinist himself and moved from his home of Colombia to Vienna at the age of 19 to study music.
The Colombian musician has been given a five-year contract with the symphony and is scheduled to conduct at least four sets of concerts in 2014.
“My focus will be on creating exceptional music, exciting and engaging as much of the community as possible, and raising the visibility and profile of the Houston Symphony throughout Houston and the world,” said Orozco-Estrada.
The Houston Symphony, founded in 1913, is one of the oldest musical institutions in the United States. Previous directors have included Andre Previn, Ernst Hoffmann and Sergiu Comissiona.
