Texas Music Festival
Philanthropy sometimes creates odd partners. Alfred Nobel, inventor of dynamite and horrific weaponry used in war, established the Nobel Prizes. Unknown to his colleagues and friends, the vast majority of his estate was dedicated to the Nobel Prizes. In Houston, Immanuel Olshan was known for demolition and foundation repairs. He and his wife, Helen, left a significant portion of their estate to set the foundation for what became the Immanuel and Helen Olshan Texas Music Festival (TMF) at the University of Houston. Oh, what a foundation the Olshan’s laid!
The brain-child of the then Director of the University of Houston School of Music, later renamed the Sara and John Moores School of Music, Dr. David Tomatz, was to establish a major annual summer music festival in Houston. The year was 1990, and the TMF was born. The Olshan Foundation provided full scholarships for orchestral students. It began, naturally, modestly, but it has now grown to be one of the major festivals in the United States. This June, the Immanuel and Helen Olshan Texas Music Festival will celebrate its 30th anniversary.
Photo of David Tomatz
I attended my first TMF in 1994, the festival’s fifth year. This was before the building of the Moores Opera House and all concerts were held at the Cullen Auditorium on campus. I recall, in all honesty, that the playing was spotty, but the stage was full of aspiring student musicians. Having attended all festivals since, I can attest that the growth has been steady and most impressive.
David Tomatz retired as the Director of the Moores School of Music in 1999 but stayed on several years to oversee TMF. Dr Tomatz has since passed away. The TMF leadership has been successfully turned over to Alan Austin, who currently serves as General and Artistic Director of TMF.
Photo of Alan Austin
Here is the annual format for TMF – four June Saturday night orchestral performances, led by four different conductors. On Tuesday evenings, chamber music is featured with performances by professional musicians who participate in the festival with instruction for the students.
The first concert of the festival is always in early June. This year it runs from June 7 through June 29. The lead-off conductor on June 8, 2019, has Franz Anton Krager, Professor of Conducting at the Moores School leading the orchestra. Usually Franz only has about five days with the new TMF musicians to prepare this important first orchestral performance. Also, to get the Festival off to a roaring start, the music performed is always a large spectacular piece, such as a Mahler or Tchaikovsky symphony, a Strauss tone poem, etc. This year the featured work is “Sheherazade” by Rimsky-Korsakov. The program will also feature the always popular, “Rhapsody on a Theme by Paginini” by Rachmaninoff.
Photo of Krager and Orchestra
The other three orchestral Saturday night programs are conducted by various guest conductors. This year they include Rossen Milanov, director of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Carl St. Clair, director of the Pacific Symphony, and concluding with Josep Cabellé-Domenech, Music Director of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Bogata, Colombia. Lately, Hans Graf, former Music Director of the Houston Symphony has been appearing every other year. Past conductors of note have been Maxim Shostakovich, son of the great Russian composer, Pavo Järvi from Estonia, Horst Förster from Germany, Carlos Spierer, Germany, Leon Spierer, his father, former concertmaster with the Berlin Philharmonic under Herbert von Karajan, among others.
The students are selected following an intense audition series with only 20% of applicants being accepted. Their tuition, living and food expenses are provided. What is particularly remarkable to me is that they perform four orchestral concerts with four different conductors and a very limited time to learn and rehearse very difficult pieces of the orchestral repertoire.
Here is the link to the full orchestral schedule.
http://www.uh.edu/kgmca//music/tmf/season-schedule/
In addition to the orchestral part of the Festival, there is a “Perspectives” series of faculty chamber music each Tuesday evening at UH.
“Perspectives can be found on the Internet at:
http://www.uh.edu/kgmca//music/tmf/season-schedule/perspectives-series/
There is a special opportunity during this 30th Anniversary TMF season to hear a most special Moores School alumnus, pianist Kenny Broberg. Mr Broberg is a silver medal winner at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. He is currently preparing for the illustrious Tchaikovsky competition in Moscow.
On the opening orchestral concert of TMF on June 8, Mr Broberg will be playing the Rachmaninoff “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,” with the orchestra conducted by Mr Krager. On Wednesday, June 12, he will be in recital as part of an extra “Perspective’s” event. He is a talent not to be missed. https://kennybroberg.com/
Photo of Broberg
The entire program for TMF can be found online at http://www.uh.edu/kgmca//music/tmf/season-schedule/perspectives-series/
The Olshan’s would be very proud to see that their philanthropy has provided the city of Houston. Please consider attending and supporting this great organization this June in its 30th anniversary year.