The concert includes performances by the three grand prize winners of the 2024 Collin County Young Artist Competition and a rare performance by Maestro Guzmán on the organ.
PLANO, TX: The Plano Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is pleased to continue its 41st Season, Out of this World, with a special concert featuring a rare performance by PSO Maestro Héctor Guzmán on the organ. Conducted by Shira Samuels-Shragg, the symphony will perform the colorful and imaginative work Concertino for Organ and Orchestra by M.B. Jimenez. The evening will also include performances by the three grand prize winners of the PSO’s annual Collin County Young Artist Competition.
“Maestro Guzmán is one of the country’s most accomplished organ players and what a rare opportunity it is to hear him perform,” said Gregory Patterson, Executive Director. “The concert is made equally more exciting because Shira Samuels-Shragg will be conducting the orchestra and Maestro Guzmán. It’s sure to be an electrifying evening of music.”
Sponsored by HilltopSecurities, An Evening with Héctor Guzmán and Friends will be performed at Christ United Methodist Church (3101 Coit Road, Plano, TX 75075) at 8 PM on Saturday, March 16, 2024. Tickets range in price from $27-$88 and can be purchased through the Plano Symphony Orchestra Box Office (972-473-7262/planosymphony.org).
The 2024 Grand Prize Winners of this year’s Young Artist Competition are:
Daniel Tauhert, clarinet: Daniel is a junior at Plano West Senior High School. He has been playing the clarinet for eight years, studying with Lev Daneman, and the tenor saxophone for one year. His musical talents have earned him a place with the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra (GDYO), Plano West Jazz Band (one of the 2024 Essentially Ellington Finalists), and the Chamber Music International Youth Ambassadors. He has also won several awards and honors, including 1st Chair TMEA All-State (2024), YoungArts National Competition Classical Music Winner (2024), National Youth Orchestra-USA Alternate (2024), and GDYO Concerto Competition Winner (2023-2024).
Performing: Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 74, Movement 2 (from Recitativo) and Movement 3 by Carl Maria von Weber
Jenna Tran, piano: Jenna is a 6th grader at Murphy Middle School. She started learning piano at age six and is currently a student of Alex McDonald. At her young age, she has achieved many awards including 1st Prize in Junior Division at the Vernell Gregg Young Artist Competition (2024), 2nd place in the Intermediate Sonata Division (2024), 1st place in the Elementary II Concerto Division (2023) at the Dallas Symphonic Festival Competition, 1st place at the Texas A&M Commerce Youth Piano Competition (2022, 2023), and many more. In addition to the piano, Jenna also plays the violin and was 8th Chair for Region Bach Orchestra (2023).
Performing: Piano Concerto No. 12 in A major, K. 414, Movement 1 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Jin Han, cello: Jin is a junior at Flower Mound High School. He began playing the cello at the age of 10 and is currently a student of Ko Iwasaki. He is part of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra and has won several awards including 3rd place at the Juanita Miller Concerto Competition (2024) and 1st place (2023) and Honorable Mention (2022) at the Dallas Symphonic Festival. He has been selected for the TMEA All State Orchestra for the past three years, and his chamber group, the Gio Quartet, was selected as semi-finalists at the Coltman Chamber Music Competition (2022). Jin was selected to participate in the Encore Chamber Music Institute in Cleveland, Ohio (2023).
Performing: Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
About the Plano Symphony Orchestra:
Established in 1983, the Plano Symphony Orchestra (PSO) has gradually expanded its mission and programming to serve the greater North Texas metro area. Originally named the Plano Chamber Orchestra, the change to “Symphony” in 1998 reflected a broadening of scope and repertory. Currently presenting eight subscription concerts, a ten-concert, interactive Family Concert Series, and over 100 solo, ensemble, and educational programs, the PSO embodies outstanding artistic excellence, active community engagement, and sound fiscal responsibility.
The Plano Symphony Orchestra is supported, in part, by the City of Plano, Tammy and Charles Miller, The Andrea-Mennen Family Foundation, TACA, The National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, Rea Charitable Trust, Atmos Energy, AWARE Fund of The Dallas Foundation, The Dallas Morning News, The Plano Symphony Orchestra Guild, The PSO Virtuoso Society, Dianne and Marion Brockette, City of McKinney, City of Richardson, Frisco Arts, Frost Bank, H-E-B | Central Market, HilltopSecurities, Medical City Plano, Sandy Nachman, NYLO Hotel Plano, Wanda and Cliff Parker, Retirement Planners of America, Signs By Tomorrow, SoloShoe Communications, Carol and William Tempest, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano, Veritex Community Bank, WFAA, and hundreds of individual donors, foundations, and corporations who make transformative gifts to the PSO.