Houston Symphony extends Music Director Juraj Valčuha’s contract, announces new Board and Council leaders

The Houston Symphony recently announced that it has extended the tenure of Music Director Juraj Valčuha through the 2027–28 season.

Appointed following the COVID-19 pandemic, Valčuha began his role in the 2022-23 season, after debuting with the Houston Symphony in 2011 and returning to conduct the orchestra in the 2017-18 and 2020-21 seasons. He currently holds the orchestra’s Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair.

“In these first three seasons, the orchestra and I have forged a musical partnership rooted in trust, curiosity, and bold music-making. It is a great honor to continue leading the Houston Symphony and to collaborate with such extraordinary musicians,” said Valčuha said in a statement.

“In the years ahead, I look forward to continuing to explore music both timeless and new, creating experiences that move, challenge, and inspire,” he said.

The Houston Symphony noted in a press release that musicians, trustees, and staff were drawn to Valčuha’s “authenticity and passion, his artistic excellence, and his ability to communicate through his deeply expressive gestures,” while celebrating his performances with the orchestra, which have received praise from classical music critics.

“Under [Juraj’s] leadership, we’ve elevated our sound, expanded our repertoire, and shared performances that feel like conversations between players, conductor, and audience. We are proud to continue this partnership with him and excited for the ambitious work that lies ahead,” said Robin Kesselman, Principal Bass and Chair of the Artistic Advisory Committee of the Orchestra, in a statement.

According to a press release, discussions of future plans include recording projects and possible tours to reach a broader audience.

As the 2025-2026 season gets underway, the Houston Symphony also recently announced new members of its Board of Trustees and Council Chairs.

The Reverend Ray Mackey, III was named Chair of the African-American Leadership Council, and Alejandro Gallardo was appointed Chair of the Hispanic Leadership Council. Both will serve in their respective roles for the 2025-2028 seasons.

The Houston Symphony’s African American and Hispanic Leadership Councils are composed of business, education, and community leaders who serve as advisors to provide insight into how the Symphony can more deeply connect with and reflect the Black and Hispanic communities of Greater Houston, according to a press release.

“I am extremely honored as the new Chair to lead this dynamic group comprising The Houston Symphony’s African American Leadership Council,” stated Reverend Mackey, who has been part of the Council since 2017 and previously served as its Vice Chair since 2021.

A fifth-generation Texan of Irish and North African heritage, Reverend Mackey is a distinguished faith leader and past fellow of the Harvard Divinity School’s Religion and the Practice of Peace Colloquium. An Executive Pastor and Chairman of the Biz Mackey Family Foundation (BMFF), Reverend Mackey is a longstanding cohort and partner of the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation and a former Ambassador of the Houston Galleria Chamber of Commerce.

Alex Gallardo is currently Senior Manager of Supply Chain Management at Chevron. His career spans more than three decades in procurement, logistics, and materials management, including 13 years in the fashion industry prior to joining Chevron. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors for Preservation Houston. Gallardo has served on the Symphony’s Hispanic Leadership Council for the past four years, most recently as Vice Chair.

“Our goal for the council is that we play a vital role in influencing programming that not only celebrates Latino culture but also highlights how it beautifully intersects with other musical genres, fostering inclusion, collaboration, and a richer artistic experience for all audiences,” said Gallardo in a statement.

Additional changes in leadership to the Houston Symphony’s Board of Trustees include the following:

• Khoa Dao, Chief Commercial Officer at ConocoPhillips, and Stacie Pitts, who leads global crude trading at Shell, were named as Governing Directors.

• David Balderston and Pablo Hernandez Schmidt-Tophoff were elected as Trustees. A longtime Houston Symphony subscriber and a trombonist in his youth, Balderston had a 41-year career in chemical engineering and finance with LyondellBasell Industries before retiring in 2019. Hernandez Schmidt-Tophoff is Managing Director in Lazard’s North American Energy Group, based in Houston. He serves on the board of lnprint and sits on the steering committees for both The Menil Collection’s Contemporaries group and the Lazard Foundation.

• Gretchen Watkins, former President of Shell USA, moves from being a Governing Director to Trustee. Watkins currently chairs the Greater Houston Partnership and serves on the boards of the Mosaic Company and the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Energy Advisory Council.

“These leaders all bring unique skills and perspectives to the Houston Symphony, and I look forward to working with them to advance our mission and reach more people in our community,” said Barbara Burger, President of the Symphony Board of Trustees, in a statement.