Andrés Orozco-Estrada, the conductor, began his musical education playing the violin and received his first conducting lessons at age 15 in Medellín, Colombia.
Performer Biography
Leticia Moreno, the violinist, plays a 1762 Nicola Gagliano instrument.
Composer Biography
Jimmy López Bellido, the composer, served a three-year tenure as the Houston Symphony's Composer-in-Residence, concluding in the spring of 2020.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded live at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts in Houston, TX, with 'Aurora' recorded in May 2019 and 'Ad Astra' in December 2019.
Composition History
The violin concerto 'Aurora' was inspired by the aurora borealis (northern lights), which composer Jimmy López Bellido witnessed during his years in Finland.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The first movement of Ad Astra, 'Voyager', begins with a solo vibraphone conveying the words 'Ad Astra' in Morse code, referencing the Latin phrase embedded in the Voyager space probes.
Composition History
Symphony No. 2: Ad Astra is an homage to humanity's spirit of exploration, specifically through iconic NASA missions, and was commissioned by the Houston Symphony.
