José-Luis Novo

José-Luis Novo is a conductor appearing with the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra in March 2027, leading a program centered on nature-inspired orchestral works, including Richard Strauss's large-scale depiction of a day in the mountains.

This program is built around vivid orchestral scene-painting. Debussy's "Fêtes" conjures a festive night with shimmering strings and distant fanfares. Ravel's Alborada del gracioso opens with rapid-fire rhythms meant to evoke a Spanish morning serenade, showcasing quick woodwind and brass exchanges. Tan Dun's Passacaglia draws on birdsong-like gestures and repeating bass patterns to suggest wind moving through a landscape. The evening builds to Strauss's An Alpine Symphony, a continuous hour-long work that traces a mountain climb from sunrise to sunset, using an enormous orchestra to depict waterfalls, storms, and glaciers in sound. Listeners can expect a program that rewards attention to orchestral color and texture, with a conductor guiding the ensemble through shifting moods, from delicate stillness to full-force storms.