"Hans Graf" is an Austrian conducting/conductor.

As a child, Graf learned the violin and the piano. He studied at the Musikhochschule in Graz, Austria, and graduated with diplomas in piano and conducting. He also participated in conducting master classes with Franco Ferrara, Sergiu Celibidache and Arv?ds Jansons. He received a state scholarship at the Leningrad Conservatory with Arvid Jansons. For the season 1975/1976 Graf was music director of the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra in Baghdad. After winning the Karl Böhm conductor's competition in 1979, he made his debut at the Vienna State Opera in 1981 with Stravinsky's Petrushka (ballet)/Petrouchka.

Graf was music director of the Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg from 1984 to 1994, where he recorded the complete symphonies and other works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart/Mozart. From 1995 to 2003, Graf was music director of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. He was also music director of the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine, France, from 1998 to 2004.

More Hans Graf on Wikipedia.

Houston has had its storm disasters before. In 2001, the enormous amount of rain dropped in the shortest time by tropical storm Alison caused $8 million in damages for the Houston Symphony alone -- which lost its music library and many musical instruments.

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Carnegie Hall is at the center of the music world, and when our orchestra appears there, people will gain a renewed appreciation for the artistic quality of the music we have in Houston.

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