Jerry Hou, conductor
Credit: Peter Serling
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MANAGEMENT
Christina Jensen, christina@jensenartists.com
Gina Meola, gina@jensenartists.com
646.536.7864
“By concert’s end, his talents were abundantly clear”
Taiwanese-American conductor Jerry Hou is building community and revitalizing the music field via collaboration with some of today's most important musical voices.
Born in Taiwan and raised in a small town in Arkansas, Hou had a late start in music. Beginning on trombone in middle school band, he went on to work professionally in American and European orchestras before his playing career was ended by injury. Turning to conducting studies with Jorma Panula in Finland, he is now recognized for his dynamic presence, insightful interpretations, musical versatility, and commanding technique on the podium.
Hou is the newly appointed Music Director of the Wyoming Symphony, beginning in the fall of 2025. This past season, he made successful debuts with the Oregon Symphony Orchestra, Evergreen Symphony Orchestra, and Civic Orchestra of Chicago. In addition, he had return engagements with the New York Philharmonic and ProMusica Orchestra Columbus.
In 2021, Hou began a close association with the New York Philharmonic and former music director Jaap van Zweden, assisting him and guest conductors. Hou first conducted the orchestra in the tuning of the newly renovated David Geffen Hall and made his successful debut in the spring of 2023. Hou returned in 2024 to conduct seven concerts to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the New York Philharmonic Young People’s Concerts.
Hou recently concluded his celebrated tenure as Resident Conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the first person to hold the position in the orchestra’s history, and Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra. He conducted the ASO in classical, family, and educational concerts, and made his subscription debut in a program of music by Joan Tower, Jessie Montgomery, and Bela Bartok. Committed to developing the Atlanta music community, Hou created the Second Atlanta School of Composers, featuring Atlanta natives, Joel Thompson, Carlos Simon, Viet Cuong, Sarah Gibson, TJ Cole, and Elise Arancio. Hou also served as Resident Conductor of the Grand Teton Music Festival for seven summers, leading the festival orchestra in subscription, family, and educational concerts.
Known for his flexibility in many styles and genres, Hou has conducted a wide range of repertoire from classical to contemporary. A leading interpreter and conductor of contemporary music, he has collaborated with acclaimed composers such as Kevin Puts, Andrew Norman, Steve Reich, Joel Thompson, Anthony Davis, Peter Eötvös, Melinda Wagner, George Lewis, Alvin Singleton, Gyorgy Kurtag, Unsuk Chin, Brett Dean, Mark-Anthony Turnage, and Carlos Simon. Hou has conducted leading new music ensembles such as Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Signal, Remix Ensemble, Grossman Ensemble, and Alarm Will Sound.
Hou is on the faculty of Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, where he is Artist Teacher of Orchestras and Ensembles. He lives in Houston with his wife Jenny and son Remy, and has competed on the game show Jeopardy!.
“persuasive in his precision of gesture”
NEWS
“Jerry Hou is one of the most intuitive and brilliant conductors with whom I’ve had the privilege of collaborating”
