The Houston Symphony Orchestra has hired 4 new string players, but the musicians’ roles will mainly be outside of the concert hall. The four, bilingual string musicians will provide community engagement programs and music education in local schools, community centers, and health-care facilities. In addition, they will perform about 25 concerts a year with the full symphony. Future school and community programs include “teaching composition, listening skills and instruments such as the recorder in an elementary school program; performing small chamber concerts at various community sites; and practicing music-therapy for patients in health care institutions.”

Mark Hanson, executive director and chief executive officer of the Houston Symphony, commented that the symphony hired the new performers “to propel the growth of our audience base and the involvement of our institution in the community" and that all symphony performers will be expected to “serve as ‘an ambassador, an entrepreneur, a real advocate.' ”