Nearing his 30th season as the figurehead of Houston Chamber Choir, the organization's founder and artistic director Robert Simpson has announced that he will step down from the choir and pass the baton to internationally recognized choir conductor Betsy Cook Weber. The upcoming 2024-25 season will serve as his final season with the choir.

"It has been important to me right from the start to establish a professional ensemble that would become an established part of Houston's cultural life and assume its place along with the symphony, the ballet, the opera and the Alley Theatre as part of Houston's cultural offerings," Simpson said.

Three decades later and with a Grammy Award to show for it, it is fair to say he accomplished his goal. But alas, every concert comes to an end, and for Simpson, the 30th anniversary is a fitting time to make room for the next leader.

"Professional choral music was something that I felt Houston was primed for. It has clearly shown over these 30 years that it is appreciative and able to support it, but this has never been my toy to play with while I was actively involved and that it would go away when I did. Transition has been a very important topic that the board and I have been discussing," he said.

Transition can be tricky as sometimes, but Simpson feels confident in his successor.

"Betsy is a person I have worked with over the years. I admire her greatly. She's been a part of the choral scene in Houston for many years. She's extraordinarily well respected," he said. "It was our hope that we would present this opportunity to Betsy and that she would accept, and that's exactly what happened. Betsy and I have been more than colleagues. We've been friends over the years, and so it gives me a great sense of comfort and excitement that the Houston Chamber Choir's next chapter will be under the leadership of such an inspired musician."

Weber is currently the Madison Endowed Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music. She is also active nationally and internationally as a conductor, presenter, clinician and adjudicator. Under Weber’s leadership, the UH Concert Chorale has established a reputation as one of the world's finest collegiate choirs.

She also previously served the Houston Symphony Chorus for seven years as assistant/associate director and, later, took the helm of that historic group as director for eight seasons, preparing more than 200 concerts for some of the world’s greatest conductors, including Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Juraj Valčuha, Christoph Eschenbach, Steven Reineke, Nicholas McKegan and Jane Glover.
Simpson's adoration for Cook Weber overflows.

"She is in every way an inspirational force and a great teacher, but beyond that, she's really a wonderful person. She is a nurturing person who brings the best out of people," he said. "Whether she's working with a professional orchestra or a professional choir, they only thrive under inspired leadership and only thrive with people who are able to connect on a personal level. It's not just enough to be a good musician. You've got to have a connection . . . a personal way of connecting with the people you make music with and in every category. It was our good fortune that a person of her artistic and personal characteristics happened to be in our city."

For anyone interested in seeing Cook Weber's rapport with Houston Chamber Choir, she conveniently will lead the group as a guest conductor for April 27's California Gold. Simpson says that for the 2024-25 season, he will conduct three of the concerts and she will conduct the other three.

While the choir has gone through many evolutions since its creation, there is one singer who has been a member since its start: Simpson's wife. Marianna Parnas-Simpson. Music is actually what brought the two together when they both lived in Atlanta when she joined a church choir that he led. The rest, as they say, is history.

Regarding having his wife by his side for this journey, Simpson said, "It's been a truly memorable collaboration in the sense of support and understanding. She is there in rehearsal and has been a part of the music. But again, she's been able to step back and reflect with me as issues have come up or things have troubled me. She's been a tremendous source of wisdom and perspective."

Even though Simpson still has another year and a half with the choir, he does reflect on his legacy and the organization's future.

"I want my legacy to be the continued health and service of the Houston chamber choir to the Houston community." Simpson said. "I want the Houston Chamber Choir to be grounded in our community. My hope is that the chamber choir continues to grow and gain even greater national and international acclaim. I look forward to being the first of many directors of the Houston Chamber Choir - a point of origin that develops beyond my wildest dreams."

While Simpson is turning the reigns to a new conductor after the 30th season, he will still be involved in music. He will continue to serve as canon for music at Christ Church Cathedral and adjunct lecturer of church music at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music.

For more information about Houston Chamber Choir, visit houstonchamberchoir.org.