Hans Graf

Hans Graf (born 15 February 1949 in Marchtrenk, Austria) is an Austrian 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 Arvīds 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 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 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.

Graf first conducted the Houston Symphony in 2000, and became its music director in 2001. In September 2004, Graf made his first contract extension with the Houston Symphony, through the 2008/2009 season. He made his Carnegie Hall conducting debut with the Houston Symphony in January 2006. In July 2007, Graf further extended his contract with the Houston Symphony through the 2011/2012 season. In September 2009, the orchestra announced the extension of Graf's contract as music director through the 2012/2013 season, and the conclusion of his Houston tenure at that time, upon which Graf is to take the title of Conductor Laureate. He has been an artist-in-residence at the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University.

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