Dallas Symphony's new assistant to conduct Russian program
Dallas Symphony's new assistant to conduct Russian program

There's a new baton in town.

It belongs to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's new assistant conductor, Rei (pronounced Ray) Hotoda, who's making her local debut tonight.

She doesn't officially start on the job until September, but she's opening the DSO's Casual Classics series of four concerts at the Meyerson Symphony Center. Her first program includes the Shostakovich Festive Overture, a suite from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake and, with pianist Joyce Yang, the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2. On June 20 she'll conduct music of Dvorák, Copland, Gershwin and Astor Piazzolla.

Music director Jaap van Zweden is conducting the last of the concerts, on June 27, as a run-up to the DSO's July residency at the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival in Colorado. The June 12 concert will be led by Richard Giangiulio, music director of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra.

As usual with the summer series, populist repertory dominates. And, yes, they mean it when they say casual. Dress for summer comfort, but be warned that the Meyerson air conditioning can be quite efficient.