This has been a year of remarkable debuts—Philadelphia, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Hong Kong—and November brings another one I'm especially excited about. This month I'll step onto the podium with Madison Symphony for the first time, bringing a program that moves from medieval mysticism to Russian grandeur. But I'm also returning to an orchestra I know well: Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, where we've built the kind of trust over two seasons that makes every concert feel like a conversation among old friends.

There's a peculiar kind of gratitude that comes with standing in front of an orchestra for the first time. You're aware of the history in the hall, the players watching you, the audience trusting you to guide them through an experience they might never forget. This year, I've had the extraordinary privilege of doing that four times — with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, and now, later this month, the Hong Kong Philharmonic.