Dallas Symphony Orchestra Announces Contract Extension for Assistant Conductor Shira Samuels-Shragg
Samuels-Shragg will serve as DSO’s Assistant Conductor through the 2026/27 season
DALLAS (March 12, 2026) – The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Music Director Fabio Luisi (Louise W. & Edmund J. Kahn Music Directorship) and Ross Perot President & CEO Michelle Miller Burns announce the extension of Shira Samuels-Shragg’s contract as Assistant Conductor (Marena & Roger Gault Chair).
“I am delighted to continue working with Shira for the 2026/27 season,” said DSO Music Director Fabio Luisi. “She has grown tremendously during her time with the DSO already, from her successful subscriptions debut and New Year’s Eve concert to her well-attended pre-concert lectures. She is a wonderful artistic partner, and I look forward to seeing the great things she will do in her career.”
“I am thrilled to continue my work with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra,” said Samuels-Shragg. “I’ve learned so much from Maestro Luisi, the incredible musicians of the orchestra, inspiring guest artists and our dedicated patrons. It is truly a joy to call Dallas home for another season.”
Samuels-Shragg began her tenure as DSO’s Assistant Conductor in the 2024/25 concert season, following a nationwide search and audition process that included 170 applicants. Since coming to Dallas, she has led the DSO in Youth Concerts, serving thousands of DFW-area students, as well as other special presentations including summer Parks Concerts and the 2025 New Year’s Eve program. She made her Texas Instruments Classical Series debut in November 2025, filling in for Fabio Luisi to lead the orchestra in a program that included Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3, Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 and two world premieres. Samuels-Shragg also leads the popular Performance Prelude lectures, a presentation before each classical concert that gives audience members deeper insight into the music being performed.
In the 2026/27 season, Samuels-Shragg will lead the DSO in the annual New Year’s Eve concert, two series of Youth Concerts and the summer Parks Concert series. She will continue to serve as cover conductor and will assist the Music Director and guest conductors to prepare the orchestra for each classical concert. Samuels-Shragg will also lead the Performance Prelude lecture series through the 2026/27 season.
After a competitive and successful audition process, Samuels-Shragg has also been appointed Fellow Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. She will spend six weeks in London next season, conducting a variety of concerts and working closely with Music Director Edward Gardner and Principal Conductor (and former DSO Assistant Conductor) Karina Canellakis. As part of the fellowship, Samuels-Shragg will conduct the orchestra in a number of other special programs throughout the season.
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ABOUT THE DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Music Director Fabio Luisi (Louise W. & Edmund J. Kahn Music Directorship), presents more than 100 concerts each year at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, one of the world’s finest concert halls. Tracing its origins to a concert with 40 musicians conducted by Hans Kreissig in 1900, the DSO has become the most prominent performing arts organization in the Southwest and is a cornerstone of the 118-acre Dallas Arts District, the largest urban arts district in the nation. Through its acclaimed recordings and international touring, the DSO shares its artistry with audiences around the globe, extending its impact beyond Dallas.
The DSO is committed to its mission of inspiring and changing lives through musical excellence and serves more than 200,000 adults and children each year through performances, educational programs and community initiatives. The DSO’s education programs plant the seed for musical study and appreciation as well as success in academics and social development. The Young Strings and Kim Noltemy Young Musicians provide access to free music lessons and instruments for hundreds of students each year, and the Cecil and Ida Green Youth Concerts welcome more than 10,000 Dallas-area students to the Meyerson each season. For nearly three decades, the DSO has presented classical music to thousands through the annual summer Parks Concerts Series. DSO Cares offers performances in hospitals, senior living facilities and in partnership with other service organizations across North Texas, bringing the healing power of music to those who need it most.
The DSO is supported, in part, by funds from the Office of Arts & Culture, City of Dallas. For more information, visit dallassymphony.org or follow @dallassymphony on social media.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Chelsey Norris | Director of Communications
813.362.5251
c.norris@dalsym.com