BIO

Driven by her strong belief in the healing and transformative powers of music, she is committed to making music accessible to audiences of all ages. Through her dynamic presence on the podium, her innovative programming, and tireless advocacy for music and medicine, she has played a pivotal role in reshaping the arts landscape in Houston, where she proudly serves as Music & Artistic Director of the Texas Medical Center Orchestra – a nationally recognized ensemble she founded in 2000.

 

Recent career highlights include winning the 3rd prize and the prize for best female conductor in the second International Orchestra’s Conductor competition in Romania as well as guest conducting engagement with the Moldova Teleradio Orchestra.

 

Ms. Lebel is dedicated to highlighting local artists and community groups, fostering collaborations that explore the interplay of music, visual arts, and dance. Her passion for outreach extends to partnerships with students from public schools in underserved communities and various local medical organizations and charities.

 

In 2010, following her father’s diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis, Ms. Helped establish the Gran Fondo Texas charity Bike ride, benefiting both the Multiple Sclerosis Society and TMCO. Since its inception, the ride has welcomed over 14,000 riders and has been instrumental in sustaining the orchestra's existence.

 

Ms. Lebel’s musical career began at an early age as an aspiring pianist. Born in Russia and raised in Israel until the age of 15, she later immigrated to the USA. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from The Juilliard School of Music and a Master’s degree in chorale conducting from Westminster Choir College. Her conducting teachers include Josef Flummerfelt, Leonid Korchmar, Piotr Gribanov, Robert Franz, Kenneth Kiesler and Eduardo Portal.

 

Ms. Lebel served as Principal Conductor of Princeton University’s Sinfonia and has appeared as guest conductor with various orchestral and choral ensembles including Westminster Community Orchestra, Garden State Philharmonic Chorus, Brazosport Symphony Orchestra, Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra, St. Petersburg Congress Orchestra, Bacau Symphony Orchestra, Socrates Symphony Orchestra, Ploiesti Philharmonic and the Moldova Teleradio Orchestra.

 

Ms. Lebel feels blessed to have been able to share her passion with the Houston community while maintaining a traditional household and raising her three kids. She is a well-recognized figure in the Houston community, celebrated for her contributions to both the art scene and the medical community, frequently receiving invitations as a guest speaker. As a testament to her impact, she has received the Houston YWCA Outstanding Woman of the Arts award, earned a spot among Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women according to Houston Woman Magazine, and was recently selected as one of Houston’s Top 20 Impact Maker Awards honorees for 2024.

 

Why she is so passionate about music, Ms. Lebel says: “What inspires me is to make music come alive. It affords us an opportunity to connect to the very essence of our humanity, allowing us to come into contact with that part of ourselves which expresses our most profound creativity.”