PHOTOS AND B-ROLL

HOUSTON (March 5, 2025) –

The Houston Symphony and Music Director Juraj Valčuha are announcing today details of the 2026−27 Season, Valčuha’s fifth as music director. Valčuha leads eight of the eighteen classical subscription programs in the season, and highlights include Valčuha’s musical multi-weekend mini-festivals, this season comprising “Rachmaninoff” and “Nature’s Rhapsody.”

New works this season include Finnish composer Outi Tarkiainen’s Songs of the Ice (2019) a symphonic work dedicated to Iceland’s Okjökull glacier, and early victim of climate change; and Israeli composer Avner Dorman’s A Time to Mourn and a Time to Dance (2024),  a concerto for two violins and strings written for violinists and spouses Gil Shaham and Adele Anthony (who perform it here).

“Art is the expression of our souls,” said Houston Symphony Music Director Juraj Valčuha.  When we look back hundreds of years, conflicts and turmoil disappear. What remains is music, architecture, painting—enduring as a mirror of who we were, of what we valued, of how we listened to one another. To listen deeply is to imagine, to reflect, to remember our shared history. This is why we must continue to make music. Together. This spirit of shared exploration and deep listening shapes the2026–27 season. Throughout the year, we will gather around works that invite both introspection and intensity, returning to composers whose music speaks powerfully across time.”

“We’re enjoying an extraordinary period in the Houston Symphony’s history under Juraj Valčuha’s music directorship,” said Executive Director, CEO, and holder of the Margaret Alkek Williams Chair, Gary Ginstling. “Juraj’s artistry and distinctive programming make every evening at the Houston Symphony a special and rewarding one. Likewise, our Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke has planned a broad and diverse season of programming that should attract our longtime patrons as well as those coming to the Houston Symphony for the first time.”

2026−27 Season Highlights

Juraj Valčuha

Music Director Juraj Valčuha opens the classical subscription season with the first of his signature mini-festivals this season, this one celebrating the great Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff in October 2026. Valčuha leads the orchestra, baritone Aleksey Bogdanov, and the Houston Symphony Chorus under the direction of Anthony J. Maglione, in Rachmaninoff’s cantata Spring, joined by the Houston Chamber Choir under the direction of Betsy Cook Weber; his tone poem Isle of the Dead; his Symphony No. 2; Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 featuring piano superstar Yefim Bronfman; and the composer’s Symphony No. 3.

Valčuha’s Nature’s Rhapsody mini-festival in February 2027 features Respighi’s Fountains of Rome and Pines of Rome,with its earth-shattering finale; Falla’s evocative Nights in the Gardens of Spain featuring guest pianist Javier Perianes; Steven Stucky’s tone poem Silent Spring; Beethoven’s bucolic Symphony No. 6, Pastoral; and Stravinsky’sraw, primal, The Rite of Spring.

Also this season Valčuha leads the orchestra and piano master Garrick Ohlsson in  Beethoven’s dramatic, boundary-expanding Piano Concerto No. 1; the first symphony by Hans Rott, often described as a bridge between the musical worlds of Bruckner and Mahler; Mozart’s exotic Violin Concerto No. 5, Turkish, featuring Stefan Jackiw in his Houston Symphony debut; and Mahler’s titanic Symphony No. 1.

Artist-In-Residence

A highlight of the 2026–27 Season is the incomparable violin virtuoso Gil Shaham serving as season-long Artist-in-Residence with three different progarms: in December 2026 he joins Valčuha and the orchestra for Barber’s radiant Violin Concerto, returning in January 2027 in recital, and finally in April 2027 he performs as leader and soloist in J.S. Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, for which he’s joined by violinist Adele Anthony. He’s also lead and performs two works written expressly for him—Avner Dorman’s A Time to Mourn and a Time to Dance, and the same composer’s A Concerto for Two Violins and Strings, again with Anthony—before leading the orchestra in Vivaldi’s vivid and beloved evocation of nature, The Four Seasons.

Returning Guest Conductors and Artists

The season includes return appearances by conductors, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, David Robertson, Donald Runnicles, and Osmo Vänskä; pianists Yefim Bronfman, Seong-Jin Cho, George Li, Garrick Ohlsson, Javier Perianes, and Conrad Tao; violinists Adele Anthony, Francesca Dego, James Ehnes, Hilary Hahn, and Gil Shaham; soprano Joélle Harvey; mezzo-sopranos Sasha Cooke and Sun-Ly Pierce; tenor Nicholas Phan;  baritone Dashon Burton; and vocalists Cheyenne Jackson, Derek Klena, and Jessica Vosk.

Debuting Guest Conductors and Artists

Making Houston Symphony debuts in the 2026−27 Season are conductors Daniela Candillari, Nicholas Collon, Kevin John Edusei, Joe Hisaishi, Ken-David Masur, Daniele Rustioni, and Emmanuel Tjeknavorian; violinists Stefan Jakiw and Maria Ioudenitch; guitarist JIJI; mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard; baritone Aleksey Bogdanov; and vocalists Aisha Jackson, Lindsay Mendez, Adrienne Warren, and Avery Wilson.

Houston Symphony Chorus

The Houston Symphony Chorus, under the direction of Anthony J. Maglione, performs several works this season, including Rachmaninoff’s Spring; Handel’s Messiah and Very Merry Pops, and Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloé.

The classical season is endowed by The Wortham Foundation, Inc. in memory of Gus S. and Lyndall F. Wortham. Valčuha is the fifth music director to hold the Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair; a position endowed in perpetuity by The Cullen Foundation.

The Margaret Alkek Williams Spotlight Series

Made possible through generous support from Margaret Alkek Williams, Spotlight Series performances feature outstanding conductors and artists, including Music Director Juraj Valčuha, other prestigious guest conductors, and renowned guest artists. The concerts include curated musical selections by some of the greatest composers of all time such as Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, and Stravinsky alongside contemporary works, offering audiences unique and inspiring musical experiences that will stay with them after they leave the concert hall. Thanks in part to the support from Margaret Alkek Williams, the Houston Symphony can serve audiences with extraordinary musical experiences reflective of our world-class orchestra.

2026−27 Vitol POPS Season

Steven Reineke celebrates his tenth season as the Houston Symphony’s Principal POPS Conductor by leading seven of the nine Vitol POPS Season concerts, plus opening night of the season on September 19.

“We open with Adrienne Warren and The Music of Tina Turner, and close with John Williams,” said Reineke. “With everything from The Music of Dolly Parton, Cheyenne Jackson, and the greatest hits of West Coast Rock and R&B, this promises to be our most exciting POPS season to date.”

September 25, 26, and 27, 2026, Steven Reineke opens the Vitol POPS Season at Jones Hall with music spanning the 60-year career of the sensational Queen of Rock’n’Roll, Tina Turner, featuring the stunning artist who won the Tony for her portrayal of Tina on Broadway: Adrienne Warren.

From the Queen of Rock to the Queen of Country, Steven Reineke presides over  special performances October 30 and November 1, 2026 (at Jones Hall) of Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony, a multi-media experience curated by Dolly Parton herself. The program includes video clips of Parton, and takes audiences on a musical journey of her songs, her life, and her stories.

November 21 and 22, 2026 (at Jones Hall), conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez leads the orchestra, guest vocalists Ender Thomas and Jackie Mendez, trumpet José Sibaja, and percussionist Luisito Quintero, in the ultimate Latin POPS party: La Vida Loca! Then Reineke returns December 10, 12, and 13, 2026 at Jones Hall, for the great Houston holiday tradition: Very Merry Pops, featuring guest vocalist Mikaela Bennett, Jones Hall decked out for the holidays, favorite carols and holiday music, and a special visit from Santa.

Broadway luminary Jessica Vosk joins Steven Reineke and the orchestra January 15, 16, and 17, 2027 at Jones Hall for a cavalcade from the golden era of West Coast Rock: hits by great 60s and 70s songwriters like Joni Mitchell; Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young; The Mamas and the Papas; The Eagles and much more in California Dreamin’: The Songs and Stories of Laurel Canyon. Later in the month, the death-defying aerial flyers, contortionists, jugglers, balancers, and strongmen of Cirque de la Symphonie join Brett Mitchell and the orchestra on the Jones Hall stage January 29, 30, and 31, 2027.

Steven Reineke and the orchestra are joined by vocalists Aisha Jackson and Avery Wilson, March 12, 13, and 14, 2027 at Jones Hall, for a program of non-stop hits by such musical legends as Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Prince, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey and more in If I Ain’t Got You: The Best of R&B.

April 9, 10, and 11, 2027 at Jones Hall, Broadway sensation (All Shook Up, Xanadu, Into the Woods, Oh, Mary!) and Grammy and Emmy nominee Cheyenne Jackson, known to TV audiences as Danny Baker on the hit NBC show 30 Rock, brings his soaring vocals and debonair flair to a program of showstopping musical-theater classics. From velvety croons and swoon-worthy ballads to bring-the-house-down 11 o’clock numbers, Cheyenne lights up the Jones Hall stage with the best of Broadway and beyond

Combine Steven Reineke and the music of John Williams and you have POPS gold! So Reineke closes out the Vitol POPS Season with Soundtrack of Our Imagination: The Best of John Williams, celebrating the composer’s iconic scores from Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harry Potter and more, May 21, 22, and 23, 2027 at Jones Hall.

Opening Night: Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday

Steven Reineke leads the Houston Symphony’s Opening Night Gala, which marks America@250. He’s joined by three-time Grammy Award winning mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard in an evening of hits from the Great American Songbook, including music by George Gershwin, September 19, 2026 at Jones Hall.

2026−27 PNC Family Season Overview

On select Saturday mornings throughout the season, the Houston Symphony presents its PNC Family Series, a popular Saturday morning destination designed for families and children of all ages.

Family programs include free, interactive lobby activities, such as an Instrument Petting Zoo─which encourages children to try out orchestral instruments─theme-related music, and craft activities. These activities take place one hour before the 10 a.m. concerts and one hour following the 11:30 a.m. concerts in Jones Hall. Concertgoers are also encouraged to dress in costumes that match the concert’s theme.

The 2026–27 PNC Family Season kicks off with Haunted Halloween on October 31, 2026. Ho-Ho Holiday follows on December 12, 2026, featuring a festive sing-along, hands-on activities, and the chance to visit with Santa. January 30, 2027, Cirque Magic for Kids features the amazing performers of Cirque de la Symphonie joining the orchestra in a special family concert, and finally, the orchestra performs Prokofiev’s beloved children’s classic Peter and the Wolf on April 10, 2027.

2026−27 Symphony Specials

Summer Specials

2026−27 subscribers get first access to Symphony Specials, like Gil Shaham and Seong-Jin Cho in Recital, as well as newly announced performances throughout the season, including the Houston Symphony’s most in-demand concerts.

Houston legend Lyle Lovett kicks off the Symphony’s Summer Sounds for one night at Jones Hall, June 5, 2026, with the beloved multi-Grammy-winning musician bringing his signature blend of country, jazz, folk, swing, and blues in this one-night-only performance with the Houston Symphony.

Arnie Roth leads over 100 musicians on stage in an exciting performance of composer Masayoshi Soken’s music from beloved video games FINAL FANTASY XIV and FINAL FANTASY XVI, June 6 and 7, 2026 at Jones Hall. This immersive multimedia event combines the power of a full symphony orchestra, featured soloist Amanda Achen, and chorus, with stunning high-definition visuals from the legendary FINAL FANTASY series projected on a giant screen, creating an unforgettable night for gamers and music lovers alike.

The Houston Symphony’s Summer Sounds Series gets set to rock The Hobby Center with The Music of Queen. This two-performance-only program brings Queen’s unforgettable hits amped up by a full rock band, the Houston Symphony, and rock vocalist MiG Ayesa at 7:30 p.m. on June 19 and 20, 2026. The Houston Symphony and rock vocalist Ayesa, augmented by a full rock band, covers a set list of Queen’s iconic hits like “We Are the Champions,” “Somebody to Love,” and “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Concertgoers can enjoy drinks and photo ops in the lobby prior to the performance.

Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts and Jones Hall with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in Concert, the fifth film in the Harry Potter series. On June 26 and 27, 2026, the Houston Symphony performs the magical score live from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix while the entire film plays in high-definition on a 40-foot screen.

Holiday Series, Presented By Nexus Health Systems

A beloved Houston holiday tradition each season, the Houston Symphony and the Houston Symphony Chorus—under the direction of Anthony J. Maglione—come together under the baton of Ken-David Masur (Music Director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra) in his Houston Symphony debut, December 18, 19, and 20, 2026 in a performance of Handel’s Messiah, the cherished English-language oratorio. They’re joined by Joélle Harvey, soprano; Sun-Ly Pierce, mezzo-soprano; Nicholas Phan, tenor; and Dashon Burton, baritone.

Back for a third year by popular demand is Joyful Fanfares: Holiday Brass Spectacular! Experience the festive brilliance of the Houston Symphony brass section in this family-friendly concert featuring classical works, treasured carols, and festive favorites—the perfect soundtrack to make the season sparkle. December 19 and 20, 2026 at Jones Hall.

December 23, 2026, Mariachi Sol de Mexico de José Hernández Presents: José Hernández’ Merry-Achi Christmasreturns to Jones Hall by popular demand. This vibrant holiday fiesta features José Hernández and his acclaimed ensemble performing classic mariachi arrangements of beloved Christmas carols and mariachi favorites.

2026–27 Chamber Series

Featuring members of the Houston Symphony in small ensembles, this concert series

allows for a unique, up-close experience to the musicians and the music. More details including dates to be announced.

The Houston Symphony In The Community

The Houston Symphony resolves to serve all of Houston’s diverse communities through programs like its In HarmonyInitiative in partnership with DeLUXE Theater, Segundo Barrio Children’s Chorus, and AFA. This program provides access to music education in the 5^th Ward and East End neighborhoods of Houston, promoting life skills through active, quality music-making for children.

The Harry and Cora Sue Mach Symphony Student Concerts reached over 60,000 Houston children last season, more than double the number served by any other major American orchestra. Musicians work with many of the students who attend these concerts  in their classrooms before or after the concert through performances, chamber coachings, and interactive workshops, increasing the sense of curiosity and belonging when these students are in Jones Hall.

The Symphony’s Music and Wellness initiatives include partnerships with hospitals and dementia centers to allow the healing power of music to support increasing the quality of life for patients, families, and caregivers. This includes long-standing hospital partnerships with M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Texas Children’s Hospital, and Houston Methodist Hospital’s Ceneter for Performing Arts Medicine, and include bedside visits to pediatric patients and their families, as well as full-orchestra concerts in the lobby of Methodist Hospital. The Dementia Center Performance Series brings monthly concerts by our Community Embedded Musicians and Symphony musicians at CarePartners and Amazing Place Dementia Day Centers.

Houston Symphony Season Partners

Support from the Houston Symphony’s corporate, foundation, and government partners allows the orchestra to reach new artistic heights in music, education, and community engagement. The Houston Symphony 2026−27 Season partners include Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods/Spec’s Charitable Foundation, Houston Methodist (Official Health Care Provider), and media partner ABC-13 (Official Television Partner). Series support comes from Vitol, Frost Bank, Nexus Health Systems, PNC Bank, and Shell USA, Inc.. The Houston Symphony is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, as well as by the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Livestreaming

The Houston Symphony is committed to livestreaming its full subscription season, one of few American orchestras dedicated to transmitting live performances to audiences around the world. Last season, Houston Symphony livestreams were viewed by nearly 30,000 people in 45 states and more than 45 countries.

Livestream of Houston Symphony concerts is made possible by Barbara J. Burger.

TICKET INFORMATION

Season tickets for the 2026–27 Season, including the Classical Series, the Vitol POPS Series, and the PNC Family Series are on sale now. Classical Series packages start at $177, Vitol POPS Series at $201, and PNC Family Series at $94. Subscriber benefits include presale access to Symphony Specials and free ticket exchanges.

Subscribers can also curate their own bespoke package, mixing and matching from over 35 different concerts across series to tailor the perfect season for any tastes.

Single tickets for fall and spring concerts will go on sale at a later date. For more information or to purchase, visit houstonsymphony.org, or call or text the Houston Symphony Patron Services Center at 713-224-7575, Monday−Saturday, noon−6 p.m.

Having built a substantial livestream audience beginning in July 2020 comprising audiences in all 50 states and in over 45 countries, the Houston Symphony strives to livestream all of its 2026–27 classical subscription performances, as well as most of its Vitol POPS performances. Livestream subscriptions begin at $60, and are also now available at houstonsymphony.org.

About Juraj Valčuha

Music Director, Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair

Music Director Juraj Valčuha, whose tenure with the Houston Symphony has been extended through the 2027–28 Season, is recognized for his expressive artistry, incisive musicianship, and the dynamic collaboration he has forged with the orchestra since his appointment. He is known for his sharp baton technique, natural stage presence, and the impressive ease of his interpretations that translate even the most complex scores into immersive experiences.

Before joining the Houston Symphony in June 2022, Valčuha was Music Director of the Teatro San Carlo, Naples, from 2016 to 2022, and first guest conductor of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin. He was Chief Conductor of the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI from 2009 to 2016. In 2023, he assumed the post of Principal Guest Conductor of the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra.

The 2005–06 Season marked the start of his international career on the podium of the Orchestre National de France followed by remarkable debuts in the United Kingdom with the Philharmonia London, in Germany with the Munich Philharmonic, in the United States with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and in Italy with Puccini’s La bohème in Bologna.

He has since led the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Dresden Staatskapelle, Munich Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Swedish Radio Symphony, Amsterdam Royal Concertgebouw, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, Maggio Musicale in Florence, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Rome, Milan’s Filarmonica della Scala, Montréal Symphony, and the NHK and Yomiuri orchestras in Tokyo.

He enjoys regular collaborations with the Pittsburgh, Chicago, and San Francisco Symphony orchestras; the Minnesota Orchestra; and the New York Philharmonic. International touring with the Orchestra Sinfonica della RAI took them to the Musikverein in Vienna; Philharmonie in Berlin, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Zurich, and Munich; to the Enesco Festival in Bucharest; and to the Abu Dhabi Classics. With the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, he visited Riga, Vilnius, and Tallinn to mark the 100^th anniversary of the Baltic nations.

Valčuha champions the compositions of living composers and programs contemporary pieces in most of his concerts. He has conducted world premieres, including Christopher Rouse’s Supplica with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Steven Mackey’s violin concerto with Leila Josefowicz and the BBC Symphony in Manchester, Nico Muhly’s Bright Idea with the Houston Symphony, and, most recently, Julia Wolfe’s Liberty Bell with the Houston Symphony. In 2005, he conducted, in the presence of the composer, Steve Reich’s Four Seasons at the Melos-Ethos Festival in Bratislava. Other composers he has supported and continues to follow with interest are Bryce Dessner, Steven Stucky, Andrew Norman, James MacMillan, Luca Francesconi, Anna Thorvaldsdóttir, Anna Clyne, Julia Wolfe, and Jessie Montgomery, among others.

In the 2024–25 Season, Valčuha joined the SemperOper in Dresden with Strauss’s Salome as well as the Paris Opéra Bastille with Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen and the Deutsche Oper Berlin with Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame. In addition to his concerts with the Houston Symphony, he returned to the Munich Philharmonic, the Orchestre National de France, the London Philharmonic, the Berlin Konzerthaus Orchester, the San Francisco Symphony, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the Yomiuri Nippon Orchestra in Tokyo.

The 2025–26 Season marks his fourth season with the Houston Symphony. His guest engagements will lead him to the San Francisco, Chicago, and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras. In Europe, he will join the Orchestra National de France, the Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin, the Bamberg Symphony, the Santa Cecilia Orchestra in Rome, the Basque National Orchestra, the NDR Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and on tour, and the RAI National Orchestra in Turin. On the opera stage, he will conduct Pelleas et Mélisande at the Geneva Opera as well as Don Carlo and La bohéme at the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

Born in Bratislava, Slovakia, Valčuha studied composition and conducting in his birthplace, then at the conservatory in St. Petersburg (with Ilya Musin), and finally, at the Conservatoire Supérieur de la Musique in Paris.

About Steven Reineke

Houston Symphony Principal POPS Conductor Steven Reineke is one of North America's leading conductors of popular music and is in his second decade as Music Director of The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. He is the Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Principal Pops Conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Reineke is a frequent guest conductor and can be seen on the podium with the Chicago, Philadelphia, and Detroit Symphony Orchestras.

On stage, Mr. Reineke creates and collaborates with a range of leading artists from the worlds hip-hop, R & B, Broadway, television and rock including: Killer Mike, Maxwell, Common, Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Ne-Yo, Bob Weir, Trey Anastasio, Barry Manilow, Cynthia Erivo, Ben Rector, Cody Fry, Sutton Foster, Amos Lee, Dispatch, Jason Mraz, and Ben Folds, amongst others. In 2024 he led the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) on PBS's Next at the Kennedy Center featuring Ben Folds DeClassified with Jacob Collier, Laufey and dodie. He was previously seen with the NSO on PBS on Great Performances with hip-hop legend Nas performing his seminal album "Illmatic." Reineke is the conductor on "Ben Folds Live with The National Symphony Orchestra and William Shatner's "So Fragile, So Blue" with The National Symphony Orchestra. In November 2025, Reineke was joined on the podium by NFL legend Marshawn Lynch, who visited the Houston Symphony ahead of Thursday Night Football, for a conducting tutorial featured in his Amazon Prime show, “N Yo City.” ​

As the creator of hundreds of orchestral arrangements, Reineke’s work is performed worldwide and can be heard on numerous Cincinnati Pops Orchestra recordings. His symphonic works Celebration Fanfare, Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Casey at the Bat are performed frequently in North America, including performances by the New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic. His Sun Valley Festival Fanfare was used to commemorate the Sun Valley Summer Symphony’s pavilion, and his Festival Te Deum and Swan’s Island Sojourn were debuted by the Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops Orchestras. His numerous wind ensemble compositions are published by the C.L. Barnhouse Company and are performed by concert bands perennially.​

A native of Ohio, Mr. Reineke is a graduate of Miami University of Ohio (2020 Alumnus Distinguished Achievement Medal), where he earned two Bachelor of Music degrees with honors in both trumpet performance and music composition. He currently resides in New York City with his husband Eric Gabbard.