I cannot remember a time in my life where music was not a guiding force. I grew up in the small town of Crosby, Texas, approximately 30 miles NE of downtown Houston. Ask anyone who grew up there what Crosby is best known for, and they will quickly respond “Crosby is the capital of gas … Continued
As I pondered this entry earlier this week, I was determined to explain why I have done Messiah for 23 straight years, especially due to my original wandering from section to section (Tenor2 to Bass1 to Bass2, back to Tenor2) since my joining the Chorus in 1986. But then I noticed that the other bloggers … Continued
This next post comes from William McCallum, who has been a Houston Symphony Chorister for over 12 years! I have been a member of the Houston Symphony Chorus for over 12 years and this will be my eighth season singing Messiah. During the day I am an internal medicine physician and work predominantly with cancer … Continued
Ahead of the orchestra’s performances of Handel’s Messiah in Candlelight this weekend, we invited members of the Houston Symphony Chorus (who, by the way, just celebrated their 1000th performance!), to write about their experience preparing for such a huge piece. Our first entry comes from Susan Scarrow, the manager of the Houston Symphony Chorus. In … Continued
In the Houston Symphony’s Wagner’s “Ring” Without Words, you’ll be able to follow this fantastic storyline as it’s projected on our in-house video screens, all while the orchestra plays its greatest themes. Before Frodo, there was Siegfried Not Siegfried from Siegfried and Roy … NOT THEM! Wagner’s “Ring” Cycle is a series of four operas … Continued
Assistant Conductor Brett Mitchell took the time to share a little about one of the musical loves of his life, Wagner’s “The Ring Without Words,” ahead of next week’s concert! We knew of the comparisons to the Lord of the Ring, but Star Wars? Learn more about it by reading below. It should come as … Continued
Intern Keith has returned to the blogosphere to give us a little bit of history on some of the Mexican composers we’ll feature during Sunday’s Chevron Fiesta Sinfonica concert. The concert is set to begin at 6 p.m. and is FREE to the public. Even the astute music lover can’t be faulted for missing some … Continued
So, when looking around the conference room during a recent marketing meeting, our resident blog expert rested her eyes on me and said “YOU should write a blog for Broadway Rocks!” Broadway Rocks, in case you are wondering, is the first POPS concert of the Houston Symphony’s 2010-2011 Season. It opens this Friday, September 3rd. The … Continued
We can hardly believe that summer has come to a close, and the 2010-2011 season is about to start! After the hustle-and-bustle of our Symphony Summer in the City concerts, our musicians and many staffers took some much needed vacation time. In this special series, they wanted to share with YOU what they’ve been up … Continued
Thanks to everyone who participated in our first ever Oh Snap! Summer Symphony Nights photo contest! You guys took some awesome pictures during our concert series at Miller Outdoor Theatre in June and for the Fourth of July, making it hard for us to pick just one. The winner of each category will receive a … Continued
So, I was recently asked what my favorite Queen memory is … and I honestly didn’t know the answer. I’m too young to have experienced the greatness in person, but I’ve reaped the benefits of their immortality. Most Queen moments in my life include singing at the top of my lungs in the car to … Continued
Today’s post was written by our brand new Intern, Keith. A recent graduate of Rice University, Keith is hanging out in our Jones Hall offices and soaking up all he can about working for an arts organization. This time around, he shares his view about engaging new audiences and why it’s important for Orchestras to … Continued
We hope you’re having a blast at our free Miller Outdoor Theatre concerts – and now we want to see the experience through your eyes! Through July 11, submit your photos from those concerts (including both concerts this weekend, and the July 4th ExxonMobil Star-Spangled Salute) to our OH SNAP! photo contest. By doing so, … Continued
Over the next few weeks, we hope you’ll all be able to join us at Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park for Summer Symphony Nights – a series of free concerts featuring exciting repertoires and the chance for an affordable night out on the town! Here’s a quick rundown of what we have to offer … Continued
For today’s blog post, our education department wanted to share something that has become near and dear to our hearts — dressing Associate Conductor Robert Franz in off-the-wall costumes for each of our Weatherford Family Concerts. If you ever wondered how those costumes came to pass, now’s your chance! After a recent Weatherford Family Concert, … Continued
Russian composer Igor Stravinsky is arguably the most important composer of the 20th century. Not only were his ideas new, complex and impressive to all who heard them, but his legacy as a musical risk-taker even landed him a spot as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people of the century. This weekend in … Continued
Dear Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Stravinsky and all of the other great composer “Gods”: I come to you a musical sinner. It has been … er… a while since my last confession. I have sinned because I have listened to a variety of Top 40 radio stations every day for a really long time, and, well, um … Continued
As I scroll through the past blogs of my colleagues, trying to move past the writer’s block that I am having, I can’t help but notice how great and intimate the blogs are. Of course, you’re probably thinking that this is a really biased opinion. But seriously, we have done a pretty good job with … Continued
What makes people feel connected to the Houston Symphony? That question was my challenge for our season campaign. Is it the experience, is it the programming, is it the local arts aspect? All of the above actually, and for the 2010-2011 Season, we decided to focus on the connection of hometown pride. This city has … Continued
So as many of you have probably heard, dance-pop superstar Lady Gaga’s July 25th performance at the Toyota Center sold out within…hours, I think. It’s no secret then that Houstonians are gaga over the 23-year-old singer/songwriter with a flair for theatrics. Not to worry, though, since the famed artist added another date on July 26th … Continued