1,001 Nights: A Guide to Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade

This Thanksgiving, the Houston Symphony presents one of the repertoire’s most popular orchestral works: Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade. Discover the story behind this masterpiece inspired by The One Thousand and One Nights. On February 27, 1887, the acclaimed Russian composer Alexander Borodin was attending a party when, after dancing a waltz, he dropped dead of a heart … Continued

Sing Your Own Way: A Guide to Ives’ Symphony No. 3

After graduating from Yale in 1898, the young Charles Ives moved to New York City and took up residence with other recent graduates in a series of apartments, each of which was known affectionately as “Poverty Flat.” During the decade between his graduation and marriage, Ives would pursue two careers simultaneously: one as a church … Continued

Paganini’s Theme

Niccolò Paganini was perhaps the most influential violinist in the history of music. His tours across Europe from 1829-1834 astonished audiences; many of his compositions were so difficult that initially only he could play them. He not only revolutionized violin playing, but also inspired composers that followed him to make virtuoso technique a central part … Continued

Houston Symphony Unveils New Website

The Houston Symphony announced today the launch of a new, redesigned version of its website, houstonsymphony.org. Key features of the site include a cleaner, more attractive design and intuitive improvements to navigation and search for the ultimate user-friendly experience. Created with the user experience front-of-mind, the website has been streamlined for users to get the … Continued

Music at War: A Guide to Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5

Sergey Prokofiev composed his Fifth Symphony during the fateful summer of 1944. Though the Second World War was still raging, the tide had turned in the Allies’ favor. The Soviets were pushing back the Nazis from their borders, and the US and British Allies had landed on the beaches of Normandy in June. Prokofiev in … Continued

2025–26 Subscriptions On Sale Now!

Subscribe now for exclusive savings, priority seating, special event invitations, discounts at top local restaurants, and more!

VIEW PACKAGES