with so many wonderful musicians from around the country.”
Nancy Goodearl, a member of the Houston Symphony since 1981, received a Bachelor of Music degree in performance from the Eastman School of Music and a Master of Music degree in performance from Northwestern University. Since 1987, she has been a member of the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She has performed with many orchestras, including the Houston Ballet, Houston Grand Opera and Dallas Symphony Orchestras, and the Sun Valley Summer Symphony in Idaho.
Nancy Goodearl has performed extensively in recitals and chamber music throughout the Houston area, including brass and woodwind quintets from the Houston Symphony and faculty brass and woodwind quintets from the University of Houston. She also performs with the Monarch Brass Ensemble, a large brass ensemble of women from around the country affiliated with the International Women’s Brass Conference.
In addition to performing, she enjoys coaching high school horn sections and teaching privately. She is a former faculty member of the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music, the Texas Music Festival and the American Festival of the Arts.
photographed by Houston Symphony bassoonist, Eric Arbiter.
Is there a concert you are particularly excited about this season? If so, which one and why?
One of my favorite composers is Johannes Brahms. I am looking forward to playing his Piano Concerto No. 1 this month and his Requiem and Third Symphony in May. His music speaks to my soul and is very rewarding to play. He wrote wonderful horn parts in all of his orchestral works.
I am also looking forward to our European Tour with Maestro Orozco-Estrada in March 2018. I believe it is very important for an orchestra to tour. While travelling is always a challenge with such a large group, playing in different settings with different acoustics can be a rewarding and educational experience. We learn to hear each other in different ways, bringing new insights to the music and flexibility to our playing, which makes us better musicians. We return to Houston a more refined ensemble, presenting better concerts for our home audiences.
Will you share a notable performance or event in your career?
Over the years that I have played with the Houston Symphony, I have been very lucky to have many. One amazing experience was playing Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 in Vienna with Christoph Eschenbach. Everything about that concert, from the historic nature of the hall to the chemistry of the orchestra to the inspired conducting came together to create a joyful and breathtaking musical experience.
I also have many special memories from performing each summer with the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra. It is amazing to play in Jackson Hole with so many wonderful musicians from around the country. The mountains and scenery are awe-inspiring, and playing there renews my spirit.
What are you up to when not performing?
My favorite hobby is pottery. I take classes at the Glassell School of Art and throw pots on the wheel in my garage studio. I find that working with clay is very therapeutic and a wonderful complement to music. It also helps me find my inner peace amidst the chaos of family life involving my spouse, 2 teenagers, 3 dogs, and a parrot.
Nancy Goodearl is sponsored by Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan E. Parker.
