Meet Betsy Cook Weber, Director of the Houston Symphony Chorus

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Betsy Cook Weber as the new Director of the Houston Symphony Chorus. As she begins her new responsibilities, Houston Symphony Magazine spoke with Betsy about her plans for the Chorus her love of choral music. Houston Symphony Magazine: As you began your tenure with the Symphony, you re-auditioned the … Continued

Rachmaninoff in Love: The Troubled Genesis of a Masterpiece, Part II

Last time, we discovered how Rachmaninoff overcame composer’s block with the help of Dr. Nikolai Dahl’s hypnosis therapy and ultimately produced once of his best loved pieces, his Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor.  What I didn’t tell you, though, was that Rachmaninoff also fell in love during this period, much to the dismay … Continued

Community Orchestras Jam at Jones Hall!

Last week, two of Houston’s many community orchestras joined forces with Robert Franz and the Houston Symphony for two evenings of side-by-side rehearsals. The Houston Civic Symphony rehearsed with the Houston Symphony on Tuesday, September 2, and the Texas Medical Center Orchestra rehearsed with them on Wednesday, September 3. Each member of each community orchestra … Continued

Q&A with Alison Balsom and Houston Symphony Principal Trumpet Mark Hughes

Alison Balsom, British trumpeter extraordinaire and recipient of the 2013 Gramophone Awards “Artist of the Year” title, will be gracing the Jones Hall stage on September 13 for the 2014-2015 Season Opening Night Concert. Recently, the Houston Symphony’s own principal trumpet Mark Hughes got to ask her some questions about her career and musical experiences, … Continued

Thoughts from Larry Baird, Three Dog Night Orchestrator and Conductor

This week, we are excited to host legendary rock band Three Dog Night. They will join the Houston Symphony at Jones Hall on Friday the 13th. We asked Larry Baird, orchestrator and conductor for Three Dog Night’s orchestral performances, to share his thoughts about working with a band whose influence has spanned four decades. Thoughts … Continued

Pianist Xiayin Wang’s Pre Concert Rituals

This weekend kicks off several weeks of free concerts that will run throughout the month of June. Our concerts this weekend are both at Miller Outdoor Theatre, and Saturday evening’s concert will feature soloist Xiayin Wang, performing the Piano Concerto in G major by Ravel. Saturday’s concert offers a little something extra- it is a … Continued