“It almost unfolds like a flower—you can almost see and hear the generations of believers for whom the kingdom of heaven has been opened.” That’s how HS Chorus Director Betsy Cook Weber describes one of her favorite choral masterpieces, Bruckner’s Te Deum. This major work has inspired many attempts to translate its heavenly beauty into … Continued
If you haven’t heard, Timothy McAllister is one of the world’s best classical saxophone players. He’s so good, in fact, that he inspired one of America’s greatest living composers, John Adams, to write a Saxophone Concerto just for him. It just might be the greatest Saxophone Concerto ever—but don’t take our word for it. Timothy … Continued
Imagine someone gave you a camera and told you to go shoot the essence of Houston. But you only have an hour. And you have less than 100 feet of visibility. That’s how David Doubilet described difficult assignments as an underwater photographer. “Photography has the ability to illuminate, surprise, astound, humiliate, and celebrate. The power … Continued
At the Houston Symphony, we are always amazed by the kids that we work with through our education and community programs, but sometimes we encounter something so remarkable it takes our breath away. Through our new residency program at Waltrip High School, we recently learned of one story of the power of music to unite … Continued
It’s easy to take having a place to call home for granted. “I never envisioned college graduation from the University of Houston with honors, marriage, children, and living in a homeless shelter,” wrote Nakia Sims, the mother of two beginning Suzuki Violin students, Azania and Hadas’sah. When the Sims family lost their home in a … Continued
This November we launched a contest on Facebook asking our subscribers to share their favorite guest soloist memories with us as part of Subscriber Appreciation Month. We received many wonderful responses, and we wanted to share the two winning memories with you here. Each of our winners will receive dinner for two at the Lancaster Hotel, located just … Continued
Every November, we like to let our subscribers know how much they mean to us. As part of Subscriber Appreciation Month, we reached out to longtime subscriber George John to ask him about his experiences with the Houston Symphony. Here’s what George had to say. Calvin Dotsey: When did you first become interested in classical music? Was … Continued
We always look forward to honoring our country’s veterans each year. As we remember the armistice that ended World War I and all the sacrifices of our soldiers before and since, it’s important to reflect on how American soldiers have fought to make the world a better place. We were recently reminded of this by a … Continued
We caught up with wildlife photojournalist Steve Winter, who is our guest for On the Trail of Big Cats, the first of four presentations in our new National Geographic Live speaker series, presented by the Houston Symphony, beginning October 25 at Jones Hall. Your photography is stunning. Did you learn photography at the Academy of Art, or elsewhere? Also, … Continued
The Houston Symphony has made its home in the Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts since it opened on October 2, 1966. The Story Behind Jones Hall Jones Hall is named after a man who financed extensive construction in downtown Houston, published the Houston Chronicle, and served in the Federal Government during the Great Depression … Continued
On September 29 and October 1 & 2, 2016, the Houston Symphony performs Haydn’s masterpiece, The Creation. Learn more about the concert here. When it comes to grand choral works from the classical era, most symphony fans will immediately think of Mozart’s Requiem. Full of darkness, terror and passages of transcendent beauty, this is one … Continued
Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a composer? Picture a blank manuscript page, whether on a computer screen or old-fashioned paper, with endless sets of five lines marching across the page…empty. Now imagine filling that space with notations that define sounds, melodies, harmonies, dissonances and instrumental effects. You must make thousands of decisions: Which instruments play when? How … Continued
On July 16, the Houston Symphony presents The Men of Motown Featuring Spectrum, a concert celebrating the rich musical legacy of some of Motown’s greatest artists. Headlining the concert will be the vocal ensemble Spectrum, one of the best Motown-style ensembles around. Spectrum vocalist Cushney Roberts took some time to share a bit of the remarkable … Continued