On Feb. 15 & 16, the Houston Symphony presents Duke Bluebeard’s Castle featuring world-renowned singers Gábor Bretz and Ekaterina Gubanova. In this post, discover the dark secrets that lie behind Bartók’s fascinating operatic masterpiece. Get tickets and more information here. Duke Bluebeard’s Castle is a miraculous accomplishment. The first efforts of most opera composers (Wagner, Verdi, … Continued
On April 26, 27 & 28 the Houston Symphony presents Carl Orff’s spectacular masterpiece, Carmina Burana. In this post, discover how a once-obscure medieval tome inspired one of the most popular pieces of music of all time. Get tickets and more information here. On March 29, 1934, Carl Orff received a much anticipated parcel with … Continued
On December 3, the Houston Symphony presents Home Alone—Film with Live Orchestra. Our Grammy® Award-winning Recording Engineer and resident film music buff Brad Sayles explores how John Williams masterfully scored this holiday classic. Imagine being asked to score a Christmas film. A few well-known carols will appear throughout, but the true soundtrack must define the … Continued
On April 15 & 16, the Houston Symphony performs Beethoven’s revolutionary Symphony No. 3, Eroica with guest conductor Rafael Payare. In this post, discover how personal crisis and political turmoil combined to inspire one of the most influential pieces of music ever composed. Learn more about this history-making masterpiece in our podcast, On the Music. … Continued
World-renowned conductor Christoph Eschenbach returns to Jones Hall to conduct Beethoven and Brahms 1. How well do you know the legendary maestro? Get to know this revered musician with these fun facts! 1) He was the Houston Symphony’s music director from 1988 to 1999. The Houston Symphony was Christoph Eschenbach’s first appointment to a major … Continued
On October 22, 23, & 24, Dame Jane Glover leads the Houston Symphony in Mendelssohn’s Scottish Symphony. The program also features Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1, which we last performed in September 2018. In the post below, learn more about one of Prokofiev’ most-loved works, his “Classical” Symphony. At first, Prokofiev was not overly troubled by … Continued
From Harry Potter to Carmina Burana, from Mahler to Messiah: the 2018–19 Season challenged Houston Symphony Chorus and made for a memorable year. Houston Symphony Chorus Director Betsy Cook Weber and Chorus Manager Anna Diemer share their favorite moments from last season, with a look ahead to what’s coming up next—including auditions open to all … Continued
On May 16 and 17, the Houston Symphony presents a spectacular, semi-staged production of Bluebeard’s Castle featuring world-renowned singers Michelle DeYoung and Matthias Goerne. In this post, star mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung discusses her take on the role of Judith in Bartók’s fascinating operatic masterpiece. Get tickets and more information here. “I think it’s one of the greatest pieces … Continued
How do composers write their music? Composing can sometimes seem a mysterious business, and it is not every day one has the opportunity to glimpse into the mind of such a creative artist. In advance of the world premiere of Aurora, his new violin concerto, Houston Symphony Composer-in-Residence Jimmy López Bellido recounts the story of … Continued
On May 16 and 17, the Houston Symphony presents a spectacular, semi-staged production of Bluebeard’s Castle featuring world-renowned singers Michelle DeYoung and Matthias Goerne. In this post, the production’s creative director, Adam Larsen, discusses his vision for Bartók’s fascinating operatic masterpiece. Get tickets and more information here. When we asked the musicians of the Houston Symphony which concerts … Continued
Joan DerHovsepian became a member of the Houston Symphony in 1999 and has been associate principal viola since 2010. She is an artist teacher of viola at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music and a faculty guest at the New World Symphony. This summer, she joins the faculty of the National Orchestral Institute. Annually, Joan … Continued
On May 9, 11, and 12, the Houston Symphony concludes its season-long exploration of Charles Ives’ groundbreaking Symphony No. 4. In this post, discover the work’s otherworldly finale, the ultimate goal of Ives’ spiritual vision. You can learn more about the first, second, and third movements in previous posts. Get tickets and more information here. Ives’ … Continued
On May 9, 11, and 12, the Houston Symphony presents Rachmaninoff’s The Bells, a monumental choral symphony that Rachmaninoff regarded as his best work. In this post, discover how this powerful work, inspired by the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe, prophesied the turmoil Russia would face in the 20th century. Get tickets and more information here. During … Continued
On May 9, 11, and 12, the Houston Symphony presents award-winning American pianist George Li in not one, but two virtuoso works for piano and orchestra. In this post, discover how the first of these pieces, George Gershwin’s delightful “I Got Rhythm” Variations, paints a picture of contemporary New York in sound. Get tickets and … Continued
On May 9, 11, and 12, the Houston Symphony presents award-winning American pianist George Li in not one, but two virtuoso works for piano and orchestra. In this post, discover how the young Prokofiev flouted conventions and got the better of his professors with his Piano Concerto No. 1. Get tickets and more information here. One … Continued
On April 4, 6, and 7, the Houston Symphony presents a stirring all-Russian program featuring Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 4 and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 3. In this post, discover the personal, musical and cultural influences that shaped the delightful melodies of this most balletic of Tchaikovsky’s symphonies. Get tickets and more information here. Tchaikovsky’s Third Symphony dates … Continued
On April 4, 6, and 7, the Houston Symphony presents a stirring all-Russian program featuring acclaimed Rachmaninoff interpreter Simon Trpčeski in the composer’s Piano Concerto No. 4. In this post, discover the turbulent history behind Rachmaninoff’s final piano concerto. Get tickets and more information here. Composer Interrupted Rachmaninoff’s Fourth Piano Concerto had a lengthy genesis; indeed, by … Continued
On April 4, 6, and 7, the Houston Symphony presents a stirring all-Russian program featuring Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 4 and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 3. Opening the concert is Shostakovich’s delightful Ballet Suite No. 1. In this post, discover the turbulent history behind this seemingly carefree music. Get tickets and more information here. Zhdanov’s infamous decree … Continued
Guests of Debussy’s La mer are in for treat: During the program on March 8, 9 & 10, ticket holders can enjoy a special performance of two chamber music selections. Les citations by Henri Dutilleux kicks off the presentation of chamber music, followed by Maurice Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet and String … Continued
On April 26, 27 and 28, former Houston Symphony Principal Pops Conductor Michael Krajewski returns to Jones Hall to lead one of his signature programs: Cirque de la Symphonie. Complete with new musical selections and fresh acrobatic feats, this unique blend of great orchestral music and breathtaking circus acts is sure to amaze and astound. … Continued