Happy national Bloggers Day! As we celebrate today, August 5, we’re excited to spotlight the top five blogs from our 2023–24 Season. These posts offer a deeper glimpse into the music and stories that brought them to life. Read more from the highlights of last season: #1: Wheel of Fortune: Orff’s Carmina burana On March … Continued
For many of us, Disney’s Fantasia was our first introduction to the playground of the imagination that is the orchestra. Walt Disney himself said, “In a profession that has been an unending voyage of discovery in the realms of color, sound and motion, Fantasia represents our most exciting adventure.” The story of how Disney’s most … Continued
On April 22, 23, and 24, the Houston Symphony pays tribute to Aretha Franklin, celebrated and known world-wide as the Queen of Soul. Despite the fact that she was one of the most famous people on the planet with one of the most distinctive voices the music industry has ever heard, there are still a … Continued
Bring in the Halloween season with these themed cocktail concoctions that are sure to put you in a spooky mood. Try these wickedly simple and delicious recipes, then experience classical music’s wildest ride—Symphonie fantastique—this Halloween weekend, October 29–31! Candy Corn Delight 2 oz. whipped cream-flavored vodka 3 oz. pineapple juice 2 oz. sour mix 2 … Continued
Show-stopping Broadway duo Santino and Jessica Fontana (yes, they are husband and wife!) return to the Houston Symphony to join Principal POPS Conductor Steven Reineke on May 28, 29 & 30 to close out the 2020–21 Bank of America POPS Series performing quintessential show tunes by Rodgers and Hammerstein. From New York City to Houston, … Continued
This month, the Symphony takes the stage for the next installment of the Bank of America POPS Series, complete with a dazzling violin sensation and all the glamor of Hollywood. The marriage between music and film is everlasting, going back to its genesis during the early days of silent pictures. Before synchronized recorded sound was … Continued
This weekend, the woodwind, brass, and percussion sections step into the limelight during Musical Storytellers: Winds of the Houston Symphony, a Bank of America POPS program spotlighting some of the greatest wind ensemble compositions of our time, led by Principal POPS Conductor Steven Reineke. For musicians of the wind sections, this program both challenges and … Continued
This weekend, the Houston Symphony presents a one-of-a-kind fusion of music and VR technology when artist Topher Sipes creates breathtaking original imagery with Google’s 3D paint brush as the Symphony performs beautiful music, live. The program features romantic selections that will provide the perfect soundtrack to your Valentine’s date night. Take a sneak peek at … Continued
On February 13 and 14, music, dance, and technology blend into a one-of-a-kind experience for Music Illustrated: Virtual Reality in Concert. This groundbreaking event combines classical favorites such as Clair de Lune and Carnival of the Animals, performed by members of the Houston Symphony, together with mesmerizing visual art created by Topher Sipes. During the concert, Topher makes life-sized visual imagery using Google’s innovative … Continued
Traditions have long defined the customs of milestone holidays and that is no truer than with the sparkle and glamor that cements the welcoming of a new year. Despite moving us forward in time, the new year holiday seems to be forever entwined with the glitz of the Big Band era (roughly 1933–1945.) This could … Continued
The new year is off to a swingin’ start as we prepare for our next Bank of America POPS Series concert, In the Mood: A Big Band New Year on January 8–10, led by principal POPS conductor Steven Reineke. Whether joining us in-person at Jones Hall for socially distanced performances or via livestream at home, … Continued
On November 20–22, Principal POPS Conductor Steven Reineke returns to Jones Hall for the next Bank of America POPS Series concert American Strings: From Folk to Film, a celebration of American music performed by the Houston Symphony strings section. The program boasts music as unique and varied as our nation—and here are just a few of … Continued
Perhaps no film-and-music pairing is as iconic as Psycho’s infamous shower scene and the shrieking string theme by which it’s accompanied. As the onscreen action takes a horrifying turn, the soundtrack turns from silence to a jarring, chaotic eruption that mirrors Marion Crane’s screams and heightens the shocking brutality as it unfolds. Composed by film score … Continued
On January 3, 4, and 5, the Houston Symphony begins the new year with Sinatra and Beyond, a program featuring pianist, crooner, and Houston favorite Tony DeSare. The Symphony’s Eric Skelly recently spoke with Tony about performing with orchestras, the legacy of “Ol’ Blue Eyes,” and more. Eric Skelly: When did you start working with … Continued
The Houston Symphony Chorus is participating in three festive concerts in December, from joining internationally renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli in Concert at the Toyota Center to annual performances of Very Merry Pops and Handel’s “Messiah” at Jones Hall. What makes holiday concerts so merry and bright? Read on to hear from Houston Symphony Chorus members! … Continued
On November 7, 8, 9, and 10, the Houston Symphony continues to explore John Williams’s iconic music with performances of the score to Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back live to picture. Many Houston Symphony musicians are also big Star Wars fans, including Phillip Freeman, the Houston Symphony’s bass trombonist. Here, Freeman shares … Continued
On October 11, 12, and 13, the beloved European travel guru and public television personality Rick Steves joins the Houston Symphony for a musical tour of the continent: Rick Steves’ Europe: A Symphonic Journey. Complete with stunning film footage of some of Europe’s most spectacular travel destinations and performances of The Blue Danube waltz, Beethoven’s … Continued
Renée Elise Goldsberry’s career is soaring, taking her to extraordinary places, and it shows no signs of slowing down. She has broken into feature films with roles in All About You, Sisters, and Pistol Whipped, and ever since she first appeared as a backup singer on Ally McBeal, she has been a compelling presence on … Continued
While gearing up for the start of our 2019–20 season in September, we asked our musicians which concerts they are most excited about this year. From Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess and Mahler’s epic Seventh Symphony to Hamilton’s Renée Elise Goldsberry and John Williams’s classics, discover what Houston Symphony musicians are most looking forward to! CLASSICAL … 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