During the summer of 1838, Felix Mendelssohn wrote to his longtime friend and collaborator Ferdinand David: “I should like to write a violin concerto for you next winter. One in E minor runs through my head, the beginning of which gives me no peace.” Indeed, it would not give him peace for another six years, … Continued
By the spring of 1939, war between Britain and Germany seemed increasingly inevitable. Hitler annexed Czechoslovakia in March, putting an end to Neville Chamberlain’s declaration of “peace for our time.” As a committed pacifist and a homosexual who would have been barred from service and imprisoned had his orientation been revealed, Benjamin Britten decided to … Continued
Dear Houston Symphony Family Member, The past few months have brought catastrophic losses and challenges to our community—but they have also demonstrated to the world just how united, selfless and #Strong Houston really is. While Jones Hall suffered less than some nearby venues, the damage and subsequent repairs led to the displacement of our orchestra … Continued
Dear Houston Symphony family member, On behalf of the Board, musicians and staff of the Houston Symphony, please know that we are thinking of you all during the process of recovering and rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey. The last two weeks have brought unprecedented challenges to Houston, but they have also seen our incredible community rally … Continued
In May 2016, we published a post about a talented, young saxophone player named Salvador Flores. In the post below, Salvodor’s mentor, Houston Symphony Community-Embedded Musician David Connor, gives us an uplifting update regarding this young Houstonian’s most recent accomplishments. Every once in a while, the Houston Symphony is fortunate to work with some of the music world’s rising … Continued
Ten outstanding young musicians were selected as semi-finalists for the 2017 Ima Hogg Competition. From throwing tantrums to wearing fancy dresses – these contestants share their fondest memories of their musical backgrounds. Hear these talented contestants perform in the 2017 Ima Hogg semi-finals competition Thursday, June 1, at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. Kiril … Continued