Musician Picks for the 2025–26 Season

Jul 14, 2025

Musician Picks for the 2025–26 Season

This season, the musicians of the Houston Symphony will perform more than 100 different concerts, from September, 2025 through June, 2026. Which ones are they especially excited for? We polled the orchestra to find out—read below for a few top picks!

Single tickets for all concerts are on sale now! Pick 4 or more to save up to 43%.

Christopher French,

Associate Principal Cello

“Of course, I'm looking forward to Christoph Eschenbach’s return with Bruckner’s Seventh Symphony, but there are several other concerts that will be musically thrilling as well. The two Strauss tone poems, Ein heldenleben and Tod und Verklaerung, will be amazing. The last concert of the season, Mahler’s Symphony No. 9, will also be a highlight.”

Robin Kesselman,

Principal Bass

“Mahler’s Symphony No. 9 is one of my absolute favorite pieces of all time. Getting to close next season with that piece under the direction of Maestro Valčuha is going to be fantastic.”

Mark Nuccio,

Principal Clarinet

“Shostakovich Symphony No. 10
will showcase our entire clarinet section. It’s a very exciting piece for the audience as well!

Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde:
Opera performances strengthen all orchestras because the music is a living, breathing entity, changing from minute to minute. This allows for different musical choices and requires spontaneity from the musicians. It is also very beautiful music.

Mahler Symphony No. 9:
The end of the season brings one of, if not the greatest symphonies ever written by Gustav Mahler. It requires all musicians onstage to be at the very top of their musical game, and can stop time for musicians and audience alike. This is a must-see concert!”

Adam Trussell

Bassoon and Contrabassoon

“I’m particularly excited for Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10.”

Louis-Marie Fardet

Cello

“I am especially excited for the two concerts with Juraj Valčuha featuring music from Tristan and Isolde (Feb. 28–Mar. 1 and May 7, 9 & 10) and the second classical performance, featuring Christoph Eschenbach leading Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7.”

Avery Weeks

Bass

“This is an impossible question. As a bassist, this upcoming season is chock full of music that bass players are chomping at the bit to play. I am very much looking forward to seeing my colleagues perform solo works, and revisiting famous repertoire that we, as bass players, spend so much time with.”

Brian Del Signore

Principal Percussion

“I take them one at a time. So the very first concert at Miller Outdoor Theatre (Valčuha Conducts West Side Story, Sept. 12) is an exciting one!”

Eschenbach Conducts Mozart & Bruckner

Eschenbach Conducts Mozart & Bruckner

Saturday, Sep. 27 – Sunday, Sep. 28

7:30 PM

Thanksgiving Weekend: Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1

Thanksgiving Weekend: Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1

Friday, Nov. 28 – Sunday, Nov. 30

7:30 PM

Joshua Bell Returns: <em>The Elements </em> in Concert

Joshua Bell Returns: The Elements in Concert

Thursday, May. 7 – Sunday, May. 10

7:30 PM

Journey to Light: Valčuha Conducts Shostakovich 10

Journey to Light: Valčuha Conducts Shostakovich 10

Friday, Nov. 21 – Sunday, Nov. 23

7:30 PM

Wagner’s <em>Tristan and Isolde</em>

Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde

Saturday, Feb. 28 – Sunday, Mar. 1

7:30 PM

Valčuha Conducts Mahler 9

Valčuha Conducts Mahler 9

Friday, May. 22 – Sunday, May. 24

7:30 PM

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