On May 25 & 26 the Houston Symphony presents John Adams’ El Niño, an opera-oratorio written to celebrate the dawn of the new millennium in 2000. In this post, discover the diverse texts—ranging from Christian apocrypha to 20th century Mexican feminist poetry—that retell the Christmas story in this modern masterpiece. In 1999, the Théâtre du … Continued
On December 5, 7, and 8, the Houston Symphony presents the world premiere of Ad Astra, a new symphony by Composer-in-Residence Jimmy López Bellido (the program also features the internationally renowned virtuoso Gil Shaham in Brahms’ classic Violin Concerto). Get a preview of Jimmy’s exciting and imaginative new work below. Perhaps no sound is more … Continued
On September 27, 28, and 29, Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada presents Gershwin’s Piano Concerto & Porgy and Bess, a concert of 20th-century masterpieces from the Western hemisphere. In this post, discover how Aaron Copland’s visit to Mexico led the composer in a whole new direction. Learn more and get tickets. Eager to entice his friend and fellow … Continued
On September 27, 28, and 29, Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada presents Gershwin’s Piano Concerto & Porgy and Bess, a concert of 20th-century masterpieces from the Western hemisphere. Our guest artist is world-renowned pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, who performs Gershwin’s jazzy Piano Concerto in F. In this post, discover this uniquely American showpiece for piano and orchestra. … 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 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 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 January 24, 26 and 27, Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada and the Houston Symphony continue their exploration of Charles Ives’ Fourth Symphony. In this post, discover the traditional protestant hymns that inspired the serene third movement of this watershed symphony. Get tickets and more information here. Ives’ Fourth Symphony is his crowning achievement, the summation … Continued
Celebrate Veterans Day the classical way with this playlist of great American music. We hope this selection of familiar favorites and hidden gems brings the joy of music to your day. If you like having the freedom to listen to whatever music you want—thank a veteran! Copland: Lincoln Portrait Composed in 1942, Copland’s Lincoln Portrait … Continued
How often does a piece of classical music inspire an Academy Award-winning Hollywood musical? If you can think of an example other than An American in Paris, please let us know. The Houston Symphony plays this classic film’s soundtrack live-to-picture on November 9, 10 and 11. Get ready for this spectacular presentation with these fun … Continued
Though he would live several decades more, Charles Ives stopped composing entirely by 1927. Many have speculated as to why, but the ultimate reason for his silence remains a mystery. His last symphony was thus one of his final works. Begun around 1910, Ives labored over it for many years, refining and altering the score … Continued
Many have accused Bernstein of pretentiousness in associating his Serenade with Plato’s Symposium, suggesting that he merely tacked on the highfalutin subtitle after he had already composed it. Critics typically cite discrepancies between Plato’s classic and the Serenade, arguing that one has little to do with the other: compared with Plato’s book, the movements are … Continued
February 2, 3 and 4, percussion rock star Colin Currie joins the Houston Symphony to perform American composer John Corigliano’s Conjurer for Percussion, Strings (and optional Brass). Who could provide a better introduction to this landmark percussion concerto than the composer himself? He did just that at a lecture at the University of British Columbia … Continued
After graduating from Yale in 1898, the young Charles Ives moved to New York City and took up residence with other recent graduates in a series of apartments, each of which was known affectionately as “Poverty Flat.” During the decade between his graduation and marriage, Ives would pursue two careers simultaneously: one as a church … Continued