Scandal has rocked the Houston Symphony after an anonymous source leaked disturbing photos that appear to depict a physical confrontation between Houston Symphony Principal Cellist Brinton Averil Smith and world-renowned cello superstar Yo-Yo Ma. The attack is alleged to have occurred after Ma’s sold-out, one-night-only appearance with the Houston Symphony last February. The cause of … Continued
What do Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and Schubert’s “Unfinished” Symphony have in common? Answer: All three pieces went unplayed for decades only to become concert hall staples when rediscovered by later generations. This same process of musical rebirth will unfold at Jones Hall this April when Principal Cellist Brinton Averil Smith performs a … Continued
Meet Ima Hogg Competition Semi-finalist Charles Seo! This talented 20-year-old cellist is currently a sophomore at the Colburn Conservatory of Music, where he studies with Professor Ronald Leonard. We recently got a chance to ask Sam a few questions about himself and his musical life. Houston Symphony: Where did you grow up and how did that … Continued
Near the end of each season, the Houston Symphony Society holds its annual board and trustees meeting. This year, our Principal Cellist Brinton Averil Smith spoke to the attendees on behalf of the musicians. His speech turned out to be so much more than a board address. We hope you will read it, draw inspiration from … Continued
Way back in August our Principal Cello, Brinton Smith, sent me a link to the Cervantes Collection at Texas A&M University Libraries, which houses one of the largest collections of Don Quixote iconography in the world. Brinton thought the Cervantes Collection would be a good starting point for the Sound Plus Vision element of this … Continued
On behalf of my colleagues in the Houston Symphony, we would like to welcome you to Jones Hall and wish you a happy, healthy and successful new year. In taking time to join the Symphony to listen to great music, I think you have set your year off to a great start! As a string … Continued