On March 29, 30 and 31, the Houston Symphony presents Carl Orff’s spectacular masterpiece, Carmina Burana. Houston Symphony Principal Cello Brinton Averil Smith opens the concert with d’Albert’s passionate Cello Concerto. In this post, discover this virtuoso cello showpiece and the stormy love-life of the composer who wrote it. Get tickets and more information here. Even … Continued
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
We always look forward to honoring our country’s veterans each year. As we remember the armistice that ended World War I and all the sacrifices of our soldiers before and since, it’s important to reflect on how American soldiers have fought to make the world a better place. We were recently reminded of this by a … Continued
After many amazing performances at the Semifinal round today, our judges have after much deliberation decided on four finalists for the 2016 Ima Hogg Competition. We present them to you in alphabetical order: Samuel Chan, marimba – Koppel Marimba Concerto No. 1 This 22-year-old marimba player is a graduate of the Hong Kong Academy for … 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