Discover the Secrets of Verdi’s Requiem

Here’s a riddle for you: Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem, one of the most beloved of all choral works, came from a composer who wanted nothing to do with God or organized religion. Why would he write a massive sacred work? How could the result be so eloquent? Let’s let Verdi and those near him tell the … Continued

Rachmaninoff in Love: The Troubled Genesis of a Masterpiece, Part II

Last time, we discovered how Rachmaninoff overcame composer’s block with the help of Dr. Nikolai Dahl’s hypnosis therapy and ultimately produced once of his best loved pieces, his Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor.  What I didn’t tell you, though, was that Rachmaninoff also fell in love during this period, much to the dismay … Continued

Are you Classical or are you Pops?

So, as I understand it, this blog is meant to put the reader inside the Houston Symphony team, so you can see what we are all about.  It is with that in mind that I write the following … I have been with the Houston Symphony for about 6 months as the Director of Marketing, … Continued