One of my favorite things about conducting education concerts is the time just before the concert starts. I have made it my practice to stand in the lobby and greet our young concert attendees (usually with a bottle of hand sanitizer in my pocket) as they enter the lobby. I do this for a few … Continued
By: Dr. Dominic A. Aquila Vice President, Academic Affairs University of St. Thomas The Houston Symphony’s January 22nd program is a rich offering of French and Russian music from the first quarter of the 20th-century. Among many other qualities, the program’s three pieces–Stravinsky’s Firebird, Ravel’s Pavane, and Ravel’s orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition–reflect … Continued
One of the oldest projects of the Houston Symphony League, this competition was open to student musicians 18 years of age or younger who had not yet graduated from high school and who played any standard orchestral instrument or piano. This year’s competition took place at the Moores School of Music at the University of … Continued
I have a theory that people have two modes of existence. One is to do, and the other is to think. Some people are so focused on thinking about what they can or can’t do that they simply become ineffective or inactive. Conversely, others seem to do a lot, but don’t take the time to … Continued
Guest Artist Byron Stripling will join the Houston Symphony January 18, 19 and 20, 2013 for our What a Wonderful World: The Best of Louis Armstrong concerts. Below are his thoughts on honoring the legendary New Orleans Jazz artist: Hello Texas friends. I can’t wait for January 18, 19 and 20 because I’ll have the … Continued
In Houston, we are blessed with a vibrant arts community, providing a multitude of performing arts opportunities where new memories will be made in this joyous season. At the University of St. Thomas, we look forward to adding another bright star to the performing arts community tree with our planned Performing Arts Center. We at … Continued