As Halloween approaches, Houstonians across the city are stocking up on candy and getting their costumes ready. Many Houston Symphony musicians get especially excited about this gleefully ghoulish holiday. We asked them about their favorite costumes, ghost stories and music for Halloween. Here’s what they had to say. Robin Kesselman, principal double bass Is there … Continued
Above: Principal Double Bass Robin Kesselman works with a student from Medellín, Colombia during a special masterclass. Last week, 35 Houston Symphony musicians journeyed to Medellín, Colombia to help the Orquesta Filarmonica de Medellín celebrate the 31st anniversary of the Teatro Metropolitano José Gutiérrez Gómez with a concert featuring music director Andrés Orozco-Estrada and violinist Hilary Hahn. … Continued
Anne Leek, oboe, was educated at Juilliard where she received her bachelors of music, masters of music and doctor of musical arts degrees. During her time in New York, she performed on a recital in Carnegie Hall sponsored by the Artists International Contest, which she won. During the 1980s, Anne was solo principal oboe of … Continued
Donald Howey, a member of the Houston Symphony since 1999, has performed with the Grand Teton Music Festival and the Sun Valley Summer Symphony and has been principal and soloist with the Houston Chamber Orchestra. He began playing the bass at age 15 in his hometown of Sudbury, Massachusetts. Howey completed his Master’s degree in … Continued
Principal Trombonist with the Houston Symphony, Allen Barnhill joined the orchestra in 1977 and has appeared as a soloist on numerous occasions. Winner of the Swiss Prize in the 1979 Geneva International Solo Competition, he was also featured in the 2008 world premiere of Cindy McTee’s Solstice for Trombone and Orchestra. As an ensemble collaborator, … Continued
Orchestra musicians love touring. The notion that the orchestra is building bridges, making connections, drawing together a diversity of people through music—while also enjoying ovations, sightseeing, history, and culture—make tours a memorable part of any musician’s career. For a while, every musician is removed from everyday concerns—laundry, dishes, what’s for dinner, traffic—and can really focus … Continued