This post is continued from a previous post, which you can read here. Last time, we discovered the Jaliscan origins of Mariachi music and the economic and social forces of industrialization and revolution that transformed the sound of Mariachi. The evolution of Mariachi music was far from complete, however; the plain clothes and humble status … Continued
Today, Mariachi music is an unmistakable symbol of Mexico and Mexican culture throughout the world. There are Mariachi ensembles in the UK, Croatia, Ecuador, Egypt, and Sweden, not to mention Mexico and the United States. Few people realize that Mariachi music as we know it today only recently evolved as part of the political, social, … Continued
Have you ever seen a movie where the “small town” musician gets their big break when a famous rock star notices them at a dive bar? That’s exactly what happened to Michael Cavanaugh! We caught up with piano-and-vocal talent Michael Cavanaugh ahead of his performance with the Symphony January 6, 7 & 8. Read below to … Continued
On January 3, 4, and 5, the Houston Symphony begins the new year with Sinatra and Beyond, a program featuring pianist, crooner, and Houston favorite Tony DeSare. The Symphony’s Eric Skelly recently spoke with Tony about performing with orchestras, the legacy of “Ol’ Blue Eyes,” and more. Eric Skelly: When did you start working with … Continued
On April 26, 27 and 28, former Houston Symphony Principal Pops Conductor Michael Krajewski returns to Jones Hall to lead one of his signature programs: Cirque de la Symphonie. Complete with new musical selections and fresh acrobatic feats, this unique blend of great orchestral music and breathtaking circus acts is sure to amaze and astound. … Continued
This Valentine’s Day weekend (February 15, 16 and 17), the Houston Symphony pays tribute to one of the greatest singers of the twentieth century: Ella Fitzgerald. Get tickets and more information about these concerts here. While nearly everyone has heard of Ella Fitzgerald, few know of the remarkable path she took to become a legend … Continued
How often does a piece of classical music inspire an Academy Award-winning Hollywood musical? If you can think of an example other than An American in Paris, please let us know. The Houston Symphony plays this classic film’s soundtrack live-to-picture on November 9, 10 and 11. Get ready for this spectacular presentation with these fun … Continued
There’s nothing more fun than a trip down memory lane—and this month, the Houston Symphony has the perfect soundtrack to fire your nostalgia-fest when we salute artists whose one shining moment left an indelible mark on the charts and in our hearts. Learn more about some of the unforgettable songs by the one-hit wonders featured … Continued
Songs are a many-splendored thing in motion pictures. They book-end stories, serving as overture and coda, preparing canvases for directors and offering the audience a sense of ceremony as it enters and departs from the world of a film. The best original songs pull on us with lyrical hooks toward what really matters in a … Continued
On December 1, 2 and 3, Megan Hilty returns to Houston with Christmas cheer as part of our 2017 Very Merry Pops concerts. Get to know this television and Broadway star with these 20 fun and revealing questions. What is your favorite Christmas song? Traditional: “The Christmas Song.” Contemporary: “All I Want For Christmas Is … Continued
Principal POPS Conductor Michael Krajewski is approaching his final Rocky-accompanied entrances onto the Jones Hall stage. Following 17 seasons and hundreds of Houston Symphony concerts, Mike will step down from the position at the end of the 2016-17 season after bringing unparalleled enthusiasm, creative programs, exciting musical arrangements and his wry wit to the Houston … Continued
This November we launched a contest on Facebook asking our subscribers to share their favorite guest soloist memories with us as part of Subscriber Appreciation Month. We received many wonderful responses, and we wanted to share the two winning memories with you here. Each of our winners will receive dinner for two at the Lancaster Hotel, located just … Continued
Baritone Reginald Smith Jr. has had a busy 2015: he has traveled to Russia and across the United States for opera and concert performances and was also a winner of the 2015 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, one of the world’s most prestigious opera singing competitions (past winners have included Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, Thomas … Continued
Below is a recent interview from the May issue of the Houston Symphony Magazine, “A Conversation with Dan Dunn, Houston-based Speed Painter.” We are excited to welcome back internationally acclaimed speed painter Dan Dunn, who joins Principal POPS Conductor Mike Krajewski and the Houston Symphony for The Paintjam Concert Experience at Jones Hall. Improvising on a grand scale, Dunn … Continued
While many are familiar with Jason Alexander’s unforgettable, nine-season performance as George Costanza on the hit sitcom Seinfeld, musical theater aficionados know him as a Tony Award-winning man of the stage. Recently, I had the chance to ask Jason Alexander some questions about his career on Broadway in advance of his upcoming show with the … 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
One of the most exciting things about playing with the Houston Symphony is having the opportunity to perform with legendary guest artists on a regular basis. This weekend, we are excited to host Grammy® Award winning trumpeter Chris Botti. When we found out we would have the opportunity to interview him for our blog, we thought … Continued
One of the fun things about doing a show like our upcoming Music of the Mad Men Era concert is that there is an implied fashion angle. We know many of our audience members love to dress up for our shows, so we asked some of Houston’s hottest fashion bloggers to share their thoughts on … Continued
By: Gary Lindsay Celebrate the 50th anniversary of this iconic film and winner of ten Academy Awards®, including Best Picture. The Houston Symphony plays Leonard Bernstein’s electrifying score and memorable songs with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim live, while the newly re-mastered film is shown in glorious high definition on the big screen with the original … Continued
To play with the symphony will be something unique and tremendous. It means half the program will be music that we’ve played with symphonies over the past 30 years, a little bit of Mozart with an Irish jig added. But the program will be a real Chieftains concert. We’ll give a taste of ourselves first … Continued