On January 17, 18, and 19, the Houston Symphony presents Tchaikovsky’s “Pathétique,” a program of soulful works by Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, and contemporary Finnish composer Outi Tarkiainen. In this post, discover Tchaikovsky’s final masterpiece and the complex questions that surround its meaning and interpretation. In 1939, Winston Churchill famously declared that Russia was “a riddle, wrapped … Continued
Earlier this month, Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada paid his first visit to the new campus of Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, just a few blocks from Jones Hall in downtown Houston. “The energy that was in the room was so huge,” said Kinder HSPVA senior Nicholas Wesley, who plays viola. “His … Continued
On November 15, 16, and 17, acclaimed conductor Fabien Gabel returns to Houston for Ax Plays Beethoven, a program featuring works by Beethoven and Brahms. In this post, discover the hidden meanings in Brahms’ gorgeous Symphony No. 2. Brahms took at least 14 years to complete his First Symphony (and perhaps more than 20); to a … Continued
On October 25, 26, and 27, world-renowned conductor Marek Janowski leads Wagner + Beethoven 2, a program of thrilling orchestral masterpieces by two of history’s most revolutionary composers. In this post, discover how Beethoven composed one of his most up-beat works in the midst of personal crisis. Want to learn more? Check out our podcast on … Continued
On November 7, 8, 9, and 10, the Houston Symphony continues to explore John Williams’s iconic music with performances of the score to Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back live to picture. Many Houston Symphony musicians are also big Star Wars fans, including Phillip Freeman, the Houston Symphony’s bass trombonist. Here, Freeman shares … Continued
On September 27, 28, and 29, Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada presents Gershwin’s Piano Concerto & Porgy and Bess, a concert of 20th-century masterpieces from the Western hemisphere. In this post, discover how composer Carlos Chávez “Mexicanized” the European orchestra in his groundbreaking Sinfonía india. Visit houstonsymphony.org for tickets and more information. The Mexican Revolution of 1910–1920 was one of … Continued