Inside the Music of Fantasia

For many, Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 were their first introduction to classical music. Through a combination of both widely-known and lesser-recognized pieces outside the classical music world with groundbreaking animation, these motion pictures are immortalized as part of Disney’s legacy. Read about the program below before seeing the stunning visuals and live music performed by the Houston Symphony … Continued

Virtual Reality in Concert: Your Date Night Soundtrack

This weekend, the Houston Symphony presents a one-of-a-kind fusion of music and VR technology when artist Topher Sipes creates breathtaking original imagery with Google’s 3D paint brush as the Symphony performs beautiful music, live. The program features romantic selections that will provide the perfect soundtrack to your Valentine’s date night. Take a sneak peek at … Continued

Craft Your Own Snowflake Inspired by Music! Activity for Kids

Hi, kids! Put on your dancing shoes: today, we are going to talk about music that was written for a ballet, where dancers move their bodies to show a story. THE CHALLENGE: Create a ballet dancer snowflake, hook it to a string, and try to make it dance along with the Dance of the Sugar … Continued

Recommended Listening: Musical Keys & Their Meanings

Keys are a clue to what the music is all about. Musical Ambassador Carlos Andrés Botero discusses in the above video, as well as in the text below. You can also listen to these pieces as a playlist on Spotify. One of the most influential descriptions of characteristics shared in German-speaking cultures in the late … Continued

Secrets, Rumors, and Lies: Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, Pathétique

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

Heart, Meet Sleeve: Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1

On November 22, 23, and 24, the Houston Symphony presents Trifonov Plays Tchaikovsky, a program featuring world-renowned virtuoso Daniil Trifonov in Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1. In this post, discover one of history’s most popular (and unconventional) masterpieces. You Can’t Please Everyone Today, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 is one of the most popular pieces of … Continued