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Choral and orchestral showpieces star in Houston Symphony’s memorable season opener

By Phillip Nones, 20 September 2025

Celebration is on the menu at the Houston Symphony Orchestra’s season opening weekend of concerts, conducted by Juraj Valčuha.

****1

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****1

Houston

20 Sep 2025

Showpieces star in Houston Symphony’s memorable season opener

By Phillip Nones

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Houston

Death and lunacy in Juraj Valčuha's Houston Symphony program

By Kurt Gottschalk, 15 February 2025

A mad March hare, a murdered child, a hypochondriac prince, and a roomful of dead wives make for a stellar concert by the Houston Symphony Orchestra.

*****

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*****

Houston

15 Feb 2025

Death and lunacy in Juraj Valčuha's Houston Symphony program

By Kurt Gottschalk

Houston

Brilliant Bach from Jane Glover and the Houston Symphony

By Sam Jacobson, 03 April 2021

The Houston Symphony showed the many sides of Bach in a festive performance over the Easter weekend.

***11

***11

Houston

03 Apr 2021

Brilliant Bach from Jane Glover and the Houston Symphony

By Sam Jacobson

Houston

Bach by arrangement: Houston Symphony under Esa-Pekka Salonen

By Kurt Gottschalk, 27 March 2021

Listening to arrangements of Bach is like Dostoevsky’s challenge not to think about polar bears. It’s best to put the Bach out of your thoughts, even if “the cursed thing will come to mind every minute.”

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Houston

27 Mar 2021

Bach by arrangement: Houston Symphony under Esa-Pekka Salonen

By Kurt Gottschalk

Houston

Full-bodied Beethoven from Yefim Bronfman and Fabien Gabel in Houston

By Phillip Nones, 06 March 2021

Fabien Gabel and the Houston Symphony Orchestra present memorable Beethoven performances that are solidly in the Austro-German tradition.

****1

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Houston

06 Mar 2021

Full-bodied Beethoven from Yefim Bronfman and Fabien Gabel in Houston

By Phillip Nones

Houston

A successful Beethoven 8 in Houston

By Laurence Vittes, 30 January 2021

Brinton Averil Smith, the Symphony's principal cello, approached Haydn's D major Concerto with bold courage and passionate, if inconsistently manufactured, strokes.

***11

***11

Houston

30 Jan 2021

A successful Beethoven 8 in Houston

By Laurence Vittes

Houston

A confused “Resurrection” at the Houston Symphony

By Sydney Boyd, 13 September 2018

In a failed mash-up, the Houston Symphony performed only the first movement (the three-minute “Prelude: Maestoso”) of Ives’ Fourth Symphony and continued attacca into the 80 minutes of Mahler's "Resurrection."

**111

**111

Houston

13 Sep 2018

A confused “Resurrection” at the Houston Symphony

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Into the mist: Gabel and Houston Symphony captain Corigliano and Ravel

By Sydney Boyd, 03 February 2018

Houston Symphony’s program starring John Corigliano’s Conjurer: Concerto for Percussionist and String Orchestra and Maurice Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé crept through mists.

****1

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Houston

03 Feb 2018

Gabel and Houston Symphony captain Corigliano and Ravel

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Houston Symphony's fierce Red Violin and opulent Pines of Rome

By Sydney Boyd, 20 April 2017

In a program of vivid Italian work, violinist Elina Välhälä, performing Corigliano's violin concerto, seemed to transform into a formidable sprite.

****1

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Houston

20 Apr 2017

An opulent Pines of Rome in Houston

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Underwhelming Lost Cello Concerto at Houston Symphony

By Sydney Boyd, 13 April 2017

In a program with Chabrier’s España and Falla’s The Three-Cornered Hat, the Houston Symphony ambitiously unearthed Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s Cello Concerto, last heard at its premiere with the New York Philharmonic in 1935.

**111

**111

Houston

13 Apr 2017

Underwhelming Lost Cello Concerto at Houston Symphony

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Houston Symphony takes it slow with Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky

By Sydney Boyd, 09 March 2017

On a program with unusually slow tempos in Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony and Mendelssohn’s The Hebrides, Argentine pianist Ingrid Fliter gave a cursory performance of Mendelssohn's First Piano Concerto.

**111

**111

Houston

09 Mar 2017

Houston Symphony takes it slow

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Yo-Yo Ma dazzles Houston with Dvořák

By Sydney Boyd, 04 February 2017

While passion, supreme technical mastery, and inspiration all come to mind watching a celebrity like Ma perform, camaraderie, perhaps, is the best word for this concert.

*****

*****

Houston

04 Feb 2017

Yo-Yo Ma dazzles Houston with Dvořák

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Adams' Doctor Atomic ignites Houston Symphony

By Sydney Boyd, 27 January 2017

In the year of the composer's 70th birthday, Adams’ Doctor Atomic Symphony had everyone sitting up straighter.

****1

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Houston

27 Jan 2017

Doctor Atomic ignites Houston Symphony

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Abduraimov's grand “Emperor” at the Houston Symphony

By Sydney Boyd, 12 January 2017

In his Houston Symphony debut, Behzod Abduraimov holds court with Beethoven, even though the orchestra couldn't quite match him.

***11

***11

Houston

12 Jan 2017

Abduraimov's grand “Emperor” at the Houston Symphony

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Another dimension: Trifonov embraces Schumann in Houston

By Sydney Boyd, 03 November 2016

Fluidity defines Daniil Trifonov's style, even while he navigates different realities.

****1

****1

Houston

03 Nov 2016

Trifonov embraces Schumann in Houston

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Houston Symphony delivers a Creation to marvel

By Sydney Boyd, 29 September 2016

Houston Symphony’s Creation was not pristine, but it caught the emotion overall so well that perhaps the out-of-place details don’t matter.

***11

***11

Houston

29 Sep 2016

Houston Symphony delivers a Creation to marvel

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Lush Rosenkavalier opens Houston Symphony's season

By Sydney Boyd, 17 September 2016

It’s curious to program an opening night with second-fiddle work; at least I thought so until this Strauss.

***11

***11

Houston

17 Sep 2016

Lush Rosenkavalier opens Houston's season

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Barber, Brahms win for Houston Symphony, despite Schumann disarray

By Sydney Boyd, 30 January 2016

As long as the beginning and the end of a performance come together, will anyone remember the grievances in between?

**111

**111

Houston

30 Jan 2016

Barber, Brahms win for Houston Symphony, despite Schumann disarray

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Redefining the Solo: Ax plays Brahms

By Sydney Boyd, 16 October 2015

More than today’s expert on Brahms, Ax promotes a revolutionary approach to the soloist persona: the soloist who is a chamber musician first and a diva second.

***11

***11

Houston

16 Oct 2015

Redefining the Solo: Ax plays Brahms

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

STOMP that again: Corigliano world première joins Mahler 5 in Houston

By Sydney Boyd, 17 September 2015

It is odd to pair a seven-minute world première with a 72-minute Mahler Symphony, but there is so much life packed in to John Corigliano’s STOMP for Orchestra, that the two halves of Houston Symphony Orchestra’s concert felt surprisingly well balanced.

****1

****1

Houston

17 Sep 2015

STOMP that again: Corigliano world première

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

The Firebird makes for a winning opening night at Houston Symphony Orchestra

By Sydney Boyd, 12 September 2015

From the American national anthem to An American in Paris and back to New York City for West Side Story with Joshua Bell, Stravinksy’s Firebird stuck out as the most remarkable piece on the program.

***11

***11

Houston

12 Sep 2015

The Firebird makes for a winning opening night in Houston

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Move aside Mozart: Eavesdropping on Augustin Hadelich playing Bartók

By Sydney Boyd, 26 March 2015

A Mozart symphony in the second half of this Houston Symphony concert could hardly compete with Augustin Hadelich playing Bartók.

***11

***11

Houston

26 Mar 2015

Eavesdropping on Augustin Hadelich playing Bartók

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Damnation without purification: Houston Symphony plays Verdi’s Requiem

By Sydney Boyd, 20 March 2015

Soprano Amber Wagner debuts with a flair that reminds us that Verdi's Requiem has dramatic roots.

***11

***11

Houston

20 Mar 2015

Wagner steals the show in Verdi's Requiem

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Sound swells from Ives to Dvořák at the Houston Symphony

By Sydney Boyd, 14 March 2015

A lively program with soloist Martin Fröst, in his HS debut, leaving a deep impression in Copland.

****1

****1

Houston

14 Mar 2015

Sound swells from Ives to Dvořák

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Dragging tempos pull back a glowing Houston Symphony program

By Sydney Boyd, 20 February 2015

Hans Graf conducts the Houston Sympony and proves even a line-up of symphonic favorites can be foiled by a tepid tempo.

**111

**111

Houston

20 Feb 2015

Dragging tempos pull back a glowing program

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Joyful and vivacious: Houston Symphony concert packed with energy

By Sydney Boyd, 12 February 2015

A pleasant program of reliably joyful pieces, conducted by a true master.

***11

***11

Houston

12 Feb 2015

Joyful and vivacious: Houston concert packed with energy

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Water sprites and revolution: Houston Symphony delivers gloriously

By Sydney Boyd, 17 January 2015

Who would have thought a program of water sprites and revolutions spanning 200 years could be so seamless?

***11

***11

Houston

17 Jan 2015

Water sprites and revolution in Houston

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Fate, passion and control inspire Houston Symphony's Mozart Requiem

By Sydney Boyd, 20 November 2014

Houston Symphony's Andrés Orozco-Estrada brings remarkable intention to Mozart's sacred masterpiece.

***11

***11

Houston

20 Nov 2014

An inspired Mozart Requiem from Houston

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Kozhukhin sets Prokofiev ablaze with Houston Symphony

By Sydney Boyd, 17 October 2014

Thanks to wild talent of soloist and conductor, a strikingly new take on some familiar work and a standout concert in Houston Symphony's season so far.

****1

****1

Houston

17 Oct 2014

Kozhukhin sets Prokofiev ablaze in Houston

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Houston Symphony sketches a masterful American landscape

By Sydney Boyd, 02 October 2014

Under Cristian Măcelaru's baton, Al-Zand, Barber, and Copland paint a memorable American scene.

***11

***11

Houston

02 Oct 2014

Masterful sketches of American Landscapes

By Sydney Boyd

Houston

Ein französischer Abend mit dem Houston Symphony Orchestra

By Stefan Pillhofer, 06 February 2021

Fabien Gabel leitet als Gastdirigent ein Konzert mit Werken aus seiner Heimat.

****1

****1

Houston

06 Feb 2021

Ein französischer Abend mit dem Houston Symphony Orchestra

By Stefan Pillhofer