Showpieces star in Houston Symphony’s memorable season opener

Angel Blue, Juraj Valčuha and the Houston Symphony

Par Phillip Nones, 26 septembre 2025

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“sharp attacks, precision ensemble and decent French diction”

Critique faite à Jones Hall, Houston, le 20 septembre 2025

Wolfe, Liberty Bell Overture (World premiere)

Schmitt, Psalm 47 "Gloire du Seigneur", Op.38

Stravinsky, L'Oiseau de feu: Suite

Juraj Valčuha, Direction

Angel Blue, Soprano

Anthony J. Maglione, Chef de chœur

Betsy Cook Weber, Chef de chœur

Houston Symphony Chorus

Houston Chamber Choir

Houston Symphony

Houston Symphony vividly brings Peer Gynt to life

Sam Jacobson, 28th March

Blending theater and symphony, the Houston Symphony reimagines Peer Gynt as Grieg intended – complete with dialogue, chorus, and a luminous cameo from Karita Mattila.

****1

Death and lunacy in Juraj Valčuha's Houston Symphony program

Kurt Gottschalk, 15th February

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.

*****

Brilliant Bach from Jane Glover and the Houston Symphony

Sam Jacobson, 3rd April

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

***11

Bach by arrangement: Houston Symphony under Esa-Pekka Salonen

Kurt Gottschalk, 27th March

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.”

****1

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

Phillip Nones, 6th March

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

****1

Ein französischer Abend mit dem Houston Symphony Orchestra

Stefan Pillhofer, 6th February

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

****1

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Phillip Nones

Phillip Nones studied piano from age six, also playing percussion in educational and civic groups before moving to a rural area of the USA in 1990, where performance opportunities were few. Recently he has started performing again, participating in “side-by-side” orchestra performances and playing percussion in the World Doctors' Orchestra. His personal collection of music includes over 5,000 classical albums in all formats (CDs, LPs, 78s), plus downloads. In his professional life, he heads up a marketing communications firm in the state of Maryland. He blogs about the French composer Florent Schmitt here.

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