Author: Steven Brown

Celestial Music: Houston Symphony’s Composer in Residence Jimmy López Premieres New Work

Jimmy López got hooked on classical music when he was 12, thanks to J.S. Bach’s…

June 9, 2017

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Defining Home: Da Camera’s 30th Season

Da Camera has flourished because of the entrepreneurial spirit and open-mindedness of its hometown of…

From punk rockers to presidents: The rebels at ROCO announce new season

May 31, 2017

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From punk rockers to presidents: The rebels at ROCO announce new season

The conductor nearly chickened out. Planning the concert that will open the River Oaks Chamber…

Soli Chamber Ensemble Concludes Season Under the Ligurian Sun

April 24, 2017

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Soli Chamber Ensemble Concludes Season Under the Ligurian Sun

The shift may not have been conscious, violinist Ertan Torgul says, but he sees it…

Houston Welcomes New Music Ensemble Loop38

April 14, 2017

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Houston Welcomes New Music Ensemble Loop38

Traditional tunes, rhythms and harmonies played no role. Instead, the chamber ensemble offered up an…

Small But Mighty: Fort Worth Opera Moves Forward With World Premiere

March 24, 2017

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Small But Mighty: Fort Worth Opera Moves Forward With World Premiere

Belt-tightening is all too familiar in the arts, but it doesn’t mean a group’s vision…

Young & Outstanding: Houston’s WindSync & Kinetic Team Up

March 19, 2017

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Young & Outstanding: Houston’s WindSync & Kinetic Team Up

WindSync seems plenty youthful when you look at a photo, but let’s take another vantage…

Houston Symphony’s <em>Fidelio</em> & a New Season

February 13, 2017

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Houston Symphony’s Fidelio & a New Season

The heroics of Beethoven’s Fifth. The exuberance of his Ode to Joy. The humor of…

Mass Effect: Orchestra of New Spain Revisits Classic Courcelle Composition

January 31, 2017

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Mass Effect: Orchestra of New Spain Revisits Classic Courcelle Composition

Francisco Courcelle may not rank as a big-name composer. But his Misa Ave Maris Stella,…

Electrifying Heroines and Cherished Classics: HGO’s New Season

January 18, 2017

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Electrifying Heroines and Cherished Classics: HGO’s New Season

They rank among opera’s most electrifying heroines, yet Houston hasn’t felt their wallop for more…

It Happened in Texas: <em>Nixon In China</em> Returns to HGO

January 14, 2017

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It Happened in Texas: Nixon In China Returns to HGO

The U.S. presidential election looms, and the politician has planned his trip for maximum media…

Musical Evangelists: Houston Symphony’s Embedded Musicians Engage the Community

November 16, 2016

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Musical Evangelists: Houston Symphony’s Embedded Musicians Engage the Community

David Connor lets his double bass rest on the floor. Cradling an iPad and speaker…

Hand, Heart & Passion: Jim Dine’s Designs for Salomé at the McNay & More

October 17, 2016

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Art

Hand, Heart & Passion: Jim Dine’s Designs for Salomé at the McNay & More

A hand, a conch shell, a pair of lips, a valentine heart: Rendered in pastels…

San Antonio Symphony Shines in a “Real” Hall at The Tobin Center

October 11, 2016

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San Antonio Symphony Shines in a “Real” Hall at The Tobin Center

Carmina Burana always packs a wallop. This time, Carl Orff’s paean to frolic and fate…

Juicy roles bring Stephen Costello back to Dallas Opera

September 22, 2016

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Juicy roles bring Stephen Costello back to Dallas Opera

Stephen Costello thinks back to when he agreed to perform in a then-unfinished opera.

Home and Away: The Miró Quartet’s Fall Texas Season

August 3, 2016

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Home and Away: The Miró Quartet’s Fall Texas Season

The Miró Quartet loves to expose an audience to the panorama of a single composer’s…

Travel Music: Harmony in the Air Delights Houston’s Airport Passengers

June 13, 2016

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Travel Music: Harmony in the Air Delights Houston’s Airport Passengers

Air travelers nationwide were grumbling about lengthening lines at security checks. A federal transportation official…

Bringing Music to the People: ROCO’s New Season

June 7, 2016

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Bringing Music to the People: ROCO’s New Season

The River Oaks Chamber Orchestra isn’t planning a Fourth of July concert, but maybe it…

Old Yet New: Ars Lyrica’s Fresh Take on Vivaldi and Next Season’s News

May 19, 2016

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Old Yet New: Ars Lyrica’s Fresh Take on Vivaldi and Next Season’s News

Maybe you’ve heard Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons umpteen times. Nevertheless, Ars Lyrica wants to…

Houston Symphony’s Musical Ambassador Carlos Andrés Botero Creates Value and Connections

April 20, 2016

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Houston Symphony’s Musical Ambassador Carlos Andrés Botero Creates Value and Connections

The Houston Symphony’s Sunday matinee was coming up, and a couple of hundred early birds…

March 23, 2016

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Musiqa at FotoFest and More

Composer Marcus Maroney saw an impetus for his own creativity in Edward Burtynsky’s dramatic photographs.

February 24, 2016

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Houston Chamber Choir’s Spring Season

Robert Simpson sums up what keeps him going: “I’m always excited about whatever is over…

New Music in Dallas: Voices of Change Lives Up to its Name

February 22, 2016

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New Music in Dallas: Voices of Change Lives Up to its Name

Playing in the Dallas Symphony, Dallas Opera Orchestra and other ensembles offers plenty of fulfillment.…

Music & Milestones: Dallas Bach Society’s Spring Season

January 25, 2016

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Music & Milestones: Dallas Bach Society’s Spring Season

Sure, J.S. Bach is the most revered composer of his time. But the society goes…

A Baroque Zarzuela at Orchestra of New Spain

January 20, 2016

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A Baroque Zarzuela at Orchestra of New Spain

The hole in the history books made no sense. Spanish music had flourished during the…

October 23, 2015

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Musical Explorers: Aperio Turns Ten

As artistic director of Aperio:Music of the Americas Michael Zuraw has sifted through hundreds of…

Dream Team: Terrence McNally and Jake Heggie Collaborate on Great Scott at Dallas Opera

September 21, 2015

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Dream Team: Terrence McNally and Jake Heggie Collaborate on Great Scott at Dallas Opera

In his new work, an opera singer would perform the national anthem at the Super…

September 3, 2015

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Ars Lyrica’s Four Seasons in One

Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons may be the most famous violin music there is.

Must Hear: Season Standouts of the Fall Texas Music Season

August 17, 2015

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Must Hear: Season Standouts of the Fall Texas Music Season

Terrence McNally no doubt ranks as Corpus Christi’s leading contribution to the American arts world.

Dallas Winds Celebrates 30 Years With More to Come

July 25, 2015

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Dallas Winds Celebrates 30 Years With More to Come

Kim Campbell thinks back to when he freelanced as a trombonist in North Texas orchestras.

Classical Road Trip: Texas Ensembles Tour the Globe

June 22, 2015

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Classical Road Trip: Texas Ensembles Tour the Globe

With the recession in the rearview mirror, Texas groups are hitting the road again as…

Another World at Da Camera/Houston Chamber Choirs’ Sacred Visions

June 2, 2015

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Another World at Da Camera/Houston Chamber Choirs’ Sacred Visions

Imagine what must have gone on in composer Olivier Messiaen's head.

Japanese Inspired Sonic Brush Strokes Succeed at Aperio’s Season Closer

May 28, 2015

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Japanese Inspired Sonic Brush Strokes Succeed at Aperio’s Season Closer

Aperio's “Silences” program offered a refreshing reminder that vignettes have power, too.

May 21, 2015

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On the hunt for excellence

Stephen King trains the next generation of opera singers at HGO and Rice University

Composers and Performers Come Together at Soli Chamber Ensemble

May 11, 2015

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Composers and Performers Come Together at Soli Chamber Ensemble

The Soli Chamber Ensemble has never given its audience an experience quite like this.

Love, Brutality, Sacrifice, and Regret: Houston Grand Opera’s Vivid Die Walküre

April 21, 2015

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Love, Brutality, Sacrifice, and Regret: Houston Grand Opera’s Vivid Die Walküre

Die Walküre opened Saturday night at Wortham Theater Center.

Fusing Opera and Mariachi: HGO presents El Pasado Nunca Se Termina

April 17, 2015

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Fusing Opera and Mariachi: HGO presents El Pasado Nunca Se Termina

It's springtime 1910, and night has come to a Mexican hacienda.