Houston Summer Concerts - 2018 Schedule

Season Schedule | Perspective Series | Young Artists Series | Master Class Schedule

Texas Music Festival Orchestra Series

Bringing Classical music's rising stars to Houston for over 25 years.

Renowned conductors lead the Orchestra Fellows in exciting performances of the cornerstones of the orchestral repertoire. Please note that programs and artists are subject to change.

"Cosmic Beginnings"

Saturday, June 9, 2018, Moores School of Music, University of Houston
Moores Opera House policy prohibits children 5 years of age and younger at performances

6:30 - 7:20 p.m., Moores Opera House Lobby
Pre-concert performance by members of Virtuosi of Houston

6:30 - 7:10 p.m., MSM Room 108
Settling the Score: Pre-concert lecture

7:30 p.m., Moores Opera House
Festival Orchestra Concert

GUEST ARTISTS

• Franz Anton Krager

  conductor

  American born and trained conductor, Franz Anton Krager, has made his artistic presence felt both at home and abroad with performance engagements in some of the world's most celebrated concert halls and musical centers. Learn more

"Heroic Statements"

Saturday, June 16, 2018, Moores School of Music, University of Houston
Moores Opera House policy prohibits children 5 years of age and younger at performances

6:30 - 7:20 p.m., Moores Opera House Lobby
Pre-concert performance by members of Virtuosi of Houston

6:30 - 7:10 p.m., MSM Room 108
Settling the Score: Pre-concert lecture

7:30 p.m., Moores Opera House
Festival Orchestra Concert

GUEST ARTISTS

• Horst Förster

  conductor

  Former Professor of Conducting, Berlin Music Academy; former music director, Schwerin Philharmonic, Loh Orchester Sondershausen; founder and conductor, Leipzig Academic Orchestra. Learn more

• Timothy Hester

  piano

  Celebrating his 27th year with the Texas Music Festival, native Houstonian Timothy Hester is Professor of Piano and Director of Keyboard Collaborative Arts at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music. During his career, he has championed the music of Johannes Brahms, performing a vast majority of composer’s works—instrumental sonatas, lieder, solo piano works and both piano concertos. ...continued

"Dancing the Night Away"

Friday, June 22, 2018, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, 8 p.m. (June 22 performance is FREE. All ages concert with NO INTERMISSION)

Saturday, June 23, 2018, Moores School of Music, University of Houston (tickets required for the June 23 performance)
Moores Opera House policy prohibits children 5 years of age and younger at performance

6:30 - 7:20 p.m., Moores Opera House Lobby
Pre-concert performance by members of Virtuosi of Houston

6:30 - 7:10 p.m., MSM Room 108
Settling the Score: Pre-concert lecture

7:30 p.m., Moores Opera House
Festival Orchestra Concert (Please note there is NO INTERMISSION for this performance)

GUEST ARTISTS

• Carlos Spierer

  conductor

  Carlos Spierer has held guest conducting engagements with many renowned Orchestras and Opera Houses, including San Francisco Opera, Komische Oper Berlin and Estonian National Opera Tallinn. Learn more

• Andres Vela, 1st Place - 2018 Cynthia Woods Mitchell Young Artist Competition

  Lucas Sanchez, 2nd Place & Audience Favorite Prize - 2018 Cynthia Woods Mitchell Young Artist Competition

"Shostakovich: First and Last"

A program featuring the first and final orchestral works.

Saturday, June 30, 2018, Moores School of Music, University of Houston
Moores Opera House policy prohibits children 5 years of age and younger at performances

6:30 - 7:20 p.m., Moores Opera House Lobby
Pre-concert performance by members of Virtuosi of Houston

6:30 - 7:10 p.m., MSM Room 108
Settling the Score: Pre-concert lecture

7:30 p.m., Moores Opera House
Festival Orchestra Concert

GUEST ARTISTS

• Hans Graf
  

  conductor

  Known for his wide range of repertoire and creative programming, the distinguished Austrian conductor Hans Graf is one of today's most highly respected musicians. Learn more

• Nikolay Didenko
  

  bass soloist

  Russian bass Nikolay Didenko graduated from the Moscow Academy of Choral Art in both singing and conducting. He was a soloist of the ‘New Opera’ in Moscow, and until 2005 was a member of the Houston Grand Opera Studio. Learn more

• Buck Ross
  

  narrator

  Buck Ross is the director and founder of the Moores Opera Center at the University of Houston where he has staged over 50 productions of operas from the standard repertoire as well as new works including The Ghosts of Versailles and The Dangerous Liaisons. Learn more