The Immanuel and Helen Olshan Texas Music Festival, a classical and jazz music festival that takes place at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music, is proud to announce its 2023 season. This distinguished summer programming includes intensive musical training for aspiring musicians and a summer concert season for Houstonians to enjoy.
Texas Music Festival’s 2023 season will run June 6–24. Highlights of this summer’s concert season include the inaugural Sharon Ley Lietzow Piano Series (June 6, 13, 20), performances by the TMF Orchestra (June 10, 17, 24) the Faculty Chamber Music Series (June 8, 15, 22) and the newly named Cynthia Woods Mitchell-Ima Hogg Young Artist Competition Finals (June 11).
On June 6, the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition winner, Vadym Kholodenko, opens the season with a program of works covering four centuries of music by Handel, Haydn, Beethoven, Adès and Liszt as a part of the Piano Series. The series also features Naumberg prizewinner Awadagin Pratt and Houston’s own Amy Yang, who is described by the Washington Post as a “jaw-dropping pianist who steals the show…with effortless finesse.”
TMF Institute summer concerts also include the final performance of the Jazz Institute Orchestra, with classical and big band jazz, final performances by Keyboard Academy participants and much more. The season ends with a performance by the 2023 Cynthia Woods Mitchell-Ima Hogg Young Artist Competition winner on June 24, a result of the merger of TMF's Cynthia Woods Mitchell Young Artist Competition and the Houston Symphony’s Ima Hogg Competition. Members of the TMF Orchestra are eligible to compete for cash prizes. In addition to performing at the Texas Music Festival, the winner will receive an invitation to perform with the Houston Symphony next season.
“As one of the nation’s major music festivals, TMF depends on the very best young professional musicians from around the world to be a part of our Festival Orchestra,” said Franz Krager, TMF music director and chief conductor. “To ensure that they will come, we have only world-class conductors here to lead them, and only on the greatest repertoire. All of this, of course, is housed in one of Houston’s greatest concert venues, the Moores Opera House.”
The Texas Music Festival prepares college students, as well as post-graduate students, to develop a variety of skills that will help them pursue future careers in music. The intensive Orchestral Institute is guided by distinguished faculty from the Moores School of Music and Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, principal players and members of the Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet orchestras, as well as internationally recognized guest artists.
TEXAS MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023 SUMMER CONCERT SEASON
Sharon Ley Lietzow Piano Series: Vadym Kholodenko
June 6, 7:30 p.m. at Dudley Recital Hall
McGovern Distinguished Artist and piano soloist Vadym Kholodenko presents a program of works covering four centuries of music.
Program: Handel: Suite in B-flat Major; Hydn: Sonata in C-sharp Minor; Beethoven: Sonata No. 27, Op. 90; Adès: Traced Overheard; Liszt: Années de pèlerinage Nos. 3 and 7.
Faculty Chamber Music Series: French Classical
June 8, 7:30 p.m. at Dudley Recital Hall
TMF faculty artists and guests perform works by French composers and Mozart's Clarinet Quintet with Richie Hawley on the clarinet.
TMF Orchestra Series: Vadym Kholodenko Performs Beethoven
June 10, 7:30 p.m. at Moores Opera House
Before the concert, members of the Virtuosi of Houston will perform in the Moores Opera House lobby and Andrew Davis, UH Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts dean, will present his lecture “Settling the Score” in room 118 at the Moores School of Music at 6:30 p.m.
The concert will feature Franz Anton Krager as conductor and Vadym Kholodenko.
Program: Debussy: Prélude to the Afternoon of a Faun, La mer; Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major; Ravel: Alborada del Gracioso
Cynthia Woods Mitchell-Ima Hogg Young Artist Competition Final Round Concert
June 11, 2 p.m. at Dudley Recital Hall, Free
TMF’s young artists compete for the chance to perform as soloist with the festival orchestra and cash prizes. A panel of judges chooses the winner, but you can help choose the Audience Favorite prize. This concert is presented in collaboration with the Houston Symphony.
Sharon Ley Lietzow Piano Series: Awadagin Pratt
June 13, 7:30 p.m. at Dudley Recital Hall
Naumberg prizewinner Awadagin Pratt explores connections among seemingly disparate composers such as Phillip Glass, Couperin, Vasks and Tchaikovsky, ending with Liszt’s Sonata in B Minor.
Program: Glass: Glassworks; Couperin: Les Barricades Mistérieuses; Vasks: Castillo Interior; Hersch: Nocturne for Left Hand; Rachmaninoff: Prélude in D; Chopin: Nocturne in B; Tchaikovsky/Pletnev: “Intermezzo” from The Nutcracker; Liszt: Sonata in B Minor
Faculty Chamber Music Series: TMF Faculty Artists
June 15, 7:30 p.m. at Dudley Recital Hall
TMF faculty artists perform works by American composers and Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet.
TMF Orchestra Series: Gerard Schwarz Conducts Prokofiev Symphony No. 5
June 17, 7:30 p.m. at Moores Opera House
Gerard Schwarz, conductor
Program: Coleman: UMOJA; Webern/Schwarz: Adagio (Langsamersatz); Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat
This concert is preceded by Dean Davis’ lecture in room 118 at the Moores School of Music and a performance by the Virtuosi of Houston in the Moores Opera House lobby at 6:30 p.m.
Sharon Ley Lietzow Piano Series: Amy Yang
June 20, 7:30 p.m. at Dudley Recital Hall
A faculty member at the Curtis Institute of Music and Houston’s own Amy Yang has established an impressive career. She returns home for a program featuring the music of Bach, Hua Yang, Brahms, Schubert and Schumann.
Program: Bach: Toccata in D Minor; Yang: Piano Suite No. 2; Brahms: Hungarian Dances; Schubert: Impromptu No. 1; Schumann: Sonata in F Minor, Op. 14
Faculty Chamber Music Series: Amazing Journey
June 22, 7:30 p.m. at Dudley Recital Hall
Faculty artists explore offerings from composers around the globe, including Paul Schoenfield’s delightful Café Music.
Jazz Institute Orchesta
June 23, 7 p.m. at Moores Opera House, Free
Noe Marmolejo, director
Classic to contemporary big band jazz, performed by Houston high school all-stars from the TMF Jazz Institute.
Keyboard Academy
June 24, Noon at Dudley Recital Hall and 2 p.m. at Organ Hall, Free
Final performances by academy participants, featuring music for piano and harpsichord at noon at Dudley Recital Hall and music for organ at 2 p.m. at Organ Hall in the Fine Arts building.
TMF Orchestra Series: Andrew Grams Conducts Copland + Young Artist Competition Winner
June 24, 7:30 p.m. at Moores Opera House
Andrew Grams, conductor
Program: Berlioz: Le Corsaire Overture; Copland: Symphony No. 3
2023 Cynthia Woods Mitchell-Ima Hogg Young Artist Competition Winner, soloist
This concert is preceded by Dean Davis’ lecture in room 118 in the Moores School of Music and a performance by the Virtuosi of Houston in the Moores Opera House lobby at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets
Full TMF season package (9 ticketed concerts): $175 GA, $25 student/senior
Orchestra Series package (3 Saturdays): $75 GA, $55 student/senior
Sharon Ley Lietzow Piano Series package (3 Tuesdays): $50 GA, $36 student/senior
Faculty Chamber Music series pass: $50 GA, $36 student/senior
Individual chamber music series ticket: $20 GA, $16 student/senior
Individual piano series ticket: $20 GA, $16 student/senior
Individual orchestra series ticket: $30 GA, $18 student/senior
Purchase tickets online or call the Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts Box Office at 713-743-3388