Houston Symphony facts for kids

Houston Symphony

Jones Hall

The Houston Symphony is a famous orchestra located in Houston, Texas. This amazing group of musicians performs at the Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts.

The Houston Symphony's Journey

How the Symphony Started

The Houston Symphony's first concert happened on June 21, 1913. A kind person from Houston named Ima Hogg helped make it happen. At first, the orchestra was small. It had only 35 musicians who played part-time.

Even with a small size and budget, people loved the orchestra. Their first conductor was Julien Paul Blitz. He led the orchestra until 1916. Then, Paul Bergé took over until 1918, when the orchestra stopped performing for a while.

Growing into a Professional Orchestra

The orchestra started up again in 1930. It was still a group of semi-professional musicians. They played their first full season of concerts in 1931. Uriel Nespoli was their conductor then.

In 1936, the group officially became the Houston Symphony Society. That same year, Ernst Hoffmann became the conductor. With more support, he started hiring professional musicians. The orchestra grew bigger over many years. In 1971, they signed their first contract for a full 52 weeks of work.

The Houston Symphony Chorus was created in 1946. It was first called the Houston Chorale. This chorus has performed with the Houston Symphony ever since.

Important Moments and Challenges

Leopold Stokowski was the music director from 1955 to 1961. During his time, the Houston Symphony performed a special piece of music. It was Dmitri Shostakovich's Symphony No. 11. They were the first in America to play it. They also made the first recording of this work.

In the early 1960s, Stokowski invited a talented singer, Shirley Verrett, to perform. However, the orchestra's board would not allow a Black soloist. Stokowski had to cancel her invitation. He later made it up to her. He arranged for her to sing with the famous Philadelphia Orchestra.

The orchestra used to perform in different halls. These included the City Auditorium and the Music Hall. In 1966, the Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts was built. This became their new home.

In 2001, Tropical Storm Allison caused a flood. The basement of Jones Hall was filled with water. The orchestra lost many valuable instruments, music, and historical records. In 2003, the musicians went on strike for 24 days. The agreement they reached included a pay cut for the musicians. The orchestra also became a bit smaller.

Recent Music Directors

Hans Graf was the music director from 2001 to 2013. He was the longest-serving music director for the Houston Symphony. He became the orchestra's conductor laureate after his time as music director ended.

Andrés Orozco-Estrada became the music director in September 2014. He led the orchestra for eight years. He finished his time as music director at the end of the 2021–2022 season. He and the orchestra made recordings for the PENTATONE company.

Juraj Valčuha first conducted the orchestra as a guest in 2011. He returned two more times. In July 2021, the orchestra announced that Valčuha would be their next music director. He officially started this role with the 2022–2023 season.

The orchestra has also had different executive directors. John Mangum held the position from January 2018 to July 2024. In January 2025, Gary Ginstling was announced as the new executive director. He started on February 3, 2025.

Who Has Led the Music?

Special Conductors (Laureates)

These conductors have a special title. It means they are honored for their past work.

• Christoph Eschenbach
• Hans Graf
• Andrés Orozco-Estrada

Talented Musicians of the Symphony

Many amazing musicians have played with the Houston Symphony. Here are some who have their own articles on Wikipedia:

See also

In Spanish: Orquesta Sinfónica de Houston para niños