Lawrence Wheeler | 30 DEC 2024
Houston’s classical music scene is a dynamic tapestry of artistry, innovation, and excellence, making it a cultural hub that rivals any major city. From celebrated chamber ensembles and groundbreaking contemporary music groups to premier symphonic and operatic organizations, the city offers an extraordinary range of performances that engage and inspire audiences.
In 2024, Houston’s musical landscape continued to flourish, showcasing a diverse array of talents and programs.
Here, Lawrence Wheeler writes about some of the groups that contributed to Houston’s vibrant classical music scene in 2024.
Chamber Music Houston brings top-level chamber groups to Houston in a carefully curated series at Rice University’s Stude Concert Hall. Each year CMH features an emerging quartet. Last January, that was the Balourdet Quartet in an auspicious Houston début. Their program included quartets by Joseph Haydn and Carl Nielsen, and Quartet #4, “Strange Machines” by Shepherd School of Music professor Karim Al-Zand. Commissioned by the quartet two years ago, he created a piece perfectly matched to their personality. The inventive and brilliant writing is filled with musical references and humor. I cannot recall any new work I have enjoyed more on first hearing. I was chuckling throughout and my brain’s neurons were firing constantly trying to keep up with the music’s stream of consciousness. Such ingenious writing needs the stunning virtuosity of a quartet like the Balourdet. The swift changes of tempi, character, and rhythm were expertly executed and conveyed. It was truly impressive.
DACAMERA of Houston is internationally recognized as a leading producer and presenter of chamber music and jazz, committed to bringing its audiences transformative musical experiences. The recipient of numerous awards, DACAMERA was awarded three of the National Endowment for the Arts’ coveted American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius grants. A three-time winner of Chamber Music America/ASCAP’s Adventurous Programming Award, in 2007 DACAMERA was chosen by its peers to receive the CMAcclaim National Award in recognition of the organization’s “significant and lasting contribution to the cultural life of its region.” A component is the DACAMERA Young Artist program, a fellowship program for emerging professional instrumentalists, vocalists, and composers. A December concert that I reviewed featured two outstanding Shepherd School of Music musicians with pianist Sarah Rothenberg, DACAMERA’s Artistic Director. Their performance of Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2 would ably serve any stage in the world.
Houston’s Apollo Chamber Players earned Chamber Music America’s Ensemble of the Year Award for their dedication to advancing contemporary music and championing underrepresented voices. Founded in 2008, Apollo has commissioned over 50 new works while addressing numerous social issues through innovative programming. As advocates for music that reflects modern challenges, they have served to expand the chamber music landscape.
Musiqa, a chamber ensemble known for its innovative collaborations and work across artistic mediums, received CMA’s Interdisciplinary Collaboration of the Year Award for its groundbreaking project, Meeting of Minds. This innovative work, merging music, dance, and neuroscience, explores the complexities of human connection. Featuring music by Anthony Brandt, choreography by Andy and Dionne Noble, and advanced brain-computer interface technology, Meeting of Minds illustrates the transformative potential of interdisciplinary art. Led by a collective of composers, Musiqa continues to push the boundaries of collaboration and performance, connecting with audiences on a profound level.
ROCO (River Oaks Chamber Orchestra), a 40-piece chamber orchestra, began Season 20 with three world premieres. Conductor Mei-Ann Chen led this concert at The Church of St. John the Divine in Houston on September 28th. The concert was hosted by guest emcee Fred Child of American Public Media’s Performance Today. PT has featured ROCO more than 300 times. Included was Gustav Holst’s The Planets, orchestrated for chamber orchestra, accompanied by animations on two screens that included pictures of the planets and the associated Greek gods. Part of ROCO’s multi-media innovations, it served to inform some audience members. An elite chamber orchestra, ROCO is a leader in commissioning new works, especially those by women and composers of color. They are 2nd in the world for gender-diverse programming.
Winner of “Best Choral Performance” at the 2020 Grammy Awards and winner of Chorus America’s 2018 Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence, the Houston Chamber Choir has established itself as one of the premier professional choirs in the United States, serving Houston through concerts and educational initiatives that enlighten, entertain, and educate people of all ages.
The Grammy-nominated Baroque ensemble Ars Lyrica performs on period instruments with careful attention to historical style and context. Mercury Chamber Orchestra, which began as Mercury Baroque, performs on period instruments, producing stylistic interpretations. More recent ventures include the four symphonies of Johannes Brahms, also on period instruments, and having variable results. The new music ensemble Aperio is dedicated to performing the music of North and South America.
Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet are among the top in the country in their respective genres. Both are served by excellent orchestras.
The cornerstone of classical music in Houston is the Houston Symphony. Juraj Valčuha, now in his third season as Music Director, is steadily improving the orchestra’s already excellent level of performance. The outstanding Houston Symphony Chorus is a frequent partner. Along with world-class soloists and guest conductors such as Donald Runnicles and Michael Tilson Thomas, Houston is afforded stellar orchestral concerts. The recently refurbished Jones Hall has enhanced tonal clarity and balance.■
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- Aperio, Music of the Americas: aperioamericas.org
- Apollo Chamber Players: apollochamberplayers.org
- Ars Lyrica: arslyricahouston.org/
- Chamber Music Houston: chambermusichouston.org
- DACAMERA: dacamera.com
- Houston Ballet: houstonballet.org
- Houston Chamber Choir: https://www.houstonchamberchoir.org/
- Houston Grand Opera: houstongrandopera.org
- Houston Symphony: houstonsymphony.org
- Mercury Chamber Orchestra: mercuryhouston.org
- Musiqa: musiqa.org
- ROCO: roco.org
Read more by Lawrence Wheeler.
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