Houston Symphony Orchestra
Houston Symphony Orchestra.
Founded in 1913 with 33 players, the orchestra reorganized in 1930 and presented its first full season of concerts in 1931. Among its important conductors have been Ernst Hoffman (1936–47), Efrem Kurtz (1948–54), Leopold StokowskiStokowski, Leopold, 1882–1977, American conductor, b. London. Stokowski studied in England and at the Paris Conservatory. He was organist and choirmaster at St. Bartholomew's Church, New York City (1905–8), and was conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony
..... Click the link for more information. (1955–61), Sir John BarbirolliBarbirolli, Sir John
, 1899–1970, English conductor and cellist, b. London. After being cellist (1920–24) in the International String Quartet, he organized the Barbirolli String Orchestra.
..... Click the link for more information. (1961–67), Sir André PrevinPrevin, Sir André
, 1929–2019, American conductor, composer, and pianist, b. Germany, as Andreas Ludwig Priwin. A classical music recording artist from 1946, he also made a number of highly successful jazz piano albums in the 1950s, and later (1990s) resumed
..... Click the link for more information. (1967–69), Lawrence Foster (1970—78), Michael Palmer (1979–81), Sergiu Comissiona (1979–88), Christoph EschenbachEschenbach, Christoph,
1940–, German conductor and pianist, b. Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Poland), as Christoph Ringmann. Orphaned during World War II, he was adopted by Wallydore Eschenbach, his mother's cousin, who taught him piano.
..... Click the link for more information. (1988–99), and Hans Graf (2000–). The permanent home of the symphony is the Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, which opened in 1966 as part of Houston's Civic Center. Summer performances take place at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion and the Miller Outdoor Theatre.