HOUSTON, TX (December 5, 2023) — This winter, Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker joins Houston Symphony’s holiday tradition with Messiah and Very Merry Pops to create an exciting family-friendly line-up of holiday concerts for 2023.
Here is the full 2023 calendar of Houston Symphony holiday concerts. For tickets and more information, please call or text 713.224.7575, or visit houstonsymphony.org.
DISNEY TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS IN CONCERT
Dec. 9, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 10, 2023, at 2:30 p.m.
Brett Mitchell, conductor
Guest Conductor Brett Mitchell kicks off the holiday concert season in Jones Hall with the modern holiday masterpiece, Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. As the film plays on the big screen above the Jones Hall stage, the live orchestra breathes life into Danny Elman’s captivating score and the whimsical worlds of Halloween Town and Christmas Town.
DUKE ELLINGTON’S NUTCRACKER
Dec. 12, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Gonzalo Farias, conductor
Jazz Houston Orchestra,
Vincent Garger, Artistic Director
Khambrel Marshall, narrator
The Houston Symphony unites with the Jazz Houston Orchestra and guest narrator Khambrel Marshall to bring Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite to life in a whole new, jazz-infused way, right alongside the timeless melodies of Tchaikovsky’s cherished original score.
HANDEL’S MESSIAH
Dec. 15, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 16, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.*
Dec. 17, 2023, at 2:30 p.m.
Jeannette Sorrell, conductor
Amanda Forsythe, soprano
Cody Bowers, countertenor
Ed Lyon, tenor
Kevin Deas, bass-baritone
Houston Symphony Chorus, Allen Hightower, director
Nothing says “holiday” like being swept away in a tidal wave of exhilarating melodies and triumphant arias. Jones Hall resounds with the iconic “Hallelujah” Chorus and a symphony of joyous refrains as the audience experiences a powerful presentation of the greatest story ever told. Fans can livestream the performance on Saturday, December 16 at 7:30 p.m.
VERY MERRY POPS
Dec. 20, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 21, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 22, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 23, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.*
Lucas Waldin, conductor
Mandy Gonzalez, vocalist
Houston Symphony Chorus, Allen Hightower, director
Julia Hall, chorus preparation
Jones Hall invites family and friends to enjoy a night of holiday classics with the enchanting presence of Broadway’s leading lady, Mandy Gonzalez, and the harmonious accompaniment of the Houston Symphony Chorus. Led by conductor Lucas Waldin, this Houston holiday tradition ignites the holiday spirit with an unforgettable night of magic. Fans can livestream the performance on Saturday, December 23 at 7:30 p.m.
HOLLY JOLLY HOLIDAY
Dec. 23, 2023, at 10 a.m. & 11:30 a.m.
Lucas Waldin, conductor
Mandy Gonzalez, vocalist
Designed just for kids, Holly Jolly Holiday is one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the year. Live at Jones Hall, this enchanting experience features Hamilton star Mandy Gonzalez performing festive favorites like “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” as well as a Christmas Carol sing-along, free hot chocolate, interactive lobby activities, and a chance to visit with Santa.
SWINGIN’ SINATRA: A NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATION
Jan. 5, 2024, at 8 p.m.
Jan. 6, 2024, at 8 p.m.*
Jan. 7, 2024, at 2:30 p.m.
Steven Reineke, conductor
Tony DeSare, piano and vocalist
The Houston Symphony welcomes conductor Steven Reineke to the Jones Hall stage to kick off the New Year in style with the irresistible sounds of crooner Tony DeSare and the Houston Symphony Big Band. The concert features unforgettable Sinatra gems such as “Come Fly with Me,” “New York, New York,” and “Fly Me to the Moon,” as well as popular tunes from the swinging heyday of Big Band and Swing. Fans can livestream the performance on Saturday, January 6 at 8 p.m.
All programs and artists are subject to change.
About Houston Symphony
Under Music Director Juraj Valčuha, the Houston Symphony continues its second century as one of America’s leading orchestras with a full complement of concert, community, education, touring, and recording activities. One of the oldest performing arts organizations in Texas, the Symphony held its inaugural performance at The Majestic Theater in downtown Houston on June 21, 1913. Today, with an operating budget of $37.8 million, the full-time ensemble of professional musicians presents more than 130 concerts annually, making it the largest performing arts organization in Houston. Traditionally, musicians of the orchestra and the Symphony’s three Community-Embedded Musicians also offer over 1,000 community-based performances each year at various schools, community centers, hospitals, and churches reaching more than 200,000 people in Greater Houston annually.
After suspending concert activities in March 2020, the Symphony successfully completed a full 2020–21 season with in-person audiences and weekly livestreams of each performance, making it one of the only orchestras in the world to do so. The Houston Symphony remains committed to livestreaming its 2023–24 Season to a broad audience in over forty-five countries and all fifty states, one of few American orchestras dedicated to transmitting live performances to a size-able audience outside its home city through this technology.
The Grammy Award-winning Houston Symphony has recorded under various prestigious labels, including Koch International Classics, Naxos, RCA Red Seal, Telarc, Virgin Classics, and, most recently, Dutch recording label Pentatone. In 2017, the Houston Symphony was awarded an ECHO Klassik award for the live recording of Alban Berg’s Wozzeck under the direction of former Music Director Hans Graf. The orchestra earned its first Grammy nomination and Grammy Award at the 60th annual ceremony for the same recording in the Best Opera Recording category. The Symphony’s most recent recordings include a Pentatone release in January 2022 of its world premiere performances of Jimmy López Bellido’s Aurora and Ad Astra, and a Naxos release in July 2023 of its world premiere performance of Jennifer Higdon’s Duo Duel.