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HOUSTON, TX (December 10, 2024) — The Houston Symphony is thrilled to celebrate the holiday season with its 2024 Nexus Health Systems Holiday Series, featuring a mix of seasonal classics, world-class performances, and festive fun for the entire family. This year’s series promises to be a dazzling celebration of holiday music, with returning fan favorites like Very Merry POPS and Holly Jolly Holiday, as well as exciting new performances like and Jose Hernandez’ Merry-Achi Christmas, all live at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts. From swinging jazz and Viennese elegance to festive pop hits and mariachi magic, these concerts are sure to warm your heart and lift your spirits.
See below for the full lineup of Houston Symphony 2024 Nexus Health Systems Holiday Series. For tickets and more information, visit the Houston Symphony website or call the Houston Symphony Box Office at 713-224-7575.
2024 Winter Holiday Concert Series Lineup:
VERY MERRY POPS
Thursday, December 12, 2024, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 14, 2024, at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 15, 2024, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Principal POPS Conductor Steven Reineke leads the Houston Symphony in this beloved holiday tradition, featuring Broadway star Betsy Wolfe, who was nominated for a 2023 Tony Award for her role in & Juliet. Enjoy festive favorites, audience sing-alongs, and a special appearance by Santa Claus. The Houston Symphony Chorus will also join the performance, filling the stage with holiday cheer.
HOLLY JOLLY HOLIDAY
Saturday, December 14, 2024, at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Designed especially for children and families, Holly Jolly Holiday offers an enchanting experience featuring opera star Emily Treigle performing classics like “O Holy Night” and “Sleigh Ride,” as well as a Christmas carol sing-along, free hot chocolate, and activities for kids. Additionally, families can anticipate a chance to meet with Santa himself in the Jones Hall lobby.
HANDEL’S MESSIAH
Friday, December 20, 2024, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 21, 2024, at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 22, 2024, at 2 p.m.
One of the most beloved works of the holiday season, Handel’s Messiah will be presented in its entirety under the direction of Jonathan Cohen. The Houston Symphony will be joined by a stellar lineup of vocalists, including Joélle Harvey, Jennifer Johnson Cano, Andrew Haji, and Michael Sumuel, with the Houston Symphony Chorus bringing the iconic “Hallelujah Chorus” to life.
JOYFUL FANFARES: HOLIDAY BRASS SPECTACULAR
Sunday, December 22, 2024, at 6:30 p.m.
Experience the festive brilliance of the Houston Symphony brass section in this family-friendly concert featuring classical masterpieces by Bach and Gabrieli, timeless selections from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, and beloved holiday tunes like Sleigh Ride and Joy to the World—the perfect soundtrack to make the season sparkle.
MARIACHI SOL DE MEXICO DE JOSE HERNANDEZ PRESENTS: JOSE HERNANDEZ’ MERRY-ACHI CHRISTMAS
Monday, December 23, 2024, at 7:30 p.m.
José Hernández and his world-renowned Mariachi Sol de México will present a holiday fiesta featuring classic mariachi arrangements of beloved Christmas carols and popular songs from the mariachi repertoire.
NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATION: PINK MARTINI WITH CHINA FORBES
Friday, January 3, 2024, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 4, 2024, at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, January 5, 2024, at 2 p.m.
Ring in the New Year with Pink Martini and vocalist China Forbes in this vibrant and eclectic performance that blends jazz, classical, and pop influences in a celebratory, genre-defying musical experience. This concert promises to be the perfect way to start the new year in style.
All programs and artists are subject to change.
About Houston Symphony
Under Music Director Juraj Valčuha, the Houston Symphony continues its second century inspiring diverse audiences in Houston and beyond through exceptional musical performances, and creating an enduring impact in the Houston community. 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 $40.7 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 Community-Embedded Musicians also offer nearly 600 community-based performances each year at various schools, community centers, hospitals, senior centers, and churches, annually reaching nearly 200,000 people in Greater Houston in addition to Jones Hall.
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 2024-25 Season to a broad audience in over forty-five countries and all 50 states, one of few American orchestras dedicated to transmitting live performances to a sizeable 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.