The Middle School Student Concerts are 55-minute, full orchestra concerts, presented in Jones Hall during the school day for students in grade 6-8 band and orchestra. Students will hear the Houston Symphony perform and learn about the orchestra, with the goal of furthering students' involvement with music.  These concerts facilitate students’ acquisition of active listening skills. 

2023-24 Middle School Concert Dates & Times: 

  • November 2, 2023 at 9:40 AM at Jones Hall - WAITLIST ONLY
  • November 2, 2023 at 11:15 AM at Jones Hall- WAITLIST ONLY
  • January 25, 2024 at 9:40 AM at Jones Hall 
  • January 25, 2024 at 11:15 AM at Jones Hall - WAITLIST ONLY
  • January 26, 2024 at 9:40 AM at Jones Hall 
  • January 26, 2024 at 11:15 AM at Jones Hall - WAITLIST ONLY
  • January 30, 2024 at 9:40 AM at Jones Hall - WAITLIST ONLY
  • January 30, 2024 at 11:15 AM at Jones Hall - WAITLIST ONLY
  • January 31, 2024 at 9:40 AM at Jones Hall
  • January 31, 2024 at 11:15 AM at Jones Hall - WAITLIST ONLY

Ticket Costs 

  • Tickets are available on a first-come first-served basis beginning 10:00am on August 17, 2023.   
  • Tickets are priced at $10 per seat.   
  • Schools with 75 percent and above economically disadvantaged populations are eligible for a discounted price of $5 per seat.  
  • Schools will receive one free adult ticket per 10 student tickets. 

 

Registration Process 

  • A registration form will be available on this webpage beginning at 10:00am on August 17, 2023. Payments will not be taken upon registration. Please note that seats are limited to band and orchestra students in grades 6-8. 
  • Please select as many alternate concert dates / times that would be possible for your school to attend upon registration. Following form submission, Symphony staff will place your group into concerts on a first-come, first-served basis. If your primary concert choice is filled, we will place your group into any available concerts still open if listed as alternate concert options on your form. You will receive a confirmation by the end of the business day once registering to confirm your concert date and time.  
  • To finalize securing your seats after receiving concert confirmation, a non-refundable 50% downpayment and signed Letter of Agreement will be due by September 19, 2023. 
  • The remaining balance is due two weeks prior to your concert date.  

 

Transportation 

  • Schools are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from the concert. 

 

Concert Program 

Join us for Houston Symphony's Middle School Concerts conducted by new Assistant Conductor, Gonzalo Farias.  This year, the orchestra will explore the element of friendships in music.  We all have a friend who encourages us to be our best selves throughout our lives. Composers may showcase this by writing music dedicated to their friends or even go as far as writing about friendship in their music by way of beautiful melodies and harmonies that demonstrate this form of expression.  This program will include the brilliant Farandolle from BIZET's Suite No. 2 from L'Arlésienne, the charming Laideronnette, Empress of the Pagodas from RAVEL's Suite from Mother Goose and so much more!

 

This year's Middle School Concert Program will feature works from:

C. ZAMORA Sikuris 
BRAHMS/PARLOW Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G minor 
DVORÁK Polka in B-flat major, op.53a/1 (For Prague Students)  
RAVEL Suite from Ma mère l'oye (Mother Goose)  
 

II. Laideronnette, Impératrice des pagodes (Laideronnette, Empress of the Pagodas) 

TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Opus 36 
 

III.  Scherzo: Pizzicato ostinato 

SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Opus 47 
 

II. Allegretto 

BONDS The Montgomery Variations 
 

I. Decision 

BIZET/GUIRAUD Suite No. 2 from L'Arlésienne 
 

IV. Farandole:  Allegro deciso 

A. MÁRQUEZ Danzón No. 2 

 

 

Teacher Resources 

The Houston Symphony is honored to play a role in motivating students to continue playing their instruments in the band and orchestra programs across Houston, and we are grateful to the incredible music educators who make these trips and programs possible. To help with making the students’ experience even more valuable, our Community-Embedded Musicians have put together video resources to use in your classrooms before or after the concert. Look out for these musicians on stage when you visit the Symphony! 

 

Questions? Please contact edce@houstonsymphony.org or 713-238-1480.  

To sign up for registration email reminders for our Student Concert series, please email your name, title, school, and school district to edce@houstonsymphony.org.

 

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