Houston Symphony Performs Rachmaninoff's THE BELLS Tonight

Tonight, September 26, 28 and 29, the Houston Symphony will perform Rachmaninoff's exciting choral piece The Bells for the second time in the organization's 100-year history.

First performed with the Houston Symphony in February 1944, the upcoming concerts offer a rare opportunity for Houston audiences to experience the piece performed live on the Jones Hall stage. Inspired by a poem by Edgar Allen Poe, The Bells features the orchestra and chorus as they create tonal colors suggesting the sounds of bells, from the merriment of silver bells to the heart-pounding excitement of alarm bells. Conducted by Matthew Halls, this performance will feature the Houston Symphony Chorus led by Director Charles Hausmann. Guest vocalists Jessica Rivera, soprano; Nathaniel Peake, tenor; and David Pittsinger, bass-baritone will perform solo roles.

After intermission, the Symphony will perform Beethoven's great masterpiece Symphony No. 7. Creating a happy and uplifting concert experience, Beethoven's Seventh Symphony has held audiences captive since 1813, when the public demanded an encore of the Symphony's second movement, Allegretto, at its first performance in Vienna.

HOUSTON SYMPHONY CLASSICAL SERIES

Jones Hall

615 Louisiana St.

Houston, TX 77002

Thursday, September 26, 2013, 8:00pm

Saturday, September 28, 2013, 8:00pm

Sunday, September 29, 2013, 2:30pm

Beethoven 7 Plus Rachmaninoff

Matthew Halls, conductor

Houston Symphony Chorus

Charles Hausmann, director

Jessica Rivera, soprano
Nathaniel Peake, tenor
David Pittsinger, bass-baritone

Rachmaninoff: The Bells

Beethoven: Symphony No. 7

Tickets from $25

About Matthew Halls

British conductor Matthew Halls first came to prominence as a keyboard player and early music conductor. Now in his thirties, Halls is better known for his dynamic and intelligent work with major symphony orchestras and opera companies and his probing and vibrant interpretations of music of all periods.

For his debut with the Toronto Symphony in 2013, he led a highly-acclaimed performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. He first led Washington, D.C.'s National Symphony in performances of Handel's Messiah and returned the following season to lead works by Ravel, Dutilleux and Vaughan Williams. Recent and upcoming North American engagements also include the Houston, Seattle and Colorado Symphonies, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Ottawa's National Arts Centre Orchestra.

In July 2011, he appeared for the first time at the Oregon Bach Festival. Because of the impact of his performances, he was immediately asked to succeed Helmuth Rilling as Artistic Director of the Festival. He assumes the post at the close of the 2013 festival.

European orchestras are equally eager to welcome Halls to their podiums, including the BBC Scottish Symphony, Bergen Philharmonic, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Northern Sinfonia, Tonkünstler Orchestra NÖ and regular appearances with the Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra. He is also invited to Australia to conduct the Melbourne Symphony and West Australian Symphony Orchestras.

Halls' discography includes acclaimed CDs of Handel, Bach and Purcell.

About the Houston Symphony

During the 2013-14 Season, the Houston Symphony celebrates its 100th year as one of America's leading orchestras with a full complement of concert, community, education, touring and recording activities. The Houston Symphony is one of the oldest performing arts organizations in Texas whose inaugural performance was held at The Majestic Theater in downtown Houston on June 21, 1913. Today, with an annual operating budget of $30.4 million, the full-time ensemble of 87 professional musicians is the largest performing arts organization in Houston, presenting more than 280 concerts for 280,000 people, including 84,000 children, annually. For tickets and more information, please visit www.houstonsymphony.org or call 713-224-7575.

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