Brinton Smith Cello

Rachmaninoff

On behalf of all my fellow musicians, welcome to Jones Hall and what we hope will be a very memorable concert of the Houston Symphony.

Brinton Smith Cello

The Value Of Music Lessons

The beginning of the symphony season coincides with the start of the school year and a time when many children consider learning a musical instrument.

Brinton Smith Cello

Classical Crossover

It is interesting to see an increasing number of pop and rock musicians incorporating orchestral instruments and sounds into their works.

Brinton Smith Cello

Competitions

On behalf of my fellow musicians, welcome to the Houston Symphony! For our orchestra, June is our 'road warrior' month.

Brinton Smith Cello

The Audition Process

The competitive process of hiring new players is highly regulated and intricate as, each year, conservatories around the world graduate hundreds of times more musicians than there are orchestral vacancies.

Brinton Smith Cello

Take A Friend To The Orchestra Month

As musicians, it's often difficult to envision what we do through the eyes of the general public–many of whom have never been to a live symphonic concert.

Brinton Smith Cello

Four Last Songs

Musicians are frequently asked about our favorite composer or compositions, and answering this question is often like trying to pick your favorite child–impossible!

Brinton Smith Cello

The Era Of Recordings

Before the era of recording, Bach and Haydn wrote music intended for use in a single performance and it’s unique audience -- listening to music was inseparable from live performance.

Brinton Smith Cello

The Miracle Of Stradivarius

Houston Symphony Principal Cello Brinton Smith is a monthly contributor to Houston Symphony Magazine. This letter is reprinted from the January 2011 issue.

Brinton Smith Cello

Philanthropy

The mission of an orchestra is to bring the world’s top musicians together, not just for a single concert, but to become a part of the community

Brinton Smith Cello

Music And The Holocaust

Great music has the power to reach a part of our being that words and information can not.

Brinton Smith Cello

On Touring

As a musician, a tour is an exciting challenge.

Brinton Smith Cello

A New Concertmaster

On behalf of the musicians, I would like to welcome you back to the Houston Symphony for our very exciting 97th season!