Dec. 5 2013 - Williams Conducts The Houston Symphony! With Yo-Yo Ma!

[Saxbabe 28]

I just came home and turned on my computer, checked my email, and saw a note that the Houston Symphony's announcement of their 13-14 season was being webcast.

Clicked on the link, and the second the video loaded, the first thing I saw was a big picture of John Williams and heard them saying that he is coming HIMSELF and conducting here and Yo-Yo Ma too (I think Cello Concerto) and they are also doing film scores and there will be a MEET & GREET afterward. O.M.G.

I thought I had fallen into an alternate universe and had to pinch myself.

Next year is the Symphony's 100th anniversary, so there are a lot of awesome things happening. Right after they announced the JW concert, was mention of a performance of Mahler 8 with Eschenbach, which they are building a special stage extension for. And apparently John Adams is coming as well to conduct his new piece CIty Noir. And also, they have just named a new conductor who looks a lot like Gustavo Dudamel of the LA Phil.

This is all the info I know now on the JW concert, they don't even have the season brochure or concert listings up yet.

Linkage:

http://www.houstonsymphony.org

The very second I hear you can buy tickets, I'm in!

Who else is!

I live here now (I work at the Museum of Natural Science), so I would also be up for organizing whatever get-together etc. we would like to do.

Oh also - hello my beloved JWFan, yes I have been away too long, but I do lurk still!

~g

[Ollie 1,140]

I'm there.

[Mattris 436]

Ditto. This is superb news.

Last year, the Houston Symphony put on a concert of 'the music of John Williams from the films of Steven Spielberg', and I was fortunate to get a ticket and attend. I imagine this one-night-only concert will sell-out the day tickets are available.

[Foxfan 134]

Symphony No. 1 revival?

[80sFan 111]

John Williams Joins Yo-Yo Ma
Thursday, December 5, 2013
John Williams, conductor
Yo-Yo Ma, cello

Two music superstars and longtime friends join your Houston Symphony for an evening of music by John Williams composed for the concert hall and for some of Hollywood’s most beloved films. Williams and the legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma perform the composer’s lush and virtuosic Cello Concerto, followed by thrilling selections from some of his most popular film scores

http://www.houstonsymphony.com/Concerts-Tickets/Browse-Concerts/13-14-Season/13-14-Symphony-Specials

[Smeltington 1,580]

I might think about doing this just for the meet and greet! I haven't had much luck with that at the handful of JW concerts I've been to so far :X

[Muad'Dib 1,867]

I would absolutely LOVE to go to this one. It's a long way from here, but if I can find some discounts for the trip and the hotel, I'm so there.

I have to see Johnny live before he retires. Does anyone know prices regarding the concert itself? And any reccomendations regarding the trip and accomodations, perhaps?

[MSM 126]

I would so like to go! I could stay with my brother who lives in Houston. Anyway have to finish my PhD first. If I'll manage before December, I will allow myself to go!

[Hlao-roo 389]

Tentative at this point, but I plan on being there. Exciting to see Williams (and Ma) pay a visit to the Lone Star State.

[Kendal_Ozzel 36]

JW & Yo-Yo Ma, and only an afternoon's drive away? I'm so in!

[Hlao-roo 389]

Greta, do you have a season subscription?

[Ollie 1,140]

Greta got in touch with me regarding the concert.

I'd been trying to buy tickets and asked her if she knew when they were going on sale. As of now they are only available to subscribers and 70% are sold as of 2 weeks ago. They go on sale to the public October 1st.

Oh yeah, unless your a $1000.00 VIP donor to the symphony, forget the meet and greet.

I'm probably going to pass on this concert.

[Jay 39,584]

Lame.

[Kendal_Ozzel 36]

As of now they are only available to subscribers and 70% are sold as of 2 weeks ago. They go on sale to the public October 1st.

So chances of getting tickets by then are slim at best. Bummer.

[Hlao-roo 389]

[Thor 8,425]

Oh yeah, unless your a $1000.00 VIP donor to the symphony, forget the meet and greet.

Yikes!

That's one of the American phenomena that I've always found puzzling -- the merger of commercial interests and cultural institutions. I remember when I had a tour of Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA last year, I was flabbergasted to see this huge wall plastered with names of donors -- the bigger the donor, the bigger the name.

Stuff like that -- and the VIP thing you mentioned -- leaves a sour taste in the mouth for us egalitarian social democrats in the corner of Europe.

[Rad_insanity 0]

I'm wondering how much the tickets are gonna be. Anybody have an idea? I was told around 50 bucks, but I'm thinking that they will probably be even more expensive than that.

[Hlao-roo 389]

No idea. I'd still love to go, but in all likelihood price/availability will be prohibitive.

[nightscape94 966]

Already committed to the November concerts in Chicago, so I'll skip this one. I'll probably attend the Boston concerts next year.

[Hlao-roo 389]

So is anyone here actually going to this?

[Kendal_Ozzel 36]

If I can get a ticket and it's not outrageously expensive, yes. Too close for me to pass up.

[Kendal_Ozzel 36]

I called today to find out what time tickets would be going on sale, and they said midnight tonight (CST, presumably). So, only about 5 1/2 hours to go, folks!

[Rad_insanity 0]

Yeah, I asked on Twitter about it a few days ago.

I've been counting down the hours today since I woke up.

I'm really hoping I'm able to go. I have more of a ride issue so I'm hoping my friends com along as well so I can hitch a ride.. x _ x

[Hlao-roo 389]

It would be sad if JWFAN weren't represented at this concert. I wonder how many tickets are left.

[Rad_insanity 0]

1 MORE HOUR AS'DF;LK'ADSG;LKADS'F;LDSKG'D;LGASK'

[Kendal_Ozzel 36]

Well, 20 minutes and 150 bucks later... Looks like I'm going to Planet Hooston!

[Rad_insanity 0]

I got mine too!!!!!

[Hlao-roo 389]

$150, yikes.

[Smeltington 1,580]

Awesome!!

[Hlao-roo 389]

I'm probably going to have to pass -- $150 is not insignificant for me right now. But the one-two punch of Williams and Ma live is not making that decision easy.

[Mattris 436]

That's my feeling exactly. This is free-market capitalism at work here. But even at $150-400 a ticket, the HSO will likely fill every seat for this one-night-only concert.

I'm especially irked since I live in the Houston area. If a ticket is still available later in the week, I may just suck it up and plonk down the cash.

Does anyone know if the tickets are/were this expensive for subscribers?

[Rad_insanity 0]

I know someone who bought theirs for $115 with the student discount.

[Hlao-roo 389]

Had I been able to get one for less than $100, I would have gone for it.

[Mattris 436]

Same here.

The HSO website states that the tickets for the concert have 'sold out'. John Williams is finally returning to Houston to conduct the HSO, and I'm going to miss it! Most unfortunate, to say the least.

[Kendal_Ozzel 36]

Program is up:

• Excerpts from Close Encounters of the Third Kind
• Cello Concerto
• Sound the Bells!
• Suite from Far and Away

[Hlao-roo 389]

Eh. The cello concerto aside, not the most enticing program. I like Far and Away as much as the next person, but I find the suite relatively tedious, especially at Williams' preferred tempo.

[Thor 8,425]

Are you kidding? It looks like a fantastic program! OK, so maybe CLOSE ENCOUNTERS is a bit overplayed, but the others are less so and surely a nice opportunity for something else.

[Hlao-roo 389]

Are you kidding? It looks like a fantastic program! OK, so maybe CLOSE ENCOUNTERS is a bit overplayed, but the others are less so and surely a nice opportunity for something else.

"Sound the Bells!" is also a reasonable selection, but the other two are snoozers.

[Tom 5,141]

I don't think the notion of "overplayed" really applies to a venue like this. My guess is that of the vast majority of the audience members, this will be at most their second time hearing any of these pieces live.

[Hlao-roo 389]

I don't think the notion of "overplayed" really applies to a venue like this. My guess is that of the vast majority of the audience members, this will be at most their second time hearing any of these pieces live.

Oh, I'm sure it'll be a delight for all but the snootiest in the audience. I'm very much looking through the lens of my own personal experience/perspective.

[Saxbabe 28]

Hi everyone!

So who is going tomorrow evening? I will be there!

I only have a few other friends going, due to the ticket prices and sell-out.

The program looks pretty good, aside from the pieces listed above are also:

HPSS Suite, Lincoln Malice Toward None, ET Adventures On Earth

I think I am most excited about CE3K and ET....always wanted to hear them live...Cello Concerto should be amazing too.

We did subscribe this year and go often, look forward to hearing the orchestra with JW conducting!

[Jay 39,584]

Awesome Gretta, have fun!!

[nightscape94 966]

Would love to be able to hear the Far and Away suite.

Tim, who is greedy after seeing him last month.

[Hlao-roo 389]

Hi everyone!

So who is going tomorrow evening? I will be there!

I only have a few other friends going, due to the ticket prices and sell-out.

The program looks pretty good, aside from the pieces listed above are also:

HPSS Suite, Lincoln Malice Toward None, ET Adventures On Earth

I think I am most excited about CE3K and ET....always wanted to hear them live...Cello Concerto should be amazing too.

We did subscribe this year and go often, look forward to hearing the orchestra with JW conducting!

If the price were more welcoming, I'd be there. It'd've fun to meet everyone.

Enjoy!

[Code 000. Destruct. 0. 4,260]

Ugh great program. Wish I were getting ready to go right now.

[Kendal_Ozzel 36]

I just made it into town about an hour ago. Less than two hours to go! (And with this Houston traffic, I'd better get a move on!)

[Hlao-roo 389]

Would love to be able to hear the Far and Away suite.

Tim, who is greedy after seeing him last month.

When I listened to it at Tanglewood in 2002, I thought it was really draggy, probably my least favorite part of the concert, even though I happen to like the Far and Away score quite a bit.

[King Mark 3,728]

No revised Book Thief concert version

[80sFan 111]

I thought the concert was good. The playing of the Houston Symphony for the program was not quite at the same standard as the orchestras that play on the original soundtracks (we are symphony subscribers and they normally perform at a very high level so assume the short rehearsal window – JW and Mr. Ma only arrived the day before the concert had something to do with it).

I actually thought the encores were performed better than the second half music – I would rank the first half, encores, than the second half. I have been going to JW concerts for years (see attached from the last time he conducted the symphony in 1983) and he has slowed down but seemed to be invigorated as the concert went on.

The encore for the first half was Pickin’, for the second half Schindler’s List, Star Wars main theme, Yoda’s Theme and the Imperial March. It was clear that Mr. Ma and JW were having a great time.

Great concert!

[Smeltington 1,580]

Pretty badass pic dude. How rare, to have met John Williams, brown-haired version!