NEWS
Brett Mitchell to Lead Five Performances with the Houston Symphony in January 2027
HOUSTON — The Houston Symphony has announced that Brett Mitchell will return in January 2027 to lead the orchestra in five performances with Cirque de la Symphonie at Jones Hall.
Mr. Mitchell and the orchestra will present three pops performances with the troupe:
Friday, January 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 30 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, January 31 at 2 p.m.
They will also present two family concerts:
Saturday, January 30 at 10 a.m.
Saturday, January 30 at 11:30 a.m.
Mr. Mitchell has been leading the Houston Symphony for almost 20 years since joining the orchestra as Assistant Conductor in the 2007-08 season. Since then, he has led more than 150 concerts with the ensemble, including upcoming performances of Nicholas Hooper’s score for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in June 2026.
Brett Mitchell Returns to the Houston Symphony in June 2026
Brett Mitchell will return to the Houston Symphony in June 2026. (Photograph by Roger Mastroianni)
HOUSTON — The Houston Symphony has announced that Brett Mitchell will return to lead the orchestra in Nicholas Hooper’s score for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth film in the Harry Potter franchise.
Mr. Mitchell and the orchestra will present the film with live orchestral accompaniment twice at Jones Hall:
Friday, June 26 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 27 at 2 p.m.
For more information, please click here.
Mr. Mitchell has been leading the Houston Symphony for almost 20 years since joining the orchestra as Assistant Conductor in the 2007-08 season. Since then, he has led more than 150 performances with the ensemble, including John Williams’s Oscar-nominated score Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in July 2023 and Patrick Doyle’s score for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in June 2025.
Preview: Sunriver Music Festival — The Maestro at the Piano
BEND, Ore. — The Source has published a preview of Brett Mitchell’s upcoming solo piano recital, presented by the Sunriver Music Festival:
Hailed for the breadth of his work on the podium and at the piano, Maestro Brett Mitchell has carved a unique path in the world of contemporary American classical music. Sunriver Music Festival’s Artistic Director & Conductor will present an exclusive solo piano recital featuring his own arrangements for film in Sunriver on April 11. Visit sunrivermusic.org for tickets to The Maestro at the Piano.
As a conductor, Mitchell currently serves as Music Director of the Pasadena Symphony and Artistic Director & Conductor of Oregon’s Sunriver Music Festival. He previously served as Music Director of the Colorado Symphony, Associate Conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra, and Assistant Conductor of both the Houston Symphony and Orchestre National de France. Working widely as a guest conductor, Mitchell has led the New York Philharmonic at David Geffen Hall, the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, and principal orchestras spanning the United States and beyond.
As a pianist, Steinway Artist Brett Mitchell has a devoted fanbase of his work at the keyboard. The high standard he has set with artistic and professional achievements makes it most appropriate that Mitchell is formally included on the Steinway Artist roster—a list of the most accomplished and discriminating artists in the world. His exceptionally active YouTube channel @brettmitchellconductor features his original solo piano videos of iconic cues from film history and landmark works from classical, jazz, and pop canons.
“Film music has always been one of my great musical loves. When the pandemic hit in 2020 and we couldn’t present orchestral music, I flexed my arranging chops, taking iconic scores from film music history and arranging them for solo piano. What began as a pandemic diversion has morphed into a continuing passion project that I’m now thrilled to share with more than 15,000 subscribers across my social platforms, and I couldn’t be more pleased as we gear up for Sunriver Music Festival’s “America @ 250” celebrations in August 2026 to share many of these iconic selections with our audience in Central Oregon. The art of film scoring was born during the American century, and I can’t imagine a better way to kick off our celebrations than with an intimate evening featuring some of my favorite music of all time. Please join me on April 11 in Sunriver.” - Artistic Director & Conductor Brett Mitchell
Mark your calendars for April 11 and visit sunrivermusic.org for tickets to Sunriver Music Festival’s exclusive concert The Maestro at the Piano. VIP ticketed guests are welcomed to an intimate post-concert reception offering wine, light fare and unhurried conversation with the maestro in an informal setting.
Click here to read the complete preview, and here to read the official press release from the Sunriver Music Festival.
Brett Mitchell Returns to the Houston Symphony in June 2025
HOUSTON — The Houston Symphony has announced that Brett Mitchell will return to lead the orchestra in Patrick Doyle’s score for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fourth film in the Harry Potter franchise.
Mr. Mitchell and the orchestra will present the film with live orchestral accompaniment three times at Jones Hall:
Friday, June 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 28 at 2 p.m.
Sunday, June 29 at 2 p.m.
For more information, please click here.
Mr. Mitchell has been leading the Houston Symphony for almost 20 years since joining the orchestra as Assistant Conductor in the 2007-08 season. Since then, he has led more than 150 performances with the ensemble, including John Williams’s Oscar-nominated score for the first film in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, in July 2023.
Brett Mitchell to lead Houston Symphony’s 2025 holiday festival
Brett Mitchell will lead half a dozen public performances as part of the Houston Symphony’s 2025 holiday festival. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
HOUSTON — The Houston Symphony has announced that Brett Mitchell will lead its holiday festival during the 2025-26 concert season.
Mr. Mitchell will conduct four performances of Very Merry POPS from Thursday, December 11 through Sunday, December 14, featuring vocalist Ali Stroker and the Houston Symphony Chorus.
He will also lead two performances of Oh, What Fun! A Holiday Concert for Kids on Saturday, December 13.
Mr. Mitchell will also lead several private performances with the orchestra during the holiday season.
For complete details, please visit the orchestra’s 2025-26 season announcement.
Preview: Brett Mitchell leads ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ with the Houston Symphony
Brett Mitchell will lead Danny Elfman’s Grammy- and Golden Globe-nominated score for ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ with the Houston Symphony on December 9-10 at Jones Hall.
HOUSTON — The Katy News has published a preview of the Houston Symphony’s upcoming 2023 holiday concert schedule, including several performances led by guest conductor Brett Mitchell.
Guest Conductor Brett Mitchell kicks off the holiday concert season in Jones Hall with the modern holiday masterpiece, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. As the film plays on the big screen above the Jones Hall stage, the live orchestra breathes life into Danny Elfman’s captivating score and the whimsical worlds of Halloween Town and Christmas Town.
Performances will be presented at Jones Hall on Saturday, December 9 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 10 at 2:30 p.m. For tickets and more information, please click here.
Audio: Brett Mitchell discusses John Williams's score for 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'
HOUSTON — As he prepares to lead the Houston Symphony in four performances of John Williams’s Oscar-nominated score for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Brett Mitchell has appeared as a guest on the most recent episode of Houston Matters from Houston Public Media.
In this appearance, Mr. Mitchell speaks with producer Joshua Zinn about Mr. Williams’s work for both the Harry Potter and Star Wars franchises.
To listen to the complete story, please click here; the interview with Mr. Mitchell begins at 6:20.
Preview: Brett Mitchell returns to the Houston Symphony for a special collaboration
Brett Mitchell will lead a collaboration between the Houston Symphony and the One O’Clock Lab Band in April 2023.
HOUSTON — The Houston Symphony has announced that Brett Mitchell will return for the second time in the 2022-23 season to lead a special collaboration in April 2023:
The University of North Texas’s world-famous One O’Clock Lab Band joins the Houston Symphony and renowned saxophonist Chris Potter for this one-night-only special event! Hear John Williams’s Escapades, a suite for alto saxophone and orchestra based on the popular soundtrack to Catch Me If You Can… To close, the worlds of jazz and classical music collide with a world-premiere work composed by One O’Clock Lab Band® director, Alan Baylock.
The Katy News has published a brief preview of this collaboration:
Committed to exploring and showcasing a wide array of musical genres, the Houston Symphony is combining forces with the University of North Texas’ renowned One O’Clock Lab Band for a unique and memorable evening of jazz and jazz-influenced music-making, Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. in Jones Hall.
Houston favorite Brett Mitchell, returning again this season after leading the Symphony in the score of Disney’s Fantasia Thanksgiving weekend, leads this special concert that culminates in a world premiere performance: a special work composed by famed jazz composer and One O’Clock Lab Band Director Alan Baylock for One O’Clock Lab Band, the Houston Symphony, and saxophone soloist Chris Potter to perform together.
Also on the program, the Houston Symphony performs John Williams’s Escapades for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra, composed for the Steven Spielberg film Catch Me If You Can, employing the progressive jazz style of the ‘60s in which the film was set.
To learn more and purchase tickets, please click here.
Preview: Brett Mitchell to lead 'Fantasia' with the Houston Symphony
HOUSTON — The Katy News has published a preview of Brett Mitchell’s upcoming performances of Disney’s Fantasia with the Houston Symphony:
This Thanksgiving weekend, the Houston Symphony brings to life the magical classic that’s captivated generations—Disney’s animated film Fantasia. November 25–27, Conductor Brett Mitchell leads the orchestra through the iconic film score while animation fills the giant screen at Jones Hall. Just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, families and music-lovers alike can experience the magic of favorites like Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, Pomp and Circumstance, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, and, of course, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.
Known for its crowning achievement in the history of animation, Fantasia is Disney’s longest animated feature ever made. The film revolutionized the industry by combining animation with a collection of great classical music that sends audiences on a fantastical journey filled with Disney magic. Fans will be thrilled to know that the Houston Symphony has its own unique ties to the film as well; the 1940s version of Fantasia features eight segments of classical music conducted by former Houston Symphony Music Director Leopold Stokowski. Additionally, guests can look forward to seeing the “Blue Bayou” segment as Disney animators originally imagined it for the 1940 release—a languid flight of a pair of whooping cranes above a Louisiana bayou set to the Debussy classic Claire de Lune.
To read the complete preview, please click here.
To purchase tickets to these performances, please click here.
Preview: Brett Mitchell to lead 'Return of the Jedi' with the Houston Symphony
HOUSTON — The Houston Press has published an extensive preview of Brett Mitchell’s upcoming performances of John Williams’s Oscar-nominated score for Return of the Jedi.
The Force is strong as the Houston Symphony presents Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - in concert. The orchestra will play the entire score while audiences watch the battle between good and evil rage on in the final chapter of the original Star Wars trilogy. The program runs Friday through Sunday at Jones Hall.
John Williams’ incredible score - from 20th Century Fox fanfare to closing credits - will be conducted by Brett Mitchell. The impresario returns to the stage after many years after operating as an Assistant Conductor for the Houston Symphony from 2007 to 2011. This marks his first time to lift the conducting baton since the birth of his son, William.
And if there was any indication that Mitchell is the perfect choice to conduct this piece, his son is the proof.
"I'm an enormous John Williams fan, to the point where our little boy's name is Will, but his full name is William John Mitchell. William and John happened to both be family names as well, but it is also no coincidence that that his name is William John, because John Williams has been an enormous part of my life. It's a little bit of an homage to the maestro with with the name," he said.
The show will be a display of artistic athleticism. There is one hour and 54 minutes of music in this film. For comparison, that's 37 minutes more than Star Wars: A New Hope, and 15 minutes more than Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi runs two hours and 17 minutes, which means that only 23 minutes of this movie doesn't have music. Hopefully The Force will be strong with the musicians as well.
Mitchell feels that it will be.
"I have no doubts and no fears that we're going to be able to do this. I have every confidence that it's going to be fantastic, and it is precisely because of the quality and the caliber of Houston Symphony."
To pull off a feat like this, Mitchell and the orchestra don't have much prep time. Yet, depending on how you look at it, Mitchell has been preparing for this nearly his entire life.
"I have done this project before, which helps. That said, the entire score is 527 pages long, and it's almost two hours of music. It's a lot of music to take in. It takes months to really absorb all of this material. But the real trick is, I saw Return of the Jedi as a four year old boy on October 9, 1983. I remember because it was my mom's birthday," he said. "I suppose you could say I've been preparing for this for more than 38 years since I saw the movie. I love John Williams' work and Star Wars in particular."
There will be an intermission in the show, but once everyone is seated for the second act, it's nonstop for the orchestra and conductor afterward.
"Once you get 10 minutes into the second act, from that point forward, there's 58 minutes of nonstop music until the end of the picture. There's no opportunity for the orchestra to break and no opportunity for the for the conductor to break. It's incessant. It's really driving, musically," he said.
"I really hope the audience gets the brilliance of John Williams' music during this concert. When you're watching Return of the Jedi at home, even on the very best of sound systems, or even in the theaters, the music is only one part of the soundtrack. It's competing with dialogue. It's competing with sound effects. And it can get lost, or it can get dialed down. When you're experiencing an orchestra playing this music live, there is such an immediacy to it that you simply cannot ignore," he said. "And the corollary to that is that I hope the audience appreciates what brilliant virtuoso athletic musicians the Houston Symphony is composed of because this is an extraordinary feat to be able to play this score."
To read the complete preview, please click here.
To purchase tickets to these performances, please click here.
Brett Mitchell conducts ‘Return of the Jedi’ with the Houston Symphony
Published January 30, 2022 Updated March 4, 2022
HOUSTON — The Houston Symphony has announced that Brett Mitchell will return to lead four performances of John Williams’s Oscar-nominated score for Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi at Jones Hall in March 2022. The complete schedule is as follows:
Friday, March 4 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 5 at 2:30 p.m. & 8 p.m.
Sunday, March 6 at 2:30 p.m.
Mr. Mitchell has led over 100 performances with the Houston Symphony, principally in his former role as Assistant Conductor from 2007 to 2011.
For more information about these performances and to purchase tickets, please click here.
Read several preview articles by clicking on the following links:
The Katy News: “Houston Symphony Screens Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi With Orchestra Performing John Williams’ Iconic Score Live”
Culture Map: “Houston Symphony blasts off with special Return of the Jedi screening and performance”
Houston Chronicle: “Houston Symphony goes out of this world” (subscription required)
To watch Mr. Mitchell’s in-depth exploration of the music of Return of the Jedi, watch the video below, or click here to view it on YouTube.
Preview: River Oaks Chamber Orchestra travels across Europe with ‘Ticket to Ride’
Brett Mitchell will lead the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra at St. John the Divine in Houston on Saturday, February 23.
HOUSTON — The Houston Chronicle has published an extensive preview of Brett Mitchell’s upcoming debut with the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra.
“I wasn’t born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could,” says Brett Mitchell, quoting a favorite bumper sticker of his. “That’s kind of like me. Any excuse to come back to Texas is great.”
Originally from Seattle, the music director of the Colorado Symphony received his master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Texas at Austin and later worked as the assistant conductor of the Houston Symphony from 2007 to 2011.
On Saturday, Mitchell will return to Houston to make his debut with another local ensemble, leading the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra in “Ticket to Ride” at the Church of St. John the Divine.
The concert will take its audience on a train trip across Europe in a program featuring Ethel Smyth’s “The Wreckers,” Wojciech Kilar’s “Orawa,” Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1, Mozart’s Symphony No. 35 (also called the “Haffner” Symphony) and a new commission by composer Jim Stephenson titled “ROCOmotive…”
In a way, the programming was devised through a back-and-forth “dance” between Mitchell and artistic director Alecia Lawyer, whose father collects miniature trains — a fitting theme that ties into ROCO’s overall season, “Games People Play.”
One of Lawyer’s suggestions was the overture of Smyth’s three-act opera, which was re-scored by composer Mark Buller to fit the smaller orchestra. Highlighting works by women has long been a part of the ensemble’s mission, and it’s an initiative that Mitchell fully supports, saying, “It’s about damn time that we start having more female composers on our series.” …
Although Smyth’s opera debuted over a century ago, it presents a challenge for Mitchell, much like Stephenson’s new commission. Fortunately, he enjoys the challenge and finds inspiration in working on world premieres. In fact, it’s why he became a conductor in the first place, he says, rather than following the paths of a pianist or a composer.
“I came to realize that I didn’t really feel like I personally had anything compelling that I needed to say through my own music,” he says. “What I really love doing is finding other composers that I feel like do have something to say and giving those works a voice, breathing life into them for the first time.” …
“Instead of being a creative artist, I consider what we do in orchestras being a re-creative artist,” he continues. “Priority number one for me always, the person that I am working the hardest for, it’s not the orchestra. It’s not the audience. It’s not even me. It’s the composer. Without the composer, none of us have jobs. I take my obligation to that incredibly seriously, and it’s so incredibly rewarding when you get to bring something to life like this.”
To read the complete preview, please click here.
Preview: "Houston Symphony to pay tribute to John Williams at The Pavilion"
The Courier (Houston) has published a preview of Brett Mitchell's upcoming performance of an all-John Williams program with the Houston Symphony on Tuesday, June 7.
Conductor Brett Mitchell will lead the symphony in selections from “Star Wars”, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”, “Schindler’s List”, “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” and other works....
Mitchell said Williams’ music is an “enormous” amount of fun to play but also “incredibly” challenging from a technical perspective. He said the orchestra will play tens of thousands of notes, requiring significant stamina from the brass musicians as Williams writes “demanding” music for the section.
“For many of us, the music we’ll play was the gateway to the larger world of orchestral music of Beethoven, Mahler, and Stravinsky we’ve chosen to devote our lives to performing,” Mitchell said.
A concert of music from film is about reliving familiar—even favorite—movies in a new way, Mitchell said. Without the dialogue, sound effects and picture, individuals can focus on the melodies.
“A master composer like Williams perfectly captures the emotion and drama of every picture he scores, so listening and to that music by itself can make for a more emotional experience,” he said. “All you need is a sense of adventure, an appetite for fun, and an open mind to let the music transport you, even to a galaxy far, far away.”
To read the complete article, please click here.
New Year's Eve with the Houston Symphony
Brett Mitchell will return to the Houston Symphony later this month to conduct their New Year's Eve gala program, an event he has led annually dating back to his tenure as the orchestra's Assistant Conductor from 2007 to 2011. For more information on this year's program and to purchase tickets, please click here.
Video: Brett Mitchell stars with Houston Symphony in ‘A Soundtrack for the City’
HOUSTON — A Soundtrack for the City, an original short film dedicated to the promotion of Houston and its creative community, features an original score recorded by Brett Mitchell and the Houston Symphony, whose performance appears throughout.
Brett Mitchell and the Houston Symphony record ‘A Soundtrack for the City’ in Jones Hall on March 12.
Brett Mitchell returns to lead 7th consecutive New Year's Eve gala with Houston Symphony
Brett Mitchell will return to the Houston Symphony as guest conductor for his 7th consecutive New Year's Eve gala performance, held on December 31 at 8 p.m. at The Centrum. For more information or to purchase tickets for this year's event, entitled "Invitation to the Dance," please click the "SCHEDULE" link above.
Preview: "Houston Symphony to play at the Centrum"
Brett Mitchell will return to the Houston Symphony as guest conductor for his sixth consecutive New Year's Eve gala performance, held on December 31 at 8 p.m. at the Centrum. This year's concert will celebrate New Year's traditions in America and around the world via both classical and light classical selections. To read a preview article in the Houston Chronicle, please click here. For more information or to purchase tickets for this event, please click the "SCHEDULE" link above.
2012-13 concerts with the Houston Symphony
Brett Mitchell will return to the Houston Symphony as guest conductor for three programs during their 2012-13 season. He will first lead the orchestra's 19th annual season preview ("Open House") in August. He will then lead "Lunada"--the orchestra's annual celebration of Latin American music--in October. Finally, he will return for his sixth consecutive New Year's Eve Gala in December. For more information or to purchase tickets for these events, please click the "Schedule" link above.
Video: Short film promotes Houston Symphony concerts
HOUSTON — The Houston Symphony has produced a short film promoting Brett Mitchell's upcoming Pops subscription weekend featuring the works of Cole Porter and George Gershwin. To watch this video, please click here.
The Great American Songbook with the Houston Symphony
Brett Mitchell returns to the Houston Symphony for the sixth time this season to lead a weekend of Pops subscription performances celebrating the Great American Songbook. Mr. Mitchell and guest vocalists Jennifer Hope Wills and Ryan Silverman will perform selections by George Gershwin and Cole Porter at Jones Hall on April 27, 28, and 29. For more information or to purchase tickets for these events, please click the "SCHEDULE" link above.