Music in the Galleries
Music in the Galleries is a monthly series that brings Houston’s renowned music ensembles and solo performers into the Museum’s immersive gallery spaces. Looking for more to do during Late Friday? Enjoy a drink at Happy Hour Friday or join a guided tour of the galleries.
Upcoming Performances
The Fire Ants String Band
October 9, 2026
The Fire Ants String Band brings old-time mountain music to Texas Gulf Coast anthills. The six-piece string band fuses Houston bluegrass and Appalachian traditions with Texas fiddling and swing.
Mercury Chamber Orchestra: “Bach & Mendelssohn”
October 30, 2026
Experience three special programs by Mercury Chamber Orchestra as they traverse musical history in the galleries. Tonight's performance is “Bach & Mendelssohn.” featuring J.S. Bach's The Art of the Fugue & Goldberg Variations, Mendelssohn's Octet in E-Flat Major.
Mercury Chamber Orchestra: “Italian Baroque Christmas”
December 18, 2026
Experience three special programs by Mercury Chamber Orchestra as they traverse musical history in the galleries. Tonight's performance is “Italian Baroque Christmas” featuring music of the Italian Baroque with concertos by Corelli, Vivaldi, Locatelli, and Torelli.
Mercury Chamber Orchestra: “Traditional Music from Quebec”
March 12, 2027
Experience three special programs by Mercury Chamber Orchestra as they traverse musical history in the galleries. Tonight's performance is ““Traditional Music from Quebec”” featuring vibrant traditional music from Quebec featuring Alexis Chartrand on violin.
Past Performances
An Evening of Song with Reginald Smith Jr.
August 28, 2026
Operatic baritone and Grammy and Emmy Award winner Reginald Smith Jr. performs an evening of song, surrounded by European paintings and sculptures from the 13th to the early 20th centuries.
Ars Lyrica
July 24, 2026
Ars Lyrica string quartet performers Maria Lin, Hae-a Lee, Erika Lawson, and Steve Estes present an intimate concert immersed in masterpieces from the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Foundation Collection.
Arte Puro Flamenco Jazz
June 26, 2026
Andalusian jazz with Arte Puro featuring Ernesto Vega. The group performed versions of works by Pedro Iturralde, García Lorca, Paco de Lucía, and current flamenco-jazz artists like Ismael Alcina, Andrés Barrios, Sergio de Lope, and Jorge Pardo.
DACAMERA Young Artists
May 22, 2026
A multisensory experience, this concert featured an activation of Harry Bertoia’s sound sculptures in the exhibition Harry Bertoia: Echoes in Space, followed by a brief commentary on the artist and his interest in the relationship between form and sound by Elizabeth Essner, Windgate Foundation Associate Curator of Craft.
Mercury Orchestra
April 17, 2026
“Bolero Querido” blends the heart of Latin romance with the elegance of the concert stage in a vibrant celebration of culture, rhythm, and storytelling. Through the music of legends like Ravel, Consuelo Velásquez, and Cantinflas, this captivating program traces the roots and evolution of bolero from folk traditions to modern ballet. “Bolero Querido” is a journey filled with passion, nostalgia, and the timeless power of song.
Cecilia Duarte
March 27, 2026
In response to the exhibition Frida: The Making of an Icon, mezzo-soprano Cecilia Duarte and Trio Chapultepec (Vincent Pequeño, guitar; William Carlton Galvez, guitarrón; and Israel Alcala, requinto) were joined by Jesús Pacheco on percussion as they perform Latin American songs of the 1940s and 1950s from Duarte's first solo album, Reencuentros.
Houston Grand Opera Studio
February 27, 2026
The Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand Opera Butler Studio presents artists Alissa Goretsky (soprano), Elizabeth Hanje (soprano), Demetrious Sampson Jr. (tenor), and Tzu Kuang Tan (pianist) in recital. Each singer presents a highlight performance that speaks to their love of art and music.
Ars Lyrica
January 9, 2026
In response to the exhibition Art and Life in Imperial Rome: Trajan and His Times, Ars Lyrica Houston explores the soundscapes of early Italian music. The string quartet plays music from the 17th and 18th centuries that harkens back to the Classical era and resonates with the works on view.
Songs of the Virgin: An Italian Baroque Christmas
December 19, 2025
“Songs of the Virgin: An Italian Baroque Christmas" is a luminous holiday program featuring sacred works in place of festive fanfare. Mercury Chamber Orchestra brings it to life with an ensemble featuring acclaimed countertenor Michael Skarke.
Progressive Caroling Concert | Houston Boychoir
November 28, 2025
To celebrate the season, the MFAH and Houston Boychoir (HBC) present a caroling concert filling the galleries with the joyful sounds of festive carols and holiday music. The evening opens with the HBC choristers singing in the Beck Building atrium. Then they perform in octets stationed throughout the Museum, sharing classics such as “Deck the Halls,” “Joy to the World,” and “Silent Night.”
Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons”
October 24, 2025
The series kicks off with a concert celebrating 300 years of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons with performances as bold as the music itself. From spring’s first bloom to winter’s final hush, this beloved masterpiece still dazzles with color, character, and emotion. Mercury Chamber Orchestra brings it to life with an ensemble featuring bassoon, theorbo, and a fearless solo violin offering rich texture and intimate insight amidst beautiful paintings in the Museum galleries.