It’s been said that everything is bigger and better in Texas. At the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music, this adage certainly applies to the annual Immanuel and Helen Olshan Texas Music Festival (TMF).

Combining four weeks of concerts, clinics and classes, TMF brings to Houston a collection of internationally renowned musicians and some of the world’s most promising music students. This year’s festival runs May 30 – July 1 at UH and at selected off-campus locations.

In 1990, Houston arts patrons Immanuel and Helen Olshan founded the festival as a four-week orchestral fellowship program dedicated to developing the talents of student musicians. Since then, TMF has attracted students from around the globe and entertained local audiences with performances ranging from chamber music to jazz.

“The Texas Music Festival continues to attract the best and brightest musicians,” said David Ashley White, director of MSM. “Each year, we look forward to hosting this event and delivering a wonderful blend of concerts to the community.”

Overseeing the festival’s clinics and classes are MSM’s distinguished musicians and faculty, members of the Houston Symphony and internationally recognized artists. Students are accepted to the festival based on live and taped auditions.

Components of the 2006 TMF include the “Classical Minds” Guitar Festival, the Rockwell Distinguished Artist Series, the High School and College Jazz Institute, High School Piano Institute and “Floot Fire,” a workshop for flutists.

Ticket prices for each performance vary and some are free for the public. For information, call the Moores box office at 713-743-3313.

Mike Emery
memery@central.uh.edu