Mercury Chamber Orchestra

Description

Founded in 2000, Mercury was Houston’s first chamber orchestra with historically informed performance at the forefront of its offerings. By utilizing period instruments and techniques, Mercury has crafted a timeless and authentic signature sound rooted in the Baroque era, while a commitment to exploring broader repertoire with new audiences gives Mercury a unique place in the Houston arts ecosystem. Mercury has grown from a small instrument period ensemble into a dynamic arts institution. While expanding their offerings beyond early music, the core vision remains unchanged: to make classical music accessible and relevant to Houston’s diverse communities. Mercury accomplishes this through its Downtown Series, Neighborhood Series, school residencies, and educational touring programs. This multi-faceted approach has fostered a devoted audience comprised of a wide cross-section of Houston community members, affirming Mercury’s position as a fresh, inclusive, and welcoming presence in the city’s vibrant arts scene. Mercury’s touring programs offer flexibility, ranging from two-hour orchestral concerts covering Baroque to Romantic eras for audiences up to 1,000, to smaller ensembles for intimate venues. Additionally, Mercury offers 45-minute educational presentations for school assemblies that combine curriculum topics such as science and history with classical music introductions, and workshops that cater to school orchestral programs. Photo by BEND Productions.