Emanuel Ax and the Houston Symphony

Few artists in the classical music world command the respect that pianist Emanuel Ax does. As a young boy, Ax left his native Poland (where both his parents were concentration camp survivors) and settled in Canada before going on to the Juilliard School of Music. Considered one of the greatest musicians of his generation, Ax has won competitions (the Arthur Rubenstein) and awards (the Avery Fisher Prize and a batch of Grammys), but most importantly, he’s won the hearts of audiences all around the world. His virtuosity and remarkable range have earned him a legion of fans, including fellow musician Yo-Yo Ma, a frequent collaborator. Today Ax will perform Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 1, written when Brahms was only 25 years old, along with Sibelius’s patriotic Finlandia and single-movement Symphony No. 7. 2:30 p.m. today; 8 p.m. November 15 and 17. Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. For tickets and information, call 713-224-7575 or visit www.houstonsymphony.org. Tickets start at $26.
Thu., Nov. 15, 8 p.m.; Sat., Nov. 17, 8 p.m.; Sun., Nov. 18, 2:30 p.m., 2007