The symphony aims to attract all tastes in music.

The Houston Symphony has announced its lineup for the 2009-2010 season. The season will begin on September 4 with the "Hits of the 60's & 70's." The event will feature the group, Rockapella.

This year's schedule will also feature a concert that merges sound and pictures. From January 21-24, 2010, the symphony will perform Gustav Holst's "The Planets" with projections of NASA's latest exploration photographs.

"The Houston Symphony is about innovation, as is NASA," says CEO Matthew VanBesien. "Creating a project like this with film and music is extraordinary, but what makes it more special is it isn't just about the Houston Symphony. It's about the Houston region and the space community here."

"Artistically, this is very compelling video that was custom tailored for us," says Music Director Hans Graf, who is entering his ninth year with the Houston Symphony.

VanBesien says the entire schedule aims to attract all tastes in music. He says the symphony is constantly trying to attract new segments of the population, but a weakened economy means the organization must work even harder.

"It really is a full spectrum," he adds. "We're an orchestra that's doing Mahler and Beethoven, and then the next week, we'll do a concert with Kenny Rogers."

The Houston Symphony was founded in 1913 and now operates on a budget of $25 million. The symphony performs about 170 concerts a year.
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