In a city bursting with culture, diversity, and artistic innovation, one organization has consistently led the charge in transforming how Houstonians experience music. Enter DaCamera, Houston’s boldest chamber music and jazz presenter, whose 2025–2026 season launches with an interstellar theme — "Other Worlds" — celebrating music’s unique ability to transport us beyond time, space, and limitation.

Celebrated as “reliably adventurous” by The Washington Post and praised for its “perennially thoughtful” programming by The New Yorker, DaCamera is more than just a performing arts institution — it’s a movement. Under the masterful vision of Artistic Director Sarah Rothenberg, now in her 30th year at the helm, the organization continues to raise the artistic bar while keeping the community deeply rooted in the mission: to inspire individuals and enrich communities through diverse and inventive musical experiences.

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Season Prelude: Bold Notes in the Park

The 2025–2026 journey begins on Friday, September 5, with an open-air concert by the Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet at the historic Miller Outdoor Theatre. This free concert will bring jazz lovers together under the stars as Thompson — an NPR-acclaimed prodigy whose star continues to rise — showcases a modern jazz spirit that bridges generations.

Season Theme: "Other Worlds" – Where Music Transcends

From Rachmaninoff to Piazzolla, from Schubert to Sorey, this season is a genre-defying sonic expedition. It kicks off with a celestial ensemble on Opening Night, Friday, October 3, in the Cullen Theater at Wortham Center. Featuring piano virtuoso Inon Barnatan, violinist Tessa Lark, and an elite cast of classical stars, the program includes Schubert’s “Trout” Piano Quintet — a whimsical, deeply human piece that reminds us that art can connect earthly experience with otherworldly emotion.

Other not-to-miss highlights this fall include:
Walter Smith III Quartet – A homegrown Houston jazz celebration (Oct. 17)
Matthias Goerne and Daniil Trifonov – A soul-stirring all-Schubert recital (Oct. 29)
Rafaël Feuillâtre’s two-night guitar magic at The Menil (Nov. 3–4)
Nicholas Payton Quartet and Ekep Nkwelle’s vocal brilliance (Nov. 14, Dec. 6)

 A Legacy of Imagination & Impact

This season is built on a legacy of original, interdisciplinary masterpieces. From the Pulitzer-nominated Monochromatic Light (Afterlife) to the profound Unearthed, DaCamera has introduced audiences to the power of music as a platform for social memory and environmental reflection. 2024’s Music for New Bodies and Earth Tones dared listeners to reckon with the Anthropocene — and this season continues that tradition of musical activism and aesthetic transcendence.

 Educating the Future, Empowering the Now

DaCamera’s Young Artist Program is one of the most progressive musical outreach initiatives in the country. By embedding music in STEM and humanities education across Houston, this program doesn’t just teach music — it teaches meaning.

DaCamera’s A Little Day Music series returns October 1st with a vibrant Hispanic Heritage Month tribute, proving once again that music belongs to everyone — at lunchtime, in schools, in galleries, and in neighborhoods.

Sarah Rothenberg: Houston’s Sonic Architect

Few artists embody artistic vision like Sarah Rothenberg. A “trailblazer” and “prolific thinker” (WSJ), Rothenberg has carved out a unique niche that blends literature, visual art, and music into immersive productions. Her global influence — from Lincoln Center to Brussels to Paris — feeds back into Houston, where every DaCamera season feels like an international festival grounded in local roots.

How to Join the Movement

Whether you’re a seasoned subscriber or a curious newcomer, the 2025–2026 DaCamera season offers something for every kind of ear and every kind of heart. Concerts are spread across some of Houston’s most beautiful venues, including The Menil Collection, Cullen Theater, and Miller Outdoor Theatre. With ticketed, free, and community-based programming, DaCamera ensures that access to world-class music is not a luxury — it’s a right.

🌐 www.dacamera.com
📞 Box Office: 713-524-5050 | 📧 boxoffice@dacamera.com
📍 1402 Sul Ross, Houston, TX 77006

💫 Final Note: This Season, Let Music Move You

As Houston continues to expand its global reputation for innovation, DaCamera proves that art and imagination remain at the city’s cultural core. The 2025–2026 season invites audiences to explore “Other Worlds” — not as an escape, but as a revelation. Prepare to be transformed.