Artist-Led; Artist-Curated

Dubbed "Houston's Indie, Conductorless Orchestra" and “Best Chamber Orchestra of 2023” (Houston Public Media; Houston Press), the artist-led, artist-curated Kinetic Ensemble has gained increasing national recognition as an innovative and dynamic force in Houston’s music scene, and an important advocate for the diversification of classical music repertoire.

Formed in 2015, the 16-member, conductorless string ensemble has been hailed for its “remarkably varied and rich strata of string colour,” (Choir & Organ) its “visually arresting…brilliantly executed” performances, and its “agile virtuosity and vibrant sound” (Arts and Culture Texas). With a commitment to amplifying diverse, under-performed, and newly composed classical music, Kinetic has premiered over twenty works by emerging and established composers of our time, including Karim Al-Zand, Patrick Harlin, Daniel Knaggs, Paul Novak, Nicky Sohn, and Daniel Temkin; and has championed the music of composers as varied as Grażyna Bacewicz, Amy Beach, Jennifer Higdon, Miklós Rózsa, Einoiuhani Rautavaara, Philip Glass, and Heitor Villa-Lobos. Kinetic’s self-titled album, which explores the deep-rooted connections between musical sound and the natural world, was released in 2023 and debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Traditional Classical charts.

2024-2025 marks 10 years of dynamic music-making for Kinetic, and this milestone season will feature premiere performances of 12 new works by American composers; educational residencies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rice University, and Sam Houston State University; and an impressive lineup of artist-collaborators, including GRAMMY® winner and MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellow Miguel Zenón, the genre-defying musician Evan Ziporyn, and inspiring young composers Erberk Eryılmaz, Mason Bynes, and Patrick Harlin. This season will also see Kinetic’s return to Moody Center for the Arts and Asia Society Texas — two of Houston’s innovative cultural institutions — for performances combining visual art, poetry, new music, and improvised folk traditions.

With collaboration at its core, Kinetic has partnered with numerous cultural organizations toward creating innovative and accessible performance experiences, including Asia Society Texas, DACAMERA, Center for Performing Arts Medicine at Houston Methodist, Moody Center for the Arts, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Musiqa, and NobleMotion Dance Company. Recent artist-collaborators who have joined Kinetic in performance include GRAMMY® award winners Sasha Cooke (mezzo-soprano) and Houston Chamber Choir, GRAMMY® nominee Clarice Assad (composer/vocalist/pianist), Christopher Bozeka (tenor), Yelena Dyachek (mezzo-soprano), Alexandra Smither (soprano), Charles Paul (bass), and Windsync (wind quintet).Deeply committed to its educational initiatives, Kinetic has held residencies and workshops at Rice University and Sam Houston State University, as well as numerous middle and high schools in the greater Houston area. Kinetic also frequently presents free performances in locations as varied as the James Turrell Skyspace at Rice University, Houston Methodist Hospital, community parks, and neighborhood coffee shops, ensuring that live classical music experiences are accessible to all.

Kinetic’s educational initiatives, which emphasize collaborative approaches to music-making, have inspired hundreds of students from middle school-age to college undergraduates and beyond, with residencies and workshops held at schools and universities throughout the Greater Houston area. The ensemble’s signature educational programs include interactive open rehearsal demonstrations, immersive side-by-side performance experiences, and composition workshops that empower young composers to write masterfully for strings. Kinetic is committed to making live classical music experiences accessible to all, frequently presenting free concerts in open spaces, such as  James Turrell Epiphany Skyspace, Houston Methodist Hospital, community parks, and neighborhood coffee shops.

In addition to Kinetic’s debut full-length album, the ensemble’s studio recordings are also featured on Pierre Jalbert: String Theory (Orchid Classics, 2021), Daniel Knaggs: Two Streams (Capella Records, 2023), Studies in Nature: New Music by Karim Al-Zand (Centaur Records, 2018).