Third Time Conducting Houston Symphony in Pandemic

Photo Credit: Laura Barisonzi

After such a long year of many concerts being cancelled due to the pandemic, one very bright spot has been Houston Symphony’s initiative to keep live music going. Nic has returned to Houston three times so far this season during the pandemic to lead this top-level orchestra.

The most recent appearance was December 4-6, 2020 for “A Baroque Christmas” where Nic led the orchestra and world-class soloists: soprano Angela Meade, mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, tenor Chad Shelton, and bass Morris Robinson. Two media outlets covered this — one review and one interview.

Read Houston Chronicle’s review that claimed, "[McGegan's] depth of knowledge, attention to detail, and congenial manner resulted in an enlightening and uplifting performance."

Prior to the performances, Nic was interviewed by Houston Press where he gives a nice reflection on what streamed concerts mean for the arts right now. From the interview, Nic says, "Houston Symphony is really on the cutting edge of doing these almost weekly online concerts. That’s absolutely fantastic! There are symphonies out there still trying to work it out. Some orchestras have cancelled their entire seasons. Houston Symphony is doing amazing programming and finding innovative ways of getting the music out to the audiences. It’s made a difference for the morale of the orchestra, and the Houston Symphony name is reaching to other parts of the world because this is what people are tuning into. I feel fortunate to be a part of it." Read the full interview at Houston Press.