Bel Canto, the 2001 winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, by author Ann Patchett, follows the story of an evening of opera gone horribly awry. The book takes place in an unknown South American country, during a party in which the star attraction is a beautiful American Soprano. In the midst of the celebration,…
Maureen Nelson on her Chamber Concert March 4th
ROCO violinist, Maureen Nelson, will present a chamber concert on Sunday afternoon, March 4th, 4:00pm, at Gremillion & Co. Fine Art, 2501 Sunset. Maureen keeps a busy touring schedule with engagements both across the US and abroad. She is a founding member and first violinist of the Grammy-nominated Enso String Quartet, which formed while Maureen earned…
String Quartet to present a multimedia performance Feb 23 in Cullen Hall
Filmed in 1916, the silent movie Deschutes Driftwood will be given new life by composer Dr. Elena Ruehr in our ROCO String Quartet Concert on February 23rd. The film follows the life of a traveling a hobo by the name of Weak Knees Walter, who travels the rails along the Deschutes River in Oregon. The…
Paul English and the Inspiration for Lumiere Lunaire
“Moonstruck and moondrunk / the white-faced clown/ that intoxicated poet of wine that only eyes may drink/ Pierrot…” So begins the poem Pierrot Lunaire , written by renowned conductor and ROCO friend, JoAnn Falletta. The poem, originally inspired by Arnold Schoenberg’s 1912 composition of the same name, has in turn motivated Paul English to compose Lumiere…
ROCO Welcomes Dynamic Guest Conductor Kazem Abdullah
We are delighted to have Maestro Kazem Abdullah join us for our February concert. Quickly becoming one of the most sought after young conductors on the classical scene and named #4 on the Daily Beast’s list of “Young Rock Stars of the Conducting World.”, Maestro Abdullah has conducted all over the world, including with the…
Alecia Lawyer talks about the World Premiere of Paul English’s Lumiere Lunaire
I am very excited about our premiere by Paul English. Many Houstonians know him as a fabulous jazz pianist. He is a brilliant musician, no matter the genre. When I asked him to write ROCO a piece, I gave him carte blanche. I did, however, give him a book of poetry by Jo Ann Falletta,…
Don’t miss ROCO in Concert, Feb 18-19
River Oaks Chamber Orchestra (ROCO) continues its 2011-2012 season, “a fusion of cultures and generations,” by welcoming Kazem Abdullah, who will conduct Schubert Symphony No. 4, Haydn Cello Concerto, performed by soloist, Richard Belcher, the world premiere of Paul English’s Lumière Lunaire, plus a surprise or two. Maestro Kazem Abdullah has become one of the…
Peter and the Wolf at the Houston Zoo, Jan 15th
On Sunday, January 15th, 2012, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra (ROCO) and InterActive Theater Company will present two performances of the children’s classic, Peter and the Wolf, in partnership with The Houston Zoo. The story, whose original intent was to “cultivate musical tastes in children from the first years of school,” still delights and entertains. An…
ROCO and St. John the Divine present a holiday concert: Amahl and the Night Visitors
St. John the Divine and River Oaks Chamber Orchestra will present their second annual production of Amahl and the Night Visitors, on January 6th, 2012, at 6 and 8pm, at The Church of St. John the Divine. The perfect way to celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” by Gian Carlo Menotti, is…
New ROCO String Quartet Series at University of St. Thomas
With the launch of this String Quartet series, ROCO is featuring chamber ensembles drawn from within the full 40-piece chamber orchestra. Chamber music has been called “music among friends” because of its intimate nature. This series allows ROCO to expand relationships among musicians, with composers, and with the audience by presenting musical conversations that include…
Announcing our 2011-2012 Season
ROCO’s 2011-2012 season is a “fusion of cultures and generations,” with ROCO’s 40 all-star musicians and guest artists from around the world presenting classical favorites and world premieres. First up is Beer & Brass at St. Arnold Brewery, September 20th, followed by the inaugural concert of a new ROCO Chamber Series hosted by the University of…
ROCO Concert Series on KUHF
Throughout the month of July ROCO Concerts will be rebroadcast on the new Classical 91.7 (formerly KUHF) on Wednesday evenings at 8pm. Tune in, or listen online at Classical91.7.org
