In programming ROCO’s Unchambered concert “Dressed to the Nines” on April 24, associate artistic director Suzanne LeFevre started with the work that called for the largest instrumentation. What to do next? Program works that show personalities through more intimately sized chamber music scores. Q: You don’t see Josef Rheinberger’s Nonet in A Major in many…
Big trumpets, tall musicians and jazz improv: Thomas Hultén prepares for ROCO world premiere
Oh, brass players! That’s the most appropriate way to begin this informal chat with River Oaks Chamber Orchestra principal trombonist Thomas Hultén, who’s in the midst of fine tuning his skills for the world premiere of Dorothy Gates‘ Trombone Concerto on April 9 as part of the “Sliding Into Home” program at the Church of St.…
Flies and sour cream? Victor Yampolsky is one conductor with the most curious music analogies
It takes a special personality to be a conductor, to stand in front of a coterie of passionate (often opinionated), well-trained, intelligent musicians and tastemakers to lead them in performance. Maestro Victor Yampolsky is that very special personality, his instructions quirky and his music-making precise. Which is what rendered this friendly conversation with him that much…
Who’s Dag Hammarskjold? ROCO’s 53rd world premiere has his name all over it
A composer who requires members of an ensemble to stomp their feet march-style while playing probably has interesting stories to tell. Meet tunesmith Dorothy Gates, whose Trombone Concerto was commissioned by the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra at the suggestion of principal trombonist Thomas Hultén. The work, ROCO’s 53rd world premiere commission, is based on the…
Piano wars? A musical throwdown has one musician all over the keys
One musician. Two pianos. A musical showdown between past and present. Although this sounds like the beginning of an artistic boxing match, the setup for “Piano vs. Piano” on Sunday at the MATCH with keyboard virtuoso Christopher McKiggan at the helm isn’t meant to be a competition to the tuneful death. Instead, it’s an opportunity…
American Stradivarius sings flowing and whimsical musical poetry in Matchmaking
You’ll never forget the first time you hear Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “The Lark Ascending,” a work that’s pure musical poetry — literally (pun intended). The English composer was able to find just the right notes to portray the gracefulness of the skylark, so beautifully captured in the text of English poet George Meredith. This pastoral romance…
Pencil and manuscript: Marcus Maroney on going conductorless, composing fears and first instincts
Does creativity respond to rules and do rules help the creative process? This puzzling conundrum and more are revealed in this insightful conversation with composer Marcus Maroney, whose Concerto for Orchestra was commissioned by the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra to be premiered at the “Matchmaking” conductorless program on Saturday, February 13, at The Church of St. John…
Beer and brass: The happiest alliteration on earth
While the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra Brass Quintet, RBQ to those in the know, was preparing for the yearly “Beer and Brass” at Saint Arnold Brewing Company, it was logical that among the diligent refinement of the music, both artistically and technically, was the discussion of what’s one of the happiest beverages on earth. Kombucha.…
Banjo and didgeridoo wars: ROCO’s brass quintet cracks the whip on a brand new Nutcracker
We recently received a phone call from a puzzled reporter asking if indeed our ROCO Brass Quintet concert on Monday at Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens was at 10 a.m. Was that a mistake in the press materials? “Do brass players actually wake up early enough to play a 10 am concert?,” the journalist quipped.…
From dark and heavy to calm and peaceful: Messiaen’s quartet is about the journey
We continue our exploration of Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time” in a conversation with ROCO clarinetist Maiko Sasaki (click here for the first part). Q: Any specific narratives that help you perform your part with more emotional thrust? Maiko Sasaki: This piece was written for a unique combination of instruments: Clarinet, violin, cello and piano. That’s because the…
A haunting experience: Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time” needs to be experienced live
Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time” isn’t casual listening. It’s a work that changes people’s relationships to art’s ability to change paradigms through emotional experiences. In fact, an emotional experience is why ROCO clarinetist Maiko Sasaki suggested that the ensemble include a performance of the seminal work in its Unchambered Series. Q: Messiaen’s quartet is…
Drama and momentum build through beauty and strangeness: Shakuhachi war or nice conversation?
We continue our chat with American composer James Matheson ahead of the premiere of his Concerto for Two Shakuhachi “The Age of Air.” The work marks the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra’s 50th world premiere, a joint commission with Kyo-Shin-An Arts. Q: Tell us a bit about the melodies and harmonies? James Matheson: For me, the craft of composing always…
