Look back on ROCO’s Connections Series at Asia Society Texas Center, in From Here, There, and Nowhere, presenting an intimate evening of chamber music! ROCO violinist Min-Jeong Koh curated a personal, meaningful program of works by Asian composers, accompanied by her sister Bo Yon Koh on piano—musically telling their stories of immigrating from Korea to embracing their new home in North America.
ROCO Unchambered: Kristin Wolfe Jensen
Listen back to ROCO’s Season 18 Unchambered series performance from November 4 at Life HTX! Kristin Wolfe Jensen, ROCO’s Principal Bassoonist, curated a program centered around our gratitude for educators across the world, featuring chamber music for double reeds, and an interactive Q&A. This heartfelt, vibrant program also included a ROCO World Premiere Co-Commission by Kate Pukinskis for bassoon, oboe, and voice,…
ROCO Connections: Rise Up
ROCO’s Connections Series returned to the Asia Society Texas Center on October 20 presenting “Rise Up”— an evening of thought-provoking new chamber works and dialogue spotlighting the ongoing fight for women’s rights and equality, in the U.S, Iran, and around the world. Artistic Partner Mei-Ann Chen lead an ensemble of thirteen female ROCO musicians in the world premiere of Breaking the Veil by Grammy-winning Season 19 Composer-In-Residence Richard…
ROCO Connections: Blossoms
ROCO’s Connections Series continued on January 27 in collaboration with The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Rienzi house museum. The concert in their glorious ballroom featured Charles Loeffler‘s Rhapsodies and the world premiere of Nicky Sohn‘s Colors of Life’s Garden inspired by the plants and flowers in the 4.4-acre Rienzi Garden.
ROCO Connections: Simple Gifts
ROCO’s Connections Series continued on February 10 as we gave thanks for collaboration in “Simple Gifts,” bringing us to a new location at Rothko Chapel! Led by conductor Delyana Lazarova, Aaron Copland’s iconic tone poem Appalachian Spring, heard in its original 13-piece version, has inspired the ROCO-commissioned world premiere of James Stephenson’s Persephone with solo dancer, with original choreography by Marlana Doyle, founder of Houston Contemporary Dance Company. Jennifer Higdon’s quintet Celestial Hymns rounds…
ROCO Unchambered: Alecia Lawyer & Audrey Andrist
Capturing an evening of gorgeous sounds and sights, ROCO’s Unchambered Series opened on October 19th, 2024 at Horizon on Sunset Art Gallery & Event Center and featured Founder, Artistic Director, and Principal Oboist Alecia Lawyer and pianist Audrey Andrist. Be swept away in picturesque works curated by the performing artists themselves, such as Houston-native Jefferson Todd Frazier‘s Music for the Birds, inspired by species of the Gulf…
ROCO Unchambered: Bernhard Scully and Matthew McClung, Mark Schultz – Dragons in the Sky
Recorded live on November 21, 2024, from The Menil Collection’s Dan Flavin Installation at Richmond Hall, ROCO Principal Hornist Bernhard Scully and Principal Percussionist Matthew McClung deliver a thrilling performance of Mark Schultz‘s Dragons in the Sky.
ROCO Connections: The DeLUXE Theater
ROCO made its debut at the jewel of Houston’s 5th Ward Cultural Arts District, the beautifully renovated historic DeLUXE Theater, on January 25th as we welcomed guest violinist Nicole Cherry in collaboration with ROCO Artistic Partner Scott St. John, presenting an evening of chamber works honoring and inspired by the outstanding contributions of London-based nineteenth-century…
ROCO In Concert: Courageous
ROCO’s trailblazing spirit was embodied in “COURAGEOUS”, spotlighting the full 40-piece chamber orchestra, on February 8th at The Church of St. John the Divine! Led by ROCO’s newest Artistic Partner Delyana Lazarova, and featuring acclaimed pianist Lara Downes, this concert was a testament to daring artistry. The Houston Youth Symphony joined ROCO once again in a dynamic side-by-side collaboration, for Emilie Mayer‘s bold Overture No.…
ROCO In Concert: Outspoken
Bold musical expression, inspired by the human experience, took center stage in “OUTSPOKEN” on November 2nd, at The Church of St. John the Divine. GRAMMY-winning conductor JoAnn Falletta, led the full 40-piece chamber orchestra in the world premieres of Jonathan Leshnoff‘s No Grit No Pearl, a ROCO-commissioned work celebrating resilience, and Juan Pablo Contreras‘ vibrant Alma Monarca, another world premiere commissioned…
ROCO in Concert: Remarkable
The extraordinary was experienced in ROCO’s milestone 20th season-opening concert “REMARKABLE” – featuring the full 40-piece chamber orchestra in three world premieres plus a new twist on an out-of-this-world classic, recorded live from The Church of St. John the Divine on September 28th, 2024. Under the dynamic direction of Artistic Partner Mei-Ann Chen, we headed to the stars with the…
ROCO In Concert: Magnetic
Collaboration and innovation were on display in this June 7, 2024 showcase led by ROCO Artistic Partner and conductor Mei-Ann Chen as part of the 2024 League of American Orchestras Conference in Houston. Comprising several of ROCO’s previously commissioned world premieres and passion project works, alongside works by Gabriela Lena Frank, Jennifer Higdon, Errollyn Wallen, Reena Esmail, Heather Schmidt, and Leanna Primiani, and…
