ROCO

  • Meet
    • About ROCO
    • Artists
    • Board & Team
    • Newsroom
    • Press Kit
  • Livestream
  • Attend
    • Season Calendar
    • Performances
    • ROCOrooters
    • Season 18 Announced!
    • Accessibility
    • Pay What You Wish
  • Listen
    • Listening Room
    • ROCO on the Go
    • The Nightingale Book
    • Album
    • Video Library
    • Commissions, Premieres, Rescores, & Resources
  • Support
    • Ways to Support
    • ROCO Resound
    • ROCO Revelry Gala
    • Sponsors & Partners
    • Donate
  • Follow
    • Follow ROCO
    • ROCO Mobile App
  • Contact

Making Jabberwocky

Blog, October 24, 2014

The Commission

Anthony DiLorenzo

In early 2014 I was approached by The River Oaks Chamber Orchestra founder Alecia Lawyer to compose an original work for ROCO’s November concert series. Alecia had familiarized herself with several of my previous compositions and felt I would be well suited to write a piece in a similar vein. Fantasy is a place I’m very comfortable. We both took a couple of months to digest the possibilities. Alecia quickly beat me to the punch! She came up with an idea to have me write a piece that would complement Lewis Carroll’s famous poem, “The Jabberwocky”.

“Fantastic,” I said. “I love doing dark ominous music!”

“NO!” Alecia said. “This piece is going on a concert with a Beethoven Piano concerto. Keep it light and up.” I chortled.

Where to start? After a few months (and a lot of head scratching) I began the process. I needed to find the work’s tonality and color. I started simply, with a few chords and harmonies that would keep the music light and whimsical as well as being true to the nature of the poem itself. After all, it comes from a place in Wonderland where everything…is….WACKO! The music started to take shape, but I was unclear where I was going with all of this. Was I going to underscore the narrative? Write about the many odd and inventive creatures from Carroll’s imagination?

It wasn’t long before I had the idea to take things from a different angle. Why couldn’t I go further within the poem and explore a bit of that world? With Alice as our guide, let us journey into the Tulgey Woods where Borogoves, Jub Jubs, and Mome Raths play, and the haunting burbles of a more menacing foe awaits.

– Composer, Anthony DiLorenzo, is an Emmy Award-winning composer and trumpeter… read more about Anthony

Join ROCO for the world premiere performance of Jabberwocky on Saturday, November 8, at The Church of St. John the Divine. Anthony will give a pre-concert composer talk at 4pm. The concert begins at 5pm.

And on Sunday, November 9, join ROCO for an encore performance of the concert at The Centrum in Spring, Texas. This will be a weekend of Serious Fun!

Leave A Reply Cancel reply

Sign up to receive ROCO news and updates

SIGN UP NOW

Upcoming Performances

Wednesday, Mar 22 2023, 7:00pm

ROCO Connections: Here, There, and Nowhere

Saturday, Apr 1 2023, 10:30am

The Nightingale Book Launch

Saturday, Apr 1 2023, 7:30pm

ROCO Unchambered: Scott St. John & Friends

Future | April 29

Saturday, Apr 29 2023, 5:00pm

ROCO In Concert: Future

See More

Join the Conversation

Recent Posts

  • ROCO in Willow Watering Hole
  • ROCO in SPARK Parks
  • ROCO in SheSpace
  • ROCO in International Festival USA
  • ROCO in Houston Public Libraries

© ROCO | 1934 West Gray, Suite 311 | Houston, TX 77019 | 713-665-2700 | [email protected]
Registered 501(c)(3). EIN: 30-0288750
Privacy Policy

  • Meet
    • About ROCO
    • Artists
    • Board & Team
    • Newsroom
    • Press Kit
  • Livestream
  • Attend
    • Season Calendar
    • Performances
    • ROCOrooters
    • Season 18 Announced!
    • Accessibility
    • Pay What You Wish
  • Listen
    • Listening Room
    • ROCO on the Go
    • The Nightingale Book
    • Album
    • Video Library
    • Commissions, Premieres, Rescores, & Resources
  • Support
    • Ways to Support
    • ROCO Resound
    • ROCO Revelry Gala
    • Sponsors & Partners
    • Donate
  • Follow
    • Follow ROCO
    • ROCO Mobile App
  • Contact