“I wasn’t born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could,” says Brett Mitchell, quoting a favorite bumper sticker of his. “That’s kind of like me. Any excuse to come back to Texas is great.” On Saturday, Mitchell will return to Houston to make his debut with… the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra in “Ticket to Ride” at the Church of St. John the Divine.
A Note on Notes: A ROCOInsider Q&A with Mark Buller
In this installment of ROCOInsider, Audience Engagement Coordinator, Rachel Smith, sat down with ROCO’s program note writer, Mark Buller, to chat about what goes into the making of a program note.
Playing musical games: a ROCOInsider Q&A with co-principal violist Suzanne LeFevre
In this ROCOInsider, learn how co-principal violist Suzanne LeFevre crafted the program of ROCO Unchambered: Terzetto, hear why the viola is like a secret sauce, and discover why this performance is truly “music among friends!”
Bear Witness to This Revamped ‘Peter and the Wolf’ | Houstonia
LAST YEAR’S ROCO PERFORMANCE OF PETER AND THE WOLF was such a hit at the Houston Zoo, the show is coming back—this time with a twist.
“There are no more wolves at the Zoo,” explains ROCO’s founder and artistic director Alecia Lawyer, “but there is a new black bear exhibit.”
COME, PLAY, HANG OUT: HOUSE CONCERTS TAKE HOLD IN TEXAS | Arts and Culture TX
Imagine listening to Liszt in your living room. Whether it’s Mozart or Brahms or more contemporary offerings, house concerts have become so popular in Texas that you can find one happening most weekends throughout the state.
Tonal Evolution: Great New Music That Makes Room for Tunes | San Francisco Classical Voice
Recordings of new music rooted in tradition that still is uncompromisingly contemporary — and sometimes unsettling. Debates about new music have always focused mainly on styles that have caught listeners off guard.
ROCO: Visions Take Flight | Textura
There’s one reason in particular why Visions Take Flight, the double-CD debut release by ROCO, the Houston-based River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, nabbed the number nine slot in textura’s 2018 list of top classical releases…it’s because when ROCO selected works to include on the release, the musicians selected their favourite pieces from the group’s repertoire and the five chosen from the then fifty-eight available (the total now seventy-five) constitute an incredible sampling of material by living American composers.
River Oaks CO downsizes for ambitious program with Crumb, world premiere | Texas Classical Review
Houston’s River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, unlike many larger ensembles, gives its musicians the opportunity to play chamber music.
Composing evolution: a ROCOInsider Q&A with Sapien’s Stephanie Ann Boyd
Adding to ROCO’s ever-growing body of commissions, Saturday’s ROCO Unchambered: Force of Nature features the world premiere of Sapien by Stephanie Ann Boyd, for flute, oboe, cello and piano.
The music of nature: a ROCOInsider Q&A with principal flutist Brook Ferguson
As Season 14 continues with Saturday’s ROCO Unchambered: Force of Nature, we had a chance to chat with principal flutist Brook Ferguson in this edition of ROCOInsider, to explore her inspirations in curating a program embracing the beautiful connections between music and nature.
Visions Take Flight: ROCO Impresses with Debut Album of New Music | I Care If You Listen
Visions Take Flight is the remarkably assured debut album by the Houston-based River Oaks Chamber Orchestra (ROCO), released in November 2018 on Innova Recordings.
12 Days of Classical Music Makes Houston’s Holiday Season Very Merry | Houston Press
The weather outside is frightful, but inside Houston’s concert halls it’s quite delightful. ‘Tis the season for holiday music and our classical line-up caters to every taste.
