ROCO flute duo Brook Ferguson and Rebecca Powell Garfield (Photo by Rolando Ramon)
HOUSTON, TX – Lauded for its intimate performance settings and musician-curated programming that spotlights instrument families, ROCO’s Unchambered Series opens with flutists Brook Ferguson and Rebecca Powell Garfield, who have assembled a program showcasing the full scope of the wind instrument’s versatile sound spectrum.
The duo’s performance, sponsored by Frost Bank, takes place on Saturday, October 11, 5:00 p.m. at the newly-renovated Charles P. Rhinehart Music Auditorium, Texas Southern University. This debut performance at the university adds to ROCO’s growing list of over 79 venues throughout Houston. Originally built in the 1940s as a synagogue, the auditorium was acquired by the university in 1958, but unfortunately had to close its doors due to the Harvey flood in 2016. It was recently reopened in May 2025 after a $3.5M renovation, making this one of the first concerts to take place in the refurbished space. The upgraded auditorium now features powered seating for 300 and an enhanced stage, providing audiences with optimal comfort and viewing. From the shimmering heights of the piccolo to the rich depths of the bass flute, the duo’s program explores the flute family’s range through a variety of works that include solos, duets, as well as a piece for flute choir. Two composers featured—Valerie Coleman and Ian Clarke—are familiar names in ROCO’s repertoire, from an earlier Unchambered performance and a livestreamed solo performance by Ferguson. The rest of the program features composers making their ROCO debut: Adina Izarra’s Plumismo for piccolo solo, Franz and Karl Doppler’s Rigoletto Fantasy for 2 flutes & piano, and Yuko Uebayashi’s Au-Delà du Temps for 2 flutes & piano.
The duo will also be joined by ROCO pianist Audrey Andrist for several works, and by local Houston flute ensemble Flutes on the Bayou as guest artists for the performance of Valerie Coleman’s Juba for flute choir.
Pay-What-You-Wish tickets are available on the official event site. Both concerts will be livestreamed for free at ROCO.org/live, as well as on ROCO’s Facebook and YouTube channels.
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