On Sunday, January 15th, 2012, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra (ROCO) and InterActive Theater Company will present two performances of the children’s classic, Peter and the Wolf, in partnership with The Houston Zoo.

The story, whose original intent was to “cultivate musical tastes in children from the first years of school,” still delights and entertains. An ensemble of ROCO musicians will play Prokofiev’s composition while actors from InterActive Theater Company narrate and act out the story. These performances will be part of a program that promotes understanding of Wolf Conservation.

Sunday, January 15, 2012
2:00 and 3:30pm
in the Brown Education Center Auditorium
in The Houston Zoo
6200 Hermann Park Drive
(formerly Golf Course Drive)
Houston, TX 77030
(713) 533-6500
Free with zoo admission

This event is generously sponsored by The University of Texas MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital.

 

St. John the Divine and River Oaks Chamber Orchestra will present their second annual production of Amahl and the Night Visitors, on January 6^th, 2012, at 6 and 8pm, at The Church of St. John the Divine.

The perfect way to celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” by Gian Carlo Menotti, is the story of the journey of the Magi to visit the new Christ Child. Told through the eyes of a child, it is a poignant tale of a crippled shepherd boy and his destitute mother’s encounter with the three kings. This story inspires as it beautifully illustrates the true meaning of Christmas.

Steve Newberry, Conductor
Kate Pogue, Director
Joseph Hlavinka, Amahl
Sonja Brusauskas, Mother
Magi: Timothy Jones, Joe Rawley, Eduardo Tercero 

Bring the entire family to this 45-minute production. Following the first performance and before the second one, join us in Sumners Hall to meet the cast, and enjoy a reception with family activities.

Amahl and the Night Visitors
January 6, 2012, at The Church of St. John the Divine
Performances at 6pm and 8pm (45-minutes in length)
Reception between performances
Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for students at the door
Children 5 and under are free.

 

It’s unfathomable to think that society has enjoyed 270 years of Handel’s Messiah,a tradition indispensable during the holiday season. More so, it has taken circa three centuries for someone to realize the piece is just not at all kid friendly.

That’s where River Oaks Chamber Orchestra’s Alecia Lawyer comes in to commission a composer like Karim Al-Zand — on faculty at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music — to craft a version (Messiah for Kids!) that sheds light on the connection between words and music. To do so, the score calls for an actor to portray Handel. That will be Rutherford Cravens, call him Ruddy for short.

You have seen Cravens at the Alley and as an essential part of the yearly Shakespeare Festival at Miller Outdoor Theater. I can’t imagine anyone more suited for the part. Expect to sing, participate and learn a thing or two. Saturday at 11 a.m.

by Joel Luks @ CultureMap, Dec 1, 2011
Full story here

Trick-or-treating at the ArBOOretum, skulls roll at Lawndale & more
By Joel Luks for CultureMap
10-19-2011

“Upstairs with ROCO” are small, private, infotaining River Oaks Chamber Orchestra events during which musicians talk about the trials and tribulations of their field. Percussionist Matt McClung schlepped his drum set (amidst an endless crew of other musical instruments) from his home in Corpus Christi to speak about his adventures with the popular apparatus. We’ll be talking to him at length, so be on the look-out for an in-depth look at how a musician prepares for a performance. 

How close can you get to opera stars like Anna Netrebko, Ekaterina Gubanova, Ildar Abdrazakov and Stephen Costello? With The Metropolitan Opera’s Live in HD screenings kicking off this weekend, it appears they are within an arm’s reach. This David McVicar-helmed, historically accurate production packed movie theaters. Where else can opera be experienced with popcorn, Milk Duds and a soda?

Check out the schedule. This season is packed with new and old favorites, including Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Phillip Glass’ Satyagraha and the continuation of the Met’s new Ring Cycle. 

Alley Theatre’s Dividing the Estate commented on gentrification, change in family and societal values and the friction between an old Southern way of life and urban “progress.” With the right amount of comic relief — and a few yawns in the second act as the play dragged on and on — Horton Foote’s Wharton-then-versus-Houston-now is a classic Texas story worthy of your time, if for no other reason, for the “period accents.” Just grab a cup of coffee prior.

Houston Arts Alliance and Buffalo Bayou Partnership unveiled Mark Dion’s Buffalo Bayou Invasive Plant Eradication Unit, Idina Menzel found some clothes to wear at the Houston Symphony, Divergence Vocal Theater planted a severed head in a pot of basil and Dominic Walsh Dance Theater made audiences cry.

On the menu this week is a series of very appetizing events. Hope to see you out and about!

24th Annual Día de los Muertos Gala & Silent Auction at Lawndale Art Center

The retablo exhibition is one of my favorite artsy happenings at Lawndale Art Center. Taking its cue from the tradition of retablos — a Latin American devotional painting or folk art — 300 emerging and established artists are crafting their own on 8-by-10 tin metal sheets.

The walls of Lawndale are already dotted with these festive yet thoughtful works. The exhibit opened on Monday. On Friday at 7 p.m., the highest bidders will step up to claim their favorites in the gala and silent auctions, chaired by Jessica Phifer and James Glassman. With nibbles and noshes provided by Izkali Tequila, Saint Arnold Brewing Company, Catering by Culinaire, El Tiempo Cantina, Goodie Bars, Last Concert Cafe, Natachee’s Supper and Punch, Tacos A Go-Go and Whole Foods, the place will be packed with art-curious personalities.  

ArBOOretum Nature Family Festival at Houston Arboretum and Nature Center

Having just recently enjoyed a leisurely promenade through the Arboretum’s woods, into the meadow and by the turtle pond, the 155-acre nature sanctuary is the type of rural-within-urban oasis where Houstonians can reconnect with the Bayou City’s original wilderness. With the weather slightly cooler, why not take the kiddos and enjoy a day of pre-Halloween activities?

It’s more than just a children’s costume party. ArBOOretum takes trick-or-treating to an educational level, during which guests will learn about the spooky world of predators like coyotes, bats, owls and spiders alongside treat stations, arts and crafts activities, pumpkin decorating, pony rides, face painting, a petting zoo, a train and hay rides. The boolicious festivities begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, though members have the added benefit of getting in an hour earlier. 

AIA Houston 2011 Home Tour

Sometimes, size doesn’t matter. The American Institute of Architects Houston Home Tour Saturday and Sunday opens the doors to nine residences from 550 to 4,300 square feet, proving that impeccable design is not determined by space. The homes on tour also showcase how sustainability weaves into aspects of floor plan flow, light and materials.

The event offers an opportunity to discover who’s doing what in the city’s architecture scene. The 2011 lineup will showcase the stylings of 2Scale Architects, Interloop Architecture, Intexture, Donna Kacmar, FAIA, m+a architecture studio, Natalye Appel + Associates Architecture, Stern and Bucek Architects and studioMet. 

River Oaks Chamber Orchestra Season Opening Concert

Call the ensemble ROCO (rhymes with loco), as the musicians are much cooler and friendlier than its traditional name implies. It’s more than a concert; ROCO events are an opportunity to get something more out of music and offer an opportunity to get to know the artists. Classical musicians aren’t scary, but rather are an amicable amd quirky bunch.

The orchestra brings back Mei-Ann Chen to Houston to lead Martinu’s Toccata, Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 and Finzi’s Songs, performed with baritone soloist Timothy Jones. But that’s not all. There are usually a few surprises. I know what they are, but I am not telling.

The concert is set for 5 p.m. Saturday at the Church of St. John the Divine and 7 p.m. Sunday at First Presbyterian Church of Kingwood.

Emerging Leaders’ 11th Annual “Reds, Whites & BOOS!” at Advantage BMW Midtown

Emerging Leaders knows that the next generation of influencers in Houston aren’t shy to partying hard after working hard. Chairs Karen Osborn Stewart and Reda Hicks have masterminded a wicked social affair with a eerily mischievous tenor.

There will be wine, craft beers, evil spirits, light bites from local restaurants and a costume contest. Saturday at 7 p.m.

Assistant editor and nightlife expert Caroline Gallay’s pick: Second Annual Girls Inc. Be Bold Margarita Competition & Silent Auction

Caroline says: “My pick this week is the Girls Inc. Be Bold Margarita showdown Wednesday at the Cadillac Bar. All the margaritas will be made with Izkali tequila — a local brand I’m super excited about and wrote about a few months ago — in support of Girls Inc., a non-profit empowering young women to reach their fullest potential. Deborah Duncan is emceeing and the ladies of the Houston Roller Derby will serve as badass judges.” 

Arts contributor, fun beer gal and Houston’s Dancehunter’s picks: The Blonde, the Brunette, and the Vengeful Redhead at Stages Repertory Theatre

Nancy says: “Don’t let the title, The Blonde, the Brunette, and the Vengeful Redhead, fool you. Robert Hewitt’s one-woman show is not what it seems, nor is it fluffy stuff. What it is, I cannot reveal. Just trust me; it’s complicated.

“But I will tell you that Suzan Koozin delivers the performance of her life in this show, where she plays several characters transforming before our eyes. From an wise-cracking old lady to a four-year-old boy, Koozin makes us believe. It’s simply a marvel to witness. Kenn McLaughlin directs with a spare hand while Kirk Markley’s minimalist set and lights add to the suspense. The play runs through Oct. 30; I suggest running there to see it.”

Lifestyle contributor and Houston explorer Whitney Radley’s pick: A. D. Players presents Driving Miss Daisy at Miller Outdoor Theatre

Whitney says: “The weekend’s weather looks perfect for anything outside. Pack a blanket and settle in on the hill at Miller Outdoor Theatre for A.D. Players’ production of Driving Miss Daisy. Treat yourself to some hot chocolate from the concession stand — because it’s autumn and anything below 70 degrees feels cold.” Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.

With the launch of this String Quartet series, ROCO is featuring chamber ensembles drawn from within the full 40-piece chamber orchestra. Chamber music has been called “music among friends” because of its intimate nature. This series allows ROCO to expand relationships among musicians, with composers, and with the audience by presenting musical conversations that include contemporary as well as classic repertoire.

This new series is another step in the University’s multi-year plan to establish a major performing arts center on the St. Thomas campus.

The first concert, on September 29th, 2011, features violinists, Cece Weinkauff and Kirsten Yon, violist and group leader, Suzanne LeFevre, and cellist, Richard Belcher. Each is an accomplished artist-performer: Cece has been a member of the St. Louis Symphony and currently freelances and teaches in New York City. Kirsten is currently in residence at the University of Houston where she serves as Associate Professor of Violin. Suzanne is a violist with ROCO, Houston Grand Opera, and Mercury Baroque, and affiliate professor of Viola at University of Houston. Richard Belcher is ROCO principal cellist and a member of the Grammy-nominated Enso Quartet.

The new ROCO String Quartet Series is sponsored in part by the Houston Press!

Download Press Announcement: Here.

Naked classical music: Your guide to Houston’s intimate side

By Joel Luks, Published on CultureMap, Aug 23, 2011

Editors Note: We’ve asked Houston arts leaders and CultureMap contributors to pick the jewels from Houston’s upcoming arts season — the events that they don’t plan to miss. Here’s what’s on listings editor Joel Luks’ don’t miss list:

There’s no better way to get to know a musician’s artistry than through chamber music. Don’t get me wrong. I am completely for the power, volume and scale of a full-sized 80-piece symphony orchestra — throw in a chorus and you have a musical army of Texas proportions.

But the minute nuances that elevate an instrumentalist to a musician to an artist come to the fore in the more intimate classical music format. From as little as one musician to the more popular string quartet to the wind quintet and other configurations, chamber music has something for everyone. 

Think of chamber music as naked classical music. There is very little in between the listener and the performer’s interpretation. No note is lost. Nothing can hide.

We tend to think of chamber music as serious. Could that be the fault of the label itself? Chamber sounds antiquated, stoic, formal. But at its roots — growing up from an accompanying art form during the Renaissance to an established genre in the Baroque period — chamber music was indeed the music of friends. For nearly 200 years, it was the period’s answer to a leisurely home activity.

It wasn’t until the technological advances of the 19th century — when instruments emerged with richer, louder sounds and bigger presence — that the art form immigrated to the concert stage.

Today, you can engage in a myriad of different concert experiences in chamber music. If you are the modern traditionalist, an onstage performance may be your cup of tea. If you are the artistically-curious, a more intimate setting may strike your fancy. Or, if you are the inquisitive social type wanting to get up close and personal — real close and personal — you can opt for an interactive structure where performing artists turn into your beer drinking buds.

This fall, the Houston art scene has lots to offer you. To help plan ahead, here are my suggestions:

Houston Grand Opera Studio Recitals at Rienzi

What’s not to love about combining the energy of emerging opera stars and the opulent (yet comfortable) setting of Rienzi? These series of recitals continue in European Decorative Arts wing of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

The Houston Grand Opera Studio assembles the most promising young singers from across the globe. This program helped propel the careers of mezzo Joyce Di Donato, soprano Albina Shagimuratova, baritone Liam Bonner, soprano Rebekah Camm and baritone Scott Hendricks, among a large army of divas and divos. 

It doesn’t really matter what they are signing. You can say, I knew them when, or I heard them here, years later. 

After each concert, there are usually bites and cocktails, during which concert goers can enjoy the exquisite outdoor areas at Rienzi.

The first program of the 2011-12 season is Friday, Sept. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Jerusalem String Quartet presented by Houston Friends of Chamber Music

This concert will mark Jerusalem Quartet’s Houston debut with Houston Friends of Chamber Music. Run primarily by volunteers with one staff member, this nonprofit is a perfect example of what can be done when passions are alive.

The repertoire spans from the classical period with Mozart’s String Quartet No. 15 in D Minor, travels to the rich sonorities of German romanticism courtesy of Brahms String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, landing also in the dual style of Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor.

Tuesday, Oct. 11 at Shepherd School of Music’s Stude Concert Hall.

Pianist Yuja Wang presented by Society for the Performing Arts

Remember the days of cute little Midori and Sarah Chang? We’ve been watching Chinese pianist Yuja Wang since she was young enough to wear princess dresses and don pig tails. She was as much of a bad ass then as she is now.

At 24 years of age, she has performed under the most discerning batons and received a Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance — without orchestra — in 2010. Though her repertoire for her Houston solo recital — also without orchestra — has not been finalized, that won’t deter me from saving the date. 

Wednesday, Oct. 12 at Jones Hall. 

River Oaks Chamber Orchestra (ROCO) principal clarinetist Nathan Williams in recital at Gremillion & Co.

I credit ROCO for revolutionizing the way classical music is presented in Houston. Always engaging while keeping its artistic integrity, ROCO formats allow listeners to get into the music. Concerts have a social component and an element of surprise.

We first met Williams prior to his performance of the Copland Clarinet Concerto. His control is sublime. His sound? Like butter. If there could be a clarinet rock star, Williams would be it.

On Sunday, Nov. 13, he will be featured in the orchestra’s recital series, also marking the beginning of a partnership with Gremillion & Co.

Guitarist Sharon Isbin and violinist Mark O’Connor presented by Da Camera of Houston

The duo should not need an introduction. Isbin is a virtuoso across genres sailing through avant-garde, traditional and more popular art music with relative ease. The guitar, in her hands, is a toy. O’Connor is equally comfortable in folk, classical or jazz style. The pair together is a force to be reckoned with. 

What happens when classical artists — who have an understanding of harmonic and structural form — dabble in folk music? Sometimes, they fall short if they do not internalize the music’s spirit. But not Isbin and O’Connor. They get it and use their traditional training to add sophistication to O’Connor’s Appalachia Waltz and the Strings and Threads Suite.

Friday, Nov. 18 at the Wortham Theater Center. 

Local chamber ensembles: Apollo Chamber Players and WindSync

It would be difficult to narrow down just one concert from these two ensembles. The Apollo Chamber Players have earned a reputation for presenting rarely heard music that explores where classical and folk genres meet, usually creating their own interpretations that show off the players’ individual strengths. Hear them at the 9/11 Memorial Concert on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. at University of St. Thomas, or catch them at the Inaugural Concert of the Houston Heights Orchestra— where the ensemble is in residence along with WindSync — Saturday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m.

Though all members of WindSync wind quintet stem from traditional classical music backgrounds, there is nothing traditional about the way the troupe operates. Keep an eye out for the group’s Classical Revolution concerts — in bars with beer and wine. They will also perform alongside Apollo at the Heights Orchestra concert.

ROCO’s 2011-2012 season is a “fusion of cultures and generations,” with ROCO’s 40 all-star musicians and guest artists from around the world presenting classical favorites and world premieres.

First up is Beer & Brass at St. Arnold Brewery, September 20th, followed by the inaugural concert of a new ROCO Chamber Series hosted by the University of St. Thomas on September 29th . On October 22-23, join the full 40-piece chamber orchestra for ROCO in Concert, when we’ll welcome guest conductor, Mei-Ann Chen, Conductor of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Sinfonietta, and baritone soloist, Timothy Jones.

Whether it’s beer and brass, traditional classics, or new compositions, ROCO is “the most fun you can have with serious music.”

See the full season schedule here, and subscribe now!

Throughout the month of July ROCO Concerts will be rebroadcast on the new Classical 91.7 (formerly KUHF) on Wednesday evenings at 8pm. Tune in, or listen online at Classical91.7.org

American composer Aaron Copland is probably best-known for his ballet scores, including Billy the Kidd and Appalachian Spring. Copland had a wide range of artistic interests, collaborating with choreographer Martha Graham, writing film scores, and composing in most of the significant styles of the 20^th century over the course of his career. His interest in jazz and Latin jazz is at work in the Clarinet Concert, which was commissioned by the clarinetist and bandleader Benny Goodman. Goodman also had eclectic musical interests, and during his career went from big band to bebop and beyond. But he was always interested in classical music as well, and recorded Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, K. 581 in the 1930s. Goodman also commissioned Béla Bartók’s Contrasts, for clarinet, violin and piano; that piece, like the Copland and other works Goodman commissioned, has become part of the standard repertoire.

The Copland Concerto was premiered in November 1950, in a radio broadcast by Goodman and the NBC Symphony Orchestra., conducted by Frtiz Reiner. Two weeks later, clarinetist Ralph McClane gave the piece its public premiere with the Philadelphia Orchestra. The following year, choreographer Jerome Robbins set his ballet The Pied Piper to the concerto, which helped the piece gain critical and audience acclaim.

Copland’s work from this period has been described as “…a remarkable body of work, in a style which came as close as any to blending popular and serious in a productively intimate synthesis.” The Concerto, with its jazz influence, is such a blend.  The piece’s structure and instrumentation are unconventional; Copland explained his instrumentation this way: The instrumentation being clarinet with strings, harp, and piano, I did not have a large battery of percussion to achieve jazzy effects, so I used slapping basses and whacking harp sounds to simulate them. The Clarinet Concerto ends with a fairly elaborate coda in C major that finishes off with a clarinet glissando – or “smear” in jazz lingo. Written in two movements, rather than the traditional three-movement concerto form, the first movement, marked “Slowly and expressively”, showcases the clarinet’s ability to blend with strings and play lyrically. The virtuosity that audiences expect from a piece called “concerto” doesn’t appears until the cadenza that links the two movements. Fans of Leonard Bernstein might hear hints of his style in the cadenza, as the soloist leaves the wistfulness of the first movement behind and transitions to Latin-jazz influenced second (marked “Rather fast”). The piece has been recorded many times, including a recording by Goodman himself.

Take home points:

• Copland wrote this piece on commission from Benny Goodman
• The Clarinet Concerto blends elements of popular and classical music
• Copland continued to grow as a composer throughout his career, and never stopped experimenting musically

Come hear ROCO principal clarinet, Nathan Williams, perform the Copland Clarinet Concerto at our Season Finale April 9th & 10th!

José Bowen, among many other things, is the Dean of the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University. His biography is extraordinary: as a scholar he has contributed immensely to the musicological field; as a jazz performer he has been all over the world. He has held a number of prestigious academic posts as well. Bowen is also a composer. This symphony, his first, was premiered at Stanford when Bowen was a student there, and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1985. It’s scored for a large orchestra, including pairs or more of woodwinds, high and low brass, harp, piano and four percussionists. Bowen is ambivalent about program notes, so here is the story behind the piece, in his own words.

 “I wrote this as a young man—22. I was an undergrad, so no computers, nothing.  I still have the original score – in pencil.  I subtitled it “romantic” although I can’t quite remember what possessed me, except that I see the themes of a young man.  A romantic waltz that starts the third movement gradually gets pulled apart and despite some valiant efforts from our young romantic hero, finally gets destroyed (I guess she broke up with me!)  The fourth movement starts back at the beginning with the frenzy of the modern world—represented here by some nice tone rows.  Then a resurgence of the “love theme”  (the half step and triad theme). There is some integration of the two themes as the movement continues, and I think I wanted the romantic love to win out.  Note at the very end, each of these themes gets another brief tender encounter before being smothered by a “classical ending.” The piece is really a love story. There is first sight and a sweet and tender waltz. The couple dance around for a little while the modern world (technology, your mother-in-law, work, who knows) gradually intrudes.  The themes conflict, but it seems to me that everyone has their own metaphor. Why not ask people to think about what most interferes with their relationships and then to see if they can hear this in the piece?

I think it is fair to say the piece is about love/idealism and the struggle it has with the real world. But ultimately the music says something about this conflict that is more important than who wins.  It is about how love continues to reclaim its place in our lives despite the rest of the world.”

- Jose Bowen