**Event Description: ROCO Connections: Simple Gifts**

Join us for an enchanting evening of music and dance at the "ROCO Connections: Simple Gifts" concert, taking place on Saturday, February 10, 2024, at 5:00 PM at the Rothko Chapel in Houston, TX. This event is now at capacity, but you can still be part of the experience by joining our free livestream or contacting us to join the waiting list at email protected or 713-665-2700.

Sponsored by the Albert & Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation and supported by the Betty Jane Seydler Foundation, this concert is a celebration of collaboration and artistic expression. The program, led by conductor Delyana Lazarova, features Aaron Copland’s iconic tone poem "Appalachian Spring" in its original 13-piece version, which has inspired the ROCO-commissioned world premiere of James Stephenson’s "Persephone." This premiere will include a solo dance performance with original choreography by Marlana Doyle, founder of the Houston Contemporary Dance Company. Additionally, Jennifer Higdon’s quintet "Celestial Hymns" will round out the evening's program.

**Musicians:**
- Scott St. John, violin
- Aloysia Friedmann, violin
- Eva Burmeister, violin
- Sean Riley, violin
- Matthew Dane, viola
- Lorento Golofeev, viola
- Mina Smith, cello
- Annamarie Reader, cello
- Timothy Pitts, bass
- Matthew Roitstein, flute
- Nathan Williams, clarinet
- Kristin Wolfe Jensen, bassoon
- Audrey Andrist, piano

**Dancer:**
- Madison Araiza

**Location:**
Rothko Chapel
Yupon Street, Houston, TX, USA

**Program:**
- Aaron Copland: "Appalachian Spring" (Suite for 13 instruments)
- Jennifer Higdon: "Celestial Hymns" (For clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano)
- James Stephenson: "Persephone" (ROCO World Premiere Commission with Houston Contemporary Dance Company)

Don't miss this unique opportunity to experience a blend of music and dance in a serene and inspiring setting.

ROCO Connections: Simple Gifts

Rothko Chapel

### Event Description: ROCO Connections: Rise Up

**Date and Time:** Friday, October 20, 2023, 7:30 PM  
**Location:** Asia Society Texas Center, Southmore Boulevard, Houston, TX, USA

ROCO’s Connections Series returns to the Asia Society Texas Center on October 20 with "Rise Up," an evening dedicated to 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.

**Program Highlights:**
- **World Premiere of "Breaking the Veil"** by Grammy-winning Season 19 Composer-In-Residence Richard Danielpour. This piece is inspired by the current uprising and historic struggles of Iranian women seeking equal rights and freedom. It honors Danielpour’s Persian heritage and is dedicated to his mother, Mehri Danielpour Weil, an Iranian sculptor.
- **New Scoring of "The 19th Amendment"** by Texas-native composer Quinn Mason. This ballet, performed with members of the Houston Contemporary Dance Company, not only depicts the struggle for obtaining the right to vote but also contemplates the impact of the 19th Amendment on our current generation. The performance will feature new choreography by Marlana Doyle, Founding Artistic and Executive Director of the Houston Contemporary Dance Company.

**Performers:**
- **Conductor:** Mei-Ann Chen
- **Soloists:** Brook Ferguson (flute), Alecia Lawyer (oboe), Kristin Wolfe Jensen (bassoon)
- **Ensemble:** Eva Burmeister (violin), Anne Chandra (violin), Aloysia Friedmann (viola), Meredith Harris (viola), Alexis Gerlach (cello), Courtenay Vandiver Pereira (cello), Rachel Martin (bass), Emily Klein (harp), Ksenija Komljenovic (percussion), Lindsey Hoehn (percussion)
- **Houston Contemporary Dance Company Dancers:** Tamia Bradford, Genene Wallis McGrath, Avery Moore

**Panel Discussion:**
Immediately following the premiere, a panel discussion centered around women’s rights will take place in partnership with the Iranian Cultural Foundation-Houston. Panelists include:
- Seth Eslami, former board member, Iranian Cultural Foundation-Houston
- Donya Ziraksari, author, filmmaker, human rights activist
- Shermin Hassanpour, human rights activist
- Mehri Danielpour Weil, artist and sculptor
- Richard Danielpour, composer
- Quinn Mason, composer

**Pre-Concert Reception:**
Join us starting at 6:30 PM for a pre-concert reception and to view the galleries of the Asia Society Texas Center.

**Livestream:**
This performance will also be livestreamed for free on ROCO.org, Facebook, YouTube, and A440.live.

**Tickets:**
This event follows a "Pay What You Wish" model, making it accessible to all.

For more information and to reserve your spot, visit [ROCO.org](https://www.roco.org).

Kristin Wolfe Jensen

Events

Past events

Feb 10, 2024

ROCO Connections: Simple Gifts · ROCO

Oct 20, 2023

ROCO Connections: Rise Up · ROCO

Future and recently performed repertoire

Bassoon in The 19th Amendment by Mason

ROCO

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