Mei-Ann Chen

Alecia Lawyer

Kristin Wolfe Jensen

Brook Ferguson

ROCO

### 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).