Mei-Ann Chen

ROCO

### Event Description: ROCO In Concert: Seismic

**Date and Time:**  
Saturday, September 30, 2023, at 5:00 PM

**Location:**  
The Church of St. John the Divine  
River Oaks Boulevard, Houston, TX, USA

**Event Overview:**  
ROCO kicks off its 19th season with "Seismic," an opening concert of epic proportions. This event features the full 40-piece chamber orchestra led by Artistic Partner Mei-Ann Chen. The concert will showcase two ROCO-commissioned world premieres and an exhilarating tale of love, intrigue, and adventure.

**Program Highlights:**

1. **Anthony DiLorenzo’s "Tectonal"**  
   - **World Premiere Commission by ROCO**  
   - **Based on the book "The Telling Image" by Lois Stark**  
   - **Animation by Cynthia Lee Wong**  
   This piece compels the audience to rethink, re-hear, and re-visualize how they view the world.

2. **Kevin Lau’s "The Nightingale"**  
   - **World Premiere Commission by ROCO**  
   - **Narrated by Alecia Lawyer**  
   Recently released as ROCO's first-ever children's book, this piece will be heard in a new scoring for the full chamber orchestra.

3. **Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s "Scheherazade"**  
   This symphonic suite whisks audiences away to the exotic lands of The Arabian Nights through ravishing, vibrantly orchestrated scenes.

**Additional Information:**

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

- **Childcare Services:**  
  ROCOrooters provides up to 6 hours of childcare from 4:30 PM to 10:30 PM under the supervision of certified and bonded childcare professionals. This service is available during all of ROCO’s In Concert performances at The Church of St. John the Divine. The cost is $45 per child, and ages 2 months to 10 years are welcome. Free, downloadable materials featuring themed activities for families to enjoy together while watching the livestream will also be available.

**Note:**  
This concert is now at capacity, and tickets are no longer on sale.

**Sponsored by:**  
The Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation

**Conductor:**  
Mei-Ann Chen

**Featured Artists:**
- **Anthony DiLorenzo** - Composer of "Tectonal"
- **Kevin Lau** - Composer of "The Nightingale"
- **Alecia Lawyer** - Narrator for "The Nightingale"

Join us for an unforgettable evening of music and storytelling that promises to be a seismic event in the world of chamber orchestra performances.