ROCO In Concert: Friends

Sponsored by the Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation

Join us as ROCO’s In Concert series continues with a celebration of “Friends“, on February 18 at Rice University’s Brockman Hall for Opera! The performance will also be livestreamed free at ROCO.org, Facebook, YouTube, and A440.live.

This concert truly showcases the orchestra, as the ensemble performs conductorless, with Artistic Partner and Concertmaster Scott St. John leading from the chair. Underlining themes of friendship and hope, the concert features the premiere of Brian Raphael Nabors‘ Upon Daybreak, a ROCO co-commission as part of New Music USA’s Amplifying Voices program, inspired by Maya Angelou’s poem “A Brave and Startling Truth,” along with Antonin Dvorak’s early favorite Serenade for Strings and Joachim Raff’s vivacious Sinfonietta. Completing the program, the resilient African-American spiritual Keep Me From Sinking Down spotlights Scott St. John, in Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s powerful orchestral setting featuring solo violin.

Free, downloadable ROCOrooters materials will be available for this concert, featuring themed activities for families to enjoy together while watching the livestream, and are available for all of ROCO’s In Concert and Unchambered performances.

ARTISTS

Scott St. John, concertmaster, Artistic Partner, and soloist
Brian Raphael Nabors, composer

PROGRAM

Brian Raphael Nabors: Upon Daybreak [ROCO Premiere Co-Commission)
Antonin Dvorak: Serenade for Strings
Jaochim Raff: Sinfoniette
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: Keep Me From Sinking Down