ROCO’s February concerts begin with a special collaborative concert with MFAH, followed by the Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation In Concert Series concert “Canvasing the Earth”, featuring three-world premieres

On February 17, ROCO presents “Pictures at an Exhibition: A ROCO Musical Promenade” featuring excerpts from Mussorgsky’s original piano suite and artwork from the MFAH collections.

On February 26th, the Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation IN CONCERT series continues with “Canvasing the Earth”, as Sarah Hicks makes her ROCO conducting debut leading three world premieres by Aaron Jay Kernis, Leanna Primiani, and Jonathan Leshnoff, featuring tenor Nicholas Phan, and a chamber orchestra arrangement of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition by Alan Gout.

For immediate release -  ROCO presents two concerts in February, starting with “Pictures at an Exhibition: A ROCO Musical Promenade” on February 17, featuring ROCO pianist Mei Rui in excerpts from the composer’s original piano suite, paired with artworks from the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston collections, celebrating the work as a tribute from the composer to his friend and artist Viktor Hartmann.

Next in the Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation IN CONCERT series is “Canvasing the Earth”, with media sponsor Texas Monthly, at The Church of St. John the Divine on February 26, featuring three world premieres. The concert is an exploration of the world through sight and sound, led by conductor Sarah Hicks, making her ROCO debut.

Aaron Jay Kernis’ Earth (a ROCO co-commission with Santa Fe Pro Musica, in its expanded orchestral version) addresses the fundamental environmental crisis of our time, through texts by poet, sustainable farmer, and researcher Kai Hoffman-Krull, and William Wordsworth, and will showcase tenor Nicolas Phan. Leanna Primiani’s Neither man nor money validate my worth, commissioned by the League of American Orchestras with the generous support of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, and receiving its world premiere by ROCO, brings light to the hidden epidemic of human trafficking, honoring survivors and those who work tirelessly to end modern-day slavery. Intended to be a musical commentary based on Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, the work takes inspiration from and will be presented with accompanying images by photographer Lynn Savarese from the New Abolitionists Campaign. Rounding out the trio of premieres, will be Score by Jonathan Leshnoff, a ROCO co-commission with IRIS Orchestra. 

Completing the program, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition features in a chamber orchestra arrangement by Alan Gout, rescored from the composer’s original piano suite, presented with accompanying images from the collections of Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. 

“Canvasing the Earth” will be accessible for free via livestream on ROCO’s website, Facebook page, and YouTube channel.