All material found in the Press Releases section is provided by parties entirely independent of Musical America, which is not responsible for content.
Press Releases
Apollo Chamber Players Presents ENLIGHTEN
November 15, 2025 | James Turrell Live Oak Meeting House, Houston, TX
Multidisciplinary Program Blends Cultural Influences in
Celebration of the Democratic Spirit that Forged America,
and its Echoes in Modern Times
Featuring the World Premiere of Lembit Beecher’s New Composition
Cassette Dreams of the Singing Revolution,
Inspired by the Nonviolent Uprising in the Baltic Countries
Native American Cultures Spotlighted in Narration By Houston-based
Indigenous Actress Amelia Rico and Performance of
Chickasaw Composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate’s Moonstrike
Second Concert in Four-part American Story Series Culminating in the
250th Anniversary of the Nation’s Founding
“...a young, dynamic ensemble...creating programs in response to current events.” – NPR
“superb and out of this world” – Gramophone
“recasting music for a diverse and multi-ethnic generation” – Strings Magazine
Houston, TX (October 15, 2025) – Chamber Music America 2025 Ensemble of the Year Apollo Chamber Players, celebrated for their “passion for new music and impressive virtuosity” (The Whole Note), present ENLIGHTEN, the second program in their season-long American Story series, on Saturday, November 15, 2025 at 3:00pm and 6:00pm at Houston’s Live Oak Meeting House.
As part of a program rich in cultural influences, ENLIGHTEN brings the world premiere of Cassette Dreams of the Singing Revolution, a work for string quartet by Rome Prize-winning Estonian-American composer Lembit Beecher, drawing inspiration from the nonviolent uprising in the Baltic countries during the 1980s and ’90s. As a cultural counterpoint, this program also celebrates American Indian heritage and the enduring contributions of Indigenous tribes in shaping the U.S. Constitution. Moonstrike, a work commissioned by Apollo from the Chickasaw composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 2019, will feature in this program alongside narration by Houston-based Indigenous actress Amelia Rico, featured in productions including Paramount’s 1923, AMC’s Dark Winds, ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, and Paramount’s Yellowstone. The program illuminates how Native wisdom informed the U.S. Constitution and continues to infuse the nation’s democratic spirit.
The American Story series staged its inaugural program, DECLARE, on October 4, 2025. Following, ENLIGHTEN, the series continues with two additional live programs in Houston: EMPOWER, on Saturday, February 7, 2026 at 7:30pm at MATCH - Midtown Arts and Theater Center; and VENTURE at Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, performed at both 3:00pm and 7:00pm on Saturday, May 23, 2026.
Together, the four themed American Story programs trace the many threads of the nation’s identity as it approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding. In a thought-provoking journey through music, history, and storytelling, American Story reflects on the narratives that connect us, honoring the many voices that shape our history while looking ahead with hope toward a more inclusive and inspired future through the power of music.
American Story follows on the heels of Apollo’s We the People series presented in the 2024-2025 season as a reflection on American democracy: its triumphs, its shortcomings, and the imperative of preserving its ideals for future generations. The program was cited in Apollo Chamber Players’ selection as Chamber Music America’s 2025 Ensemble of the Year, an honor presented to ensembles exemplifying “exceptional artistry, musicality and groundbreaking impact on the chamber music landscape.” Apollo founder and Artistic Director Matthew J. Detrick reflected on the series’ message, encompassing his own hopes and fears for the nation’s future, in an op-ed published in The Strad, titled “When Diversity Became Dangerous.”
Apollo Chamber Players Season 18: American Story
Info: www.apollochamberplayers.org/american-story-2526.html
Tickets: www.thehobbycenter.org/events/american-story-declare/
Subscriptions: checkout.square.site/merchant/XDJQSXZKN9SZW/checkout/UTGOURC4DTMO6YCKMRUHERAX
Concert 2: ENLIGHTEN
Saturday, November 15, 2025 at 3:00pm and 6:00pm
Live Oak Meeting House | Houston, TX
Guest Artists:
?Lembit Beecher, composer
Amelia Rico, actor and narrator
Concert 3: EMPOWER
Saturday, February 7, 2026 at 7:30pm
MATCH in Midtown | Houston, TX
Guest Artists:
Daniel Bernard Roumain, composer
?Kenneth Morris, narrator
Members of Houston Chamber Choir
Melanie Piché Miller, soprano
Natalie Broussard, alto
Wayne Ashley, tenor
Timothy Jones, baritone
Concert 4: VENTURE
Saturday, May 23, 2026 7:00pm
Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts | Houston, TX
Guest Artists:
Mark Buller, composer and co-creator
John Cornelius, composer and co-creator
About Apollo Chamber Players
Houston-based Apollo Chamber Players “performs with rhythmic flair and virtuosity” (The Strad) and “recasts music for a diverse and multi-ethnic generation” (Strings Magazine) through globally inspired programming and multicultural new music commissions. The ensemble is the 2025 honoree of Chamber Music America’s prestigious Ensemble of the Year award, which cited its recent themed concerts, highlighting American democratic ideals and the dangers of censorship, as exemplars of “exceptional artistry, musicality and groundbreaking impact on the chamber music landscape.” Also a past recipient of Chamber Music America’s Residency Partnership award, the ensemble has performed for sold-out audiences at Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center, and is featured frequently on American Public Media’s nationally syndicated program Performance Today.
Celebrated for blending vibrant multicultural commissions with social commentary, Apollo was described by NPR’s Neda Ulaby as a “young, dynamic ensemble...creating programs in response to current events.” The ensemble has drawn recent acclaim for its collaborations with the legendary actor, author, and activist George Takei, who delivered a live narration in the opening concert of its 2024-2025 We the People series. Takei and the Apollo Chamber Players were recognized for the program with City of Houston Proclamations by Houston Mayor John Whitmire and Councilmember Willie Davis. U.S. Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, who represents Texas’s 7th District including the city of Houston, wrote a letter commending the ensemble’s “artistic effort to bring enlightened inspiration of the Founding Fathers meaningfully into the 21st century, to expand on those ideals, and to help build a more perfect union through connection and community.” For the 2025-2026 season, Apollo continues on its themes of American heritage and justice with its American Story series timed for the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding.
Takei can also be heard on Apollo’s newest album, BAN: Stories of Censorship on Azica Records (August 2025). Previous Azica releases include Trace of Time (2024), praised as the work of “gifted musical storytellers” by Musical America, and With Malice Toward None (2021), which reached No. 1 on Amazon’s Hot New Release chart. The ensemble’s catalog of records has been featured on hundreds of radio and media stations worldwide. The organization’s debut feature film, MoonShot: The Remarkable Journey of Apollo Chamber Players, won international accolades, including Best Documentary and Best Documentary Soundtrack at the Seattle, Vancouver, Houston, and Screen ATX International film festivals. It is now available on Amazon Prime and Tubi.
A passionate advocate of globally-inspired contemporary music and art, Apollo counts an expanding catalogue of more than 60 commissioned works and eight critically acclaimed commercial albums. The ensemble’s diverse roster of leading and emerging composers includes Jennifer Higdon, John Corigliano, Libby Larsen, Pamela Z, Jerod Tate, Allison Loggins-Hull, Brian Raphael Nabors, and Vanessa Võ.
Apollo’s community partners include schools and universities, at-risk youth centers, refugee and veterans’ service organizations, and public libraries. The ensemble’s vanguard Library Voyage project, an initiative to perform in all Harris County/Houston Public Libraries, is the first of its kind in the nation. Apollo was founded in 2008 by violinist and music entrepreneur Matthew J. Detrick and violinist Timothy Peters.
Download Apollo Chamber Players’ Press Images
Photo credits: Apollo Chamber Players by Lynn Lane, Lembit Beecher courtesy of the artist, Amelia Rico courtesy of the artist.
FEATURED JOBS
RENT A PHOTO
