ROCO Chamber Series Presents RHYTHMS OF PARIS AND NEW ORLEANS, 3/9

River Oaks Chamber Orchestra continues its 2013 - 2014 ROCO Chamber Series on Sunday, March 9 at 4 p.m. with a concert titled Rhythms of Paris and New Orleans at Gremillion &Co. Fine Art Annex located at 2504 Nottingham in the Rice Village area. The concert features chamber music by Sergei Prokofiev and Dave Anderson, selected for their ability to transport listeners to the cities the composers hail from.

Prokofiev wrote Quintet Op. 39 at the age of 33, at the beginning of his time in Paris. The piece was originally written for a ballet entitled "Trapeze" and based on circus characters. His unique musical language was fitting to paint the eerie atmosphere unique to the circus. The ballet itself was not a great success because the music was too difficult to dance to, so Prokofiev reworked the piece into the quintet it is today.

Anderson's Quintet is a wonderful partner to the Prokofiev. As a bass player, Anderson wanted to fill out the repertoire available to his instrument. Taking a cue from the instrumentation of Prokofiev's Quintet, he wrote a five movement piece representing not only his classical training influenced by Shostakovich and Prokofiev, but his education and love for jazz and funk. Anderson is currently the principal bassist for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in New Orleans.

Tickets for the event cost $25 for General Admission, $10 for students and are available at the door or on www.rocohouston.org

ROCO Chamber Series: Rhythms of Paris and New Orleans

Sunday, March 9, 2013

4 p.m., at Gremillion &Co. Fine Art Annex
2504 Nottingham
Houston, Texas 77005
Tickets: $25 general admission, $10 for students at www.rocohouston.org or 713-665-2700

Musician Bios:

Alecia Lawyer is the Founder, Artistic Director and Principal Oboist of the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra. Ms. Lawyer was named a finalist for Texas Musician of the Year (along with Willie Nelson) and was listed as one of Houston's Top 50 Most Influential Women 2010. She has received numerous awards, including the Gutsy Gal Award from Houston Woman Magazine, the Sigma Alpha Iota Musician of the Year, and the Outstanding Chamber Orchestra Founder from the Houston Chronicle. She regularly presents her Entrepreneurial model and dynamic ideas to conservatories, universities and music festivals around the US such as Yale, SMU, Round Top and Texas Music Festival, showing ROCO as a case study for community-specific orchestral building.

Nathan Williams Clarinetist Nathan Williams has recently been praised for his "sublime control," "outstanding musicality," "technical finesse surpassed only by his intuition for musical concept and shape," "silky sound," "most exquisite and expressive playing," and "dazzling technique". He is the principal clarinetist of the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra in Houston and former principal clarinetist of the Winston-Salem Symphony. He is a founding member, with oboist Rebecca Henderson and bassoonist Kristin Wolfe Jensen, of the Texas Reed Trio.

Kirsten Yon Violinist Kirsten Yon is currently in residence at the University of Houston where she serves as Associate Professor of Violin. Past engagements include serving as Associate Professor of Violin at Texas Tech University, a position she held for eight years. A sought-after teacher, performer, and clinician, she received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Michigan and the Cleveland Institute of Music before pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.

Suzanne LeFevre Violist Suzanne LeFevre has led an active orchestral career and chamber music
life playing in numerous orchestras and ensembles in the US, as well as Europe, including:
Principal Viola of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Assistant Principal Viola of the Charlotte
Symphony, Principal Viola of Mercury Baroque. She has played with the Nederlands
Philharmonic Orchestra, Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, and New Haven Symphony. Suzanne has
participated in the Grand Teton Music Festival, Peninsula Music Festival, Amelia Island Chamber
Music Festival, Madison Chamber Music Festival, and Colorado Music Festival. After spending 20
months in Antwerp Belgium, in 2005, Suzanne moved to Houston Texas, where she is currently a
violist and Associate artistic director of River Oaks Chamber Orchestra. She is tenured member
of Houston Grand Opera since 2005. Suzanne serves as an affiliate artist of viola at the University of Houston, Moores School of Music.

Sandor Ostlund Sandor Ostlund is Associate Professor of Double Bass at Baylor University. He is an active and versatile performer as a soloist, and as a chamber, early music and orchestral

musician. As a soloist, Dr. Ostlund has performed in recitals throughout the United States. He has appeared in featured performances at International Society of Bassists Conventions, as concert soloist with orchestras, in live radio broadcasts, and has premiered several works for solo double bass.

About ROCO

ROCO is a professional chamber orchestra of 40 all-star musicians, distinguished guest conductors and dynamic composers who come together from all over the world to present engaging performances of classical and original compositions. Founded in 2005 by oboist, Alecia Lawyer, ROCO has been called the most fun you can have with serious music. www.rocohouston.org

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