Apollo Chamber Players to Present DIVERSITY With Composer Reza Vali & Pejman Hadadi

The Houston-based Apollo Chamber Players, joined by percussionist Pejman Hadadi, will present a new original program, DIVERSITY, at Houston's Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, on Friday March 21, 2025 at 7:00pm. Curated to celebrate the multicultural beauty of Houston, the most ethnically diverse city in the United States, this concert is the third in Apollo's four-part We the People series, an extended focus on American democracy in both its ideals and imperfections.

Timed for the Persian New Year celebration, Nowruz, DIVERSITY reflects on the rarity of a nation founded on principles of freedom of speech, freedom of religion and diversity of thought - while raising the question of whether America will ever realize the promise of a truly pluralistic, multiracial society living in harmony. In keeping with this theme, Apollo will perform a multicultural program highlighted by the world premiere of Iranian-American composer Reza Vali's Bandari, a composition for string quartet and percussion featuring Iranian-born percussionist Pejman Hadadi alongside Apollo. Houston-based Islamic Arts Society joins as a program partner, with IAS members' art showcased as part of the program.

The program also features Palestinian-American composer Muyassar Kurdi's Lullaby for the Children of the Sun, a lament for civilian casualties in the Palestinian conflict with Israel - alongside Israeli-born composer Gilad Cohen's Three Goat Blues, a takeoff on the Jewish Passover prayer Chad Gadya ("one little goat") that becomes a parable for our many possible fates in life, from oppression to salvation. American composer Daniel Bernard Roumain's String Quartet No. 5 "Rosa Parks" completes the program. Apollo Chamber Players will present a preview performance of DIVERSITY on March 20, 2025 at 7:30pm at the Visual and Performing Arts Center, Lone Star College.

DIVERSITY follows in the footsteps of Apollo's two previous We the People programs: LIBERTY - featuring the famed actor and activist George Takei - on October 5, 2024, and OPPORTUNITY, held January 4, 2025. Following the DIVERSITY program in March, the series will conclude with FREEDOM on May 10, 2025 at Holocaust Museum Houston. Timed to reflect on the 2024 presidential election, the four themed concerts illuminate key facets of the American system and character, drawing on sources from the poetry of Walt Whitman to Greek and Eastern European folk songs.

Celebrated by NPR as "a young, dynamic ensemble... creating programs in response to current events," Apollo Chamber Players has drawn broad acclaim for its incisive thematic programming. On Monday, November 25, 2024, Chamber Music America (CMA) named the quartet as the recipient of its Ensemble / Ensemble Project of the Year Award, based on Apollo's 2023-2024 theme of Silenced Voices, a series curated to shed light on censorship and oppression - whether through racial prejudice, authoritarian government or other forces - as well as its We the People series this season. Apollo will be formally recognized at an awards luncheon during CMA's National Conference on February 15, 2025 in Houston. With the conference in its home city, Apollo will play a prominent role in the four-day gathering, appearing for two performance showcases on Friday, February 14, 2025. Performances will feature Apollo-commissioned works including Erberk Eryılmaz's Sis Çanı / Fog Bell, Jennifer Higdon's In the Shadow of the Mountain and Wang Jie's The Night When You See Again. Apollo Founder, Director and violinist Matthew J. Detrick will also be a featured speaker at the conference.

Apollo Chamber Players Season 17: We the People

Concert 3: DIVERSITY
Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 7:30pm
Visual and Performing Arts Center, Lone Star College | Houston, TX

Friday, March 21, 2024 at 7:30pm
Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts | Houston, TX

Program:
Reza Vali - Bandari [World Premiere, Apollo Commission]
Muyassar Kurdi - Lullaby for the Children of the Sun
Gilad Cohen - Three Goat Blues
Daniel Bernard Roumain - String Quartet No. 5 "Rosa Parks"

Performers/Guests:
Apollo Chamber Players
Reza Vali, composer
Pejman Hadadi, percussion

Program Partner: Islamic Arts Society

CONCERT 4: FREEDOM
Saturday, May 10, 2024 at 7:00pm
Holocaust Museum Houston | Houston, TX

Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 2:00pm
Unity Houston | Houston, TX

Program:
Howard Hanson/Walt Whitman (Arr. Mark Buller) - Song of Democracy [World Premiere Arrangement]
Marcus Maroney - "What does Democracy Mean to You?" [World Premiere, Apollo Commission]
Works by International Commissioning Contest winners [World Premieres]
Ukrainian, Polish and Greek Folk Song set

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