Houston’s ROCO is always creative when searching out a location for its annual gala that follows the professional chamber orchestra’s season opening concert. But perhaps none was more awe-inspiring than the visually resplendent evening at Artechouse, a pioneering venue for digital and experiential art.
Whoa! Think light play, swirling imagery, AI installations and more. This was not your mama’s party venue.
It was a spectacular evening celebrating the 21st anniversary of the nonprofit that features a 40-piece chamber orchestra with musicians and guest artists from around the globe. The musicians perform at 75 different venues across Houston, putting on 150 world premieres which are presented alongside classics and rarely-heard gems.
In short, as ROCO founder and artistic director Alecia Lawyer holds, the organization is “shaping the future of classical music.”
The evening began at the Church of St. John the Divine with the first concert in this year’s Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation Concert Series. It was an ambitious program led by ROCO artistic partner and conductor Delyana Lazarova. Featuring guest concertmaster Margaret Batjer, the season opener included four world premieres and a symphony by Beethoven contemporary Emilie Mayer.
Following the annual concert at the River Oaks church, concert-goers and additional supporters poured into Artechouse for the most delightful visual experiences along with dinner and fundraising. Spearheading the celebration were chairs Wendy Burks and Jane Johnson. Title sponsor of the event was the Alexandar David Burnstein Foundation for Musical Performance
ROCO celebrated internationally renowned, Grammy Award winning guitarist and philanthropist Steve Vai with the Wildcatting in the Arts Award and honored Kensinger Donnelly with the ROCO Pillar of the Arts Award.
PC Seen: Mary Catherine and Bailey Jones, Ali and Frank Donnelly, Cinda and Armando Palacios, Taylor Brown and Dr. Gregory Scott Brown, Elizabeth Blanton, Chuck Carlberg, Rachel and Dr. Bud Frazier, Jennifer and Todd Frazier, Tami Hiroaka, Kristine and Jeff Bird, Adrianna Buford and Nathaniel Higgins, Miya Shay and State Representative Gene Wu, and Leigh Ann and Richard Man.