ROCO Connections: A House of My Own - Feb. 4, 2023
4 videos • 10 views • by ROCO ROCO’s Connections Series continued on February 4th, 2023, with a modern twist on a Schubertiade salon concert in the glorious ballroom of Museum of Fine Arts Houston's historic house museum for European decorative arts, Rienzi. The evening featured the world premiere of two new songs by Season 17 Composer-In-Residence Derek Bermel and author Sandra Cisneros, "Once" and "Sit Out Bad", as well as the song “A House of My Own” from the opera THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET. The three songs are based upon the Cisneros novel of the same name and will become part of the final score for the Bermel/Cisneros opera. Also receiving its world premiere, was a new work by Derek Bermel for solo percussion. Featured artists were Cecilia Duarte, mezzo-soprano, with Ana María Otamendi, pianist, and Jesús Pacheco Mánuel, percussion, in these works and additional chamber pieces by Schubert, de Falla, Debussy, and others. Thanks to the National Endowment for the Arts for supporting Derek Bermel's residency, and thanks to the Houston Arts Alliance and Houston Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs for supporting our 18th season! Audio engineering by Andrew Bradley Videography by BEND Productions