ROCO Connections: ‘Rise Up’

ROCO\’s Connections Series returns to Asia Society Texas to present \Rise Up\ — an evening of new, thought-provoking chamber works and dialogue, spotlighting the ongoing fight for women’s rights and equality in the U.S., Iran, and around the world.

Artistic partner \Mei-Ann Chen leads an ensemble of 12 ROCO women musicians in the world premiere of Breaking the Veil by Grammy-winning, Season 19 Composer-In-Residence Richard Danielpour and a new scoring of Texas native composer Quinn Mason‘s ballet 19th Amendment — in performance with members of the Houston Contemporary Dance Company and premiering new choreography by founding artistic and executive director Marlana Doyle.

Inspired by the current uprising and historic struggles of Iranian women seeking equal rights and freedom, Danielpour’s Breaking the Veil honors his family’s Persian heritage and is dedicated to his mother Mehri Danielpour, an Iranian sculpturist.

19th Amendment, in Mason’s words, “not only depicts the struggle of obtaining the right to vote, but contemplates the effect that passing of the 19th amendment has had on our current generation”.

A panel discussion on women’s rights featuring women from or with ties to Iran will follow the performance, in conversation with the composer.