Welcome to the Shepherd School’s 2024/25 season, one that is brimming with musical excitement as we approach our 50th anniversary.
The Shepherd School started from humble beginnings when Sallie Shepherd Perkins gave a foundational gift in honor of her grandfather Benjamin Shepherd (a banker who brought gas street lamps and the first mule-drawn trolleys to our city). An additional generous bequest from Sallie enabled our expansion to a fully-fledged school of music, with music students matriculating in the fall of 1975. Even with these bold aims, when our school officially launched, there were no dedicated buildings for music majors, so students and faculty worked together wherever they could find a spot on the Rice campus.
Now, Sallie Perkins’s legacy lives on, joining Rice University’s vision and investment in the arts on campus. With the new Brockman Music and Performing Arts Center drawing students and patrons from around the world, our thriving institution’s purpose is stronger than ever—to equip the next generation of leaders in the classical music world with the skills they need to succeed to advance our art form. Our recent graduates are winning coveted positions throughout the field, and our renowned faculty continue to impress with their ability to inspire students and audiences alike.
I hope you will be inspired by the artistry of the Shepherd School musicians and join them on their journey TODAY as an appreciative audience member. With over 400 performances each season—many of which are free—the musical options are seemingly endless.
We can’t wait to see you on campus as we celebrate 50 years of Shepherd!
Matthew Loden
Lynette S.
Autrey
Dean of Music
Season Highlights
Shepherd School Opera
Get swept away as a beautiful sorceress keeps a dashing knight captive on her enchanted island in Handel’s Alcina.
Laugh-out-loud hilarity ensues when bored ghosts, including Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI, perform an opera-within-an-opera in John Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles.
NEW Gain helpful insights during Inside Opera: Pre-show Talks one hour before each mainstage opera performance.
Shepherd School Orchestras
Enjoy familiar favorites like Elgar’s Enigma Variations, Brahms’s Symphony No. 3, Ravel’s La valse, and Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 alongside contemporary works by Joel Thompson, Gabriela Ortiz, and Michael Abels.
2024 Shepherd School Concerto
Competition winners take center stage for Walton’s Violin Concerto, Yano’s Oboe Concerto, Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and Dvořák’s Cello Concerto.
Thrilling moments await as five new works by recent Shepherd School composition graduates premiere with the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra.
Get Updates from the Shepherd School
Join us for special commissions by Shepherd School faculty, an alumni tailgate, and a day just for the Houston community. Read more on the following pages.
Sign up at music.rice.edu to receive concert and event information and the latest news about students, faculty and alumni.
Celebrating 50 Years of Music
From humble beginnings to the opening of a dedicated music school in 1975, the Shepherd School of Music’s unique past gave rise to a space truly special and unique—one where the world’s brightest musical talents can combine a world-class conservatory experience with the limitless opportunity of a leading research university.
Above all, Shepherd has been, and continues to be, defined by its people and by its place, connecting outstanding young artists with preeminent faculty, dedicated alumni, and our beloved Houston community.
In this 50th Anniversary year, join us as we look back on a storied past, celebrate our vibrant present, and look forward to a bright future.
Shepherd Alumni Party on the Piazza
Sat, Nov 2, 2024
Piazza Della Musica between Brockman Hall for Opera and Alice Pratt Brown Hall
Calling all Shepherd School alumni! Enjoy BBQ bites and brews while you reconnect with Shepherd School friends during Rice’s Alumni weekend. Stay tuned for more information!
STAY TUNED!!!
50th Anniversary Gala Fall of 2025
50th Anniversary Community Day
Sat, Mar 29, 2025
10:30am-2:00pm
Alice Pratt Brown Hall and Brockman Hall for Opera
A perfect outing for families and community friends, featuring our annual family concert, performances on The Concert Truck, tours, interactive activities, games, and food trucks.
Read more on page 17.
You won’t want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime celebration hosted at the Shepherd School of Music. More details will be announced in Spring 2025.
Co-chairs:
Anne and Albert Chao
Isabel and Danny David
Underwriting chairs:
Shawn Stephens and Jim Jordan
Anne and Albert Chao
Isabel and Danny David
Shawn Stephens and Jim Jordan
50th Anniversary Commissions
Music is a living, breathing, ever-expanding art form, and the music created in our time is a powerful reflection of who we are. In this exciting multi-year initiative, we’ll unveil seven brand-new works by seven different Shepherd School of Music composition faculty members—each with a unique and powerful story to tell.
THIS SEASON 2024-25
Shih-Hui Chen
Wed, Oct 16, 2024 at 7:00pm Wortham Theater
The premiere of The Birds Are Real; Ambush From Ten Directions - an evening of music, light and shadow puppetry. Featuring Shepherd School faculty members Brian Connelly and Matthew Strauss and guest artists Ding-Yun Huang (director), Chia-Wei Chen (visual artist) & Tung-Hua Puppet Theater. See more on page 18.
NEXT SEASON 2025-26
Karim Al-Zand
A new work to be announced
Anthony Brandt
A concerto for cello and chamber orchestra, to be performed by Shepherd School faculty member Norman Fischer
Arthur Gottschalk
A concerto for piano and chamber orchestra performed by Milton Laufer, Shepherd alumnus and Director of the Syracuse University School of Music
Thu, Jan 16, 2025 at 7:30pm Duncan Recital Hall
A piece for two vocalists and chamber ensemble with text by Claudia Cooper. Performed by Shepherd School faculty members Thomas Jaber, Marianne Gedigian, Benjamin Kamins, and James Dunham, plus alumni and current students. See more on page 19.
Pierre Jalbert
A new piece for mezzo-soprano and orchestra
Kurt Stallmann
A new multi-media collaborative work, The Fruit and the Work, co-created with poet and Rice University English Professor Joseph Campana, addressing the historical and evolving relationship between humans and honey bees. Includes live poetry, a small chorus, instrumentalists, live electronics, projections, and theatrical lighting.
Richard Lavenda
Karim Al-Zand Anthony Brandt
Pierre Jalbert
Kurt Stallmann
Arthur Gottschalk
Throughout my career, I’ve championed the development of the next generation of musical talent. The chance to do that at such a renowned institution is truly exciting. Together, we’ll inspire and challenge each other to excel and create unique and transformative opportunities to prepare musicians for the 21st century.
MIGUEL HARTH-BEDOYA
”
Welcoming Miguel Harth-Bedoya
Distinguished Resident Director of Orchestras & Professor of Conducting
The Emmy Award-winning and GRAMMY®nominated conductor joins the faculty as Designate in the 2024–25 school year and will assume full responsibilities overseeing our orchestral programs in the 2025–26 season.
With a fervent commitment to nurturing young artistry and a track record of impactful leadership roles worldwide, Harth-Bedoya brings unparalleled artistic vision and pedagogy to the institution. He will be responsible for curating repertoire, conducting orchestral ensembles, training conductors at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and attracting top-tier student talent.
Get to Know Miguel Harth-Bedoya
Past Leadership
Miguel Harth-Bedoya was previously Chief Conductor of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra and Music Director of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, where he holds the title of Music Director Laureate.
Guest Conducting
He has conducted major orchestras around the world, including the Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Opera Experience
Harth-Bedoya has conducted traditional and premiere opera productions. This fall, he will make his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, leading Osvaldo Golijov’s Ainadamar.
Promotion of Diverse Music
Harth-Bedoya is the founder and Artistic Director of Caminos del Inka, a non-profit organization dedicated to researching, performing, and preserving music of the Americas.
Discography
He has recorded for notable labels like Deutsche Grammophon, Decca, Naxos, and Harmonia Mundi, receiving critical acclaim for interpretations of various works.
Beyond the Stage
Harth-Bedoya is committed to living a zero-waste lifestyle and co-founded Cowboy Compost, a business focused on food waste reduction. He is married to Dr. Maritza Cáceres, a choral conductor, and they have three children.
Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra
There’s nothing quite like the power of a live orchestra with over 100 musicians on stage.
All performances at Stude Concert Hall
TICKETS REQUIRED
Pay-what-you-wish starting at free Reserved seating
Dvořák’s New World
Fri, Sep 27, 2024 at 7:30pm
Andrew Grams, conductor
Kayleigh Kim, violin*
Walton: Violin Concerto
Dvořák: Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”
Radiant warmth, soaring melodies, and brilliant technical fireworks abound in Walton’s Violin Concerto, performed by Concerto Competition
Winner Kayleigh Kim. Blooming with the exuberant musical traditions of America, Dvořák’s heartpounding “New World” Symphony is one of music’s most treasured masterpieces.
Orchestral Fireworks
Fri, Oct 25, 2024 at 7:30pm
Jerry Hou, conductor (Shepherd School alumnus)
Joel Thompson: To See the Sky Sibelius: Symphony No. 7 Lutosławski: Concerto for Orchestra
Immerse yourself in HGO Composer-in-Residence
Joel Thompson’s “shifting palette of grooves, colors, and moods” (Bachtrack) in To See the Sky. Sibelius’s Symphony No. 7 unleashes an infinite universe of emotional power in just 20 minutes. Feel the full force of the Orchestra’s dazzling virtuosity in Lutosławski’s Concerto for Orchestra.
Andrew Grams Kayleigh Kim
Jerry Hou
Virtuoso Spotlight
Wed, Nov 6, 2024 at 7:30pm
Jerry Hou, conductor (Shepherd School alumnus)
Anne Pinkerton, oboe*
Dana Rath, cello* (Shepherd School alumna)
Yano: Oboe Concerto
Dvořák: Cello Concerto
Witness extraordinary young artists you have to see and hear to believe in a concert spotlighting two Concerto Competition winners. Anne Pinkerton takes center stage for Yano’s Oboe Concerto, a lively interplay between lush melodies and Brazilian rhythms. Dana Rath shines in Dvořák’s heartwrenchingly beautiful Cello Concerto.
Stravinsky, Brahms & Yi
Sat, Feb 1, 2025 at 7:30pm
Christopher James Lees, conductor
Stravinsky: Symphony in Three Movements
Chen Yi: Duo Ye No. 2 (Full orchestra version)
Brahms: Symphony No. 3
Brahms, Strauss & Blacher
Fri, Dec 6, 2024 at 7:30pm
William Eddins, conductor Jonathan Mak, piano*
Blacher: Variations on a Theme of Paganini
Strauss: Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2
Jonathan Mak takes on Brahms’s monumental Piano Concerto No. 2. Tag along with Strauss’s lovable trickster as he upends the establishment and cavorts from one prank to the next. Based on a famous tune by Paganini, Blacher’s Variations sparkle with sharp wit and dazzling invention.
Punchy rhythms and relentless energy propel Stravinsky’s Symphony in Three Movements with dynamic, unstoppable force. East meets West in Chen Yi’s vibrant Duo Ye No. 2. Brahms’s supreme melodic gifts are on full display in his glorious Symphony No. 3.
Free Live Streams
Watch every Symphony Orchestra concert as it happens live on music.rice.edu—no registration required!
Anne Pinkerton
Christopher James Lees
Dana Rath
William Eddins Jonathan Mak
*Shepherd School Concerto Competition winner, 2024
Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra
Romantic Rachmaninoff
Sat, Feb 22, 2025 at 7:30pm
Cristian Ma˘celaru, conductor (Shepherd School alumnus)
Enescu: Romanian Rhapsody No. 1 Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2
Delight is guaranteed (and toe-tapping encouraged!) in Enescu’s Romanian Rhapsody No. 1, an irresistibly joyful whirlwind of effervescent folk-dance spirit. Gorgeous melodies blossom and entwine in Rachmaninoff’s rapturously romantic Symphony No. 2.
Note: this performance will not include an intermission.
˘
Announcing Cristian Ma
celaru Distinguished Visiting Artist
Alumnus Cristian Ma˘celaru (‘06 and ‘08) leads the Orchestre National de France and was recently appointed Music Director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. At Shepherd, he will coach ensembles, judge competitions, workshop new compositions, guide mock auditions, and mentor students.
New Beginnings
Fri, Apr 25, 2025 at 7:30pm
Miguel Harth-Bedoya, conductor
Gabriela Ortiz: Antrópolis
Ravel: La valse
Sam Wu: aerial silk roads (2024) (Shepherd School alumnus)
Elgar: Enigma Variations
Be transported to the vibrant dance halls of Mexico City with Gabriela Ortiz’s Antrópolis. Ravel’s blazing take on the waltz whirls its way to a showstopping conclusion, while the music of Cooper Prize-winning alumnus Sam Wu celebrates the beauty in blurred boundaries. Affection for his close circle of friends inspired Elgar’s beloved “Enigma” Variations. Miguel Harth-Bedoya
Cristian Macelaru
Shepherd School Chamber Orchestra
About fifty musicians who perform repertoire specifically for a chamber-sized orchestra
All performances at Stude Concert Hall
TICKETS REQUIRED
Pay-what-you-wish starting at free Reserved seating
Beethoven, Abels & Haydn
Sun, Sep 29, 2024 at 2:00pm Andrew Grams, conductor
Haydn: Symphony No. 6, “Le matin” (Morning)
Michael Abels: Delights & Dances
Beethoven: Symphony No. 4
Haydn’s witty “musical sunrise” lights up this program of charming masterworks. Soulful and infectiously rhythmic, Abels’s Delights & Dances culminates in a raucous hoedown. Taking its cue from the symphonic foundation set by Haydn, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 gallops forth with frisky energy and irrepressible joy.
French Impressions
Thu, Feb 20, 2025 at 7:30pm Cristian Ma˘celaru, conductor
Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin
Farrenc: Overture No. 1
Bizet: Symphony No. 1
Le Tombeau de Couperin mixes Baroque inspiration with Ravel’s trademark orchestral color and flair. Louise Farrenc’s Overture No. 1 courses with drama from its grand beginning to its rousing finale. Written when Bizet was just 17 years old, his First Symphony is a stunning display of youthful genius and exuberance.
Note: this performance will not include an intermission.
Free Live Streams
Watch every Chamber Orchestra concert as it happens live on music.rice.edu no registration required!
Celebrating Today’s Composers
All performances at Stude Concert Hall
FREE • TICKETS REQUIRED
General admission seating
Free Live Streams
Watch every concert as it happens live on music.rice.edu—no registration required!
Shepherd School Contemporary Ensemble
Thu, Oct 17, 2024 at 7:30pm Stude Concert Hall
Jerry Hou, conductor (Shepherd School alumnus)
Jacob Druckman: Come Round
Christopher Theofanidis: O Vis Aeternitatis
Christopher Theofanidis: Flow, My Tears
Christopher Theofanidis: If Falling is a Leaf
Composition Alumni Spotlight with the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra Thu, Mar 13, 2025 at 7:30pm Stude Concert Hall
Jerry Hou, conductor (Shepherd School alumnus)
Oliver Dubon: Speak Louder Than Words (2024)
Tian Qin: Point Ninety-Nine (2024)
Jake Sandridge: Between Shades (2024)
Ethan Soledad: Cages of Jade (2024)
Daniel Zlatkin: Rothko Echoes (2024)
All composers are Shepherd School alumni
Christopher Theofanidis
Guest Composer in Residence
GRAMMY®-nominated composer Christopher Theofanidis’s compositions have been performed by leading orchestras around the world, with Rainbow Body being the most performed new orchestral work of the new millennium.
Currently on the faculty of the Yale School of Music, he is the recipient of the International Masterprize, the Rome Prize, and fellowships from the Guggenheim, Fulbright, Tanglewood, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Christopher Theofanidis
Shepherd School Chamber Players
All performances at Stude Concert Hall
FREE • TICKETS REQUIRED
General admission seating
Shepherd School Chamber Players
Thu, Dec 5, 2024 at 7:30pm
Stude Concert Hall
Andy Akiho: NO one To kNOW one
Joan Tower: Copperware
Mozart: Symphony No. 39
Shepherd School Chamber Players
Fri, Jan 31, 2025 at 7:30pm
Stude Concert Hall
Bax: Harp Quintet
Caroline Shaw: Draft of a High-Rise
Coleridge-Taylor: Nonet
Stravinsky: Suite from L’Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier’s Tale)
2025 Shepherd School Concerto Competition
FREE • No Tickets Needed
All performances at Stude Concert Hall
A spotlight shines on the best Shepherd School musicians as they compete for the opportunity to perform a concerto with a Shepherd School ensemble the following school year.
Keyboard Finals
Sun, Mar 2, 2025 at 6:30pm
Strings Finals
Sun, Mar 30, 2025 at 2:00pm
Winds, Brass, Percussion & Harp Finals
Sun, Mar 30, 2025 at 6:00pm
Free Live Streams
Watch every Shepherd School Chamber Players concert as it happens live on music.rice.edu no registration required!
Instrumental Chamber Music
Every Shepherd School instrumentalist hones their craft by performing chamber music in intimate ensembles. From duets to octets, chamber music challenges players to incorporate soloistic playing into a cohesive ensemble setting without a conductor.
FREE • No Tickets Needed
Chamber Music Festival
Duncan Recital Hall
Nov 15-17, 2024
Apr 4-6, 2025
Three days of captivating chamber music including strings and piano
Chamber Music for Winds
Duncan Recital Hall at 7:30pm
Wed Oct 2, 2024
Wed, Oct 23, 2024
Wed, Nov 20, 2024
Wed, Feb 12, 2025
Wed, Mar 12, 2025
Wed, Apr 16, 2025
Chamber Music for Brass
Duncan Recital Hall
Thu, Oct 3, 2024 at 5:00pm Thu, Nov 14, 2024 at 5:00pm Thu, Mar 6, 2025 at 7:30pm Thu, Apr 24, 2025 at 5:00pm
Music America Conference
Feb 13-16, 2025
The Shepherd School of Music is honored to welcome hundreds of chamber musicians to Houston, marking the first time the conference is hosted outside of New York City. Shepherd is an official sponsoring partner and will host conference performances in our renowned facilities.
Chamber Music for Percussion
All performances at 7:30pm
Mon, Sep 23, 2024
Marimba Recital
Duncan Recital Hall
Thu, Nov 7, 2024
Chamber Music for Percussion
Stude Concert Hall
Wed, Feb 5, 2025
Mixed Chamber Music for Percussion - Duncan Recital Hall
Tue, Apr 15, 2025
Chamber Music for Percussion
Stude Concert Hall
Rice University Ensembles
FREE • No Tickets Needed
Edythe Bates Old Recital Hall and Grand Organ
Wed, Sep 11, 2024 at 7:00pm Mon, Nov 25, 2024 at 7:00pm Mon, Apr 14, 2025 at 7:00pm
Thomas Jaber, music director
The sixty-voice Rice Chorale is comprised of voice and music majors and other talented singers from Rice University and the greater Houston community.
Campanile Orchestra
FREE • TICKETS REQUIRED
General admission seating
Stude Concert Hall at 4:00pm
Sun, Nov 24, 2024 Sun, Apr 13, 2025
Dr. Joseph Kneer, director
Campanile Orchestra is a symphony orchestra made up of Rice University non-music majors and members of the greater Rice community who wish to continue their orchestral activities.
Rice Chorale
Thomas Jaber
Shepherd School Opera
A flourishing program that selectively enrolls fewer than 40 vocalists per year
Joshua Winograde
Director of Opera Studies & Professor of Opera
ALL PERFORMANCES IN MORRISON THEATER, BROCKMAN HALL FOR OPERA
Handel’s Alcina
TICKETS REQUIRED
Fri, Nov 1, 2024 at 7:30pm Sun, Nov 3, 2024 at 2:00pm
Louis Lohraseb, conductor
Crystal Manich, director
Shepherd School Chamber Orchestra
A beautiful sorceress lures a dashing knight to her enchanted island. Magic rings, cunning disguises, and secret passions: a spellbinding and psychologically intriguing plot filled with twists and turns plays out through some of Handel’s most gloriously exquisite music in this powerful production of Alcina.
Sung in Italian with English surtitles.
Pre-show Talks begin one hour before each performance
John Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles
TICKETS REQUIRED
Fri, Apr 11, 2025 at 7:30pm Sun, Apr 13, 2025 at 2:00pm
Benjamin Manis, conductor (MM ‘19)
Patricia Racette, director
Shepherd School Chamber Orchestra
Bored ghosts in an empty Versailles opera house–including Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette still mourning her execution–decide to put on an opera mingling with characters from Rossini’s The Barber of Seville and Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro in this fantastical, wildly imaginative opera filled with suspense, spectacle, and laugh-out-loud hilarity.
Sung in English with English surtitles.
Pre-show Talks begin one hour before each performance
Ana María Martínez & Friends in Recital
Inside Opera: Pre-show Talks
Join us in Tudor Patrons’ Lounge on the parterre level one hour before curtain time of Alcina and The Ghosts of Versailles for an insightful look into the operas being performed. Available to all opera ticketholders on a first-come, first-served basis.
FREE • TICKETS REQUIRED
Fri, Sep 13, 2024 at 7:30pm
Ana María Martínez, soprano Bethany Self, piano
The Shepherd School celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month with a Spanish-language recital performed by faculty member and international opera star Ana María Martínez and Shepherd School opera department students.
Welcoming Patrick Summers
Distinguished Lecturer in Opera Studies
The Shepherd School is pleased that Houston Grand Opera’s (HGO) Artistic and Music Director is joining our faculty as an opera history lecturer.
Aleko Endowed Artists
Tonya & Ryan McKinny
Actress/director Tonya McKinny (co-director of productions at the Glimmerglass Festival and Houston Grand Opera) and acclaimed bass-baritone and director Ryan McKinny (“one of the finest singers of his generation” Opera News) share their remarkable and multi-faceted talents as the 2024-25 Aleko Endowed Master Class artists.
Ryan McKinny & Friends in Recital
FREE • TICKETS REQUIRED
Sat, Nov 9, 2024 at 7:30pm
Ryan McKinny, bass-baritone Tonya McKinny, director
Enjoy an evening of semi-staged opera highlights performed by Ryan McKinny and Shepherd School opera students.
Master Class
FREE • TICKETS REQUIRED
Sun, Nov 10, 2024 at 2:00pm
Shepherd School opera students perform short musical excerpts and receive coaching from Tonya and Ryan McKinny in front of a live audience.
Ana María Martínez
Tonya McKinny Ryan McKinny
Spirit of the Season
TICKETS REQUIRED
Sat, Dec 7, 2024
Morrison Theater at Brockman Hall for Opera 6:30pm pre-concert reception | 7:30pm concert
Kick off the holiday season with a spirited, one-hour performance by the Shepherd School’s extraordinary voice and instrumental students–a must-see for all music lovers! Be delighted by selections from opera and musical theater plus holiday favorites, crafted by Shepherd School alumnus Andy Einhorn, leading Broadway music director and conductor.
Don’t miss this memorable one-night-only concert that’s sure to entertain and inspire!
Shepherd School Community Day
Sat, Mar 29, 2025
10:30am-2:00pm
Celebrating 50 Years
Various locations at the Shepherd School
A perfect outing for families and community friends, featuring our annual family concert, performances on The Concert Truck, tours, interactive activities, games, and food trucks.
Peter and the Wolf Family Concert
FREE • TICKETS REQUIRED
Sat, Mar 29, 2025 at 11:00am Stude Concert Hall
Shepherd School Chamber Orchestra
Miguel Harth-Bedoya, conductor
GET TO KNOW THE CONDUCTOR ON PG. 5!
Join Peter and his animal friends on a fairy tale adventure perfect for all ages! Composed with young listeners in mind, Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf is an enchanting classic that’s guaranteed to capture the imagination. This hour-long, familyfriendly bilingual program begins with Kevin Day’s energetic Lightspeed .
Faculty Recitals
Faculty who have played on stages across the globe present intimate recitals. Students join faculty for Sharing the Spotlight concerts.
• No Tickets Needed
Sharing the Spotlight:
An Evening with André Previn
Sat, Sep 14, 2025 at 5:00pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Susan Dunn-Rachleff and friends
Marianne Gedigian, Flute
Sun, Sep 15, 2024 at 5:00pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Beilin Han, piano
Richie Hawley, clarinet
Benjamin Kamins, bassoon
Featuring works by Valerie Coleman, Samuel Zyman, Mary Kouyoumdjian and Debussy.
Sharing the Spotlight:
Jon Kimura Parker & Friends
Wed, Sep 25, 2024 at 7:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Jon Kimura Parker, piano
Featuring Brahms’ Quartet for Piano and Strings in C Minor
Benjamin Kamins, Bassoon
Wed, Oct 9, 2024 at 7:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Shih-Hui Chen’s The Birds Are Real; Ambush From Ten Directions Shepherd School 50th Anniversary Commission
Wed, Oct 16, 2024 at 7:00pm, Wortham Theatre
An evening of music, light and shadow puppetry featuring Shepherd School faculty members Brian Connelly (piano) and Matthew Strauss (percussion), and guest artists Ding-Yun Huang (director), ChiaWei Chen (visual artist), and Tung-Hua Shadow Puppet Theater.
Before the performance, enjoy a guided birdwatching tour with Professor Cin-Ty Lee from Rice’s Department of Geology, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences. The MUSI/ASIA 378 class concert concludes the evening.
Jon Kimura Parker & Richie Hawley
Mon, Oct 21, 2024 at 7:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Jon Kimura Parker, piano
Richie Hawley, clarinet
Ken Cowan, organ Tue, Oct 22, 2024 at 7:30pm, Edythe Bates Old Recital Hall and Grand Organ
Ken Cowan
Marianne Gedigian Jon Kimura Parker
Shih-Hui Chen
Sharing the Spotlight:
Kathleen Winkler & The Fischer Duo
Thu, Oct 24, 2024 at 7:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Kathleen Winkler, violin
Jeanne Kierman Fischer, piano
Norman Fischer, cello
Featuring the Beethoven “Archduke” Trio
Sharing the Spotlight: Cho-Liang Lin, Timothy Pitts & Yoonshin Song
Mon, Oct 28, 2024 at 7:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Cho-Liang Lin, violin
Yoonshin Song, violin
Timothy Pitts, bass
Featuring works by Dvořák, Rossini, Mozart, Gershwin, and Piazzolla
Sharing the Spotlight:
Ivo-Jan van der Werff & Friends
Thu, Nov 7, 2024 at 7:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Ivo-Jan van der Werff, viola Desmond Hoebig, cello
Featuring Bruckner’s Viola Quintet
Sharing the Spotlight: Brinton Averil Smith, Cello
Tue, Nov 12, 2024 at 7:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Evelyn Chen, piano
Featuring Smetana’s Piano Trio in G Minor
Earl. Documentary Film Screening and Q&A
Thu, Nov 14, 2024 at 7:00pm, Wortham Theatre
A special free advanced screening of the documentary feature film about Korean-American composer Earl Kim, directed by Emmy Award winner Ty Kim and featuring Shepherd School composition faculty.
Co-sponsored by Musiqa
Arthur Gottschalk, Composer
Mon, Dec 9, 2024 at 7:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Timothy Jones, bass-baritone
Scott Cuellar, piano (SSM alumnus)
Sharing the Spotlight: Richard Lavenda, composer Shepherd School 50th Anniversary Commission
Thu, Jan 16, 2025 at 7:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
A new piece for two vocalists and chamber ensemble, with text by Claudia Cooper, performed by faculty members Thomas Jaber, Marianne Gedigian, Benjamin Kamins, and James Dunham, plus Shepherd School alumni and current students.
Fischer Duo: American Sonatas
Fri, Jan 24, 2025 at 7:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Jeanne Kierman Fischer, piano
Norman Fischer, cello
For the Love of Larry
Mon, Feb 3, 2025 at 7:30pm, Stude Concert Hall
Shepherd School faculty, past students, Houston Symphony musicians, and other professional musicians unite to celebrate the life and legacy of Larry Rachleff.
Cho-Liang Lin, Violin & Jon Kimura Parker, Piano
Wed, Feb 26, 2025 at 7:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Featuring works by Beethoven and Franck
Sharing the Spotlight: Jon Kimura Parker, Piano Thu, Feb 27, 2024 at 7:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Brinton Averil Smith, Cello
Fri, Feb 28, 2025 at 7:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Evelyn Chen, piano
Judaism in Music: an exploration of the contributions of the greatest Jewish composers to the repertoire
Sohyoung Park, Piano
Sun, Apr 27, 2025 at 5:00pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Jeanne & Norman Fischer Yoonshin Song
Richard Lavenda
Brinton Averil Smith
Shepherd School of Music Faculty
Dean of the Shepherd School of the Music
Matthew Loden
Conducting
Miguel Harth-Bedoya
Violin
Paul Kantor
Cho-Liang Lin
Kathleen Winkler
Viola
James Dunham Ivo-Jan van der Werff
Cello
Norman Fischer
Desmond Hoebig
Brinton Averil Smith
Double Bass
Paul Ellison
Timothy Pitts
Flute
Marianne Gedigian
Oboe
Robert Atherholt
Clarinet
Richie Hawley
Bassoon
Benjamin Kamins
Trumpet
Barbara Butler
Horn*
Elizabeth Freimuth
Robert Johnson
Gail Williams
Trombone
Allen Barnhill
Tuba
David Kirk
Percussion
Matthew Strauss
Harp
Paula Page
Piano
Brian Connelly
Jeanne Kierman Fischer
Sohyoung Park
Jon Kimura Parker
Organ
Ken Cowan
Opera Studies
Joshua Winograde
Patrick Summers
Voice
Ana María Martínez
Robin Rice
Nova Thomas
Vocal Coaching
Thomas Jaber
Lyndsi Maus
Alex Munger
Nino Sanikidze
Bethany Self
Rice Chorale
Thomas Jaber
Composition & Theory
Karim Al-Zand
Damian Blättler
Karl Blench
Anthony Brandt
Shih-Hui Chen
Arthur Gottschalk
Pierre Jalbert
Richard Lavenda
Kurt Stallmann
Robert Yekovich
Musicology
Gregory Barnett
Erik Broess
David Ferris
Alexandra Kieffer
Peter Loewen
Danielle Ward-Griffin
Orchestral & Chamber Repertoire
Joan DerHovsepian
Christopher French
Thomas LeGrand
Janet Rarick
Yoonshin Song
Lecturers
Mario Aschauer
Susan Dunn-Rachleff
Rick Erickson
Jerry Hou
Cristian Ma˘celaru
Robert Simpson
Glenn Taylor
Chapman Welch
Learn more about our faculty at music.rice.edu
*Interim, 2024-25
Guest Artist Master Classes
Get an insider’s view as Shepherd School students perform short musical excerpts and receive advice and tips from a distinguished guest artist in front of a live audience.
FREE • TICKETS REQUIRED
James Ehnes, violin Fri, Oct 11, 2024 at 8:00pm, Duncan Recital Hall
FREE • No Tickets Needed
Ruckus Mon, Nov 11, 2024 at 2:30pm, Stude Concert Hall
Yefim Bronfman, piano Mon, Dec 2, 2024 at 11:00am, Duncan Recital Hall
Leila Josefowicz, violin Thu, Apr 17, 2025 at 4:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Dimitri Murrath, viola Tue, Sep 24, 2024 at 2:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Roberta Rust, piano Sun, Mar 2, 2025 at 1:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
James Ehnes
Dimitri Murrath
Ruckus
Yefim Bronfman Leila Josefowicz
Guest Artist Performances
• No Tickets Needed
Callisto Quartet
Mon, Oct 7, 2024 at 7:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Shepherd School alumni return to perform the music of faculty member Richard Lavenda
Sandbox Percussion
Fri, Feb 7, 2025 at 7:30pm, Wortham Theatre
In addition to this performance, Sandbox Percussion will also perform the works of Shepherd School students as part of a three-day residency.
Roberta Rust, piano
Sat, Mar 1, 2025 at 7:30pm, Duncan Recital Hall
Einstein’s Beloved Piano-Witch: Harriet Cohen
Olivier Latry, organ
Fri, Feb 28, 2025 at 7:30pm, Edythe Bates Old Recital Hall & Grand Organ
Olivier Latry is organist of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame and professor at the Paris Conservatory.
Olivier Latry
Roberta Rust
Sandbox Percussion
Callisto Quartet
Moody Center for the Arts
The mission of the Moody Center for the Arts is to encourage creative thinking and original expression, enrich curricular innovation, and promote cross-campus and community collaboration through transformative encounters with the arts. The public is invited to experience their free programming including:
Do Ho Suh: In Process
On view through Dec 21, 2024
The first presentation of its kind by the internationally renowned artist Do Ho Suh, In Process forgoes the formalities of a traditional exhibition in favor of presenting a studio-like space for research and collaboration. By privileging the dynamics of open experimentation over the finality of the end result, visitors are invited to experience the methodologies by which Do Ho Suh iterates on ideas, engages experts from diverse fields, and expresses complex ideas through the physical manifestations of his artistic practice.
Artists-in-Dialogue
Thu, Oct 24, 2024 at 6:00pm
Join Artist-in-Residence Lucy Kim as she shares her practice through an interdisciplinary lens.
New Art / New Music
Sat, Nov 2, 2024 at 3:00pm
A presentation of original scores composed in response to the fall exhibition Do Ho Suh: In Process created and performed by Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music students.
Join the Shepherd Society
Since the earliest days of the Shepherd School’s existence, Shepherd Society members have made an impact on thousands of music students’ dreams and aspirations. Join this community of music lovers TODAY to fund student scholarships and attract the most talented young musicians to study at the Shepherd School.
Membership Levels | Exclusive Shepherd Society Benefits
Choose the membership level that works best for you and unlock an array of exclusive benefits! Your 12-month membership is 100% tax-deductible.
$100 - $249 | Friend
• Access to Shepherd Society concierge phone line
• Recognition on the online Shepherd School donor listing
• Invitation to the 50th Anniversary Kickoff Celebration–just for Shepherd Society members–before the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra opening concert
$250 - $499 | Ambassador
Benefits listed above plus:
• Early access to ticketed performances and events
• Invitation to the end-of-season Shepherd Society pre-concert reception
$500 - $999 | Patron
Benefits listed above plus:
• Premiere assigned seating to ticketed performances and events. Now available online!
• Access to the Tudor Patrons’ Lounge with private bar service during select performances in Brockman Hall for Opera
$1,000 - $2,499 | Benefactor
Benefits listed above plus:
• Invitation to Shepherd on Stage, a unique opportunity to experience firsthand a working rehearsal with the Shepherd School Chamber Orchestra on Stude stage
$2,500 - $4,999 | Prize
Benefits listed above plus:
• Invitation to Behind the Scenes, an exploration of how an opera comes to life by observing the sitzprobe, a rehearsal where vocalists and instrumentalists unite to focus on musical cohesion.
$5,000 - $9,999 | Award
Benefits listed above plus:
• Direct sponsorship of a student with a named gift
• Invitation to meet your student recipient during the annual scholarship reception
$10,000 - $29,999 | Grant
Benefits listed above plus:
• Invitation to private performances
$30,000 - $99,999 | Full-Tuition
Benefits listed above plus:
• Backstage invitation to meet Miguel Harth-Bedoya, distinguished resident director of orchestras and professor of conducting.
$100,000+ Endowed Scholarship
• Lifetime membership in the Shepherd Society
Endowed gifts make a lasting impact and can be created through a variety of methods, including bequests. To learn more, contact Emily Wells at ew51@rice.edu or 713-348-4047.
50th Anniversary Kickoff Celebration
Fri, Sep 27, 2024 in the Grand Foyer of Brockman Hall for Opera
All current Shepherd Society members are invited to a special reception before the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra season-opening performance.
Supporting our students through the Shepherd Society is more than making a charitable donation - it’s the beginning of a meaningful relationship built through the common love of music. Play a pivotal role in shaping the lives of aspiring musicians and see firsthand the impact of your gift.
Shepherd Society Scholarship Reception
Meet your student recipient during the annual scholarship reception
Shepherd on Stage
Sit onstage during rehearsal with the Shepherd School Chamber Orchestra
Behind the Scenes
Observe a working rehearsal of the spring opera production
