The Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra will bring its 2025-26 season at Rice University to a close with a program that pairs two of the most celebrated orchestral works of the 20th century, offering audiences a final opportunity to hear the ensemble live this academic year. “Virtuosic Soundscapes” conducted by guest conductor Kevin John Edusei will take place April 25 at 7:30 p.m. in Stude Concert Hall at Alice Pratt Brown Hall. Tickets start at $5 with pay-what-you-wish options available.
The program centers on Béla Bartók’s “Concerto for Orchestra” and Claude Debussy’s “La mer,” two works that demand both technical precision and interpretive depth. Composed during the final years of Bartók’s life, the “Concerto for Orchestra” is widely regarded as his last masterwork, showcasing each section of the ensemble with virtuosic intensity. In contrast, Debussy’s “La mer” offers an impressionistic exploration of the sea, capturing its shifting moods through richly layered textures and color.
Edusei, a German conductor with an international presence, brings a reputation for expressive clarity and structural insight to the podium. His recent engagements include appearances with major orchestras across North America, Europe and Australia including the New York Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra, as well as a 2025-26 season appointment as conductor-in-residence with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London.
“I’m thrilled to be performing with the musicians of the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra,” Edusei said. “Working with students often involves introducing them to a composer’s handwriting for the first time. I’m therefore very excited to see the energy and insight they will bring to two of the most powerful orchestral scores of the 20th century.”
The performance also marks a milestone moment for the student musicians of the Shepherd School. As the final orchestral concert of the academic year, it represents both a culmination of months of study and a closing chapter for many soon-to-be graduates, offering these students one last opportunity to apply their training to cornerstone works of the orchestral canon.
Get more information and reserve your seats on the Shepherd School website.