ROCO Connections: Philip Borter, cello

Philip Borter takes the stage at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston - Lynn Wyatt Theater on Friday, April 16, 2027, for a cello recital that's less a standard program and more a personal curation. Borter is a cellist with ROCO, and this particular evening is built around the music he discovered during his Fulbright research in Brazil. He's putting together a program that celebrates the country's musical traditions and the blend of classical, folk, and contemporary influences that define Brazilian music.

It's a solo cello night, so the focus stays on Borter and his instrument. The music he's bringing to the stage comes from that research trip, and the program is meant to showcase the different threads that run through Brazilian music—the classical side, the folk roots, and the contemporary sounds that have grown out of them. Rather than a set of unrelated pieces, it's an evening centered on a specific place and the music that comes from it.

The concert is presented by ROCO Houston as part of their Connections series, which is sponsored by The W.T. & Louise J. Moran Foundation, with Texas Monthly as media sponsor and support from Frost Bank. There's also something to do after the music stops: once the performance is over, the audience is invited to a guided exploration of artwork selected to complement the music, so you can stay and see the visual side of the evening.

It runs from 7 PM to 9 PM at the Lynn Wyatt Theater, 5500 Main St, Houston, TX 77004. Tickets are pay-what-you-wish, with a suggested price of $45.