The Rendez-Vous Orchestra presents Springtime Sojourn

Join us on a musical journey this spring with three symphonies that span centuries and styles. Take a musical trip this autumn without leaving your seat. Mozart’s lively “Paris” Symphony sparkles with youthful charm, while Mendelssohn’s sunny “Italian” Symphony dances with the warmth and spirit of the Mediterranean. Adding our signature modern twist, Moppa Elliott’s Symphony in C brings fresh energy and imagination to the evening. From Paris to Italy and beyond, this program captures the vibrant energy and colorful moods of the season in full bloom.

PROGRAM

Mozart Symphony No. 31 ("Paris")

Moppa Elliott Symphony in C

Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4 ("Italian")

Alex Wen, guest conductor

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About the Rendez-Vous Orchestra

Founded in 2019 by Artistic Director Brian Shaheen, the Rendez-Vous Orchestra is a versatile ensemble led by dynamic like-minded musicians, performing works of various styles and traditions for diverse audiences throughout New York City. Performing traditional Western Classical and collaborating with emerging composers and soloists, the RVO incorporates improvisation and experimentation, fostering a passion for musical discovery.

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About Alex Wen

Guest Conductor Alex Wen, the current Artistic Director of the Jackson Heights Orchestra, most recently served as assistant conductor of the Massapequa Philharmonic and the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony under the mentorship of Maestro David Bernard, and concluded five seasons as Principal Conductor of the Golden Rose Opera. He has worked with contemporary music groups such as PinkNoise Ensemble and the NYsoundCircuit as their appointed music director.

An avid opera conductor, Alex has led performances of La Bohème, Carmen, Suor Angelica, Cavalleria Rusticana, and Madama Butterfly with the Golden Rose Opera, and led the New York premieres of Eric Moe's Artwork of the Future and Huang Ruo’s Bound with Fresh Squeezed Opera.

Alex has conducted performances with Rhymes With Opera, the Queens College Orchestra, Queens College Opera, Litha Symphony Orchestra, and has cover conducted for the Queer Urban Orchestra and Yonkers Philharmonic. Recent engagements also include performances with the Sound Symphony Orchestra and guest clinician and conductor for the All-County Festival Orchestra of the National Music Educators Association (NMEA), with regular guest conducting appearances with the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra.

A graduate of the Masters program in Orchestral Conducting at the Aaron Copland School of Music, Alex studied with Maurice Peress and managed the Queens College Conductors Workshop collaborating with composers David Amram, Bruce Saylor, and George Tsontakis. Wen was selected as a participant in the 2019 Conductors Workshop of the Cabrillo Festival for Contemporary Music where he worked with Cristian Măcelaru and Octavio Más-Arocas. Alex holds a Bachelor of Music in viola performance from Azusa Pacific University (APU) where he served as an assistant conductor to the APU Chamber Singers, responsible for preparing the orchestra for the National Collegiate Choral Organization’s national conference.