After Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston in 2017, the musicians of ROCO - the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra - commissioned a fanfare they titled the Heroes of Harvey, saluting those who came to the aid of those whose lives were turned upside down by the storm. ROCO’s musicians have now renamed that work Anthem of Hope, dedicating it to first first responders and others on the front lines of the Covid-19 Coronavirus epidemic, posting a recording of it on YouTube - each musician recording it from his or her own home.
Alecia Lawyer, ROCO’s founder and artistic director, described the origin of the piece and how she sees it fit our circumstances today.