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17cÍøÒ³°æ Tech 17cÍøÒ³°æ Presents:
GTSO with Noé Rodrigo Gisbert

17cÍøÒ³°æ Tech 17cÍøÒ³°æ Presents:
GTSO with Noé Rodrigo Gisbert

Friday, February 13th, 2026
7:30pm
Ferst Center

GT Laptop Orchestra

Dr. Jeremy Muller, Director
 

17cÍøÒ³°æ Tech Symphony Orchestra

Dr. Chaowen Ting, Conductor

The concert welcomes acclaimed percussionist Noé Rodrigo Gisbert for Jennifer Higdon’s Percussion Concerto, a work marked by rhythmic vitality, virtuosic energy, and striking sonic contrasts. The evening culminates with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92, celebrated for its propulsive rhythms, expansive architecture, and exhilarating sense of motion.

Program

Percussion Concerto  ...........  Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962)

Noé Rodrigo Gisbert, percussion

Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 ...........  Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)

I. Poco sostenuto – Vivace
II. Allegretto
III. Presto – Assai meno presto
IV. Finale – Allegro con brio

photo of composer noe rodrigo gisbert

Soloist Bio – Noè Rodrigo Gisbert

International soloist and regular percussionist of the AskoISchönberg ensemble, Noè Rodrigo specializes in contemporary music at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and collaborates with different ensembles and orchestras around the world.

He has been invited to some of the most important festivals in Europe such as the Printemps des Arts Festival in Monte-Carlo, the International Festival of Music and Dance in Granada, or the Edinburgh International Festival, where he performed as soloist with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, together with pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Matthias Pintscher.

For full bio, please visit

Program Notes: Percussion Concerto

Jennifer Higdon’s Percussion Concerto celebrates rhythm, color, and motion through a vibrant and highly expressive musical landscape. The work unfolds as a dialogue between soloist and orchestra, allowing percussion timbres to emerge as both melodic and atmospheric voices, shaping a journey of constant transformation.
 
The concerto opens with energetic, sharply articulated figures that propel the music forward, immediately establishing a sense of vitality and momentum. These passages give way to moments of lyrical stillness, where percussion resonates with clarity and nuance, creating contrasts that highlight the expressive possibilities of each instrument. Throughout the work, rhythmic drive and melodic interplay intertwine, crafting a tapestry of sound that evolves seamlessly from one section to the next.
 
As the concerto progresses, Higdon’s orchestration reveals the full range of the percussion family, from shimmering, delicate textures to commanding, resonant statements. The music builds to climactic passages of thrilling virtuosity, where soloist and orchestra converge in a dazzling display of energy, color, and motion. The piece concludes with a sense of exhilaration, leaving the listener immersed in its rhythmic brilliance and orchestral splendor.

photo of composer jennifer higdon

Composer Bio – Jennifer Higdon

Jennifer Higdon is one of America’s most acclaimed figures in contemporary classical music, receiving the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in Music for her Violin Concerto, a 2010 Grammy Award for her Percussion Concerto, a 2018 Grammy for her Viola Concerto, and a 2020 Grammy for her Harp Concerto.

Her first opera, Cold Mountain, won the International Opera Award for Best World Premiere, and its recording was nominated for two Grammy Awards. In 2018, Higdon received the prestigious Nemmers Prize from Northwestern University, recognizing composers of exceptional achievement and influence. She is also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Higdon’s works receive hundreds of performances each year and have been recorded on more than 70 CDs.

For more information, visit

Laptop Orchestra Members

Teaching Assistant: Anton Pirro

Samuel Boland

Isaac Cassells

William Dunn

Darius Haynes

Sophie Huang

Malachi Joseph

Samantha Khanimov

Elliot King

Ethan Kong

Samuel Kuran

Poorvi Mathur

Rowan Porteous

Connor Sasveld

Hayden Sebastian

Anthony Stoney

Carol Wang

Nicolette Yeomans

Yunlang Zheng

Symphony Orchestra Members

Violin I

Major

Jeffrey Xu, Concertmaster 

Computer Science

Alicia Li

Industrial Design 

Leyah James

Neuroscience

Justin Wong

Electrical Engineering

Adrian Cheung

Computer Science

Kyle Jiang

Electrical Engineering

Amber Li

Industrial Engineering

Carol Li

Mechanical Engineering

Leo Liu

Aerospace Engineering

Jiyoon Park

Biology

Sara Takagi

Biomedical Engineering 

Cooper Fister

Biology

Ariana Syed

Neuroscience

Angelina Lee

Industrial Engineering

Violin II

 

Daeyong Kwon, Principal

Computer Science 

Gene Chang

Computer Science

Vidhyuth Sriram

Mechanical Engineering

Zachry Tseng

Biochemistry

Allen Xu

Mathematics

Jaya Sauter

Aerospace Engineering

Ansel Erol

Computer Science

Sila Keha

Industrial Engineering

William Lu

Electrical Engineering

Aaron Wang

Computer Science

Nathan Lin

Computer Science

Christopher Linder

Computer Science

Megan Chen

Computer Human Interaction

Viola

 

Lyudmila Piatkov, Principal

Biomedical Engineering

Tyler Bothwell

Chemistry 

Justin Zhou

Computer Engineering

Brandon Marshall

Computer Science

Jasmine Gistren

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Erika Tay

Computer Science

Daniel Kim

Computer Science

Emma AxelsonCivil Engineering 

Cello

 

Sean Yoshihara, Principal

Computer Science

Salome Ho

Industrial Engineering

Joseph Tappen

Mechanical Engineering

Hailey Hackbarth

Civil Engineering

Albert Kuo

Mechanical Engineering

Will Deinzer

Computer Science

Nathan Shepherd

Computer Engineering

Grady Jenkins

Aerospace Engineering

Ryan Wang StoverAerospace Engineering

Caitlyn Chen

Business Administration

Double Bass

 

Hazel Patty, Principal

Industrial Engineeering

Atharva Gujrathi

Aerospace Engineering

Irene Achanti

Industrial Engineering

Ethan Huang

Industrial Engineering

 

Flute

 

Isabel Edgcomb

Aerospace Engineering 

Yoojin Jeong~

Neuroscience

Alex Yang^

Economics

Oboe

 

Stephanie Beck

 

Shaya Farahmand^~

Computer Science

Liam Nunn

Civil Engineering

Clarinet

 

Alex Hunt

Computer Engineering

Jiho Jun~

Electrical Engineering 

Joseph Lee^

Biomedical Engineering

Bassoon

 

Ahmad Duncan

 

Michelle Hung^~

 

Rowan Porteous

Music

Horn

 

Henry Garcia^

Electrical Engineering

Kathryn Hughes~

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Carlos Sanchez

Biomedical Engineering

Andrew Sehmann

 

Trumpet

 

Mason Beyke^

Psychology

Sophie Huang~

Music

Jensen Stahr

Aerospace Engineering

Trombone

 

Jonatan Gonzalez

Aerospace Engineering

Ben Harris^

Civil Engineering

Malachi Joseph

Music

Tuba

 

Trent Rotter

Chemical Engineering 

Harp

 

Jocelyn Chang

Computer Science

Keyboard

 

Bingyue Deng

Music Technology; Computer Science

Timpani & Percussion

 

Kelsey Brunson, Percussion 

Nathan Chou, Percussion

Computer Science

Fischer Jehs, Timpani

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Jeremy Muller, Percussion

 

 

Denotes principal player: ^Higdon, ~Beethoven 

Concert sponsored by the Cultural Office, Embassy of Spain 

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17cÍøÒ³°æ Tech 17cÍøÒ³°æ

Through interdisciplinary degree programs, outstanding performance ensembles, and innovative research endeavors, the 17cÍøÒ³°æ Tech 17cÍøÒ³°æ cultivates a rich legacy of musical traditions and develops cutting-edge technologies to help define music's future. The School serves students in bachelors, masters, and doctoral programs in music technology and offers innovative performance opportunities, courses, and cultural and artistic experiences for students throughout the Institute.