Da Camera's artistic and general director prepares Rothko concert Pianist and Da Camera general manager Sarah Rothenberg prepares music dedicated to artist Mark Rothko Photo of Andrew Dansby Andrew Dansby Nov. 23, 2015 Updated: Nov. 23, 2015 10:49 a.m. More Comments Print 14 1 of 14Sarah Rothenberg, a virtuoso pianist and fine arts programer who runs Da Camera, has a new CD out called Rothko Chapel on ECM. Rothenberg is photographed at Da Camera, across the street from the Rothko Chapel, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, in Houston. ( Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle )Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff 2 of 14Sarah Rothenberg, a virtuoso pianist and fine arts programer who runs Da Camera, has a new CD out called Rothko Chapel on ECM. Rothenberg is photographed at Da Camera, across the street from the Rothko Chapel, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, in Houston. ( Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle )Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff 3 of 14Sarah Rothenberg, a virtuoso pianist and fine arts programer who runs Da Camera, has a new CD out called Rothko Chapel on ECM. Rothenberg is photographed at Da Camera, across the street from the Rothko Chapel, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, in Houston. ( Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle )Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff 4 of 14Sarah Rothenberg, a virtuoso pianist and fine arts programer who runs Da Camera, has a new CD out called Rothko Chapel on ECM. Rothenberg is photographed at Da Camera, across the street from the Rothko Chapel, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, in Houston. ( Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle )Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff 5 of 14Sarah Rothenberg, a virtuoso pianist and fine arts programer who runs Da Camera, has a new CD out called "Rothko Chapel."Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff 6 of 14Sarah Rothenberg, a virtuoso pianist and fine arts programer who runs Da Camera, has a new CD out called Rothko Chapel on ECM. Rothenberg is photographed at Da Camera, across the street from the Rothko Chapel, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, in Houston. ( Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle )Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff 7 of 14Sarah Rothenberg, a virtuoso pianist and fine arts programer who runs Da Camera, has a new CD out called Rothko Chapel on ECM. Rothenberg is photographed at Da Camera, across the street from the Rothko Chapel, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, in Houston. ( Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle )Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff 8 of 14Sarah Rothenberg, a virtuoso pianist and fine arts programer who runs Da Camera, has a new CD out called Rothko Chapel on ECM. Rothenberg is photographed at Da Camera, across the street from the Rothko Chapel, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, in Houston. ( Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle )Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff 9 of 14The painter Mark Rothko in front of his "No. 7" in 1960.Photo: Regina Bogat 10 of 14Christopher Rothko, center, son of legendary, late Abstract Expressionist painter Mark Rothko, at the Rothko Chapel, where he led a tour for a private group. (For the Chronicle/Gary Fountain, May 15, 2015)Photo: Gary Fountain, Freelance 11 of 1402/22/1967 - New York composer Morton FeldmanPhoto: Jerry Click, HP staff 12 of 14French composer Erik Satie (1866-1925) FRANCE - 1890: Erik Satie (1866-1925), French composer. RV-57030 (Photo by Roger Viollet Collection/Getty Images)Photo: Roger Viollet Collection, Contributor 13 of 14John Cage on telephone, copyright Robert R. McElroy, licensed by VAGA, New York 14 of 14Cover for "Rothko Chapel," a new album featuring violist Kim Kashkashian, pianist Sarah Rothenberg, percussionist Steven Schick and the Houston Chamber Choir with conductor Robert Simpson. The program features compositions by Morton Feldman, John Cage and Erik SatiePhoto: ECM

Sarah Rothenberg opens a notebook filled with musical ideas. The graph paper inside contains a particular sort of magic, an uneasy marriage of uniform boxes and loping letters: order, chaos and the possibilities that come from their conflict. A pianist as well as artistic director for Da Camera of Houston, Rothenberg is required to work both inside and outside the box, such that it is. Her most recent notes look ahead to 2016 and 2017.

"There are already ideas I can't fit into that season," she says. "But you need a deep well of ideas. More than you can actually do. You edit them down. Sometimes, a theme will emerge." You've read your last free article on Houston Chronicle this month. To continue reading please subscribe or sign in

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"There are already ideas I can't fit into that season," she says. "But you need a deep well of ideas. More than you can actually do. You edit them down. Sometimes, a theme will emerge."

with Sarah Rothenberg and the Houston Chamber Choir