Deep Dive into Classical Pops with Janine Arostique

Discover your newest binge and get to know our staff a little better with the Asia Society Texas Center team's favorite ways to stay entertained indoors! With our Deep Dives we take you on a journey into the obsessions of individual staff members for an in-depth look at a specific art form or cultural production.

Meet Janine

Janine Mae Arostique is Asia Society Texas Center's Development Manager. She studied piano and interdisciplinary art and is a recent graduate of the Arts Leadership program at the University of Houston. She enjoys cooking, traveling, practicing yoga, and watching Bon Appétit videos on YouTube.

What I am currently enjoying

I have been obsessed with the band Vulfpeck for quite some time. I began listening to the band members' solo projects, and Cory Wong's guitar playing is funky. He recently performed with the Metropole Orkest in Amsterdam, and I have never thought an orchestra could be so groovy.

Find it on: Cory Wong's website | Cory Wong on YouTube | Vulfpeck's website

What I find myself returning to again and again

When I was a freshman in high school, I worshipped the Anderson & Roe Piano Duo. They presented classical music in a way that wasn't stuffy or elitist. I also credit the duo for introducing me to Radiohead's OK Computer album.

Find it on: Anderson & Roe Piano Duo website

Projects I am looking forward to

Ramin Djawadi is responsible for film scores such as Iron Man and Pacific Rim, and perhaps most famously — Game of Thrones. My favorite works of his are his arrangements on HBO's Westworld. Djwadi somehow combines pop, classical, and spaghetti western elements and makes it work. His next project is scoring Marvel's The Eternals, which will be released in 2021.

Find it on: Spotify | Facebook

An artist that excites me is

This collaboration between Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile, and Stuart Duncan is a match made in heaven. It's neither completely classical nor bluegrass, but something we all needed.

Find it on: Yo-Yo Ma's website

My wildcard recommendation is

Tōru Takemitsu is known for his classical contemporary compositions, such as Requiem for String Orchestra, Rain Tree, and Litany. After searching through his work, I stumbled upon his 12 Songs for Guitar. His guitar transcriptions are much more digestible than his other work, but they still have a jazzy, angular twist.

Find it on: Spotify

Business and Policy programs are endowed by Huffington Foundation. We give special thanks to Bank of America, Muffet Blake, Anne and Albert Chao, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Nancy Pollok Guinee, United Airlines, and Wells Fargo, Presenting Sponsors of Business and Policy programs; Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, and Leslie and Brad Bucher, Presenting Sponsors of Exhibitions; Dr. Ellen R. Gritz and Milton D. Rosenau and Wells Fargo, Presenting Sponsors of Performing Arts and Culture; and Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Presenting Sponsor of the Japan Series. General support of programs and exhibitions is provided by The Brown Foundation, Inc., The Hearts Foundation, Inc., Houston Endowment, Inc., the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, McKinsey & Company, Inc., National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, Vinson & Elkins LLP, and Mary Lawrence Porter, as well as Friends of Asia Society.

About Asia Society at Home

Though Asia Society is temporarily closed, we are dedicated to continuing our mission of building cross-cultural understanding and uplifting human connectivity. Using digital tools, we bring you content for all ages and conversations that matter, in order to spark curiosity about Asia and to foster empathy.

About Asia Society Texas Center

With 13 locations throughout the world, Asia Society is the leading educational organization promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among the peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and West. Asia Society Texas Center executes the global mission with a local focus, enriching and engaging the vast diversity of Houston through innovative, relevant programs in arts and culture, business and policy, education, and community outreach.