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St. Louis Symphony Orchestra musicians will perform the world premiere of Oblivious and Ride, a new work written by Mizzou New Music Initiative student composer Yoell Tewolde, as part of the SLSO’s Live at The Sheldon: Folk Fest program on November 13, 2025. This program will be curated by violinist Andrea Jarrett and cellist Jennifer Humphreys of the SLSO, who will be in the string quartet performing the premiere.
“The piece is based on a bit of a whimsical narrative I created about a fictional cowboy taming a horse,” said Tewolde. “The horse is relaxing in a field when a cowboy wrangles it and jumps on. The horse then gallops around trying to buck the cowboy off and is ultimately successful in deterring the cowboy from catching it.”
A Columbia, Missouri native, Tewolde is a sophomore composition student, a National Merit Scholar and a Sinquefield Scholar. He grew up playing the piano, clarinet, and saxophone, and credits his school music experiences—concert, marching, and jazz bands—as well as his family’s Eritrean heritage, for helping to form his musical voice.
Now in its third year, SLSO’s Live at The Sheldon series features chamber music by rising composers at the University of Missouri, part of the orchestra’s long-running collaboration with the Mizzou New Music Initiative – a program of the university that supports emerging composers.
The Mizzou New Music Initiative is a diverse array of programs that position the University of Missouri School of Music as a leading center for the composition and performance of new music. The initiative is supported by the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation, led by Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield. Their vision is to create an incubator for the composition and performance of new music and to showcase Missouri as a center for the music of tomorrow.
Tickets for the November 13 concert are $41-$59 for the general public and $10 for students. More information can be found here.
To stay up to date with all Mizzou New Music Initiative announcements, follow them on Instagram and Facebook: @MizzouNewMusic