ROCO
Shaping the Future of Classical Music through Energizing, Modernizing, and Personalizing the Concert Experience
Core Values: The ABCs of ROCO
ROCO is a dynamic and innovative professional music ensemble that flexes from 1 to 40 players from all over the US and Canada, with guest conductors from around the world.
Performing intimate concerts in dozens of venues, ROCO’s musicians do not just give concerts — they challenge preconceptions, create extraordinary experiences and foster new relationships with audiences through the language of music.
ROCO’s debut album, Visions Take Flight, was recognized with a GRAMMY® Award for Producer of the Year, Blanton Alspaugh. Widely recognized for diversity in programming, a recent study from the Institute for Composers Diversity found ROCO is the number one ensemble in the US for performing the works of women and number two for the works of composers of color. Additionally, ROCO has the third-highest number of world premiere commissions in the United States: 118 works from living composers.
ROCO embraces technology for the purpose of connection with free worldwide concert livestreams and real-time artist commentary via the ROCO Houston app, as well as on-demand audio and video recordings of past concerts via popular music streaming services and our own Listening Room. A vital part of the community, ROCO performances are shared with nursing homes and hospitals through concert DVDs to bring music to those immobile communities. The unique ROCOrooters music education and childcare program attracts multigenerational audiences. Empowering ROCO musicians with the ability to curate their own concerts and connecting them personally to composers and donors is just one of the many reasons ROCO is known as an “arts disruptor” and “trailblazer.”
ROCO’s Founding
Known as “the most fun you can have with serious music,” ROCO was founded in 2005 by oboist and Juilliard graduate, Alecia Lawyer. After multiple experiences in other musical start-ups, she saw the need for a sustainable and thriving model that would focus on authentic connections between musicians and audiences. Her work of “Wildcatting in the Arts” has expanded through a vibrant and multi-talented team that has made ROCO known for its dedication to living and diverse composers, multigenerational audiences, and free access to classical music for all.
