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Background
The River Oaks Chamber Orchestra (ROCO) is a forty-piece professional chamber orchestra that was founded in 2005 by Alecia Lawyer. A Juilliard-trained musician with an eclectic background as a performer, recording artist, adjunct professor and radio host, Ms. Lawyer had a vision to reimagine the orchestral experience for both audience and musicians. The result is ROCO: an orchestra of all-star musicians, distinguished conductors and contemporary composers who come together from all over the world to present unexpected classics, original compositions and delightful performances that dissolve the barriers between audience and orchestra.
Boilerplate
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 artists from around the world. Performing intimate concerts in dozens of venues, ROCO’s musicians don’t 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 for a GRAMMY® Award for Producer of the Year, Blanton Alspaugh. Widely recognized for diversity in programming, a recent study from the Institute for Composer Diversity found ROCO is the number one ensemble in the US for performing the works of women and number two for performing the works of composers of color. Additionally, ROCO has the third-highest number of commissions in the United States and has premiered nearly 100 commissions from living composers. ROCO embraces technology, with free worldwide concert livestreams and real-time artist commentary via a smartphone app, as well as on-demand recordings of past concerts via popular music streaming services. A vital part of the community, ROCO concert DVDs are sent to nursing homes and hospitals to bring music to those immobile communities, and their music education/childcare program attracts multigenerational audiences.
More at www.roco.org
“Offering audiences a concert experience like that of no other”
— Houston Chronicle
“ROCO is magic… a major Houston success story”
— Arts + Culture
“A prominent part of Houston’s art music scene”
— Houston Public Media
“Music buffs love this chamber orchestra because they hear something they love and they learn to love something they’ve never heard before”
— CultureMap Houston
“One of the country’s most innovative classical musical ensembles”
— Houstonia Magazine
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Alecia Lawyer; Photo credit – Lynn Lane
Alecia Lawyer; Photo credit – Joel Luks
Alecia Lawyer; Photo credit – Joel Luks
Amy Gibbs (L); Alecia Lawyer (R); Photo credit – Lynn Lane
ROCO In Concert with Mei-Ann Chen, at The Church of St. John the Divine; Photo credit – Blueprint Film Co.
ROCO In Concert at The Church of St. John the Divine; Photo credit – Blueprint Film Co.
ROCO In Concert with Mei-Ann Chen, at The Church of St. John the Divine; Photo credit – Blueprint Film Co.
ROCO In Concert at The Church of St. John the Divine; Photo credit – Joel Luks
ROCO In Concert at Miller Outdoor Theater; Photo credit – Blueprint Film Co.
ROCO Brass Quintet at ROCO Unchambered; Photo credit – Blueprint Film Co.
ROCO strings at ROCO Unchambered; Photo credit – Blueprint Film Co.
Press Release
Season 16 (2020-2021)
download
Season 15 (2019-2020)
download
Season 14 (2018-2019)
download
Season 13 (2017-2018)
download
Season 12 (2016-2017)
download
Season 11 (2015-2016)
download
See all news releases here.
Alecia Lawyer, Founder, Artistic Director, Principal Oboe
(.doc) download
(.pdf) download
Amy Gibbs, Managing Director
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(.pdf) download
