National Organization For Arts in Health

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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 redefine the orchestral experience for both audience and musicians. The result is ROCO: an orchestra of all-star musicians, distinguished conductors, and famous 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. ROCO played its inaugural concert on November 5, 2005, at The Church of St. John the Divine. From the beginning, ROCO received critical acclaim and developed a loyal audience of classical music fans, parents seeking family entertainment and enrichment, and musicians who share Alecia's vision. ROCO was the first to bring to Houston an orchestral experience that simultaneously entertains, educates, and fosters relationships between orchestra and audience. This unique approach to classical music has led critics to call ROCO a well-rounded, vivacious approach to music, and a trailblazer in the orchestral world. ROCO brings together forty all-star musicians from throughout the U.S. and Canada, each an acclaimed artist and soloist, in a collaborative and inspiring environment. ROCO does not have a permanent conductor, but instead, engages distinguished guest conductors and famous composers throughout the year. The overall effect is musical joie de vivre made possible by the combination of virtuosic artists and great personal chemistry. ROCO is dedicated to creating a multi-sensory experience in which the audience is entertained, educated, and thoroughly delighted as they listen to music, get to know the musicians, and become a part of the ROCO family. ROCO engages the audience in several ways: 1 ) Audience members are invited onto the stage during the performance, 2 ) Musicians put on name tags and River Oaks Chamber Orchestra come out into the audience during intermission ( called Take 5 ), 3 ) Patrons may adopt individual musicians through chair sponsorship, 4 ) the magazine format keepsake program includes composer notes and pronunciation guides, and 5 ) salon concerts and member events in intimate settings provide opportunities for patrons to interact with the musicians and the music. ROCO is breaking new ground by providing a uniquely personal classical musical experience for concert-goers. It does this through several unique programs:

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