Chamber Orchestra 

The University of Rochester Chamber Orchestra's (URCO) 40 student musicians present four free concerts each year in the University of Rochester's Henry Alvah Strong Auditorium on the River Campus. Led by Dr. David Harman, The orchestra also performs in satellite locations throughout the Rochester community and tours both in the United States and internationally. During the spring of 1996, the all-student orchestra toured the island of Jamaica, performing and working with the Jamaica Orchestra for Youth and the Alpha Boys Band as well as giving a gala performance in Kingston's Ward Theatre. During July of 1997, the Chamber Orchestra toured the island of Grand Cayman, B.W.I. In Georgetown, they performed concerts and served as the core orchestra and teaching mentors for the first International Festival for Music Education. One of the performances from the festival was broadcast by Cayman Television. The Orchestra returned to Grand Cayman again in the summer of 1998. In May 1999, the Orchestra toured Italy. Pictures from the Chamber Orchestra's return trip to Grand Cayman in June 2000 are on the website. URCO toured in Montreal, Canada in May 2002, Cleveland, Ohio in May 2004, and Buffalo in 2006.

Performing music from the Baroque to the Contemporary, the Chamber Orchestra showcases the versatility of the University's students. This season the Chamber Orchestra will perform major works by Mendelssohn, Ravel, Mozart, and Weber, as well as new contemporary pieces. The orchestra also performs at the annual Viennese Ball, held each November in Wilson Commons.

Membership is open to qualified University of Rochester students. This year, auditions for Chamber Orchestra and for Symphony Orchestra will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 2 and 3.  You'll be able to sign up at Todd Union for an audition time beginning on August 29.  Please prepare two to three minutes of your favorite solo that represents your musical and technical abilities. There will also be  some sight reading.  The entire audition should take about seven minutes. 

Rehearsals are held Mondays from 4:50 to 6:00 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 4:50-7:00 p.m. in Strong Auditorium.