ROCO musicians and conductor Mei-Ann Chen acknowledge the applause at the chamber orchestra’s June 7 concert, which featured works by women composers, during the League of American Orchestra’s 2024 National Conference in Houston. Photo by Asaeda Basat.
In Wednesday’s (7/10) Arts Hub (Australia), Jo Pickup writes, “When ArtsHub first meets ROCO chamber orchestra Founder and Artistic Director Alecia Lawyer over the Zoom screen (ArtsHub in Australia, Lawyer in Houston, Texas), it’s clear this Juilliard-trained oboist and arts entrepreneur takes a disciplined, yet joyful approach to what she does…. ROCO goes against the standard rules of arts programming in ways that are almost too numerous to count…. ROCO’s concerts are played with the houselights up, and audiences are encouraged to politely use their devices/smartphones in the theatre if they wish. Multigenerational audiences are also welcomed with open arms where they can rub shoulders at … concerts that pop up at both traditional and non-traditional performance spaces all over Houston…. Novel approaches have allowed this maverick company to chart an enviable path in the US arts scene as a small-to-medium outfit that punches well above its weight, especially when it comes to artist diversity and audience reach…. According to Lawyer, ROCO’s success has come down to a few key strategies that follow a ‘people first’ philosophy…. Top tips include: energize the arts experience; personalize your offering; be future-focused and fit for purpose; democratize the arts experience and meet audiences where they are.”
