LET’S MAKE MUSIC
The DC Concert Orchestra Society brings classical music to the metropolitan region while providing performance opportunities and continuing education for non-professional adult musicians to enjoy a lifetime of music-making. Through the DC Concert Orchestra, DC Chamber Musicians, and the Classical Musicians of Metro DC, the Society seeks to provide playing opportunities and quality performances for diverse audiences and communities, enriching the cultural life of greater Washington.
CONCERT ORCHESTRA
One of Washington’s finest volunteer, non-professional, full symphony orchestras. The DC Concert Orchestra performs several concerts per year, with a focus on 20th and 21st century American composers.
CHAMBER MUSIC
An alliance of advanced, non-professional adult musicians with a passion for chamber music. DC Chamber Musicians membership offers music education, master classes, public concerts, and more.
MEETUP GROUP
Classical Musicians of Metro-DC is an area network of 550+ adult musicians seeking casual, non-competitive opportunities for musical fellowship through home-hosted rehearsals and open house events.
Are you a non-professional musician looking for a classical music group?
THE HISTORY OF DCCOS
DCCOS traces its roots back to 2007 with a social media group focused on gatherings of amateur chamber musicians for casual rehearsals, today’s Classical Musicians of Metro DC (CM•MDC). In late 2011, an aspiring conducting graduate student, Rob Goeke, asked whether he might try to form a chamber orchestra from among the membership. Thus, the orchestra’s modest beginnings. Rob left the orchestra in November 2012 and it continued through 2013 as a modest reading community chamber orchestra.
In January 2014, Randall Stewart was selected to lead the DC Concert Orchestra (DCCO) as Music Director, and under his baton, the orchestra has transformed spectacularly into an 80-piece full symphony orchestra, performing at levels in league with the best of metropolitan area non-professional orchestras.
In 2016, DCCOS established a partnership with the New Orchestra of Washington and later secured major funding from the Nadia Sophie Seiler Memorial Fund to reinvigorate its chamber music roots by establishing musician development and performance programs. From this, a new DCCOS program component – the DC Chamber Musicians (DCCM) – was chartered.
Today’s DCCOS counts more than 750 member musicians across its 3 program offerings and, per season, produces multiple orchestra concerts, chamber music concerts, and outreach performances.
WHAT WE DO
PUBLIC CONCERTS
As a part of DCCOS, DCCO and DCCM offer high-quality classical orchestral and chamber music concerts in beautiful, historic venues in Washington, DC and nearby jurisdictions.
MASTER CLASSES
DCCM members receive concert preparatory educational sessions – chamber music coaching from engaging professional musicians of the New Orchestra of Washington. Sessions are open to the public at no charge.
PARTNERSHIPS
Through various partnerships, funds and programs, DCCOS enriches its members and engages with the community through educational programming, special performances, and fundraising efforts.
Interested in contributing to the DC Concert Orchestra Society?
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.”