Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra

About

The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, led by Maestro Andrew Sewell, is a vibrant and thriving professional orchestra dedicated to connecting its audiences to the power of music. The WCO performs approximately 25 concerts per year, including Concerts on the Square®, Masterworks, Holiday Pops, Handel's Messiah, Youth Concerts, and other performances across the state. With a core orchestra of 34 musicians, an established $10 million endowment, and a permanent home in Overture Center for the Arts magnificent Capitol Theater, WCO is one of the finest chamber orchestras in the country. About the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Under the leadership of Maestro Andrew Sewell, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra is a vibrant and thriving arts institution with a solid blueprint for becoming a leading chamber orchestra of national acclaim. As a well-loved statewide arts institution that is tightly woven into the fabric of its communities, the WCO brings high-caliber music to the public through a wide variety of performances and programs. During the summer, more than 120,000 people will gather for WCO's Concerts on the Square®, a series of six free concerts held on the beautiful grounds of Wisconsin's State Capitol in downtown Madison. The WCO also brings its music to Paquette Park in Portage for their annual Concert in the Park. Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra performs its indoor series in the Overture Center for the Arts magnificent Capitol Theater. Called Overture Center's ‘jewel box', the Capitol Theater is an aesthetically and acoustically wonderful space for music. At approximately 1,000 seats, it is ideally sized for the warmth and intimacy that characterize the experience of watching and listening to a chamber orchestra. The orchestra presents its Masterworks series beginning in October and running through April. Internationally acclaimed guest artists from around the globe join the orchestra for unforgettable performances that have earned exceptionally high praise. Additionally, the WCO celebrates the holidays by presenting Middleton Holiday Pops at the Madison Marriott West. The WCO kicks off the holidays in style over the Thanksgiving weekend with a program of traditional and secular holiday music, including the ever popular encore, Sleigh Ride. Blackhawk Church in Middleton serves as the backdrop for Handel's Messiah, joined by stunning soloists and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Chorus. Education has been an integral part of the mission of The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. Every year the orchestra has introduced over 3000 southern Wisconsin schoolchildren to classical music through our Youth Concerts. To enhance the school music curriculum we partner with school teachers and provide educational school visits to all schools attending our Youth Concerts. The visits support what the school music teachers teach and along with staff from the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra we educate students on what they will experience at the Youth Concerts.