Rochester Oratorio Society

Rochester Oratorio Society Inspiring audiences in Western New York through exceptional choral performance. www.ROSsings.org

The Rochester Oratorio Society, founded in 1945, is the leading choral/orchestral ensemble in Rochester, New York, and the surrounding seven-county region. The mission of ROS is to produce live choral music of the highest quality, engaging and educating our community in numerous musical genres, and gratifying our volunteer singers with the professionalism of their art. Led by Maestro Eric Townell

since 2006, the Rochester Oratorio Society gives voice to the very best qualities of Rochester and western New York. Comprising approximately 145 auditioned, adult members in a typical performance season, the ROS presents two to four performances of predominantly well-known masterworks for chorus and orchestra from the 18th-20th centuries. In this role, the ROS has offered the local premieres of monumental works, such as the Berlioz Requiem and Britten's War Requiem, and many performances of Handel's Messiah, under the direction of founder Theodore Hollenbach and successors Roger Wilhelm and Eric Townell.

ROS and the Greater Rochester Choral Consortium are pleased to announce the Choir 101 series this fall! This is a free o...
08/21/2026

ROS and the Greater Rochester Choral Consortium are pleased to announce the Choir 101 series this fall! This is a free opportunity for GRCC members and will provide fundamental music theory, aural skills, and vocal training.

Nine classes will be taught by Abigail Sheahen and Sam Wersinger on alternating Mondays from 5:45-6:45pm in the Rochester Academy of Medicine Ballroom:

Class 1 - August 31
Vocal warm-up demonstration and activity; practice session tools

Class 2 - September 14
Reading music

Class 3 - September 28
Body position and respiration

Class 4 - October 5
Audiation and sight-reading

Class 5 - October 19
Phonation and resonation

Class 6 - November 2
Articulation and diction

Class 7 - November 16
Working with the conductor

Class 8 - November 30
Vocal etiquette
Preventing vocal fatigue

Class 9 - December 7
Member’s forum
Group sing

Love to sing? Join the Rochester Oratorio Society’s Symphonic Choir! Live auditions will be held by appointment only on ...
08/18/2026

Love to sing? Join the Rochester Oratorio Society’s Symphonic Choir! Live auditions will be held by appointment only on August 27, 2026. Virtual auditions are accepted year-round. Our next rehearsal cycle begins August 31, so don’t wait submit your application today!

Learn more and apply at rossings.org/join (link in bio)

What can we say, our 2026-2027 season is kinda chic! It’s also pretty chic to treat yourself to season tickets (if we do...
08/18/2026

What can we say, our 2026-2027 season is kinda chic! It’s also pretty chic to treat yourself to season tickets (if we do say so ourselves.) On sale now at the link in our bio.

The Hochstein School Isabel Liana

We are thrilled to announce our imaginative 2026-27 Season with tickets available now!  🎟️ 🎟️Purchase your season packag...
08/14/2026

We are thrilled to announce our imaginative 2026-27 Season with tickets available now! 🎟️ 🎟️
Purchase your season package now through Oct. 1 and SAVE!

Oct. 30: Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary
Dec. 18: Holiday Warmth & Cheer
March 12: Passion Music
May 7: A Jubilee of Psalms

Stay tuned for details or click on the "Learn More" button on the "Events" page.

Have a wonderful rest of your summer and see you in October! 🍁

ThunderTix is an event management software for online and box office ticket sales. ThunderTix charges no ticket fees but allows you to optionally charge fees and collect all revenue.

The 2026 Arts Connexions Festival ended on a high note with America at 250: Journey to Freedom, featuring works from a v...
07/02/2026

The 2026 Arts Connexions Festival ended on a high note with America at 250: Journey to Freedom, featuring works from a variety of perspectives over the last 250 years. The program included Billings’ “Be Glad Then, America,” Thompson’s “The Testament of Freedom,” Paulus’ “Hymn for America,” Wilhousky’s iconic “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” Brent Michael Davids’ (Mohican/Munsee-Lenape) “We Are On Native Land” and a new work by Daryl Smith, setting RCSD School of the Arts student Bronwyn Capps’s “Freedom,” the winning poem from the Writers & Books Teen Poetry Contest.

Many thanks to all who sang with us and all who attended.



What a glorious concert yesterday!We certainly had a wonderful and enthusiastic audience. Thanks to everyone who attende...
06/29/2026

What a glorious concert yesterday!

We certainly had a wonderful and enthusiastic audience. Thanks to everyone who attended and performed, and a special thanks to 13 WHAM ABC for coming, interviewing our Artistic Director Eric Townell and featuring us!



Rochester Oratorio Society marked America’s upcoming 250th with “America at 250: The Journey to Freedom,” honoring the ideas behind the Declaration of Independence with the region’s leading choral ensemble.

TODAY at 4 pm!! FREE and open to the public!The centerpiece of the 2026 Arts Connexions Festival, America at 250: The Jo...
06/28/2026

TODAY at 4 pm!! FREE and open to the public!

The centerpiece of the 2026 Arts Connexions Festival, America at 250: The Journey to Freedom, will feature the Festival Community Chorus in concert, celebrating American choral traditions. The program features Billings’ "Be Glad Then, America," Thompson’s "The Testament of Freedom," Paulus’ "Hymn for America," and Wilhousky’s iconic "Battle Hymn of the Republic."

Resonanz will perform Brent Michael Davids’ (Mohican/Munsee-Lenape) "We Are On Native Land" and a new work by Daryl Smith, setting RCSD School of the Arts student Bronwyn Capps's “Freedom,” the winning poem from the Writers & Books Teen Poetry Contest.

Date & Time: June 28, 2026, at 4:00 PM
Location: Christ Clarion Church, 415 Thornell Rd, Pittsford, NY 14534

Join us as we raise our voices toward a shared future of freedom.

Details at the link in our bio



06/26/2026

What a lovely evening last night listening to a recital of our ROS soprano, X'Zaya Ivy, and pianist Kevin Nitsch as part of our June Mini Festival, "AMERICA at 250, The Journey to Freedom".
The Festival concludes this Sunday, June 28th at 4:00pm with a FREE choral concert at Christ Clarion Church, Pittsford, NY. All welcome!

06/26/2026

A full house tonight at the Rochester Academy of Medicine for Harlem Renaissance Revisited, a recital by with Dr. Kevin Nitsch on piano. X’Zaya’s passion for this music was evident both in her singing and her commentary.

The 2026 Arts Connexions Festival: America At 250 continues this Sunday at Christ Clarion Church in Pittsford. Learn more at the link in our bio.

Here's a sneak peek from Monday's rehearsal for America at 250: Journey to Freedom! Join us on June 28, 2026, at Christ ...
06/25/2026

Here's a sneak peek from Monday's rehearsal for America at 250: Journey to Freedom!

Join us on June 28, 2026, at Christ Clarion Church for an afternoon of American choral classics celebrating freedom, heritage, and 250 years of our nation’s history.

- Christ Clarion Church
- Sunday, June 28th @ 4:00 PM

More details at rossings.org/events/2026-arts-connexions-festival/

Address

1441 East Avenue Stes 5A-5B
Rochester, NY
14610

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+15854732234

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