Our Mission
Southeastern Connecticut Community Orchestra is a non-profit orchestra connecting and supporting volunteer musicians, inspiring them to share their joy of music through the practice and performance of symphonic concerts in community spaces for the cultural benefit of the general public.
We aspire to perform all our activities in alignment with the shared values of accountability, respect, transparency, teamwork, inclusion, and community.
Our Beginnings
In the spring of 2022, a group of volunteer musicians gathered with the goal of creating beautiful music in a supportive, inclusive environment. When we realized there was enough interest to support a community orchestra, we incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We are cosponsored by the Town of Waterford Department of Recreation and Parks, where we hold our rehearsals on Wednesday evenings.
Music Director
Hilarie Clark Moore’s curiosity and desire to learn everything about music – its history, theory, and performance practices – have motivated her to approach music from all angles. She is an accomplished orchestra conductor, chamber ensemble coach, composer, freelance performer on the French horn, and teacher of music theory, piano, and music history at the college level. Her education blends both music academics and performance. She received her Bachelor of Music degree in the French Horn Performance, and her Ph.D. in Music Theory from Yale University.
In her first major work The Fishergirl, a hybrid of opera and musical theater, she expresses her unique voice, “an alluring musical language” in her “Post Romantic” style. From the fall of 2022 to August 2025, she composed the musical Jeannie, a sensitive portrayal of the challenges families face in dealing with end of life of a parent. Other compositions include works for the French horn and a collection of lullabies for young children.
As an orchestra conductor, Hilarie Clark Moore has nearly 30 years of experience conducting community orchestras. She conducts the Southeastern Connecticut Community Orchestra (SECCO) and Cheshire Symphony Orchestra. Her resume includes serving as assistant conductor of the Hudson Opera Theatre, conducting the SUNY Orange Community Orchestra, conducting Sweeney Todd with SummerStar Theatre, and guest conducting with the Cortlandt Chamber Orchestra and the Willimantic Orchestra. In her music studio, she directs weekend-long chamber music programs called Chamber Music by the River (CMR), directs a French horn ensemble, and teaches both piano and horn.
Board of Directors
President: Susan Butler
Vice President: William Shea
Treasurer: Donna Piacenza
Secretary: Kathleen Mason
Officers: Jo Ambrosini, Kate Lamoureux, Theresa Mazzaferro, Cindy McGrath, Don Wallace, and Hilarie Clark Moore (ex officio)
Join
We rehearse Wednesdays from 6:45-8:45 pm
Waterford Community Center, 24 Rope Ferry Road, Waterford, CT 06385
We currently have openings for strings and percussion. All others, please contact us for more information. There are no auditions, and you’re encouraged to join us for a rehearsal to see if SECCO is right for you. We work together to help musicians of all levels and backgrounds feel included and supported.
Contact
SECCO, PO Box 484, Waterford, CT 06385
seccorchestra@gmail.com
Support
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, SECCO welcomes donors who are passionate about supporting our mission to connect and support volunteer musicians and share the joy of music through the practice and performance of symphonic literature in community spaces.
To learn more about donation opportunities, please click here.